How to manage cleaning fee/extra charge for extra guests

[Kerry-and-Mark1]

Hi, we are fairly new to Airbnb having just started hosting in July 2021. We've had a great time so far and have managed to maintain super host ratings. I have a question though...we are about an hour from where our property is. Up until recently I have done all the cleaning. I tried a local cleaner, but it was a disaster and now I have a friend and her husband that are cleaning when we can't. Our home has sleeping for 6 and I have been reluctant to charge "extra per person" over two, because I don't want people to say they have 2 and then have more thus surprising the cleaner with a lot more laundry...but with the distance to clean added on to the time spent, we are paying more than we are charging for cleaning fee. I'm wondering about putting locks on bedroom doors and only leaving the rooms that are rented by the guests open? Like ask them when booking which rooms they require and then charge for extra guests? That feels a bit tacky...but I don't want to charge my 2 people stays the same as the people who want to cram 7 into a 6 home...any suggestions on how to make this a bit more fair? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Kerry-and-Mark1 the best way to achieve what you want is to leave your current listing priced for 6 and create another listing with one bedroom less priced for 2. This then allows you to lock the other bedroom without upsetting the guests. Just link the calendars to avoid double bookings and perhaps block the 2 person listing for high seasons where you know you can fill the bigger listing. Blocking one listing does not block the calendar of the other listing.

Being lazy I have assumed you have 2 bedrooms but just adjust the above depending on what you have.

[Kerry-and-Mark1]

Ah, yes, never thought of that. Thank you! Also I just did a little more research in our area and it seems all the other house that have room for 6, charge the same nightly just per house, period. And the same cleaning. I have adjusted my cleaning fee to be more competitive as I think I was too low. Will see how it goes. Appreciate your advice and may look at that in the future!