Guests problems

[Lee321]

Hi All,

We just have a guest who have booked for two adults but have brought along kids as well. We have stated strictly in our rules that we do not allow kids, but we do make exceptions if we are asked prior to the booking. Obviously in this case they have just brought them along and seems to be expecting them to bale able to stay. What should we do in this situation? And what have you done in similar situations where they bring along extra people. Just need some help resolving this. Thanks!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Lee321

During booking process guest has to enter exact number of people in his group. If there are children or infants they also have to be counted separately.

By default Airbnb doesn't charge for infants up to 2 y.o. but you may state in your house rules that all guests should pay, including infants.

if you don't host infants and children then they can not book instantly but can send you a request. You may or may not accept it.

If they booked for adults and showed up with kids, or intend to show up with kids, or counted kids as adults then you don't have to host them or let them enter your property.

You can contact Airbnb, explain the situation and Airbnb will cancel their reservation. However - you will not be paid .

[Helen3]

Two choices

Don't allow the guests to check in as they have turned up with more people than they have booked for.

On check in you allow the extra guests but make sure they amend the booking to include all guests and pay the extra charges involved. And then you accept the amendment before allowing them to check in.

Make sure you leave these guests an honest review.

[Lee321]

They actally came in as just 2 people at first. As our homes are separate we just welcomed them in. But we soon saw that 3 more people entered the house ar night. We will definitely leave an honest review. Thanks!

[Alex893]

Why do you allow guests to bring kids if they ask in advance but don’t normally? Why complicate things for yourself so much?

[Lee321]

When we say kids we distinguish more between infants and children. But a good point. We will change it to be more accurate

[Rebecca181]

If it were me, I would not allow them to stay, unless you are set up for kids. Too much liability. No matter how much they might be willing to (grudgingly) pay for the extra 'guests'. I would have Airbnb re-home them to a kid-friendly home. There are reasons hosts say they cannot accept children (of any age). For example, my home is 3 stories, has a hot tub, has Newt Salamanders on the property (extraordinarily toxic / deadly), etc, etc, etc. Guests who assume we are just being persnickety or 'discrimatory' when we say 'no children' simply do not understand that we are not only protecting our property - We are protecting THEIR KIDS.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

I would not let unauthorized guests stay - regardless of the age of those unauthorized guests. If the guests were planning to pay, they would have been upfront and honest about the number of people in their group.

I'd probably tell them, anyone NOT on the reservation has to leave now and only the people on the reservation can stay. Then give the guest the opportunity to decide what they want to do, BUT I would not break any of my own rules.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Jessica-and-Henry0  

I'd probably tell them, anyone NOT on the reservation has to leave now and only the people on the reservation can stay.

Do you have a definitive guest list along with your resevation, and if so how do you go about obtaining one?

Typically, we get '4 Adults, 4 Children' and only one named guest on the reservation. This may not be too bad, but it is worse when we get booked '8 Adults' with only one named guest on the reservation.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

I host a single occupancy private room - so basically the only person allowed to enter my home is the person who booked and no one else. If I allowed more people I would absolutely ask for full names and ages of ALL guests, no exceptions. 

As a guest user even before I became a host, if the listing description asked for names/ages of everyone in my guest group it's something I would always provide to hosts immediately after the booking is confirmed. Imo, anyone reluctant to share this type of info with hosts is someone who has something to hide. 

[Fiona360]

Hi, i've been reading these messages with interest, my thoughts are that if you say that the person/persons who have booked can stay but any not names/mentioned during the booking of the accomodation cannot. If they decide not to stay (obviously they wont if it means the kids are left outside)! you should not lose your money for the booking, as it's them that changed thier mind about staying!

On a similar note, can anyone advise me what they would do if:

A single room is booked, half way through thier stay they bring thier 2 children into my home and cook some dinner for everyone, when i arrive home they are all 3 eating in the kitchen where i need to access the kettle and fridge to make myself a hot drink after a long and tiring day at work? 

Needless to say i was not happy but was polite, when the guest had sent them up to her room she asked if it was ok for them to stay for another couple of hours (until thier father was home (where they were staying) i said that it was not ok for her to bring anyone back to my home when i was not in and without asking me first, i did not want to make them all leave to hang around in the cold and dark for the next 2 hours so i did of course say that as they were here now they could stay for the next couple of hours.

Any advice welcome. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Fiona360

Add a "No guest(s)/visitor(s)/family members of the ABB guest allowed" rule, reiterate immediately after the booking is confirmed, and check to make sure the guest is aware amenities do NOT include kitchen-use. I also host a single room in my home and during the early stages of communication or immediately after the booking is confirmed I will tell guests that the ABB guest named on the reservation is the only person authorized to enter my home and sneaking in unauthorized guests will invalidate ABB's host protection guarantee and host protection insurance and then there is my own home insurance to consider.

If I like the guest and feel I can trust they won't abuse my hospitality, I will (and actually have) allow visiting guests of the ABB guest IF the guest approaches me in advance and asks - although this is something I'd acknowledge in my listing description. I also ask the guest not to mention it in the public review. 🙂

Hope this helps~

[Fiona360]

 That is of great help, thank you very much.

Happy New year 😊