Hosting obligation past midnight?

Troy9
Level 6
Coburg, Australia

Hosting obligation past midnight?

Not withstanding prior argreements made with the guest for past-midnight check-ins, what are a hosts obligations to accept a guest past midnight on their day of arrival?

If ABB do not have any T and Cs around this issue, theoretically if the guest knocks on your door at 5am and wants to sleep until checkout time (stay 10am) do you need to accept.

Please disregard key drop-boxes etc for this scenario please.

 

Perhaps if there is some ABB clause stating a host does not need to accept the guest if arriving past their preset check-in times.

 

Most hosts I think are considerate enough to bend the checkin times, but if needing to stay up until 3am so a guest may arrive is perhaps pushing it.

I stated midnight as that is obviously the start of a new day and technically a "no-show" if the guest does not arrive on the day.

 

22 Replies 22
Rebecca181
Level 10
Florence, OR

I have my check-in times listed in my house rules, not just in my booking policies. And guests must agree to my house rules before they can Instant Book with me. So this gives me a bit more ground to stand on should there ever be an unpleasant late / early morning check-in issue that I need to take up with Airbnb. I made this rule after a guest (an Airbnb host herself, strangely) rolled in at 2 am after saying she would be at our Cottage by midnight. And she only gave her ETA when I prompted her, as she had been non-communicative prior to her arrival. I am often adjusting my rules and listing after events like these. After I say, "Never again..." Also, late / early morning check-ins can allow less wholesome guests to sneak in extra guests or their dog Fluffy into my 'No Unregistered Guests' / 'No Pets'  home. So that's another reason I discourage late check-ins, and now even have a house rule about it.

I think the Check-in is perhaps the weakest link in ABB.
If a guest is honestly late, something out of their control, then perhaps let it slide.
But it is not uncommon to get guests that do not state their check-in time and "rock up" at hours less than great.

Perhaps if all situations, the guest needs to always state their intended checkin time.

Linda-And-Trevor0
Level 2
Bad Ischl, Austria

We are really tight on check-in times. We put them in our house rules, so instant bookers have to agree to them. Guests can check in between 3pm and 8pm.  We like to welcome all guests personally and  most guests are super and let us know roughly when they will get to us. We follow up all new bookings with a welcome message and a reminder of our check in times. If guests are not exactly sure when they will get to us, we will leave a key for them in a key safe - but only up until 8pm.  If guests have a problem ( say with traffic in high season) AND they keep us informed  we will let them check in a bit later but never after 10pm.

 

We used to be much more flexible, but after hosting for over 10 years we realised that being flexible might be good for the guests arriving late, but it is not good for other guests who are already checked into our other apartments. Someone coming in at midnight when you are already settled for the night is really not nice!  There is nothing worse than being away from home and having your sleep interupted.

 

It may not be a policy that goes down well with those who want to arrive late but it certainly is appreciated by our other guests, especially those who are going to work the next day. Might be worth Airbnb thinking about this for the new "Work" grouping. In order to be listed under this, Hosts have to accept 24 hour check-ins. For many years I travelled a lot for work. Yes I needed some flexibilty on check in  as I never knew exactly when a meeting might finish. Nevertheless,  I always avoided any hotel/accommodation with 24 hour check in because I could practically guarantee that someone would check in very late ( or worse still in the early hours of the morning) and disturb me. 

 

 

Thanks Linda and Trevor.
That's some very useful info there.

If 10pm is the deadline in that case, and a guest estimates a 10:30pm checkin perhaps have an option on the ABB phone app to alert the reservation system or something, so acknowledge it is now up to the host to either accept or reject the guest, as the check-in period was not qualified?

City-Limits-Ranch0
Level 10
Watsonville, CA

How to refuse entry to belated guests and still be a 'good host':

 

Have a clearly defined check in time and set the end time an hour earlier than you are (reluctantly) willing to accommodate.  Tell the guests in your first communications that they can't check in unless you are expecting them and so that communication is important.  Also indicate that check in after the check in time frame is at the discretion of the host and may not be possible.  Put this information in your house rules.

 

A few days before arrival, send the check in information as a message to your guest and tell them you need to know their arrival time so that you can be sure you will be available to check them in.  If they don't give you their arrival time then text or call them to remind them.

 

If the check in time arrives and you have not received communication from your guests, message, text and call them again.  Let them know that if they arrive more than an hour (or whatever) after the check in time frame you will not be available to check them in and they cannot come to your listing.

