Broke Down Renters

Augusto93
Level 2
Olney, MD

Broke Down Renters

I’m sorry if the title is insensitive, but how come I get so many broke down guests??? Guests that don’t like to take showers, guests who smell, guests who sleep in common area when the rules say not to. Guests who use the bathroom and get #2 in between the toilet (how does that happen!!??), guests who book for the following day and come at 12am trying to get a night for free, guests who book and stay at the house all day long (for days!!!), guests who smoke cigarettes and then the cigarette smell trails inside. So much drama 24/7. I’m tired. 

30 Replies 30
Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

For me, It is the down season.  The quality of my guests is lower.  I'm more desparate and there is a general feeling of blah that comes from low activity. I'm also competitivilty priced to flea bag hotels rooms right now, which is very risky.

@Augusto93,  I love what you offer. You provide clean, simple cheap housing.

Because you have a unique offering. most hosts here wouldn't give you good suggestions, because we rent out private rooms.

The easiest way to reduce your risk of low quality guests is to follow the "standard".

How do you compare to other shared housing? Is your pricing in the middle/higher range of the competition? How do other hostels demand higher quality guests? Do you accept brand new guests with no recommendations?

Consider replacing your taco picture with your face picture.

If it is the low season, consider experimenting renting out private rooms with a higher price.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Sorry if it sounds insensitive @Augusto93 but I would suggest this is because you are running a hostel type set up; offering basic accommodation - designed to attract budget travellers.  

 

If you want to host better quality guests  - you might want to review what you offer and not offer dormitory style rooms but rooms for couples, business people or families and vet them before accepting a booking to ensure there is a good fit.

 

Change your rooms to offer double or twin beds and family rooms. Make it clear in your marketing about the sort of guests your place is suitable for. Yes you won't make as much money. But it won't be as exhausting for you and you will enjoy it more.

 

 

I would also suggest you upload a photo of yourself rather than food as profile and say a bit more about yourself as this will instil trust in yourself as a host and in turn perhaps help you attract better quality guests.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

 You have 34 listings and over 300 reviews, @Augusto93.  Does your posting reflect a recent change or has the "broke down renter" been a part of your hosting experience all along?  As both @Helen3 and @Paul154 have indicated, you are appealing to the budget traveler which is a needed level of accommodation in this world.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Augusto93

Since you are getting tired, and I can imagine that you would be, my first thought would be to not cram so many beds in one room. Instead, offer a more “upscale” space to fewer guests and charge a little more. A very low price is going to attract the type of guest who will pay it.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

I echo what others have said, get rid of the 'hostel' environment, rent it as a regular house and raise the prices significantly.  You can still separately list the various bedrooms so you can rent to more than one set of guests at a time.

Augusto93
Level 2
Olney, MD

All the suggestions of turn it into private rooms are valid. However, if I do this I would have to charge a price so high that no one would book. Since the rent here is so high (I run AIRBNB for the landlord) I have to do hostel style in order to just make my little bit of chump change. We’re talking the 8 bed dorm being converted into a private room and it being $240 a night at standard and 40% decrease that price during low season. Who’s going to book that when hotels are similarity priced?

@Augusto93

 

It's hard to tell from the photo, is it 3 bedrooms?  If so, why not have 3 listings and price each at somewhere between $50 and $80 per listing, maybe even higher, as the common spaces are really nice,  this still allows you to be cheaper than a hotel, and to list the place as a shared space, but will make more $ and vastly cut down on the wear and tear to the apartment, as well as probably get you a better class of guests.

@Augosto, 

I am intrigued with your offering. During the low season, how full is your 8-bed shared room?

Do you have any flexibility in easily removing some beds to match your demand? 

How do you control noise? Are you onsite?

You seem to have many good reviews, so you are doing something right.

I have an onsite manager and he lives there. It’s booked up half to full time because the location is really good and the area is upscale. The cheaper the price the more money I make. The best month was when the price was 14.40 a night and every single bunk bed was booked for the full 31 days and I made like 14,000 that month I was so happy. 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

If you can't make a decent living at the property you are co-hosting at , then why not use your skills and promote your services to other hosts looking for a co-host for other hosts who have more upmarket guests.

@Augusto93, as you continue to receive less then good reviews because the hostel is noisy, unclean, and unorganized due to these broken down renters who is going to book then? Regardless of the price.

Barry-and-Lera0
Level 10
Sarasota, FL

@Augusto93: Low prices bring low people. That setup looks just horrible (surprised its even legal) but I guess if you are super broke $24 a night is a good deal to sleep in the same room as 5 other strangers. Low pricing also does not necessarily translate to more bookings. We are priced higher than most around us but are booked more than the cheaper places because of the ammenities we offer besides the 4 walls of the guesthouse.

 

I also wouldn't book with you just because you have 4 pictures of food as a profile picture as a host.

@Barry & Lera   I get very irritated when hosts claim that low prices attract low people. This is simply not true- as many other hosts can attest to. It all depends on what you offer, the area, why people come to your area, the type of guest you market towards, etc. I offer a budget priced private bedroom/private bath in my home. I have always had totally lovely guests. I think it's the hostel-type situation that @Augusto93 is dealing with that is attracting less than desirable guests.

@Sarah977, I know we've had this discussion a few times, and you're right it isn't black and white and every situation is different. But you host single female travelers if I'm not mistaken and you have a nice place, which means you also attract a different clientele. 

 

I've stayed in more than a few hostels in my life and by and far, they typically do attract some very 'low people' as @Barry & Lena stated. Now, of course, that doesn't mean everyone will be behaving badly, but I would say a larger percentage than in a single room such that you have.

 

I think there can be no mistake that much of @Augusto93's problems come from low prices combined with the hostel environment.