Change/Alter reservation option is so complicated

[Vince-and-Gui0]

Hi guys,

Our post is more of a suggestion than a question.

We had to alter some of our reservations and we find it always so complicated to do so by the link option given.

We always have different prices during different days of the month or season. And even some special prices for weekends or entire weeks throughout the year.

And every time we have a guest that, for example, decides to have a visitor and we need to add another guest for one night or some nights during their stay, we cannot really pick the dates and alter only the price for that extra person in their booking.

Or if they want to extend or shorten their stay, we never know how much it`s gonna be charged because all the new calculations are done based on the current fee on the day of the request, and not on the rates on the day the person booked. Which ends up that the alteration may cost absurdly higher for fewer days or even an extension can be way cheaper than the previous booking.

We wish that this part of the process would be made simpler and more accurate, not how it is now with automatic recalculations. We would like to maintain fixed the prices first agreed to be paid by the guest, and also be able to add/remove extra guests and their fees from reservations per day they are gonna stay at our property without having to change the entire reservation (and all my calendar daily-weekly-monthly prices) just to keep the prices already paid by the main guest on the same amount.

The way it is right now is so much work, so confusing, and still ends up with one the parts loosing something.

[Luis-and-Tati0]

Hi @Vince-and-Gui0

I have to agree with you that this is not easy...

But I think you are mentioning the experience from the App..

When altering a reservation from the webpage you can specify the TOTAL you want to receive for the ENTIRE reservation, it won't show the total your guest will pay because Airbnb will add their service fee and eventual taxes. So when altering a reservation tell you guest you will do it for $xxx + Airbnb taxes and fees

I have posted in the past and will keep doing it... The experience from the app and the webpage is VERY different in so many levels... For the guest and for the host...

For example a special offer on the app must be made PER DAY including all taxes and fees, a special offer via the website must be made based on the total for the entire stay...

Via the app a guest won't see that pets are not permitted or smoking is not allowed... It only shows the other way (if they are allowed)... On the webpage it will show the two items crossed from the options (it will be visible)

Luis

[Vince-and-Gui0]

Hi @Luis-and-Tati0

My experience mentioned is all based on the website, not on the app.

The app I only use to respond to inquiries... At max!

I did the proceedure as you say... And the values are never what I want them to be. 

Im aware of Airbnb taxes, but what I say is that it should be more user firendly and also give us more options.

I do not need to alter the entire reservation to adding one guest for 3, 4 nights.

And the way it is now, I don't even know if I will... I'd rather charge in cash directly to the extra host, because the process they make go through to ask for more money is just too painful.

Just to ilustrate, a guest wanted to host a friend for 4 nights, of which we do not oppose.

when I altered the reservation, adding the price for the extra guest (80$), the total price of the reservation changed to less than what was agreed by the guest. He was supposed to have paid 1025$ with Airbnb fees... And my payout would be around 850$, already removed the 3% Airbnb share from the host... And the new payout for the entire reservation was showing 685$!!!! Much less than what as agreed for one guest, but now it was for two!!!!

Makes no sense!!!

Again... All of this made via the webpage... The app is not usr friendly for this.

Airbnb app is only to respond and administrate bookings on the go, in my opinion.

I sincerely wish they improve the change/alter reservation option, because the way it is now is trully a lot of work for something that is supposed to be simple.

Tks for you reply!

@Vince-and-Gui0

[Robin44]

I agree!! airbnb needs to make this a priority!! I believe I (we) may all have been overcharged host fees when altering a reservation.  If they want the revenue, they need to correct this!  It IS just easier to have the guest pay the difference in person.  I DON'T want to do that but I also don't want to keep having these problems.  I'm attaching 2 images (if it lets me) of a recent reservation that makes no sense in the charges (on the computer).

[Sonny-and-Chelsey0]

Definitely. It's a bummer that someone can book at a time when your base rate is high, then request an alteration when its low and have the lower base rate applied to the alteration. Currently have a booking 2 weeks from now for $700 for 4 nights. We recieved an alteration request for 3 nights rather than 4 and the price has dropped to $425. I truly hope they're working on it. 

[Sydney-and-Don0]

My guests often reserve many months in advance because of weddings in this area.  I'm having the problem that if I add one guest the new rate is significantly higher because they made the reservation last year when we were first starting out and our rates were lower.  The system doesn't let me send a special request for upcoming reservation and sends me to the alter reservation page instead and then the rate is too high.  I just tried to make a change to add 1 guest for an additional $175.  The total reservation changed when I added one guest, asking the guest to pay an additional $500.  Crazy.  I don't feel I have a choice but to ask for them to pay the $175 separately.  Please airbnb....make this easier.  It's uncomfortable and awkward.  

[Letti0]

@Sydney-and-Don0  Just do a request for money when this happens. The guests accept and it's all done without changing the booking agreement terms. 

[Stefan-and-Elza0]

Airbnb said to me that the guest doesn’t have to accept it to make me whole... my screen froze, my price was changed and my guest within seconds accepted... yet I am still waiting for her to pay occupancy taxes which I requested via resolution center... you really think guests are willing to give you more if they can get a cheaper deal? 

[Stefan-and-Elza0]

Did you guys contact Airbnb? I just had a similar experience today and spoke to 3 people. Trust me, they were not on my side. They should not be able to alter the pricing if we only change from 4 to 5 guests. I used my iPhone, my screen froze, next i know my guest got a $100 off the weekend price... this should be illegal! If we agree on a certain price, that’s it. We have last minute deals, we have high prices during holidays, I would go crazy if everyone started negotiating pricing... and the alteration of guest number just should not carry with it nightly price change, unless an extra guest pricing is stipulated. But if the place allows for example 8 and you have 3 booked, you do not charge extra for 1 guest, do you? Your price reflects for 8 people, charging for each person seems odd.