Hold/Redirect button on app request

[Hugh0]

Turning off my phone on a plane last week at the start of a 10 hour flight I noticed an instant book for a guest for the same day. I scrambled while taxing to make the necessary arrangements for the guest arriving in the next hour.

It ocurred to me it would be useful to be able to easily suspend instant booking or my 5 listings or even redirect to my assistant at the touch of a button. Currently, it would take about 15 minutes to turn off and on

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Hugh0

Hi there are two options that may be useful: first you can use Snooze which means your listings are paused for the time frame you specify - so guests can't see or book your property. People use this if they are travelling, or away for a few weeks without internet access.

The second option is to make your assistant a co-host and they will get the notifications (as well as you) and can manage the bookings for you

[Andrea9]

@Hugh0, if your problem wasn't about being able to reply quickly enough but it being about having to scramble to accommodate a same-day booking: Go into your settings under Calendar/availability and choose to only get bookings one, two, or three days out.

[Hugh0]

Yes, I am aware of what currently it takes. However, it takes too long to do this for five properties before the flight and again after the flights to set it back.

Why argue against a small timesaving improvement that makes life easier?

[Hugh0]

Neither option you suggest is useful. I don’t want to snooze my five properties. I want them available to be booked - not just booked instantly for the same day while I cannot respond while flying. I also don’t want a co-host.

[Lizzie]

Hello @Hugh0,

Thanks for starting this conversation. 

I was wondering do you think adding an advance notice to your setting requirements for Instant Book would be helpful in this case? This way you can set how much notice you want before a guest will check in and you can prevent any last minute surprises. 

Thanks,
Lizzie

[Hugh0]

Thanks Lizzie, but I want to offer last minute bookings for all times except when, for example, flying, attending funeral or taking elderly neighbours to the emergency room and sitting with them all day under a sign saying phones off (some of my recent experiences).

I have to offer last minute bookings as Airbnb allows last minute cancellations with full refunds for things beyond my control. Normally it is for guests who have arrived in Sydney to find their Airbnb cancelled while they were flying 24 hours to Sydney. They are desperate and tired and need a host that does not cancel.

I’m suggesting a simple suspension of last minute bookings for all of a host’s listings for a short period at the touch of a button.

Alternatively, it could just send the guest a message saying the host is unavoidably not contactable for a short period but you can get help on X number (set by the host).