Do you send a thanks for booking message?

[Alexandra316]

Hello all, I've made a few bookings on Airbnb as a guest lately, and I'm wondering if other hosts send a message thanking the guest for their booking. In both cases, I instant booked with superhosts and included an introductory message from me about why we were visiting and a bit about us, and there was radio silence from them.

Personally, I always send a message, something like: 

Hello (guest), 

Thanks for booking with us for June: we look forward to hosting you. The Inn on the Twenty is a beautiful venue, and I hope your neice's wedding is great (I always insert something that they've mentioned about their group or their reason for staying). 

If you have any questions or need any recommendations, please get in touch anytime. 

Have a great day, 

Alexandra

So am I alone in this? Is this not a normal thing to do when you get a booking? If the guest has already been talking to me and asking questions before they go ahead with the booking, I usually just send a one-liner thanking them for completing the booking. 

[Darren99]

Hello  ALEXZANDER,

You are not alone. Once confirmed booking I immediately send a welcome and thank note letting guess know that they will receive access information 5 Dsys  prior to arrival . 

[Allison2]

As a host I always send confirmation. My note inlcudes confirmation of their dates and guest count, an ask for some travel details, and that they read the house rules (and cancel w/in the 48 hr grace period if something is a bad fit).

When traveling as a guest, about half the hosts sent me anything like this. The other half only got in touch the week of my visit.

[Alexandra316]

@Allison2I don't confirm those things, but that's an  excellent idea. I think I'm going to start including that. Thanks!

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

We do a version of @Allison0 's style.  Everyone gets this exact message: 

"Thank you for choosing us.  We'd be happy to host you for [stay length] while you are in Durham [doing whatever they are coming here to do].  We host lots of guests for [event type].  Where is your event being held? 

We have you down for a [xx time of check in as they are supposed to send this in their introductory message] check in.  If you should be delayed, please let us know so we don't worry about you.

[answer other questions they've asked or general details about whatever]

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Alice & Jeff" 

In our experience, we get a booking message pretty quickly, but subsequent messages sent to hosts between that and a week out often go unanswered. We like to try and build some rapport before the guest arrives and sort of expect that in our stays as well but that's not always the case. 

[Olga464]

I send "Thanks" letter on ten pages. I say "thank you" in a first line. And on other 10 pages I describe what is forbidden to do inside the apartment ( which is, basically, the copy of my ad on airbnb). I am still wondering how I came up to be a superhost with  such a torturing level of descipline. And, funny enough, 80% of the clients are very happy with it. And 20% unbook immediately, as they think I'm crazy.

[Paul1255]

@Olga464 your post really made me smile :)) at least with the 80% you keep you know they are going to be a great fit for your hosting style and therefore have a wonderful stay, I love it.

Paul.

[Olga464]

I think 80% of guests are having "released from prison" effect. They are so happy to finally leave my apartment with no financial penalties applied to them  from my long list, that they are writing me great reviews on that first emotion. But, some are coming back.

By the end of the day anyway it comes up to a price of rent and geo location. 

[Sandra126]

Had to look at your listing, Olga! The most thorough I have ever seen, didn't read it all as my eyes were starting to water by page 3. Your guests certainly will know exactly what's what.

[Nutth0]

I start to look at her listing too. "This home is on people’s minds. It’s been viewed 99 times in the past week." You are real!!

[Leo192]

I also had to take a  peek at your listing, @Olga.   Love how detail it is!  Well done!

[Emilia42]

@Alexandra, I have also had the same experience - receiving no message after booking. I think it is common courtesy to acknowledge that the reservation as been received and confirmed, let alone a thank you. I just don’t get it. In the first “thanks for booking” message I always like to set expectations and show the guest my communication style. Which leads to fewer problems I believe.

I once hosted a young girl and her boyfriend who were traveling across country and had a huge list of reviews. I never personally meet her and she only stayed one night but in her review she said I was the best host she ever had because I actually talked to her by keeping in communication throughout the entire process. So to some people it’s a total shocker and worthy of a 5 star review.

[Alexandra316]

Emilia, I don't know why but I can never tag you! I agree that it's basic courtesy. I want to put people at their ease, and make it clear that I appreciate their business and I'm available if they need anything. I think it does set the scene for a successful stay. 

[Lisa723]

@Alexandra316 if the guest includes a message with their booking, and/or is older and/or new to Airbnb, I reply saying "looking forward to hosting you" or similar. If the guest doesn't include a message, and is a young person with Airbnb experience, I don't. I assume they'll get the automatic confirmation message and might find anything else redundant. As a guest I have rarely if ever received a personal message on booking. I message everyone three days before arrival with check-in information.

[Susan151]

@Alexandra316. I always send a "confirmation" message back to a guest after they have booked.If they included information about their visit in their message to me, I modify my message to include some note about  that reason. Otherwise, I just thank them for choosing our listing and let them know that I will be back in touch about a week before they arrive. I also let them know that they are free to ask further questions, but few do.

Both times I have booked an AirBNB I reveived nothing at all.