If you need a car to explore the area around your listing...

[Laura2592]

would you refuse a reservation request for someone who is planning not to bring a car?

Our cottage is  not in an easy Uber zone and not walkable to much at all as the closest businesses are on a highway (not too far but no sidewalks.) We have had a few folks who want to reserve without a car. I say in my listing that a car is needed to explore the area. Several of these requests have been writers who want to hole up and work on a project but others have been families. Some of them have been for dates in the winter when the weather is bad and we might not be able to readily get to them in an emergency. 

Would you just forgo the potential headache and refuse the booking request? Or would you take your chances?

[Sarah977]

@Laura2592  This might be a dumb question, but if you're not in an easy Uber zone and there's no other public transportation, how would a family of guests get to your house in the first place?

[Laura2592]

Drive. They need a car. Presumably they would be dropped off/picked up if they didn't have a car. You can Uber from elsewhere but not catch a ride there easily as its on the very outskirts of the city zone for drivers. I don't want any issues with a guest waiting for a pick up and not leaving the space on time either. 

[Lisa723]

@Laura2592 I wouldn't make the decision for them, just make sure the situation is crystal clear when they book. We've had people stay at our place without a car, and though I personally wouldn't want to do it, it seems to have worked for them.

[Anonymous]

@Laura2592   This is one of the Catch-22's of Airbnb. They want you to accept every booking - even when it's not a good fit for the guest's needs - but also get a 5-star review every time. So if you're invested in having your "superhost" badge, you may have to reject a lot of guests, at the expense of potential income, in order to keep it.

In principle I agree with those who say that the customers are adults and can judge for themselves whether your offering is suitable. But in practice, if the guest is unhappy as a result of their own choices, it's still ultimately going to be the host who gets punished for it - whether in the form of a damaging review or a cancellation.  If that's a risk you don't want to take, I see nothing wrong with overriding the guest's judgment and declining.

[Yadira22]

@Laura2592 you should re-emphasise the need for a car as to get around upon booking. But as you mention there will always be one or two + people who will choose to ignore this and then regret it. For those in particular maybe find information of local car rental places close by which will be able to assist in fixing this situation- viola you are the hero and they solve their issue! 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Yadira22  To rent a car in the United States, one must be at least 25 and of course have a driver's license. Anyone who meets those criteria and wishes to drive a car would surely be aware of this option.

[Yadira22]

@Anonymous Yes and surely if someone who lives in the area says you can’t get around without a car and yet a guest ignores this information and comes to regret it- it’s alot to do with the guest not reading or judging the situation wrongly.

Providing them with cheap local car rental options would be great- as unfortunately not everyone listens and much less are resourceful plus ALOT of people learn to drive a car when they are teenagers in the US. Granted you need to be 25 to rent a car but at least from a Host’s side she did everything to fix it and in having this information readily available somewhere in the Airbnb provides the guest with a local resource as to solve this particular issue @Laura2592 is facing. 

This was my point... 🙂

[Chastity3]

I live in the burbs where Uber/Lyft is easily available but I also don’t live within a few minutes of Disney and other park attractions where most of my guests want to visit. So in those instances, I always highly recommend renting a car to make it easier on their wallets. It is at their own discretion if they chose to ignore my advice.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Laura2592 after a few "back of beyond" comments we realised just saying it in one place wasn't enough.

We now mention how rural we are and the need for a car in multiple places.

I don't think I'd turn a booking down for that reason but I can see why one might.

[Dan11470]

I would love to go somewhere I don't need a car or phone or internet... But the reality is these things are a necessity. The only thing you can do is emphasis that a car is strongly suggested due to all the reasons stated.