 

Optional step:  At the end of your published check in time call Airbnb and tell them you can't check in the guests any later than an hour from now, as you have clearly explained in your messages to them.  Ask Airbnb to reach out to the guests and try to solve the communication problem.

 

At the final  (really final) cut off time put a big sign on the door that says DO NOT KNOCK- NO CHECKIN AFTER 10 PM.  MOTEL 6 HAS KEPT THE LIGHTS ON FOR YOU.  PLEASE GO THERE.   (Or less tongue in cheek:  please call Airbnb to make arrangements for where to go.  The Airbnb number is in your reservation.  If you need WIFI you may use ours from outside the door.  The password is GoodHostButNotACarpet.)

 

Thanks Coty Limit Ranch, certainly that is dotting your I's and T's

 

I s'pose it's a decent segue into does AirBNB respect in black and white what the host states as extra house-rules etc. Not including hearsay arguments, could ABB throw-away guest complaints if the host states otherwise in their own terms.

@Troy9 Read reply / comment below if still relevant !)

 

You guys are spending way too much time over this...

 

Yes you are allowed to deny entry. No it’s not your fault & it’s the guest responsibility. (Read here more especially if check in time is listed and if you warn the guest to please be no later than let say 11pm, with or without follow up from guest and regardless of any other issue beside legitimate reason with proof for the extenuating situation/circonstance that forced guest to arrive late or could not reach out).

 

Yes Airbnb customer care & resolution must be involved as soon as concern for a no show or potential past deadline check in or if any other issue may rise. So the guest get to be aware of AirBnB policies and keep the pressure off of you. (This have the added benefit of giving you the proactive & responsive  position of a responsible & good standing host).

 

Reservation can get to be canceled in your favour by AirBnB resolution center case manager and your chosen cancelation policies (strict or flexible may/will abide).

 

In the end airbnb will let you the option to let the guest check in the next day at check in time or let you refuse that guest for the rest of the reservation for not being a respectful considerate guest (eg. no communication, trying to barge in at 1:30am after few drinks with friends instead on focusing to check in first before going out for the evening, not thinking it may be odd and uncomfortable for you or other guest to wake up to a stranger (if apply) or the potential for noise, etc.).

 

More to say, if you have self check in this whole thread would be irrelevant but in any case, setting up guidelines, communication and feedback between host and guest is key.

 

 

Even if at time you may be tempted to accommodate every people needs, there is ground rules and extra favours/services shall come at a price... Business is business and time is money. 

 

Thanks for reading me. Hope it’d help and cleared up few questions.

 

 

Vincent 

Host for over 3-4 years now and still counting~E5F0C3EF-3F35-4AEB-950F-C947B018F207.png

 

Vincent465
Level 2
Montreal, Canada

You guys are spending way too much time over this...

 

Yes you are allowed to deny entry. No it’s not your fault & it’s the guest responsibility. (Read here more especially if check in time is listed and if you warn the guest to please be no later than let say 11pm, with or without follow up from guest and regardless of any other issue beside legitimate reason with proof for the extenuating situation/circonstance that forced guest to arrive late or could not reach out).

 

Yes Airbnb customer care & resolution must be involved as soon as concern for a no show or potential past deadline check in or if any other issue may rise. So the guest get to be aware of AirBnB policies and keep the pressure off of you. (This have the added benefit of giving you the proactive & responsive  position of a responsible & good standing host).

 

Reservation can get to be canceled in your favour by AirBnB resolution center case manager and your chosen cancelation policies (strict or flexible may/will abide).

 

In the end airbnb will let you the option to let the guest check in the next day at check in time or let you refuse that guest for the rest of the reservation for not being a respectful considerate guest (eg. no communication, trying to barge in at 1:30am after few drinks with friends instead on focusing to check in first before going out for the evening, not thinking it may be odd and uncomfortable for you or other guest to wake up to a stranger (if apply) or the potential for noise, etc.).

 

More to say, if you have self check in this whole thread would be irrelevant but in any case, setting up guidelines, communication and feedback between host and guest is key.

 

 

Even if at time you may be tempted to accommodate every people needs, there is ground rules and extra favours/services shall come at a price... Business is business and time is money. 

 

Thanks for reading me. Hope it’d help and cleared up few questions.

 

 

Vincent 

Host for over 3-4 years now and still counting~E5F0C3EF-3F35-4AEB-950F-C947B018F207.png