Month long stay with extension discount

[Anjalina0]

So, I just had a guest who booked for a month-long stay for which I had a monthly discounted rate. I normally have weekly and monthly discount rates to encourage longer stays, and because my daily night rate is slightly high.

Now the guest decided to extend for another 14 days for which I asked for a little less than what the weekly rates would add up to. The guest asked me for a logical explanation as to why I did not continue to charge him the daily rate of the monthly rate he was paying. Also they stated that normally on AirBnb all longer stays across countries are treated this way, that after a certain monthly discount is given, the same rate would apply for any further extension, whether it is another day or fortnight. Is this true?

I'm not sure how to deal with this because they get that weekly stays would be more than monthly stays but also wants an explanation why that is so, claiming AirBnb hosts are more 'flexible' than hotels.

Am I wrong in understanding and calculating it this way, i.e. 1 month + 14 days extra (where extra days' rate is different per night than the monthly daily rate)? Or should it actually be how they state, i.e. 1 month + 14 days all at the same daily rate?

Appreciate any of your comments and help. Thanks!

[Leanne99]

Hi @Anjalina0 

If I interpret your post correctly, I can understand your guest’s request for an explanation because if they’d booked 6weeks straight up, they would be paying the monthly day rate I assume - ie, that rate would apply for anything over 30 days.

If was in your situation, I’d charge them 14 days extension at whatever they have paid per day so far.

It’s a nice compliment that they want to extend and unless they are troublesome guests, it would be good to keep them sweet.

i am assuming though that your monthly rate discount isn’t costing you too much - there have been some on the forum offering very high weekly/monthly discounts which have ended up being very good for the guest but bad for the host.

Cheers,

Leanne

[Leanne99]

Actually @Anjalina0  I just tried out booking one of your listings and your discount is an incredible 77% !!

if that is what your current guest is paying they seem to be getting an extremely good deal and I can see why they are keen to extend.

In this case you might have to cut your losses and offer to extend (unless you want to explain the 77% was a mistake - they surely must know that’s too good to be true) but DEFINITELY change your discounts!

I have set mine so that a weekly stay is just a tiny bit more than 6 days or there abouts and a monthly stay is a bit more than three weeks. At 77% discount, your guest is paying for less than one week and getting four which makes no sense for you.

Hope that helps,

Leanne

A 32 day booking with massive discounts!

[Anjalina0]

Hello @Leanne99  Thank you for helping me out here! I did eventually let him continue his stay at the same rate, makes sense.

I really need to review my discounts! My only worry is that the 30% discount will still be too high for guests to book. For a place like my area, I don't think I will get that kind of travellers to pay that amount...

Thanks again for taking the time to help me in such detail 🙂

[Jim472]

I didn't go through all your listings but I'm with Leanne, if the unit in question was available for the 2 week window and the monthly rate wasn't a mistake I would offer them the nightly rate they're paying now.

That said, I'm also with her in that a 77% monthly discount is super high and if it is a mistake I'd either:

1. If I liked them I'd chalk it up as my mistake and a lesson learned and give them the mistake rate as goodwill but tell them it was a mistaken price and future extensions would be at a corrected rate.

2. If I didn't like them I'd chalk it up as my mistake and a lesson learned and tell them that I'd offer them the two weeks at the new monthly discounted nightly rate. 

[Margaret1]

The maximum discount period Airbnb provides for is one month.    Why isn't it possible to customize a discount for a longer period?    In a college town with a 14-day minimum stay, I get many bookings of >1 month from visiting academics and students, and I have to negotiate every single one of them.  Please, Airbnb, create a way for hosts to give customized discounts for >1 month!