Reservation to include all guest names

[Katie19]

I would like guests to have to include the individual names of all people included in their reservation. I have had times where the Airbnb member makes the reservation, but their guest arrives first to check in. Or other times where the Airbnb member is out working or gone for the day and the person accompanying them stays here all day.  I've never had a problem, but it sometimes makes me feel uneasy that I am letting a total stranger into my home not even knowing who they are. I realize that simply having their name doesn't provide any safety, but it seems logical for hosts to know who's entering their homes, especially for hosts like me who live on the property.

Also, as far as I understand it the insurance coverage by Airbnb for guests only includes people in the reservation. I wonder how this is determined if the additional guests are never listed anywhere.

When I have guests book I always message them to ask who will be with them while they're staying, so at least I have a paper trail of all the names. I think it would be great if when guests enter the "number of guests" on the reservation that a corrolating number of lines would pop up for them to have to enter each individual name.  

We are pretty laid back hosts and luckily I haven't heard of problems with guests, but when you really think about it Hosts are pretty vulnerable opening up their homes to perfect strangers sleeping right down the hall - kind of goes against all the safety guidelines that we all hear about never allowing anyone we don't know into our homes.

[Cormac0]

Hi Katie

I whole heartily agree with your suggestion I’ve had two separate sets of guests which I laboured under the misconception that they were couples when they were in fact four single men away for a weekend.

Fortunately, they were well behaved gentleman but it might not always be so and I can sympathise with a lady living on her own sharing a property under those circumstances.

Katie you’ve also educated me on Airbnb insurance policy which I was not aware off, this could have directly affected me in one of my bookings, where two guest of four switched midweek for two others which in hindsight should have been a new booking depriving both Airbnb and myself of income I have a 15% discount on a stay over seven days. What if the new arrivals got injured or damaged something was I covered?

So, Katie I giving you a thump ups.

[Mary269]

Adding to your rules: no one is allowed into home without prior consent of owner. Then use only airbnb communication so it is documented as to who is booking. 

Otherwise I totally agree. 

[Jack67]

I agree with this.  When asked to review, you get all names.  The main reason for me is that guests with odd sounding names from foreign and exotic places are difficult to remember, and its awkward to ask someone to spell out their name to you when they arrive!

[Theresa11]

Totally agree. WHen is Air BnB finally doing the little things to improve hosting? I am seriously considering to move to alternative hosting websites...

[Jim133]

Yes. I agree -- important to get names up front and not always easily done when people text 10 names (especially foreign ones) that all run together in one text. I DO always asks the booking guest to provide the FULL names of ALL guests who will be staying at my place during the booking.

BUT I've had two guests say "I already provided that to Airbnb, didn't you get it?" Actually, no, I didn't get it. Why doesn't Airbnb provide this information to hosts.  Or am I missing something where I can go and click and see all of the details of a reservation including 'all guest names' ??

Thx for any guidance whether from hosts or Airbnb.

[Harriet17]

Jim

Did you get an answer to your question??

I've had a number of guests tell me they've already given all the guests' names to Airbnb and I cannnot see how we, as the hosts, can see these names.

[Walter-and-Karen0]

We have Jim and Harriet's problem: the guest who books claims he gave all the extra guests' names and addresses to Airbnb.  And this host sees nothing anywhere.

This is an odd and unexpected behavior by Airbnb, though this behavior is completely consonant with the behavior of confidence artists hiding the names of their fellow artists.

[Mora0]

I’m a new host with my first bookings coming up. I’ve looked everywhere for last names for my guests, and cannot find in Airbnb message, email, etc.. a guest with no reviews and no last name, down the hall from me?  This does not feel safe or wise. Help!  Can anyone please advise me?

[Maria1478]

I've had the exact same problem many times. The guests seem annoyed because I ask them to provide the full names of the people staying with them (as it is required by law in my country) but they keep saying that they already provided that information. 

Is there any way to access that information ? 

[Debbie-And-Arnulfo0]

We are new to this and expecting our second group of guests in 3 days.  We have instant booking on and received a request but the name didnt match the profile.  We have contacted her twice by airbnb message and also called and reminded her that that security/HOA require a government photo ID before arrival.  We still have not received, starting to get a bad feeling, but dont want to cancel as it sounds like it will look bad on us!  Any thoughts/suggestions? 

[Jim133]

RE NOT GETTING GUEST NAMES: After I get an automatic booking, I have an automated response message that goes out that essentially says:

"Hello, thanks for the booking. This rental requires that the booking agent provide the full names of all people in your party.  Additional names will not be allowed unless an extra fee is paid*.  Please email or text names within the next 24 hours.  Unnamed groups are subject to cancellation at the owner's discretion. Thank you."  This shows you are serious and should light a candle. 

*It's a problem when you get a booking for say 6 and they bring 10. If they don't tell you, then you won't get any 'extra guest' fee and can't control the number in your place.  My initial response gives booking people a that unnamed guests are not welcome, and must be approved/paid for. 

Another way that I found I can get names is by having a digital lock on the door.  To get access the booking person needs to provide me names and cell numbers of guests who will get access to the front door via their phone.  August lock is pricey but works great.  It gives me a permanent track record of everyone who stayed at the house (or signed into the lock).  It also gives me a track record of who is coming and going when, which can also be useful.  This is worth considering because it saved me a lot of trouble needing to be at the door to meet new guests and provide keys. 

NOTE TO AIRBNB: Hello, are you listening? Since booking agent already provides the names of guests to Airbnb, why can't that be automatically provided to the host??  On multiple occassions when I have asked the booking person for names, they say "But I already provided that, why do you need again." So I explain that Airbnb does not provide to guests.

I think it is entirely reasonable that hosts should want and be able to know who is staying at their home, and I think Airbnb should make this easier to get the guest names -- better yet, they should automate it.