Bookings for two singles (rather than a couple)

Helen0
Level 10
Manchester, United Kingdom

Bookings for two singles (rather than a couple)

The listing is a self-contained two-bedroom house that can sleep up to four people (two double beds, one in each room).

For parties of three or four people there is an additional charge on top of the base rate to cover the extra time cleaning and doing laundry for the use of the second bedroom, but when the party is two people there is no way to know whether they are a couple who will be sharing one room, or two friends/colleagues etc who want a room each.

I have therefore put a specific paragraph in the listing asking people to tell me if they are two singles wanting both rooms as otherwise the system (and I) will assume they are a couple and only one bedroom will be prepared for them.

However I am getting guests arriving, having not read the listing properly, not spoken to me about it, and expect the second bedroom to be made up and available to them but unwilling to amend their booking to cover the additional charge!

What can I do about this? 

 

15 Replies 15
Gillian19
Level 10
St Leonards, Australia

@Helen0 Hi helen, I woud suggest making a small increase in your basic rate to cover this - sometimes you will gain a bit, sometimes you will lose. At the moment, rates for one listing can only be based on the number of people, not rooms, or a combination of both. I think it would get way too complicated to do both anyway. I have a holiday house with 4 bedrooms and 6 beds. So I can have 3 couples that use 3 beds, or 6 singles that use all 6, or somewhere in between. So from a linen perspective it would be great if I could charge per bed used - but they will use one towel per person so then I want to charge per person. How complicated would that be? So I look at it that on average it works out and not stress about the times all 6 beds are used.

Marzena4
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

Tell your guests to read their reservation details, @Helen0. If the one is the listing you're referring to, it clearly says "private room" and "one bedroom." 

So any idiot should understand that one means one, not two. If any guests doubt it, send them off to Airbnb CS to deal with it. Imho, they want to breach the contract, not you.

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Helen0
Level 10
Manchester, United Kingdom

The private room listing is my own home Marzena; this query is to do with my other listing for a self-contained property in Salford. Of course I wish all guests would read the listing details properly, especially as I take great care to make sure everything is accurate - but I guess your own mistake shows how easy it is for people to miss crucial information without meaning to! 🙂

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

Marzena-  Do you know that it is common in Asian countries for a whole family to sleep in the same bed!

So 'One Bedroom'  definitely does not mean one person....it can mean up to 5....or if it is a super King bed, possibly up to 8...and then there will still be room for the Chihuahua to nestle in there somewhere!

 

Cheers......Rob

@Helen0  You could set price for one person and apply a charge to extra guests after one (1) person in the pricing area on Airbnb, if two people do come and want separate rooms you are covered. I find it better to charge the room for single and add the extra for second person. I get an even split of single and couple.  Two people in one room also means extra towels, extra hot water, extra amenities if you offer shampoo, conditioner, tea, coffee...   It works out well for me as all is covered in price they pay on booking, no  having to deal with it when they arrive. Although I do wish Airbnb hadn't got rid of the 'Extra Person Charge' that used to appear on the listing front and center, now it just appears in the total.

Phyllis38
Level 2
Tallarook, Australia

I have a self contained house which sleeps up to 10 people but there are only 6 beds so if the guests are all singles it will only sleep 6. So my base rate is for up to 6 people and an extra charge per person after 6.

So whilst I receive less money that way per night if the guests are singles, I accept that as part of hosting because often the singles are working in the area, and stay for a longer time.

However when I receive a booking enquiry for more than 6 guests, I do have to make sure that they understand that people will have to share beds, because people don't always read the details.

Rod-and-Lorna0
Level 5
Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand

If the booking is for 2 persons I don't want to charge extra for 2 beds but I do want to know before arrival so I'm not caught with having to scramble to make up another bed whilst they wait. I like to be prepared when guests arrive. Identifying at time of booking would alleviate this.

Rod&Lorna   Can't you just ask them to confirm that it's a couple not 2 singles in the message that you send a week or so before they arrive?  Guests are much more likely to respond if they know it's in their own interests (so they don't have to wait when they arrive), and more likely to read that message in detail than they are the listing.

@Helen0

At the time of inquiry/booking, just send a short (saved) message reminding them that a booking for 2 people assumes only 1 room/bed  will be needed, and this is the basis for the pricing. If they want separate beds/rooms, there is an extra charge (which should be covered in the listing description) and they need to inform host of this at least X days before check in, and you will prepare the extra bed/room only if the guest accepts the price change.

I feel it is better to assume guests to not properly read and always double check to make sure expectations are managed. I always make it clear it is the GUEST responsibility to read the listing description and host is not responsible for guest carelessness or lack of planning.

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

Hi @Helen0. My space is an entire space with two bedrooms. First room has a queen bed. The second room can be made up as two singles rather than the king bed.

 

Here's a different perspective:

 

@ Kathie.    Rod&Lorna,    @Phyllis0.  @Ange0.

I think what everyone has suggested Is all valid, and really is a personal preference for how you set up.

