Why don't New Guests Understand what Private Room Means?

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Victoria550
Level 3
Nashville, TN

Why don't New Guests Understand what Private Room Means?

I’ve had 4 potential guests in a row that have been either confused that my husband and I live at the “Private Rooms” listing or obviously didn’t read the listing discription at all.  We’ve had about 50 previous guests without this issue so it is just confusing to me why all of a sudden this is a frequest issue. Two of them have been already confirmed bookings and they don’t realize it until the day before their arrival! With a moderate cancelation, they can’t recieve much refund back at all so they BEG for a full refund, which we have painfully given back by calling Airbnb ourselves because they say they are not comfortable staying at a house with people they don’t know. (eye roll). It seems to be those newer to Airbnb (having 2 or less reviews). Has anyone else had this problem recently too??

 

Tonight I changed our title and description to make sure they know it’s 3 private bedrooms and bathroom. We’ll see if that works. I’m so tired of this, haha! 

1 Best Answer
Leo192
Level 8
Spartanburg, SC

@Victoria550  - I know how frustrasting it is when people aren't reading your listings properly.  One suggestion is maybe include the information on your slideshow.  Like the sample below.private-room.jpg

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26 Replies 26
Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Victoria550, it is a well-known fact that a lot of people just don't read, period. They look at the pictures and price and decide on a listing based on those. It is strange that it seems to be happening all of a sudden to you, but it could be that because Airbnb is moving more and more toward a commercial model, people are just expecting their own self-contained space (not realising that Airbnb USED to be all about home-sharing). I don't know what your title was before but that could have also been an issue if it said something like 'A Modern Farmhouse' or something. The fact that you have 3 bedrooms listed in the house is possibly a reason for people to think they had the whole place.

@Victoria550 I've had the same issue, either people not reading my listing properly or misunderstanding what a private room means.

 

I've taken to messaging guests who are newer to airbnb when they book, reminding them that they have booked a private room in my apartment & I live here (and also that the private bathroom they have is not an ensuite, which people don't read) . It has cut down on a lot of confusion. 

Rachel, Its good to know that messaging the guests  to remind them that they booked the private room(s) has worked for you! I will def doing that too. Thanks! 

Beth80
Level 10
State of Roraima, Brazil

@Victoria550@@My problem is more about them not realizing that I have three separate rooms that I rent out. So potentially there could be another 4 or 5 people sharing the guest area. I've put it in the description but as we all know that they rarely read. 😕 I hope changing your new title works for you. One of my guests suggested putting all important notices in picture form  in the gallery to up the chances of potential guests seeing

Beth, Oh that is a good idea!!! I’m willing to do anything with the exception of putting it in bold letters at the very top of the posting so I don’t scare them away haha!  

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Victoria550

 

I looked at your listing and it is NOT clear. Here is what you have:
Private room in the house
6 guests  3 bedrooms  3 beds  1 private bath

If it is a "room" then it is not "3 bedrooms" ?!?!

 

If you rent 3 private rooms to 3 different groups of guests then you have to create 3 listings: 1 listing per room.
You can additionally create another listing with 2 or 3 rooms to be rented by the same group.

In case you rent 3 rooms to 3 different groups of guests then it is not private but shared bath.
If you rent 3 rooms together to just 1 group of guests then it is the private bath.

I spent around 30 seconds to read your listing ( not less than the average ABB guest will) and it was not clear to me. I would suggest to rewrite your description and make very clear :
-  you live in the house
- you are renting each room to a different group of guests and they share a bathroom (in this case you need 3 separate listings for 3 rooms)
... or...
- you are renting 3 rooms to just one group of guests and they have their private bathroom
- what areas of your house are shared with you
- do they have a separate entrance or you share it with them



I agree with @Branka-and-Silvia0. If I glance at your listing I would think it is the entire house.

@Victoria550

I completely agree with @Branka-and-Silvia0's comments about your description being very confusing and not clear at all. 

 

Private bath means the bath is used by me and whoever is included in MY GROUP. If I have to share the bath with anyone outside of my group, including the hosts or other guests that may or may not be in the same home, then this is a shared bath. NOT a private bath. 

