Arrival time

Zacharias0
Level 10
Las Vegas, NV

Arrival time

How do guests not know what time they will arrive or even have a estimated time of arrival 3-4 days before they arrive? These are older people and they aren't exactly a spontaneous bunch of people who can plan spur of the moment trips. Even if you are driving you know what time of day you intend on leaving- morning, afternoon or night. From that you add on the amount of hours the drive takes and boom: (estimated time of arrival). It honestly confuses me to no end and AirBnB should put this requirement in the booking process for anyone who wishes to book. I've put it on my profile but I suppose I have to put it in big bold letters now. Its as if what I write in my profile is written in Latin. I always ask time of arrival so I know what time to check in on my guests or around what time I can expect a odd message about how to find the keys even though Ive written them a paragraph of detail and sent them a map with a compass about where to find them.

24 Replies 24

I know it's absolutely ridiculous that people don't have a plan or that they think its unreasonable to ask them to have one.  We have to send this message more frequently that is really reasonable: 

"We have busy lives. Since it's our home, we would like to commit to an arrival time with you. We both have commitments and jobs that often force us to be away from the house.  There is no full-time staff, it's just us, so we need to make sure one of us is available to greet you, let you in, and show you around.  There is no remote key or keybox and we'd hate to leave you stranded on the porch wanting to check in while we're off running errands. We hope you understand.  We'd be happy to put you down for a 6pm check in if that works for you.  Then we can set about planning our day around your arrival." 

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

Just yesterday I did ask Airbnb to prompt the guests for this information at booking.

Kind of like that Travel insurance prompt you get right before buying your  airplace ticket.

Airbnb could ask:

"Air you arriving by car? ETA?"

"or by Air? Flight Number?"

Another thing I would like to know is "Will you check out early in the morning?"

The guest could then answer or just ignore and then complete his purchase.

Airbnb would provide hosts and guests a great service. With a flight number, you can track guest's arrival - guest does not need to update host. 

As it is now, when hosts ask for arrival information it seems either unimportant, pushy or nosy. 

If Airbnb collected this information for the host it would legitimize the host's legitimate need to know

 

 

 

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

I do a short version of @Alice-and-Jeff0's about most probably having to run some errands and knowing their ETA makes sure I'm not out when they arrive. For the one or two still reticent I'll shoot off another message saying that in case they arrive while I'm out to please phone me and I'll be back quickly within a quarter of an hour.  If nothing else, that one got their attention, but it's a tiring game sometimes. Almost feel like saying there's extra admin costs after 3 messages requesting ETA!

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Zacharias0 hehe no mercy :))) 

formula is "please let me know your exact time of arrival as soon as you will know it. I live/work on the other part of town and need 1 hour drive to come and meet you"

It works every time. 

 

 

I don't expect my guests to give an ETA 3-4 days in advance.  If they haven't already told me, I ask to get an ETA on the arrival date.  As well as a host, I am a guest.  When I'm on vacation, I might take in another sight that was unplanned and as a result have a later arrival time that I previously thought.  I just try to keep the host informed of any change in time. I do send this message to my guests the day before or day of arrival:  Please let me know what time to expect you so that I will be home to meet you.  

Paul-And-Fanny0
Level 2
Silver Spring, MD

I have been hosting for 9 years and have met all kinds of people with different levels of personalities. 

 

Perhaps you can put a lock box and when they arrive text them the code or get a door lock with a code. I even posted arrows to direct them to their room so I didnt have to interupt my schedule.

 

Some people are just like that but it could be they just dont know. Its that simple.

 

          Paul and Fanny

 

Paul-And-Fanny0
Level 2
Silver Spring, MD

I have been hosting for 9 years and have met all kinds of people with different levels of personalities. 

 

Perhaps you can put a lock box and when they arrive text them the code or get a door lock with a code. I even posted arrows to direct them to their room so I didnt have to interupt my schedule.

 

Some people are just like that but it could be they just dont know due to factors beyound their control like traffic, getting lost, plane delays , etc.

 

I understand because I had to wait up in the early hours for people that said they were coming at 10 pm but didnt show till 1 or 2 am.

Now  when they come too  late I  just text them my door entry code before they arrive on the same day and place arrows to direct them to their room.

