fees per person and booking on Airbnb not possible :(

[Anke180]

Using the example of fees for bed linen, I would like to explain why I think it is necessary to allow fees per person and booking on Airbnb as well.

Since the provision of bed linen for an accommodation with up to 5 guests makes a significant difference in effort in the care, I also wish for a long time the possibility on Airbnb, to be able to set a fee per guest and stay.

In past discussions, this wish was mostly dismissed with the fact that the effort for the bed linen should be included in the total calculation. For the following reasons, providing bedding cannot be a fair part of the overall calculation for short-term stays.

1. If I try to include the bed linen in the base price, it is unfair if only one person comes. Also, a higher base price makes the offer less attractive.
2. If I include the bed linen in the fee for additional guests, it is unfair for all guests who stay longer than one night, because this fee is calculated per night. This variant would also make the offer less attractive in terms of price.

In our apartments guests can decide for or against bed linen. In the advertisement we point out that bed linen is initially included only for two persons. Guests may then have to pay an additional fee or receive a refund. However, this is associated with actually avoidable further arrangements and booking changes.

About 50% of our guests make use of the option to bring their own bed linen.

For us, the preference is clearly 'we bring our own bed linen'. This saves us a lot of time and effort. It also saves the environment, because it can be assumed that after a few days of use in the apartment, the linen you bring with you will not end up in the washing machine at home.

@Airbnb  Please finally provide us hosts with a way to configure fees per booking per guest that guests can opt for individually. It would be great if our guests could specify the number of bed linen sets when booking and be shown the price for it transparently.

With kind regards, Anke

[Gwen386]

@Anke180 As a guest, the last thing I want to worry about while on vacation or traveling for business is the number of bed linen I will need to use or god-forbid lug in my suitcase. What will be next—number of towels, number of plates/bowls/cup, pieces of silverware, number of pots/pans? And as a guest, I wouldn’t want to be nickeled and dime for these either.

All that is needed is to add X amount of dollars for extra guest—say $10-20/guest. 

As a guest, all I want to know is the total cost of the STR. Just my 2cents. 

[Anke180]

Hello Gwen386,
Unfortunately, your answer falls far short and is too lacking in objectivity for me. Please bear in mind that I am criticizing a missing feature that you would not be forced to use.

With the programming options available today, it will not be a problem to clearly ask guests whether they want to add bed linen or not. I think you are underestimating us Airbnb users if you assume that this query is too much for us.

I find your comment about "What will be next..." inappropriate and unhelpful. You can't compare providing dishes with the workload of providing fresh bed linen.
When a holiday home is comparatively cheap, a charge to guests makes a serious difference. You may have overlooked the fact that about 50% of our guests like to bring their own bed linen, either to save money or to protect the environment.
Overall, we as hosts are grateful for every set of bed linen that is not needed.

Best regards, Anke

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Anke180 You already have the ability to charge per guest. If you want to charge per bedroom then you will have to create multiple listings with different bedroom numbers.

[Anke180]

Hello,
no that is wrong. I can't charge per guest and stay. I only can charge per guest and night. But it's not our intention to charge for bed linen for all the nights.

Best regards,
Anke

[Helen744]

@Anke180 I think most airbnb hosts provide 'essentials ' and these include linen towels blankets soap hairdryers toilet paper tea coffee milk shampoo conditioner and often much more , so to not include linen or blankets would put you in the category of 'what' did you miss the part where it tells your guests what you include .? H

[Helen744]

I think you are focusing on the wrong issue Anke, the issue many of us face of two people or even one person booking and then needing to change all the household linen . In this situation you obviously are not providing linen for all the beds. This is a problem that many people face. It is up to the host to deal with it in any way they wish but not everyone would feel comfortable leaving a bed without linen as generally these beds must have protective covers as well and to my way of thinking ,I do not under any circumstances encourage anyone to 'bring their own linen ' that is for school camps or hiking with sleeping bags.I agree with Gwen , it sounds awful .H

[Helen744]

also Anke I notice other hosts have their homes in two listings , one for one bedroom and another for the whole place, maybe that would suit you better but being in a room with a bare bed would make me think of boarding school and just be depressing.H

[Anke180]

Hello Helen,
we too provide 'essentials'. But we often where asked from our guests if they can use their own bed linen - most of them for sustainability reason, some of them to save costs. Imagine a couple is on a road-trip with ten different bookings. That means 10 times washing bed-linen which was used three nights max each. I think we should support such requests and see it as a small part in saving our environment.

Below you mentioned it sounds awful to have beds without linen - but if someone decides to bring linen by their own and finds beds with a clean protective cover  - where is the problem?

And of course all guests should have the possibility to also book bed-linen - that's why I raise this topic again - the guest just should have the choice. And even more the hosts should have the choice to always provide bed-linen without further questions or let the guest decide.

You also mentioned the possibility of  having the rooms in two listings  - for me this goes in the wrong direction. Of course if a single person books a two bed room all beds get at least sheets or the one not in use gets a nice day-cover.

Best regards, Anke

[Angelika208]

@Anke180 

Currently i am staying at an Airbnb with linen included, but i use my own ..

No problem at all as long as the total price is ok for me.

Fyi: booking dot com offers host to charge an additional fee for bed linens. I know, because i booked a place for next year. I dont care, but will again use my own, as total price is ok.

Btw: the problem is that bed linen is standard and normal (hotels, airbnb, vrbo, booking dot com, .. )  no guest expects not to get linens, and most guests dont read your house rules or description. And if you dont provide linens you  may end up in discussions and bad review.

What is your main concern:

1) environment or 2) expenses in washing and changing ?

If 1) i would ask the guests (and leave something  like a bottle  of wine or some sweets if they bring their own)

If 2) the price of washing linens for a King size bed and changing the linen is not worth a discussion or bad review ... price can be included in cleaning fee ...

[Anke180]

Hello Angelika,
I think to prevent discussions with the guests one way could be to include a linen fee per person as default. But during the booking process make the linen fee transparent and give the guests the choice to opt out and decide to bring their own linen.
Of course hosts should have the choice to use this possibility or not.

Best regards, Anke

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Anke180 would the 'linen fee' do what you want?

[Anke180]

Hello Mike and Jane,
unfortunately not - because it is not related to the number of coming guests and it isn't transparent for guests what part is cleaning fee in general and linen fee.
Best regards, Anke