Features you wish Airbnb had?

[Laura2592]

I love hosting but there's a few features I wish we had access to on Airbnb.  First on my list is a way to charge for pets. There should definitely be an option to indicate how many pets are coming and a nightly charge. And perhaps a cleaning fee adjustment.

Also a way for hosts to contact other hosts without doing an inquiry. I would like to be able to ask questions if I have them about a guest without seeming as though I'm trying to book their home. This would also help in creating a community of hosts if we had an easier way to communicate with those in our area. 

What changes or new features would you like to see?

[Kevin1322]

mine would also be the option to charge fior pets.

Also (for those of us compliant with local laws on food) the option to add cooked breakfast.

I understand why they don't have these options, but on the breakfast option would it be so hard to upload proof of your food hygene certificate or local compliance confirmation?

I guess it isn't ever as simple as that for a global operation.

[Barry-and-Lera0]

A pet fee option would be nice and clean for the platform. We don't charge for pets but probably a nice option to have. Children still make way more of a mess than pets so possibly a "child nightly fee"...haha. 

I would like to be able to add "notes" to the calendar so when guests are searching dates and they pick a time from day 1 to day 3 the "city events" on those particular days would pop up. A weekended music festival, Octoberfest, parade, etc. 

[Susan1188]

---

@Barry-and-Lera0 wrote:

Children still make way more of a mess than pets so possibly a "child nightly fee"...haha. 

---

Not haha!  Yes!

I'm now a host used to be a waitress.  Kids get 3 dollar kiddie menu.  Have you seen a restaurant floor after that kid left?  Why are we giving them a discount?  I'm a Mom.  I don't hate kids.  But I don't get why we should charge less for them.

[Alano-and-Jennifer0]

Maybe a custom fee feature instead of specifics so the host can put what they charge for anything extra. Such as hot tub charges, Electric fee, water fee, just upfront prices that prevent confusion and bad reviews from disgruntled guests. VRBO does this and I never had an issue as my charges are clear and upfront before a guest actually books.

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Laura2592: Curious as to what your nightly pet fee is?

[Laura2592]

@Barry-and-Lera0 we don't currently charge one as we have no good way to do so. Some guests get very resentful if charged extra fees after booking even if its posted in the listing (because not everyone reads.) We do a security deposit for damage. 

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Laura2592: You are right. There should be a "add on" that automtically adds the pet fee to the booking however that is setup via the host. A flat fee or a per day fee. I think pet owners get resentful with super inflated pet fees. When people charge $150 per pet - per stay kind of thing. We travel with our pets but sometimes its just impossible with the pet fees associated with some rentals. $10 a day, per pet is a reasonable pet fee in my opinion. We choose not to charge a pet feel but we do have a $300 security deposit.

[Susan1188]

---

@Laura2592 wrote:Some guests get very resentful if charged extra fees after booking even if its posted in the listing (because not everyone reads.) We do a security deposit for damage. 

---

Absolutely agree, they don't read and any supplemental fee is met with resistance,  but that's not a reason to not charge! 

Every hotel charges extra for pets, it reflects the risk of damage and the extra cleaning needed to be sure to get every single pet hair out of the property before the next guest arrives.

You can  get in writing and through personal contact (voice phone if necessary) that they saw the extra pet fee when they booked.  Best to make it clear very quickly during the 48 hour window so if there is any issue they can cancel free of charge.  If they booked non refundable (beta testing), call CS and get them to cancel because guest did not read house rules before booking.

Guests will also get very resentful for anything you (legitimately) decide to withhold from that security deposit!  Maybe even more so.

[Susan1188]

Problem is also there are pets and pets.  A 5 kilo bichon or yorkie that doesn't shed, does one mini-poo a day , is not the same as a young 80 kilo black labrador producing a kilo of dejections and impressive hair shedding every day. 

[Laura2592]

@Susan1188  exactly. It's just not worth chasing down guests who are annoyed that there is another "hidden fee" in booking. Especially when most of our guests do a great job cleaning up after their pets and they are zero bother. I would like a button where I can set a pet fee per night and guests have to acknowledge they are bringing pets when booking. 

[Emily487]

-I want to see a basic tally on my profile that shows how many declined requests I have ....and a  note that says "you have X more penalty-free declines before you have to call it in to CS".

I've booked over 250 stays with guests and I still get nervous and unsure about declining a request.

[Susan1188]

Yes but better choice would be do not decline.  There are other strategies for this!

[Emily487]

@Susan1188 

I appreciate your feedback. There are some reservation requests that I simply can't accept and I would like to keep track of those more efficiently. 

Locals who request to book, smokers who request to book book, people who specifically tell me that they will break the rules, those who write things in messages that are just wacko enough that I am uncomfortable with their request to book, those with terrible reviews but whose previous hosts failed to lower the ratings so they can still book places. I could indeed ask these people to "withdraw their request to book" but honestly, I find that to be a terribly awkward conversation and usually these things happen late at night and I just want to go to sleep with my 3 year old and not draw it out. 

For me, those  requests  to book must be declined and I'd love to be able to quickly see how many I have declined. 

[Susan1188]

@Emily487  Wow 250!  That's impressive! 😮

What I meant was instead of asking them to withdraw their request just block one of their dates for a day, until they go away and find somewhere else.

They will see "no longer available" on their side.

Or if you don't want to block your calendar,  block them and they will also no longer see your listing.  But they could come back with another profile in that case.

[Susan1188]

Thanks for this thread!  Let  me say the recent "Rule Sets" function is great and has resolved a lot of my issues!

1) I would like to be able to TURN OFF INSTANT BOOK SELECTIVELY FOR SOME DAYS.  You might have days you will be travelling, there might be construction work in your building, any number of reasons you need to speak with the guest before IB comes in, not all the time but on specific dates.  Please implement this feature!

2) I would like to be able to CUSTOMIZE FEES AND CHARGE A WEEKLY LINEN FEE.  Other platforms allow this.  I hate that people who book over a week expect a discount, but in fact, they only pay one clean and one linen fee but expect extra sheets or weekly sheet change service.

3) Allow superhosts to REMOVE ONE OUTLIER REVIEW (one a year, one every 50 reviews, whatever).

4) Allow superhosts to have a DEDICATED SUPPORT PERSON or 2-3 person team so you build a relationship with a given person

5 )   If guests do not respond using the platform or leave a review, do not allow them to INSTANT BOOK naymore.

6) Show the host if the guest has booked another property for the dates he inquired with you.