 

 

          Paul and Fanny

 

Ira4
Level 10
Athens, Greece

@Zacharias0 just after booking I send my guests a message which includes this:

"We will have to arrange the check-in time at least 24 hours before your arrival to our place."

Most of the times, they are accurate within an hour. 

 

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Everard0
Level 1
Sheffield, United Kingdom

Well, when I go away, I find it a real hassle to be pinned down to a specific arrival time.

You don't have to do it at a hotel.

And I'd like my guests to have a better experience than at a hotel.

 

I went away last weekend and the host asked for an arrival time within a half-hour window.

I didn't feel like I was on holiday.

Suddenly it was a military operation.

Doesn't feel good.

 

So I just tell my guests to arrive whenever they like. (After the official check-in time)

If I am not in, or in bed, use the keybox.

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

While most hosts offering whole houses (that are usually not the homes they live in) use lock boxes or code key pads so guests can let themselves in, I don't see that many hosts happy to simply have guests be able to access their home and traipse in to go find their room by themselves. I'd find that horrible myself.

If a guest wanted that freedom then they would be better off not booking a private room in somebody's home but paying for the freedom of 24/7 arrival either at a hotel or booking a whole apartment or house with automatic check in.

 

I can imagine @Zacharias0 preferring to check in his guests personally instead of leaving it all up to  chance and hoping the new arrival figures out what's where.

Annette33
Level 10
Prescott, AZ

@Zacharias0, I see in your listings that you have check in time from 3pm to 2am for all of your places. Being Las Vegas, that in itself already seems to invite trouble and vagueness. How about you simply tighten up the check in window time ( and leave out all the exclamation points..). That  would make it clear - but remain friendly.

I have it in my house rules that guests need to submit to us their ETA the day of travel, and I send them a welcome message the night before reminding them of it, in case I don't know yet.  Works like a charm, nobody gets alienated, and I only had very few requests for an extended check in time, when something unexpected happened.

Joanna85
Level 10
Las Vegas, NV

The other day I had a guy coming from a nine hour drive.  He said he'd be here by midnight..I agreed. (I like people to be in by 9 because I am not a night owl).  He finally arrived at 2a.m.  The lockbox is not a great idea to me because you can never really trust people to even be able to unlock the box--then they have to figure out which door to open...etc.  Anyway, 2am he strolls in and by this time I"m not only exhausted but thinking he is the rudest guy ever.  He wasn't rude or awful, he just is a tourist and didn't know his way around and totally underestimated the drive.  I think that is the part of the point of Air BNB....helping others and giving them a safe place to crash once they finally are done touring around.  Remember, it is customer service you are providing.  Most people totally forget it's your home and not a hotel...they take it a bit for granted you might have a life beyond renting your space out!

Helga0
Level 10
Quimper, France

@Zacharias0, lol, did you leave the Lore ipsum exemple text, when setting up the profile ? 

I added it to my rules, that for same or next day bookings, I need the ETA with the booking, to be able to adapt to the guest's shedule. Otherwise they accept to adapt to my shedule, which I will communicate to them via airbnb. 

(That after a few really infuriating people with no communication, where I had talked longer to the helpline than to a normal guest - cancellation offered by the staffer).

I have it also in the message that pops up before booking (or just afterwards). 

All in all, most communicate it now immediately, some stay vague "I'll arrive in the evening" till I ask for an hour "What do you mean by evening? 5 pm, 10 pm, just before midnight?" 

I could even let the door unlocked, and woud do that with repeat guests, but I would not really feel safe going to sleep with someone arriving whilst I'm asleep, who is not able to communicate. 

I've had guests stuck in a train somewhere, who manage to get a local to call or text me. If you get a text at 9pm, that the person is stuck and won't arrive at 10, but at an unknown hour, as the train is not moving and they don't know why, at least you know you can enjoy your evening - and look up the train info and send them a text back, why they are stuck and how long it will take. 

 

I don't believe it increases the guest's comfort to be "free" to torture the host. Everyone, who ever experienced me in a biting mood, will confirm that a bit of planning and a message are preferable to that 😉

 

Lina65
Level 2
Canberra, Australia

Hi, 

Is that normal that guest did instant booking and apperaed infront of my house 20 minutes later? Because that what happened to me and since i could not answer his sms when he arrived he rated me 3 starts.