How to include email addresses or URL's in an Airbnb message?

Answered!
Stephen-Y-Edda0
Level 3
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

How to include email addresses or URL's in an Airbnb message?

As in the title, I'd like to know how to include email addresses or URL's in an Airbnb message. Such information normally gets deleted (masked out) when the message is posted. Thanks.

 

1 Best Answer

I understand. Some guests want to be completely sure before booking and would like to see the place. However Airbnb advices otherwise and doesn't promote having guests over without a booking. As I had mentioned, 1) For your saftey, as you do not want a thief disguised as potential guest reach your apartment. That'd be bad for you as well as the company's reputation and 2) Airbnb wants to eliminate alll possibilites that would allow guests to book directly with the hosts in order to avoid the service charges and taxes. That's bad for the business and the beautiful eco-system that they provide us. 

 

TIP: You've managed to send you send the mail-id this time but be careful, Airbnb has auto scanners that might detect this and flag your lisitng and send you are warning mail. It's best to avoid sharing sensitive information prior to booking, altough I completely understand your case and agree that the message app is not the best tool for hosts and guests to communicate. 

View Best Answer in original post

44 Replies 44

that's silly to say.  we are given their phone number, you call, or text them your direct info and tell them to email you and voila...

My experience has been that their message to me via air bnb also has the email info blanked out.  Remember the only way to contact me is by phone or thru air bnb.  Yes I could call them and ask but I think that is intrusive and makes customers ill at ease about sharing.  VRBO has no problem with email addresses, even including them in their inquiries.   

Sheena13
Level 2
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Hi,

After guests have booked I like to send them the link to the cottages facebook page which just has pictures of the area, wals and so on. Even after they have booked the urls are masked. How do I send urls post booking please?

Thanks,

Sheena

AirBnB does not block physical address of the home so you can simply give the Guest the address and set an appointment to show the place communicating through AirBnB. If you are out of town, then tell your friend and the guest they will be meeting at such time at your place for the showing. So you do not need to give the guest your friend's email address (which is recommended anyway). Anyway if you allow a showing of the Property, whether you have access to email addresses or not, you would give your physical address anyway. So this works perfectly to do it that way. If your guest likes your place after the showing then ask him to book through AirBnB.

I understand. Some guests want to be completely sure before booking and would like to see the place. However Airbnb advices otherwise and doesn't promote having guests over without a booking. As I had mentioned, 1) For your saftey, as you do not want a thief disguised as potential guest reach your apartment. That'd be bad for you as well as the company's reputation and 2) Airbnb wants to eliminate alll possibilites that would allow guests to book directly with the hosts in order to avoid the service charges and taxes. That's bad for the business and the beautiful eco-system that they provide us. 

 

TIP: You've managed to send you send the mail-id this time but be careful, Airbnb has auto scanners that might detect this and flag your lisitng and send you are warning mail. It's best to avoid sharing sensitive information prior to booking, altough I completely understand your case and agree that the message app is not the best tool for hosts and guests to communicate. 

Could care less what Airbnb advises. It is not there property.

Am in the same boat, I'm in Hong Kong trying to organise a viewing in France between a guest and my manager, which is about impossible without phone numbers

Robert156
Level 1
Cape Town, South Africa

Can you add a URL with Airbnb directions after that booking is confirmed?

That misses the point. I don't accept that policy. Moreover, nothing prevents a host from giving his contact details once he has met the guests.

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I understand why they do it, they do not want you bypassing their system and missing their cut.

 

I would be very suspicious of someone wanting to take a look.

 

I found out when people were asking me about local attractions and I could not send them links, I also have a lot more info on my Facebbok page, I told them to google certain terms knowing it comes up high on the rankings.

David

easy, you should encrypt the sensible letters or signs with other signs and let the receiver know what are the characters swapped in short give him the key. It worked since ages, and cryptographic world was up and at its best during wwii with enigma, the electromechanical nazi machine the british took years to decrypt. It was really complicated because it had several cross passes, I'm just showing you how easy to encrypt a simple link on airbnb with one simple pass (you have to follow this if you just want to give your guest more information and not giving out your link to let the guest book directly with you). 

 

A) take your link and pass it on google shortener

B) now you have a short link, replace the g with another letter such as z, the dot with a sign (say -) and the slash with a sign (say +), put spaces in between

C) give your guest the encrypted string, at same time under the string give him the key to decrypt your link telling him to replace the z with g, the - with the dot and the + with the slash and strip out the spaces.

 

work great, try it 😉

Airbnb just says that if their SW detects a link during a simple enquiry and not after a booking (which is allowed) it would be wiped out. It won't affect any hosts if any host found the trick to send a link. Right back to school and study more this time you all! asini e coglioni 🙂

Monica126
Level 2
Albany, NY

 
Luann0
Level 2
Holiday, FL

I would advise against trying to sneak an email or phone number.  The guests that gave me the most grief were the ones that tried to "work around" the procedure on AIRbnb.  

 

Now, I just state upfront, communication is only through the AIRbnb web site.  It's easy and safe.  No need to do it any different.

 

I think same like you, now, to choose the proper path. I like my customers feel more safe booking with me.

 

I am renting a Van and need to see the driving license before booking. So I decided to do it properly. It is working somehow.

 

Do you think its possible my possible guest can send me a picture before booking?

 

regards Jens