Hi Friends!
Here in Chicago, we are experiencing temperatures about 20 degrees below average this fall. Our listing is seasonal - we do not take reservations in the coldest months - because we cannot heat the space sufficiently to guarantee guests will have a great experience.
In an effort to be fully transparent and honest, I messaged our last guest of the season (coming in about a week) to inform her of the extra low temperatures and give her a chance to cancel the reservation if she felt our space was no longer a good fit. She replied stating she wishes to cancel, but the reservation is non-refundable.
It would be in the best interest of both the guest and myself to cancel this reservation. Guest would like a refund and I am happy to receive no compensation for this canceled reservation. Of course, I want to avoid the penalties associated with canceling the reservation myself, given the extenuating circumstances.
What's the best way to approach this? I already messaged AirBnB support for advice but would love help from y'all as well.
My current thought is to wait until the res starts, and then send the full amount of my payout to the guest through the platform as a refund...she won't get the AirBnB service fees back but at least she will get most of her money.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks!