Is there a way to turn off Instant Booking for one weekend only?

[Michelle-and-Ray0]

In our city, we have a huge celebration every year in July. Thousands of people come from out of town and our whole city turns into a huge drunkfest for the weekend. I currently have instant booking turned on and I really don't want to turn it off since it's been working well for me. But I have HUGE concerns about someone (a "party" drunkfest group) booking my place and I really don't want that. These groups tend to have each individual throw in their "share" of the rent for a place and the more they can get to join them and bring the cost down, the merrier! Also, when all is said and done and they are incredibly drunk at the end of the night, they tend to drag whomever is with them at the moment to wherever they are staying to crash. I have heard stories of hotels and STRs having to clean up incredible amounts of trash and vomit, as well as massive amounts of damage to places and towel and other items stolen or trashed. It's not something I am willing or prepared to deal with and I have visions of such a group renting my place and what should turn out to be a mild mannered family group of 8 turning into 20 slobbering drunk property destroyers in the middle of the night. I should also mention that my STR is directly above me in my apartment building, so I hear EVERY footstep and a drunken party is not my idea of a good situation. I want to rent the place, but I also want to be able to pre-approve guests for that ONE WEEKEND ONLY and not allow Instant booking because of my concerns. I just hate to allow instant booking and then have exactly the kind of people I DON'T want to book, book it. Then I have to cancel, and if there's too many cancellations, I would imagine that ABB would get suspicious and ding me for it, regardless if it's a good reason or not. So, Is there a way to do what I want?

[Grace196]

Since you have large home you may ask for large deposit of $1000.

Additional prices. 

[Marzena4]

@Michelle-and-Ray0 Not really. I do understand you though. I would love to have that option too. Why not start a topic in Host Voice and ask other hosts to vote? That's the way to ask Airbnb to implement new ideas.

[Matthew285]

@Michelle-and-Ray0, @Marzena4, AirBnB is already aware of the desire for this feature.

In this blog from August 7, 2017, they mention the feature:

"This is a suggestion: Can you create a setting where certain dates in our calendars can be booked by Instant Book and other dates must be booked normally?

This a great idea! We’re exploring ways to do this and will provide updates if we decide to move forward with it."

https://blog.atairbnb.com/instant-book-questions/

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Michelle-and-Ray0 @Matthew285 @Marzena4  @Grace196 it would be very usefull and great feature ! I would love to have that option especially for New years eve !

Since this was proposed to host voice half year ago and still nothing , maybe it's time to post  it again

[Marzena4]

@Matthew285 I don't know if you have already noticed that it usually takes starting at least a few heated debates before Airbnb finally really takes such implementations into consideration. I wouldn't rely on those sweet words from the blog so much. Most other hosts are more realistic...

[Matthew285]

@Marzena4, thanks for the kind thoughts!

I don't think I was so much relying on the blog posting as I was trying to let people know that we weren't the only ones who wanted the feature.

But I agree with you! Let's bring some heat!

[Marzena4]

It's a shame hosts have to start lengthy campaigns to get the obvious tools.

[Marzena4]

And just in case this topic is moved as an actual voting, I do support the idea of introducing this option.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Michelle-and-Ray0

If it turns out in your communication after booking that there is a party in the planning, you can contact airbnb and ask them to cancel on the grounds that you are not comfortable with the guests.

The other solution would be not to take bookings for those days in July - maybe take the opportunity for a short break to escape the festivities.

[Lawrene0]

I'm with @Marit-Anne0 in your case, @Michelle-and-Ray0. Give yourself a nice break that weekend, or get really tough and enforce your rules with an iron hand, and maybe the help of an iron-handed friend.

I'm with everyone else in all cases that it would be fantastic to have certain dates bookable, but not IB-bookable. I would go nuts with that. I'd make May to October IB, and November to April non-IB just to get in an extra chat about winter camping. 

I'm giddy just imagining it.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

uh, you are right @Marit-Anne0 😞  at least we can cancel instant bookings and it is valuable option for risky days like New year eve or during festivals. 

I always set minimum stay at least 3 days during New year and hope for the best.

[Michelle-and-Ray0]

So here's how I've chosen to handle it. I thought about making a separate listing but that just seems like too much work. Instead, I've blocked the dates and added this to the bottom of my listing for now.

***JULYFEST 2018***

July 20, 21, and 22 booking available be special request and pre-approval only.

Send us an inquiry if you are interested in these dates.

As the dates get closer, I may make a separate listing or I may price those dates out of this world and leave the note on my listing. I'll decide that later.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Michelle-and-Ray0 the problems are

- guests who are searching accomodation for those days will not see your listing bc those days are not available on your calendar.

- people don't read, they just look at first few pictures in your gallery and maybe your listing's title

[Robin4]

@Michelle-and-Ray0....Michelle, you have worked this out very well and that is an ideal way to tackle this problem...I wish I had thought of that!

You can however price those nights separately from your regular base rate and I have done a series of screenshot guides to show users how to affect changes to their listing description.

I believe a picture is worth a thousand words and I also believe it is better to show you and make you navigate your way to it than to just provide a link. By doing this you will better understand how your site works!

I think this guide will help you to acheive what you want to for that boozy weekend!

To view this image full size click the small magnifying glass in the top right corner of the picture.

I hope this helps you  Michelle

Cheers.....Rob