Concern for guests

Joanne63
Level 2
Pittsburgh, PA

Concern for guests

As an Airbnb host, I am physically on the property most of the time.  Guests share the space with me.  So I get to know them a little.  When they do not come home, I get concerned like the mother that I am, as if they were my own children.  I don't want to hover over them like a helicopter parent, but I am concerned for thier safety and well being.  How much concern is too much and when should I back off?  

10 Replies 10

You sound like a very caring person, and it's nice that you have the best interests of your guests at heart. However, guests have a tendency to come and go at will, and it's important you allow them the freedom to do that. 

 

Sharing a space can be tricky if you are keen to spend more social time with a guest maybe you could offer something extra - such as Airbnb breakfast or Airbnb dinner? For a reasonable fee, you can cook a nice meal for your guest or provide a continental brekkie before they start their day.

 

If they take you up o the offer you will be able to check in with your guest to make sure they are ok. I offer Airbnb meals, there are a few good ideas here: https://www.airbnbtips.com/serve-airbnb-meals/

Share a little social time over breakfast or dinner then leave them to get on with their day!

 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Joanne63  I can totally relate. I raised three daughters, and get a lot of single female guests, of all ages, and I also get concerned if they don't return at a reasonable hour. Especially as it's a 20 minute walk to town and the beach from my place, and the vast majority of my guests don't drive here.

I had one female guest in her late 30's arrive, settle in, then go to town and didn't come back all night. I'm a night owl myself, so I went to bed around 1AM. But she had told me she had friends in town and was going for dinner and drinks with them, so I hoped she had just decided to spend the night at their place. I texted her in the morning to make sure she was okay- my suspicions had been correct and she apologized for causing concern. I also apologized for being a "mom"- said I couldn't help it, as the mother of 3 girls. She said she actually appreciated my mom brain. From then on, for the rest of her week-long stay, she would text me when heading home from town if it was after dark so I'd know if she didn't appear in 20 minutes, half-hour, that there might be something amiss.

Quite awhile ago, I started asking my guests for emergency contact info. It had occurred to me that if a guest had a serious accident, or simply disappeared, that their family would want to be informed ASAP. Airbnb does have a place for guests to enter this info on their account, but most guests have told me they didn't bother with it. And even if they had, I would think their family would want to be informed ASAP, rather than me having to contact Airbnb, then them getting in touch with the contact, maybe and who knows how long that would take. Also, if a guest sort of disappeared, and I had a family or friend contact, they might say "Oh, she does this kind of thing all the time, don't worry about her, she'll reappear at some point."

So, I'm really upfront with guests that I will worry if they don't reappear at some reasonable hour or text me to say all's okay, or let me know that their plan is to stay out late, letting them know that I can't help but be concerned. I've never had any guest balk at that, they all say they really appreciate it, and many of the single female guests do text when they are starting the 20 minute walk so I have a heads-up to be concerned if they don't show up.

I would like to think of it as an added perk that guests get when they stay with me.  In a hotel/motel no one cares if you come or go, but in my place, you get treated like family.  This works to protect guests but can also be a major pain if they just want to be left alone.  

@Joanne63  Like I said, I have found that all my guests have appreciated it and do view it as an added perk that the host actually has concern for their safety, rather than just seeing them as a source of income. I think if they just wanted to be left alone, they'd make that evident, either by their words or body language. I certainly don't grill them on where they're going, how late they plan to be out, or anything like that, just let them know that for my peace of mind and their safety, I'm very open to them letting me know they're okay if they stay out really late or decide to spend the night elsewhere, that it's no imposition, and I'll be able to sleep better. I also advise the single gals to spend the $5 on a cab if they stay out late, rather than walk home in the dark alone.

You sound like the kind of host I would want to stay with!

@Joanne63 

We also host solo guests in our private room shared home listing just like @Sarah977 

 

Henry and I both have younger sisters and cousins and the majority of our guests are exchange students in their early 20s, usually first time in Asia. We let guests know they can come and go as they please any time, day and night, but we would appreciate a heads up if they are gone for more than 24hrs. Just so we don't have to wonder if we should be worried or not 🙂

 

We also tell our guests (especially the girls) that if they EVER need help, for whatever reason - sick, drunk, hurt, scared - to think of us as their honorary (and cool) uncle/aunt who will help and not tell their parents 🙂 

Right, many of mine are exchange students or students waiting for a dormatory assignment, immigrants on work visa or from abroad.  Most are in thier teens an 20's and just trying to explore the world on minimum wage or a budget and I will let them know they can contact me if they need in an emergency, but they are free to come and go.  Just give me a heads up if they are gone more than 24 hours.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

I remember when I was in my late teens/early 20's, you feel invulnerable at that age. It's only later in life that you realize the stupid things you did that actually could have been quite dangerous and gone sideways. I'd go traveling to far off places and not bother to let my parents know I was okay for weeks on end. I knew I was okay, was convinced I could handle any situation (of course I'd had little life experience with possible situations) and couldn't see why they should be worried. Then one of my own daughters did that me- went off to Nepal at the age of 19 for 3 months and wouldn't bother to make contact for a month. I didn't know if she was alive or dead. Now she's a mom and says she can't believe she put me through that.

So true!  I took the advice of talking to her and it turned out she met some strange guy at a hotel and was trying to get away from him.  I let her know she could contact me if she needed help.

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi @Joanne63 

 

I find it admirable and a great personality trait to be such a caring host. As others have mentioned, make sure you keep youself safe at the same time!

 

Thanks

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