Confirmed booking won't reply to text, voice mail on his cell or email!

Confirmed booking won't reply to text, voice mail on his cell or email!

Confirmed  booking  from two brothers.  I have a queen bed.  I also serve breakfast.  In New to this, but so far I've been able to touch base with all my guests immediately after they book to ask about any allergies etc, and just to say hello.  Texted this guy immediately after booking and gave my cell, asked him to call. 24 hours later left voice message on his cell. 5 days later email.  Nothing. I'd offer a blow up mattress if he'd call! Anyone ever experience this?

5 Replies 5
Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

Simply be prepared with your airbed just in case.  As they have booked and paid, they are likely to arrive.  I would worry more if they have not communicated their arrival time.

Some treat airbnb the same way they treat booking.com - they have booked their accomodation and do not see the point in further communication.  All well as long as they respect your check-in time.

Often the mobile number in the booking is not the one they use when travel or they may be out of reach for some reason.  I had some this summer who were on a multiday hike and the battery on their mobile ran out.

Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

I wouldn't sweat it.  Have the necessary things available for when they arrive.  I never get in touch with my guests until the day before they are to arrive to get an estimated arrival time from them and to see if there's anything else they need.

Eloise0
Level 10
Winslow, AZ

Melissa,

I know how frustrated you must feel right now as this situation is one of my most stressful aspects of hosting. If you can try to keep the space, room, or house that you use for Airbnb ready all the time.  The Boy Scout motto "Be prepared" is one I live by now as I have had some pretty unusual situations arise with regards to lack of communication especially if the Guest is a first time user.  I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt up to a certain point.  One of my best lines of defense is to always and only communicate with Guests through the Airbnb email platform and then you will always have a record of just what happened.  I would also like to strongly recommend that you write clear house rules and then do not break your own house rules.  I had a first time user want to stay for a week and yet I could not get her to finish her verification, set up a payment method or respond back to my courteous emails trying to help her.  Her first inquiry went 13 hours without a response  after letting her know that she had  to finish her verification.  I called Airbnb and she did not answer their phone call or email. another 8 hours go by, no response and after a  4th email from me I let her know that I was not able to confirm her reservation until she completed her verification, Airbnb calls again and literally walks her through it.  Within 3 minutes of being verified she texts me saying "You have to ACCEPT NOW!" and while I am trying to go through the steps of accepting her, sends the same text 2 minutes later.  When I try to accept her booking I discover  she still hadn't finished the payment verification.........on and on this went for 3 days!   Make a very long story short after numerous emails many times waiting for hours after each of her ultimatums I get her  booked and what does she do but tell me after I have accepted her booking that she is bringing an additional person!  I told her she would have to change her booking at which point she got nasty and so I had Airbnb look at all the emails and the fact that 3 times she had not responded to their emails or phone calls they canceled her  booking, telling her why.  Of course in her mind, because she did not get what she wanted with little or no effort on her part it was still my fault and her correspondence degenerated from there and I just did not respond to her rants.......very frustrating.  I share this incident  with  you to let you know that staying on the Airbnb platform, not breaking your own rules and have a strict cancellation policy are there for a good reason. If you do these 3 things it will help you immensely so that you are not put in the position of canceling a booking which if at all possible you should never do!

Try not to stress as most Guests are wonderful and some of the newer ones don't really understand how the booking process works.  Good, clear communication is the key.  You don't ever have to be bullied or pressured into accepting a reservation from someone who is likely to be more trouble than their worth.     

Happy Hosting,

Eloise

City-Limits-Ranch0
Level 10
Watsonville, CA

I had a family stay.  Dad and two teen daughters on a road trip vacation. No communication at all until they arrived during check in hours.  Just arrived.  Our check in requires contact.  Apparently once they had a confirmed reservation they printed out the map and never looked at the site again.  They don't use email?  Many messages, texts, phone calls no response. 

 

Turns out the phone number was a home land line and they were traveling. There was no one at home and they don't call to get messages.  They didn't have any technology with them.  No cell phone, no laptop, no tablet, nothing.  Incredibly weird in this day and age.

 

Foreign travelers often only use free WiFi at cafes etc.

Ed-and-Hugh0
Level 10
Miami, FL

Always use the Airbnb platform for communication. Don't sweat it and just be prepared and flexible when they arrive.