How would you handle this?

[Bob39]

Here is the message thread:

Hi,
We are interested in doing some stargazing in the Goldfield area. Is your home in a dark area (is there a lot of light pollution around it)? Also, do you wash all of the bed linens (including the comforter) after each guest's stay? Thank you.

Hi Patricia,
Stargazing is excellent in Goldfield, if it is a clear night. Clouds can interfere. For the best possible stargazing, go out of the town a couple of miles. But stargazing is still very good at my house. The nights you have inquired about are also the peak nights of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower.
Yes, we wash all the bedding and all the towels after every guest checks out, and we give the house a cleaning after every guest checks out.
Thank you,
Bob

Is the grill gas or will we need to bring charcoal? Do you have basic condiments in the refrigerator? Is there wifi access? Thank you.

Patricia,
At my house I now have a roof over my back deck to provide shade in the daytime. Thus only a small part of the sky is visible from the back deck. A fairly large section of the western sky is visible from the front porch. For stargazing I generally recommend getting out of the town a but, such as the cemetery which is 2 miles north of the town and completely dark. Of course I have no way to know or guarantee whether a particular night will be clear or cloudy.

The grill on the deck runs on propane and there is a propane tank already hooked up to it. The refrigerator normally has a little butter. There are 2 spice racks in the kitchen and a photo of them is on the AirBnB listing. There is also a small supply of coffee, teas, creamers and sweeteners.

Yes, there is Wi-fi at the house, at a speed of 1 Mb/Sec. There is no grocery store in Goldfield and no gas station. The nearest gas station and grocery store are in Tonopah, 26 miles north of Goldfield.

Bob

(At this point she submitted her reservation request.)

If you are certain that you want to rent, I will accept the request and that will complete your reservation. Do you have any other questions or concerns before I do that?
Bob

We are certain as long as the house is as clean as your previous guests have stated. I have a bad cigarette allergy and so I am assuming that the home does not smell of smoke and that any smoking that has occurred outside has been cleaned up. I am very glad to hear that you take the time to wash all the bedding. I know that some places only do the sheets and not the bedspread/comforter.

Patricia,
There are major fires in California right now and a little of the smoke is drifting towards Nevada. This morning I can detect a light smell of smoke outside although visibility is normal. There are also many other potential allergens in Goldfield: wildlife is abundant here, there are dust storms here now and then, and there are many Great Basin plants which may be releasing pollen now, including halogeton, Russian thistle, rabbit brush, mustards, etc. I think Goldfield may be the wrong choice for your trip, so in your best interest I will decline the request which will release it and you won't be charged anything. I'd recommend you seek another location further east; possibly even in Utah, Idaho or Arizona. Thank you for your interest in Goldfield, though. I hope your trip works out well.

Bob

(At this point I Declined the request.)

My allergy is to cigarette smoke. As long as the inside of your home does not allow smoking or smell like cigarette smoke, then my allergies will be fine. I live in Las Vegas and am used to the occasional wild fire smoke, dust, and etc. I wish you would have conferred with me before canceling my reservation. I am still interested in your property and look forward to hearing back from you.

Patricia,
This property is also in Goldfield and it is only $89 a night, and they don't allow any smoking on the property at all, so it is guaranteed to be smoke free: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25733076?location=Goldfield%2C%20NV%2C%20United%20States&search_id=9ceb...
Bob

This property is not available on the nights we need it. Do you not want to rent to me for some reason? I am confused.

Patricia,
I think you would likely end up being disappointed with my house. There are also some cabins in Diamondfield which is 5 miles east of Goldfield, a very good spot for stargazing, and I think they are only $50 per night last time I checked. They are not on AirBnB so if you wanted to book with them you would have to call them directly.
Bob

I don't know where you get that impression. I've seen the photos and read the reviews. Your home is complimented for being very clean and it looks very cute. Are you unwilling to rent it to me?

(That is the last message. I have not responded.)

What would you do?

[Kimberly54]

Wow, @Bob39.  26 miles to the nearest gas station or grocery store? 

I think I would, one more time, emphasize the down-sides of your place for her preferences and explain that yours is really not a 'fit' and that the cabin 5 miles away would be so much better.  The point is to have a great experience.

*Maybe* if you could call the cabin place and get the name of someone there, tell them you're referring someone to them, and then give that name to this woman, she'll feel more comfortable.