 

Yes it's true, the more people, the more use of the facilities: power, water etc. Technically I can have 4 individuals, then add a baby for a porta cot which then involves LOTS of linen.  But numbers doesn't necessarily mean messy, so reconsider....

 

For @Gillian0 is absolutely correct in suggesting that maybe change your base rate. Sometimes like my last guests, two weeks of only two people who were tidy, clean and out most days! Winning. Some families or individuals stay around all day, just to enjoy the pool and relax... showering after every swim. 

 

**** What no one has mentioned is that some couples, sleep separately - for preference with a snorer, work commitments or maybe due to a medical or health issue. ***

So I'm not one to pry in others affairs.  They rent the entire space, so prepare the two beds and wash both Iinen settings. 

 

If it's a family, or three adults, I ask if they want the king bed formation, or the king singles? Otherwise, it's their business.  During peak seasons,  just add to the base rate. If low season, retain your rate, or add a cleaning fee. If they are good guests and willing to pay, they do deserve their privacy.

 

If I'm not in a shared space, would like to think my sleeping arrangements is my business.

 

🙂

Cathie

 

 

 

 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

Helen-  I can't tag you into this conversation as we have been able to do in the past...the system is just plain broken I am afraid!

Suck it up Helen, there is nothing you can realistically do about it! Airbnb charges by the guest, not by the bed.

I am in a similar situation where I list a 'Studio' which revolves around a nice queen size bed. I also have a lounge which doubles as a sofa bed to pick up that additional person or two, or family, for which I charge an additional amount. So I charge $95 AU for two and I charge $110 for three. In the listing description the sleeping arrangements are displayed, but not the costs attached to those sleeping arrangements....surprise....there is nowhere to include it!!

The problem I will face is two friends are travelling and do not tell me it is a friendship thing! All Airbnb will allow is X profile is booking and there will be another person travelling with X. The booking is more often that not an 'Instant Book'....'Congratulations X is booked with you for the night of June 7th, send X a welcoming message'!

The guest expects the use of both beds because, after all there are still only two of them and I charge $95 for two....no ifs....no butts.!

Helen, I just roll over and accept that I will have to take a hit on this one. It is not worth trying to change the reservation and get more money, you just antagoinize the guest....and I have found of the few 4 star reviews I have received all have been as a result of two late middle aged old ducks travelling in this way....you just can't seem to satisfy them no matter how much you give them!....they just expect!

 

Cheers......Rob 

Roberta2
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Hi

I faced a lot of this over the last few weeks, as a guest.

I was traveling Iceland with 3 Friends  (we were 1 couple + 2 singles).

We looked for and booked places with 3 rooms

We informed that we were 4 people.

I really expect that the host would make the 3 bedrooms, as I am booking the full house.

If I was booking for 2 couples, I would have booked a 2 bedroom house, no?

But after our 1st house, where she had made only 2 rooms, I made a point of emailing the hosts and confirming.

Or maybe just me 🙂

 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

Roberta- 

Roberta, it is not up to the host to pre-judge the living/sleeping arangements of guests.

I have had a number of bookings for a male and a female travelling together and in most instances they don't tell me when they are, or are not an 'item'. I simply get.......

"Congratulation Andrea and Jon have a confirmed reservation for Mon 11th June, send them a welcome message"!.....Or....

"Hi My name is Andrea and I have seen your lovely listing and we would like to stay with you on Mon 11th June"! The request is for two guests and my base rate is for two guests, but there is no mention of that second guest.. or if they would like the use of the second bed, for which I generally get an extra $15.

I can pry into what might be the relationship, but l don't want to. I feel that would be an invasion of their privacy because, at that point, l do not know them...I don't know who they are or what the relationship might be.

"My mother and I would love to stay in your cottage on the night of Mon 11th June" .....half of them are quite happy to sleep in the one bed with their parent, the other half want the second bed, but they don't flag that before they arrive. 

I would love there to be somewhere in the booking protocol that would automatically take care of this anomoly without me having to beg the guest as an extra charge.

IE: 1 guest, 1 bed......$85

2 guests, 1 bed.........$85

2 guests, 2 beds.......$100

3 guests, 2 beds.......$100.

4 guests, 2 beds.......$100

5 guests, 3 beds.....and so on

Most guests will give you a decent hint as to the sleeping arrangements they require, but in a good few instances as it stands at the moment, when they arrive they tell me and I just have to take the hot where the servicing of that second bed is concerned. It doesn't happen often enough for me to make a big deal of it....I just accept it!

 

Cheers......Rob

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

Hi @Roberta0.

 

I believe a host should make up all beds in a property listing. But if these are kings needing separating then let them know.

 

As a guest in your initial comment when booking the property,  state you are travelling as one couple and two singles. The host shouldn't have to second guess bedding configurations if king beds need to be separated.

 

I've had couples needing separate beds, and that really is their business. So all beds made is ALWAYS best. 

 

So let's not underestimate good communication: no one is embarrassed or left feeling underwhelmed or cheated. 

Host to price appropriately for time and effort, guests to pay the price and get all the space encompasses.

A no brainer.

🙂

Cathie