How should I manage early arrivals?

[Al19]

Hi all,

I need some opinions or other hosts' experiencies about the correct way of approching early arrivals. The guests fly accross the ocean, I cannot ask them to come later, on the other hand they made no mention to any extra pay for 5-hour earlier arrival.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Al19

As an example - we have guests arriving around 9am tomorrow morning - we have explained the room will not be ready till mid-day. But, they are welcome to leave their bags and pick up keys and go exploring (that bit is important!). It works well for us all of the time. I think if you can accommodate taking someone's bags they really appreciate it - if not, then mention where they can store luggage (rail station, bus station, etc.) until the room is ready. 

[Al19]

That means that you just give away 5 hours stay with no charge. Is that correct? Why not give away a wholу day then?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Airbnb doesnt charge by the hour, so I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. 

It comes down to what you are comfortable with.  If you don't want early arrivals, let your guest know you will not be able to accommodate then coming before the check-in time.  If you'd like to allow early arrivals, discuss with your guests what time they would like to check-in and decide if you are willing to do that.

[Al19]

That is the point: discuss with the guests, this is the thing I am not able to get to, so far.

[Lawrene0]

It is okay to say no to an early arrival, @Al19. 

@Gerry-And-Rashid0's luggage-storing idea is a great one for fly-in guests. It is not at all giving away a stay.  But you are not obliged to do even that. 

If someone absolutely insists upon an early morning arrival, you can ask that they book the night before as the only way that that is possible. 

You can write it in your listing description if it is becoming a big problem. "If you wish to check in before 2 pm, you must book the night before." 

Would that work for you?

[Al19]

Luggage-storing is not a good idea for those who are lending an apartment miles away from their home, like us. On the other hand, there is no need to underestimate the guests by explaining the obvious. The check-in is at 2 pm, and all the rest is self-evident. And that is my concern: a guest that does not understand the elementary situation and did not even bothered himself to warn me about this, I found out the time of their arrival just because I asked them.

[Lawrene0]

Are you still looking for opinions and experiences, @Al19? If so, the question I ask guests is "What time after 2 pm do you expect to arrive?" That reminds them of the stated check-in time. 

[Al19]

Dear Lawrene, I wasn't so subtile and reminded the guest directly the check-in time, asking him what their plan is regarding this situation, but got no answer so far.

[Jacqueline58]

I had a guest request an 8 am checkin, saying they were driving all night.  I told them they would have to pay for the prior night in order to insure no one else booked as the checkout time was noon.  They did not book with me.

I have also allowed people to checkin as early as noon when no one was occupying the rental the night before. In my three years of hosting over 200 guests, not one has thanked me or mentioned their appreciation for an early checkin.  

One guest requested a 4 am arrival, they were driving, not flying, and when I said they would have to book that night, and my setting was not conducive to noises at 4 am -- car doors slamming, etc. these folks did not book the night of the early arrival, still arrived at 4 am with a trailer and a big truck, and they were drunk.  They were rude, highly critical of my rental and gave me a bad review. They taught me that it does NOT pay to do folks a favor in early arrival!

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

Wow!

[Linda108]

Hello, @Al19,  What a wonderful listing you have. Your pictures are very real.  I would imagine that all of your guests are flying into the country, right?  If that is the case, your guest have less control over the arrival time than my guest who can drive down to my location.  I would suggest that you be mindful of that aspect of your location.  Are you a traveler on Air BNB?  I am and I find it has made me a more sensitive host.  Think about how you can accommodate this aspect of your listing with both the traveler and your business in mind.  It is a difficult balance, but it should help you decide how to deal with the unexpected.   Good Luck!!

[Al19]

Dear Linda, that is precisely the case: having the traveler in mind I cannot just tell him “See you at 2 pm”; neither can I allow the guest dispose of my flat without clear rules. My intention was – and still is – to manage the situation together, but so far no success. Fortunately, I still have 5 days to go.

[Linda108]

Hi @Al19  Well you asked for host opinion and you got a range of opinions!  I think what type of listing, shared or separate, makes a difference as to a host responds to guest requests.  Anyway, it appears you are still awaiting a guest response.  Do you have a self-check in or will the guests be met and oriented?  One thought I have about a follow up message to the guest confirming a 2 PM check-in, you could offer suggestions of places to visit and to eat between the airport and your place.  The message could be something like, "I know you will have some time before check in and wanted to offer a couple of sights you might enjoy enroute to my place.  Also, I would imagine you might want to have a bit to eat and I can recommend_______ or ______."

I read a consistent message in the various host opinions and that is how each of them demonstrate a type of hosting graciousness that differentiates Air BNB hosting from many other booking sites.  Good luck and keep us posted how this all works out.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

I have no problem with guests arriving early.

They can hang out in my living room, eat in in my dining room, have a snack in my kitchen, kick back on my decks.

But they can't get into their bed/bathroom until 3 PM unless it's ready for them prior to that.

I'm not a penny pincher.

I'm not greedy.

I didn't come into this to make money.

I travel a lot and know what it's like to spend a whole freaking day in an airport/airplane.

What goes around, comes around.

Karma is a powerful mother!

I treat others the way I would want my 84-year-old mother to be treated.