Guest booked during COVID lock-down order in New York

[Stephen129]

A guest booked today, to stay tonight. Guest is brand new to AirBnb and has no reviews. Guest said they want a getaway, even though they are local. We are in New York. The governor has issued an Emergency Order mandatory stay-at-home order for all people. My housekeeper said she may not clean the unit after this guest. Should I allow this guest? Should AirBnb allow bookings in states where there are Emergency Orders that require all people to stay at home?

[Helen3]

Get Airbnb to cancel the booking @Stephen129 

Why would you even consider a stay under these circumstances. The stay home order is there in place to stop the spread of the virus, particularly in somewhere in New York with your high rates of the virus.

Your cleaner is right. It wouldn't be fair to ask her to clean in these circumstances.

Why don't you block out your bookings for the next three to six months or at the least remove IB so this doesn't happen again.

[Stephen129]

I don't disagree. Curious what other think, and why AirBnb even allowed the reservation to go through. Not that it makes a huge difference, I'm in Buffalo, NY, not NYC.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stephen129 

Even without Covid 19 this sets alarm bells ringing and I would definitely cancel (assuming it was an instant book).

In the UK Airbnb have blocked all bookings that are not for whole properties and have disabled instant book (although strangely we immediately got an instant booking!)

[Kath9]

@Stephen129 I agree, it raises alarm bells for new.  Who on earth is looking for a 'getaway' at the moment (unless they just need to get away from their family,  ha ha). But still, if its genuine, they should be explaining things properly. Maybe it's a hookup, who knows. I'd cancel it and block your calendar. 

[Sarah977]

@Stephen129  Definitely have this cancelled. It's people like this, who ignore the orders to suit their own desires, potentially exposing others to COVID, who will cause the lockdowns to have to stay in place longer.

This recent thread may be of interest:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/I-just-received-a-phone-call-from-a-potential-guest-wanting...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stephen129  - We are on tenterhooks - What happened!