General Query- check in time

[Yadira22]

Hello all,

Hope you are well and thank you in advance for reading and responding (if applicable). 

Our check in time is 6PM, primarily due to work commitments and also just the shear volume of work needed to get the house ready. In my listing I am very honest about this and not really looking for means of getting that message abroad but always open for suggestions! 🙂 

Out of curiosity is this a late check in start time, as suggested by one of my guests or is it just a cultural thing. Am travelling to NYC soon and kept on seeing check in from 3PM a lot. 

Once again- thank you, thank you, thank you and have a beautiful day! 

Yadira 🙂

[Alice595]

@Yadira22  My check-in time is after 3pm. If guests arrive before 7pm, I can meet them at check-in. Otherwise, they do self check-in with instructions I sent them.

It could be difficult sometimes when guests don’t communicate their check-in time with me. Sometimes, they say they arrive before 6pm. Then they don’t arrive till two hours later. It is frustrating to meet guests for checkin when they don’t arrive on time.

[Yadira22]

@Alice595 So frustrating! 

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Yadira22 our check in is 5-9pm. This is for similar reasons to yours.

Our check out is by 2pm.

A lot of guests say they like the later than usual check out.

It's what works for the host, surely?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Look @Yadira22 hosting is not your primary business, right? So if you can't check them in earlier than it doesn't matter what time is usual for hotels or most other hosts.   If someone wants to check-in earlier then he can choose another listing

[Robin129]

I am a home share host and my check in is between 3-6 PM, and checkout is 9 AM. I get requests all the time for as late as 10 PM but I turn them down. My check in times are in the first sentence of my description and guests complain they never saw it. Just had one ding me on my  rating because they didn't see it. She even said it didn't show on the app. But when I do a dummy check of the listing on a PC and on my phone app it is there, you just need to READ the listing. 

Remember, you may be offering hospitality but it is still YOUR business. You set your rates and times. You are not required to explain why they are the way they are. 

[Sandra856]

Hi @Robin129 🙂

I think the problem could be that when guests are booking using the App they are asked to chose/tick a check-in time in the booking proces. It is shown as if they can check-in 24/7 within a 2 hour frame.

It is incredible stupid that it is not costumized to the host's check-in frame. 

That way they are mislead to think that they have a saying in when they would like to check in 😕

[Robin129]

@Sandra856  interesting. I've not had anyone mention that to me. I also have not noticed that on the app or listing. I'll take a closer look. Thank you!

[Sandra856]

@Robin129 It's only if you book a place you will be able to see it. And it is only when using the app to book. So it is not possible/visible for you as a host to see it anywhere on the listing. It has been discused in this community before because it is a problem and idiotic that guests can tick of a check-in time outside the check-in frame. I did notice it myself last time I booked via the app. 

[Yadira22]

@Sandra856 Agreed. Also in the app too many things are hidden or not 100% obvious including cancellation policy which should realistically pop up as a screen which explains this and allows you to confirm/cancel booking and house rules etc. 

[Alice595]

@Sandra856  @Robin129 Airbnb avoid any potential possibilities stopping a guest from booking. I don't think that they will change it.

Many things have proved this. Some of the examples are

(1) Any user with an email and/or a phone number can register and book

(2) Only a first name come with a booking request

(3) House rules are not enforced at all.

(4) Allow 3rd party booking even though it is not allowed in TOS 

...

[Yadira22]

Fair enough and thank you for responding @Robin129but I was wondering if this is more a cultural thing. Based on responses left by US hosts 3PM -x PM seem more common, also from when looking at places for my USA trip. 

In the UK (London most probably) I have seen 5-6PM- x PM. The latest I saw was 8PM. It’s interesting... 🙂

[Sandra856]

@Yadira22 My check-in time is from 5PM because of my scheduel. I tell my guests that arrive early to drop of their luggage at "Luggage Hero" in the city center and explain to them where they can have great lunch/a snack/a coffee break and give them some suggestions on what to do/see before they can jump on the bus to my place :-). 

[Yadira22]

@Sandra856 We more or less do the same thing ourselves as most guests travel by plane or train to get to us. Few nationals drive here- and frankly the closer you get do the central the less recommended it is by a local. 
Thanks for responding 🙂

[Suzanne302]

@Yadira22 As it's been pointed out, I think it really depends on your area! 6pm seems late to me, but you should set what works for you and as long as you stay booked, I wouldn't worry about it!

For my area, I've found guests are more in need of flexible check-in time, than check-out. Most of my guests are traveling by car with a travel time of 2-6 hours.

On average, my guests check out an hour or more before check out time (11am), but check in times vary widely. My official check in time is 3pm, and while I don't volunteer it, I try to accommodate reasonable requests for early check in if possible.

[Yadira22]

@Suzanne302 yes- definitely depends on schedule and area so not looking to change my strategy any time soon. Was just wondering if it’s more of a cultural thing as well- based on a number of USA guest’s feedback. 

And once again- I am not a hotel, I do not have 24/7 check in/ cleaning staff (though I would secretly love it)! 

When we have no bookings the night before we allow this, if you have travelled from the other side of the world we would obviously look at how to best accommodate but this is not advertised as it’s not an expectation we want to openly give our guests.