Guest Expectaions- How can I mitigate?

[Louise231]

Hi All,

So I'm relativly new to hosting- just been listing for a couple of months.

My listing is generally busy, possibly as a new listing it was high in the search and its in a decent location. I figure it'll slowly drop off quite a bit.

My problem is I keep getting 4 star reviews from people who I'd say just have not read my listing.

They pretty much fit into the category of

1.- upset i dont let them bring extra friends in (its a city centre listing i really don't want drunk extras/pre drinks parties/ one night stands in the room)

2. - upset the check in/ check out is 6pm/10am.

Any other complaints i'd just given up on as totally random (a  couple got upset i didnt give enough porridge pots for every day's worth of breakfasts, even though I dont list breakfast as an option, they gave me private feedback that 'The second B in airBnB is Breakfast' )

both 1. amd 2. are listed in my rules and as my checkin/out time and generally people see it, but its always a massive issue when they don't.

Sometimes when i get the feeling people might need an extra nudge that guests wont be able to come into my home i send them a pre-message with a reminder of the rules but its becoming a pain to have to feel like i'm guilty of something for not letting people into the flat when i'm expecting 2 people and 3 turn up. I just know that no matter what i do for the rest of the stay they will still give me a lower star rating.

I missed superhost in October because i dropped down to 78% for literally 3 days, at the end of Sept and First Day of Oct, from people both 1. and 2. then i went straight back up to 90%.

And this past week i've had 3 bookings again with the same problems and im currently back down to 81%.

Any tips?

How can I let people know that yes even if you go out and comeback at 3/4am (which doesnt bother me) you will still have to check out at 10am (which really does bother me if you havn't left on time) and how can i make it so people don't think i'm either being rude reminding them of the rules gain pre arrival, or having to have super awkward conversations stopping people entering the flat.

[David126]

I do not bother reading reviews so I do not have this problem, but I do have similar problems mainly with arrival time and location, Google Maps puts me a few hundred yard away from where I am.

I send them a welcoming message a few days before they arrive with a re mention how to get to me, ask them for their approx check in time if they have not told me, and tell tham that there is nowhere to eat in my little town.

I also do not do Breakfast, I would have replied AirBnB stands for Air Bed no Breakfast.

I do leave pastries etc out, on the odd occasion it has come up in coversation I mentione that I used to do Breakfast years ago, my impression is that the vast majority of guests through ABB prefer a cheaper price.