@Tess-and-John0 Hi Tess & John, It is a bit of a pity that you have struck this situation first up but, don't let it rattle you!
When a booking request comes through I always check on their 'history'...as it were, with Airbnb to see what possible issues there might have been in the past. I know everyone needs to start from somewhere but I always felt I would be extremely hesitant about taking on a 'cleanskin'!!!
But a few weeks ago a guest arrived who did not look at all like her photo and her size was such that she needed a considerable amount of help to get around....and to top it all off, this was her first time using Airbnb....I had broken all my cardinal rules!!! I immediately rushed to my computer to up my sharecover insurance feeling that she would either create substantial damage in my cottage (which is not particularly disabled friendly) or that she would injure herself. At that point I just wished to myself she would leave!
As we do, we had a bit of contact with her over the next few days, and she turned out to be a lovely gentle woman who had some family issues she was trying to deal with.
One afternoon she had a drink with us and suddenly started to cry...something in the conversation triggered some event in her past! My wife gave her a big hug and at that point we all formed some sort of bond, like a long lasting frienship! On her last afternoon she said that her stay was the first time in years she had felt at peace and when she left she sneeked off before we woke. She said later in a phone call she did not want a drawn out goodbye, and she left us a wonderful review.
So there you go, there is an old saying..."Never judge a book by its cover"...and I feel a bit ashamed that I did to start with.
I know my time will come for that little 'upset'......but, it won't come because I haven't done my homework!!
Tess and John, do all the right checks that you can but, you may find that this hosting will be like it has been for many of the rest of us......amazing!....cheers......Rob
