MORE CONTROL, LESS SURPRISES, GREAT NEWS!

Momi0
Level 10
Honolulu, HI

MORE CONTROL, LESS SURPRISES, GREAT NEWS!

FEATURED ON AIRBNB WEBSITE - Dated Nov 8, 2017 - VERY IMPORANT FOR ALL HOSTS.

 

In Case You Didn't Know............

 

Part of what makes welcoming guests exciting and rewarding is the chance for unexpected connections and shared experiences. But there are certain parts of a booking that shouldn’t be a surprise. And hosts have told us that sometimes they don’t have key information about who’s going to arrive for a reservation, or what time they’ll be getting to the listing.

As we work to better match hosts to guests, we want to make sure you have the right controls and information to manage your listing. We’re gradually launching new controls in your House Rules for children, infants, pets, and preferred arrival times.

You can choose how to use the new settings. Here’s how they may impact your reservations:

  • Infants (under 2 years of age) will not count toward your guest maximum. You can specify whether your home is safe or suitable for infants, and note the maximum number of infants you can accommodate, in your House Rules.
  • Travelers won’t be charged additional guest fees for infants or pets. If you want to charge an additional fee, put those details in your House Rules and collect the fee using the Resolutions Center.
  • Children (ages 2-12 years) will continue to be counted and charged in the same way adults are. You’ll be able to set the maximum number of children you can accommodate, and should also mention this restriction in your House Rules.
  • You’ll be able to put in a window of time when you prefer for guests to arrive. We’re updating how your check-in time appears on your listing page and making it more prominent when travelers book your space.
  • If you have Instant Book turned on and a traveler is making a reservation that starts within 2 days, they’ll have to confirm that they’ll arrive during your preferred check-in window. If they can’t arrive during that range, they’ll have to request a reservation.

To help you prepare for your guests’ arrival, we’ll be showing you how many guests are coming, how many of them are kids and infants, if they plan on bringing pets, and their check-in time if guests know it. This information will appear in your reservation requests and booking confirmations.

Guests will see these new settings and all your other House Rules before they complete their booking and are expected to agree to them. If you turn on Instant Book and you’re ever uncomfortable with a reservation, you can cancel penalty-free. We want you to feel confident that the guests you welcome are a great match for your space and your hosting style, especially when you offer the convenience of allowing them to book instantly.

 

If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.

Aloha, Momi

Great way to contact Airbnb or via Twitter at AirbnbHelp / Facebook


4 Replies 4

Regarding the check-in window: if we have self-service check-in, do we have to specify an ending time for the check-in window, or can we leave it open-ended like we have it currently?

Our listing says you can check in "any time after 3 pm". Will we have to specify an end time now?

Less control, more surprises.

 

Now, if you don't turn on Instant Book, you don't have access to the guests prior reviews. They could have literally destroyed a previous property, received a 1 star rating, and because of Instant Book, you now have accepted their booking. 

 

 

@Tyler-And-Becca0  

 

I have no clue why you would have surprises.  I certainly haven't had any surprises and I have hosted since 2015.  And I have been an IB host since January 2016.  Perhaps you might want to incorporate the Momi style of hosting..(LOL)....I don't accept anyone unless they answer my set of questions.  And even those who use IB for their stay still have to answer the PRE-SET questions that are set up during the IB process, which I have 4 of them.  Airbnb has a feature that allows you to create questions that guest must answer....if they don't, and you are listed as IB, then you can call and have it cancelled for the guest not following your pre-set booking questions requirement.  Its not that difficult.   

 

If you don't have IB as an option, and they are sending you a booking request, be sure to thank them for their request, and let them know you have a couple of question you need to ask before confirming their booking.  Based on their answers, you can determine if its a good fit or not.  I am always puzzled as to why more hosts don't engage with their potential guests on the ABB message thread.   I communicate alot with my guests and they love it.  Makes them feel welcomed from the get go as we get to know each other better.

 

Hope this helped you. 

 

By the way, change your listing to only take IB from those who have been rated a 5 Star guests.  Its that easy.. If someone has a 1 star rating, they can't use my IB feature on my listing as its set up only to accept those with all 5 Stars.  

If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.

Aloha, Momi

Great way to contact Airbnb or via Twitter at AirbnbHelp / Facebook


Thieme0
Level 2
Amsterdam, Netherlands

I want more control: we want families and couples in our house, not groups of friends. I also don't want to turn down every request, which is happening when you turn on Instant Booking (which in my opinion is now the only feasible option).