Do any hosts offer direct bookings?

[Asury-and-Adam0]

I had a guest recently book who happens to be a fellow host. She mentioned how well she does booking her homes direct vs through AirBnB. She mentioned her bookings are 60% direct and 30% AirBnB. We book really well through here, but like the idea of cutting out the middle man and actually having access to security deposits, not have to request money and then go through resolution managers, etc. You know the deal. Anyways, I'd like to hear other hosts input on this topic. Thanks.

[Robin4]

@Asury-and-Adam0

Hi guys,  this is fine as long as you don't take reservations privately that came to you via Airbnb. I do take private bookings but would never suggest to a prospective Airbnb guest that we do a back pocket deal.

If a host has access to a steady supply of guests who just come from nowhere, great!

Where the main ethical issue which arrises is, when guests who have stayed through Airbnb wish to come back and bypass the Airbnb system for their next stays. I would prefer to send them a special offer to offset some of the Airbnb service fee and still have them work through the system. That way I know (hope) my payout will be secure and I will get the advantage of another review. 

And this probably sounds a bit silly but, I feel by having the higher moral ground if I have a dispute Airbnb are more likely to side with me and protect me if I can demonstate I have always been an ethical Airbnb host and not done anything behind their back!

Of course we would all like to get a bit more from each guest at the expense of someone else but I believe in this world there is no such thing as a half moral person....you either are, or you aren't!

Cheers......Rob

[Cheryle3]

Robin in Mount Barker, shall I assume you have no credit card machine?  I would think it would be far easier to make arrangements with your own machine than rely on any OTA for all my business. I have flown solo for decades, and only recently signed up with an OTA.  I cannot say my experiences have been great. I prefer to have a chat with a prospective guest about whom they are, and let them know about me, than with unknown people through an OTA. I have had lots of trouble with Booking.com guests that I usually never have once they have booked through my website.  I am new to Air BNB, and have only had one guest. She was a pain in the butt! She called me at least 10 times in 3 hours after she checked in. I gave a tour of the community from the front porch at check in. (They had beenhere last year. so were not strangers to the community, which is a resprt town.) She called me the other 10 times to ask me about the things I had shown her in the tour, clearly not an intellectually gifted person.   The room was pretty messy on Saturday when I went in to tidy.  When I was putting on clean sheets after check out, I saw either some kind of food on the bedspread or sex leavings. At any rate, extra cleaning. And now, Air BNB did not collect enough for taxes! That took several conversations and murmured responses I could barely hear, lots of hemming and hawing. Finally after check out, I got someone who knew how much they had collected. If I am paying for this service, I would prefer they at least follow the laws and collect the appropriate amount the local taxing entities charge.

And by all means! Run this yourself! If guests want to check in personally with you, do so! JUst follow whatever rules are already in place from AIr BNB if you like their format.  ake sure youare paid befor echeckin, and that credit card you take as payment is your guarantee of performance.  If it is a bogus card, you will know months, or at least days, in advance.

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