No Host On Site

Robert1917
Level 1
Toronto, Canada

No Host On Site

I recently completed my first Airbnb booking.  I was not advised in advance that neither the host or the local host would be residing in the house during my visit.   The listing was for a room in a house.  It wasn’t until I arrived and asked that I found out.  There was a situation that occurred during the trip that would have benefited had a host been on site.  Thanks for your thoughts.

10 Replies 10
Gordon0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Hmmm, it's a tough one, @Robert1917. While I'm at my listing (room in house) 98% of the time, I may zoom off for a night once in a while, but I'm available via WhatsApp/Airbnb app. What was it you needed help with?

I was checking to see if the correct etiquette would to have been advised in advance by the host.  Thanks Gordon.

Gordon0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

I wouldn't go out of my way to let a guest know,  but my set-up may be different to the listing you visited. Without knowing what you needed it is hard to give an opinion. 

Susan1404
Level 10
Covington, GA

@Robert1917- the host probably should have advised you, but there is no firm rule within Airbnb that states they must.  I don't live in the cabin I rent, but I leave my cell number and other information on a sign in the kitchen, and I always advise my guests of how they can reach me, should they need anything. 

 

@Robert1917  The etiquette here would dictate that there should be a way to contact the host or a designated co-host in the event that any issues come up during your stay. If your issue was left unresolved because the host was unreachable, that would be a communication problem on their part.

 

However, the job of hosting doesn't require the host to be physically onsite at any time during your stay, and they aren't obliged to advise you of their expected whereabouts. It doesn't sound like a breach of etiquette to me, unless there was something in the listing that really foregrounded interaction with the host as an essential feature of the experience.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Hello, @Robert1917 .  You post that there was a situation you felt would have benefitted from an onsite host.  Is that to say that you also had no way of getting hold of the host?  You tried the contact information on your reservation  confirmation and could not reach the host?  Perhaps you were looking for a more personal experience and were disappointed.  I would be as well.  

 

As a host of a private room, I cannot imagine leaving my entire house to a stranger without establishing a connection beforehand.  

Hello Linda.  Off topic, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed my day visits to La Quinta over the years.  I have close friends in Cathedral City  who would drive us to The La Quinta Resort and Spa some years when I came for Christmas.  We are all film history fans so it was interesting to visit the place where Frank Capra wrote some of his films including It's A Wonderful Life. 

Lawrene0
Level 10
Florence, Canada

I'm like most of the hosts here, @Robert1917 , with my bedroom listing, in that I am sometimes called away when a guest is to be here in the house. I do write to the guest as soon as I know so that they know what's up and how to reach me. I don't have to let them know, but it's polite. I would want to know.

Were you staying in the sort of place that has lots of guests but no host around? There are quite a few of those (lots of them in Toronto), and it is not always clear in the listing that you are getting a sort of flophouse rather than a host's spare room. I fell into that trap earlier in the year when I needed a place with little time to find one. It turned out fine, but that was because nothing happened that required a host's intervention. It was off-season, so I had the whole echo-y place to myself, and everything was in good working order.

If something had happened, and if I had not been able to reach the host, I would have called Airbnb and asked them to try to reach the host. Airbnb often has a secondary contact number for hosts and guests. You don't have to stay when something uncomfortable or dangerous is happening.  Are you okay?

Robert1917
Level 1
Toronto, Canada

Thank you everyone for your input.  To be fair, my host and local co-host had provided contact information which I used to reach each.  I do not want to discuss the particular details of the negative situation in the house due to the fact that I have not posted my review yet and will be contacting the resolution department too.  

@Robert1917   I am not clear on the purpose of your post.  You were apparently able to reach a local contact.  Perhaps when you are in a position to share more clearly what the issue was for you, we can all learn from your experience.