breakdown in communication with guest

[Anonymous]

Can someone guide me. I had two guests arriving today. Three days ago I messaged them to say that it was the Bath half marathon and that I was playing in the samba band. I told them where we would be, that they could arrive before I left at 10 am or after or come and find me. They said this was fine. I was playing for 2 hours then looked at my phone and saw they had messaged me, and then booked elsewhere. I explained that they would lose their money if they cancelled, that I was happy to come and find them to give them the key, they would not agree because I had not responded immediately, but I had explained that I would be playing and where the band would be, they sent me many messages then that did not make sense and expect to be given their money back and have booked into somewhere else. They said they were standing in front of our band, but also said they could not get to the band. I have never had a problem like this before, and I don't know what to do, they will give me a bad review, but I feel they have been very unfair, can you advise. They had luggage, but they could have explained this when I let them know in advance, most people coming for one night have little luggage, and there is a luggage drop off point near the station, this I feel was for them to sort out.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Anonymous If your guests arrived during your check in time frame and when they said they will arrive, then they expect someone is waiting for them. if you dance with your band than you should ask your friend or family member to let your guests in. Or you could install some keylock or something so your guests can self check in. Hosting is bussiness , they are your clients, not your friends, they don't care if you dance or have a flue.

[Mariann4]

Dear @Branka-and-Silvia0

I disagree with your opinion on this matter. I consider the check-in timeframe to be frame in which the host and guest have an oportunity to discuss the presice time of meeting. If nothing is discussed the window is of course valid. But hosts have a life, some times you don't know at the time of a booking what you are doing when the guest arrives. @Anonymous tried to make an agreement, the guests agreed, then changed.

Not everyone is hosting like a hotel. I, for one, can not set a timeframe for a booking in May. I know my work schedule, that is why I have checki-in after 3 p.m. But I don't know about meetings in the local area, friends and family's need of help or other things coming up. I would of course honour an agreement with my guests. But I have on occasion told my guests that they have to give me an estimat of arrival so that they can be sure not to wait for me. Because something come up. I will be flexible, I will adjust towards flights and train arrival. But it is impossible to have different one hours of timeframes on every day.

I know of hosts losing this battle towards the support of AirBnb. But I believe it to be poor support. AirBnb can not become what people live their lives around. That would exhaust the hosts.

Mariann 🙂

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

oh sorry @Anonymous, I didn't understood it correctly. Now I have re-read it again and see that they didn't tell the exact time of arrival. That is their mistake of course.

Tnx @Mariann4