Yikes.  I'd be nervous too.

Let us know how it goes?  Curious...

Best,

[Bob39]

OK thank you for your reply. I feel like I won't be able to live up to her standards and she should be trying to book a room at a high end resort. The cabins 5 miles away are a step down from my house - no running water in the cabin, only a shared common bathroom, but that's all I can think of to divert the guest.

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

 I am not sure why you declined. I understand why she is confused— she knows the risk so it’s best you allow her to stay. You agreed to it and it’s unfair and unprofessional to back out.

[Bob39]

Thanks but Inever actally did agree to it. She made the reservation request and I declined it. All the rest was just messages.

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

‘If you are certain you want to rent, I will accept the request”.

thats why she is confused. You engaged with her so awhile, agreed and then changed your mind. 

Ots just what I’m reading here but perhaps you need to disengage and ignore the messages and move on.

[Mark116]

He asked her if she was certain then he would approve her but instead she asked another round of questions, and that's when he declined her. I am 100% sure this guest will be a nightmare and never satisfied.

[Bob39]

To clarify, Andreas and Anna... I did not change my mind. I never did accept the request, I only declined it. She was never certain, so I never accepted. So there actually was no change of my mind.

[Bob39]

Kim,

Here is how the rest of it went:

Me:
I fear that I would not be able to get the house clean enough and that this would end up being a disappointing experience for you. I don't want any of my guests to be disappointed. Thank you for considering my house, though. Have you also considered renting the "Old House" at Benton Hot Springs, which is a great stargazing location?

Her:
"I wish you would reconsider. My family was looking forward to going to Goldfield and I do not see any other place that would meet our needs. I really don’t know what gives you the impression that I would be disappointed. All I did was ask a few questions. I have never been turned away from an establishment before and it doesn’t seem reasonable to do that to someone just for asking questions about your facility."

Me:
Thank you for your message. My fear is that there could be traces of smoke inside the house and that would cause an allergic reaction and that is where the disappointment would stem from. I don't allow smoking inside the house but I permit it outside. I had a group from a mining company rent the house for 5 weeks. After they checked out I could smell the distinct smell of marijuana inside the house. I have cleaned the house and all the linens, but I could not guarantee that there is no trace left of any smoke, cigarette or otherwise.
Considering that you have an allergy to cigarette smoke I think this could be a pitfall which would end up in a disappointing experience for you and your family. Allergies are serious medical conditions and protecting your health is the most important consideration. Although I do not smoke anything myself, a high percentage of Goldfield residents smoke cigarettes, so you would encounter cigarette smoke commonly in Goldfield. The Santa Fe Saloon even allows smoking inside the saloon. So my recommendation is that you seek an accomodation that does not allow smoking at all.
At The Inn at Benton Hot Springs, in Benton, California, all rentals are non-smoking. Their cabins and houses rent for less than my house does, and each cabin includes a private hot tub fed by mineral water from the hot spring - something my house does not offer. The elevation of Benton Hot Springs is exactly the same as Goldfield (5,630 feet above sea level) so the stargazing is the same; in fact better because Benton has much less man-made light.

Her:
"I see. That makes sense. I will check back in a few weeks after it airs out a bit. Thank you."

[Louise231]

@Bob39well played

[Kimberly54]

@Bob39, she's a stalker.  Stick to your guns/guts.  Great reply. 

A few people recommended 'blocking' (I am not familiar), but if it comes down to it, 'This is just not a fit' might do the job.

Wow.  Sorry that you've had to deal with this.

Best,

[Kelly149]

@Bob39 bless your heart, that guest has required a novel and isn't even coming.  I'd block her so that you aren't replaying this in a few weeks. There is not an airing out that will solve this problem.

For anyone who is wondering (and isn't as good of a writer as Bob), "No." is a complete sentence.

Good on you Bob!

[Stuart72]

I know that I am writing this very late compared to the rest of the thread but I think you handled it perfectly.  I am impressed at your consideration for her and understand your concern about her.

p.s. How long does it take to get to Goldfield from Las Vegas?

Thanks

[Mark116]

I would send one more message that says something along the lines that you appreciate his interest but feel the property and amenities may not be a good match for his expectations, you could use the example of the condiments and that rather than risk disappointing him, you recommend he look elsewhere..something very diplomatic and then don't respond any more.

[Bob39]

OK thanks.