Anybody figured out yet how to help guests book for family members without doing 3rd party booking?

[Monika64]

Hi fellow hosts,

so I had this scenario so many times now that it's just getting more and more irritating to cancel bookings and explain it to guests: someone books for close family members, often time elderly people ... and many times a wedding is involved when they REALLY wanna pay for the booking. So of course I ask Airbnb to cancel these bookings but I feel HORRIBLE because I want the booking and I want to help the couple about to get married. I cannot ask them to create a profile for family members using THEIR OWN credit card but so HOW could this be possible? Anybody figured out a solution for this yet?

I know there are also corporate events when secretaries are asked to book and so they use their personal Airbnb acct only to find out that they cannot book for their bosses.

Any ideas how to fix this problem? Clearly Airbnb still doesn't have a solution for this.

Looking forward to hear from you!

Kind regards,

Monika

[Emiel1]

Hello @Monika64 ,

Companies can do 3th party bookings, but only if they have a business account with Airbnb.

https://www.airbnb.com/third-party-booking

Best regards, Emiel

[Monika64]

@Emiel1 Which is NOT a 3rd party booking, they have their own account. I'm talking about when someone tells you: I'm a personal assistant of a writer/business man/socialite/influencer/etc. and I'm booking for him/her. I think this would be an easy fix. I'm more interested in the family bookings.

[Emiel1]

Hello @Monika64 ,

As soon there is business involved, it work this way. I hosted several guest, which were booked by  there organisation (big or very small). The organisation (for example a secretary)  book and pay, the guest stay. The guest must have an Airbnb account too, so can be reviewed afterward.

I sometimes hosted close family related guests, booked by a familymember. It's only not by the strict rules, and when trouble appears, airbnb can simply drop you.

[Marzena4]

@Monika64 There are many situations and scenarios that are not quite what Airbnb approves, but after all it is the host's decision if they honour such a reservation: bookings for family members, by users with no proper profile photos. You can always host such parties. It's not your statutory duty to report them to Airbnb.

[Monika64]

Hi @Marzena4,

Airbnb isn't really famous for honoring requests for security deposit so no, I do not want to go against their rules because should I ever need to request for a deposit they won't even consider it if it's a 3rd party booking.

My question was directed to if anyone figured out a way to help this bookings (for someone else, paid by somebody other than the guest) along within the rules of Airbnb?.

[Kelly149]

@Monika64 this is one I would push off onto CS. Call & say “ this is a third party booking, but I am happy to host IF you get the actual guest to create an account. “

CS has the ability to call guest one, call guest 2 and transfer the reservation from one to two. You can’t do any of that. So set a deadline that you’re comfortable with and get CS working on it. Very doable. 

If they don’t get it done then you go back & insist on cancellation. 

& best I can tell, anyone can pay for anyone. So if guest two gets a profile guest one still can pay. 

[Monika64]

@Kelly149 Yeah, I figured that could be my last resort although I'd have to do it more often than I'd like to (it still takes time to wait for the guest create the profile then call Airbnb and fix things). I know lots of host don't get bothered by 3rd party bookings but I was just wondering if anyone found an easy way to deal with these kind of scenarios without involving CS every single time?

[Kelly149]

@Monika64 nope, seems like abb has relegated us to: take the reservation as is or get CS to fix it. 

I personally wish there was a button that a host could click that said "I approve this reservation (or not)" in order to not put the onus on us when guest has a bad profile or third party or is breaking rules, etc. I like IB when all is right and good, but when the guest causes problems it isn't cool that it is the host who is on hold trying to get CS to fix something that should not have ever happened.

[Monika64]

@Kelly149 Exactly. For obvious reason I don't allow 3rd party booking which I mention in the 1st line of my listing. You think people would read it. I just got a booking this morning for someone else and now it's my time wasted by calling CS to sort this out.

But aside from that, there are really occations when I'd like to help guests out by allowing them to book for their elderly parents, book for someone as a present, etc. But there isn't seem to be an easy way to do it which is irritating. I've been trying to figure out a solution but could not so far ... figured I'd throw this question out there on the CC so maybe some hosting genius can find a way :-))))

[Marzena4]

Even a genius will not do much when their hands are tied...

[Fred13]

@Monika64I get these types of applications all the time; secretaries booking for their boss, agents bookings for their client, travel agents bookings for travelers, etc.  I treat them on a case by case merit basis.

[Monika64]

@Fred13 Yes, but allowing them to book goes against Airbnb rules (a ground for denying any security deposit, should you need it) so I would like to find an "official" solution without calling CS every single time.

[Fred13]

That be great.

[David126]

It does not bother me, I often mention it does bother other hosts.

AirBnb in the US I belive sells gift cards so the person who wants to pay can buy one of those.