 

So if you host only one guest group at a time, which could be just 1~2 people in one of your 3 bedrooms (with the 2 remaining bedrooms unused) then it is a private bath. If you have 2 or more bookings with guests from different reservations in separate bedrooms who will share use of the single guest bathroom this is a shared bath. 

 

So the problem in NOT that guests don't understand what Private Room means. IMO the problem is that you are confused about what "shared bath vs. private bath" means.  

 

I also host a private room+bath in the my primary residence and based on my experience communciating with guests, I think the issue is not about the fact that spaces are shared but rather the fact that you did not disclose the possibility of "other guests" (who are complete strangers and have no idea who the other person/group is) they will have to share spaces and the bathroom with. Sharing spaces with hosts vs. sharing a bathroom or any other space with complete strangers that are also guests of the host are very very different. For any shared spaces you need to be 100% clear about disclosing who exactly they will be sharing the space with. 

@Branka-and-Silvia0  You are  mistaken. When I said that they aren’t comfortable about staying with people they don’t know, I meant us, my husband and I as the hosts.

 

It is 1 listing, 3 private rooms which allows up to 6 guests in 1 booking, not 3 rooms from 3 different bookings. I am fully aware that’s it would then be “shared” instead of private rooms or private bathroom. Unfortunately I don’t think I can do anything about the small dark red title. Airbnb only provides the title “Private Room in House therefore I can only use that option and describe the rooms as much as I can. It’s funny, I’ve had people from all over the world who understand this. I’ve only had this issue in the last couple weeks so it is beyond me.

 

It says in my posting, “When you book this house, you are booking the 3 bedrooms”. Meaning only their group (up to 6 people) will be occupying there rooms, whether they use all the rooms or not. In that case, private bathroom is in fact their private bathroom. 

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

@Victoria550 

You need special marketing consideration, cuz your offering is unique.

Because you offer 3! bedrooms to one guest group, you a VERY different. You are ALMOST a full house, without  being a full house.

You are a superhost, so you must have success with this strategy. I personally would only offer one bedroom , like most hosts. Aren't you run out of your own house with a group of 6 guests using the majority of your house?

Extentuate 3 for the price of one, while simultaneaously reminding them that you live in the house.

@Paul154 Thank you Paul. We have a large, open floor plan. It’s all one level but 4 bedrooms, 2 bath, 2 dining areas, 2 living rooms and 1 big kitchen. I like that idea- 3 for the price of 1.  

@Victoria550

Your new description of 3 bedrooms offered is very clear.

I now would up the marketing. Stay in the same "Private Room" of the "Private Room"/"Shared Room"/"Entire Place"  category, but choose Private Suite, or en-suite if you can. It truly is a suite, not private bedroom.

In your title emphasize Suite of 3 bedroom with private bath. Emphasize their "personal" living area while emphasizing that it is in your owner occupied house.

Good luck 

 

Emiel9
Level 3
Utrecht, Netherlands

Even people working at Airbnb tell this mistake is made a lot by guests.

 

It is a bad situation for guests and host. The guests think they have a super deal; very nice house for almost nothing per person. Then they arrive and they note the mistake. As a host you also feel bad since you want to give the guests the best experience and want to feel welcome in your own house.

 

Hosting is very nice, you meet new interesting people and have very nice conversations. But these situations are very bad and stessfull for a host. It even makes you consider stopping renting the private room. 

 

Most of the time it is a specific type of person;

- a person who doesn't read,

- sees a deal to good to be true (very nice house, city centre for 25 euro's a person),

- and doesn't know what Airbnb is (think it's a hotel site).

 

With this experience in mind, as a host, you feel stressed because you did everything to prevent this mistake. You work very hard to give them a good experience. You try to get it out of the air and subtly try to make the guests realize they made the mistake. You explain about Airbnb, how it was born and show your listing etc. But in the back of your mind, from experience, you know these kind of people; almost always the type of people who wil not admit they made a mistake. These are the kind of people you know you give a 7-star experience but probably will end up in giving you a 3 star after a .... load of work to prevent getting a 1 or 2 star; just so they get their feel of "justice".

 

To prevent this situation you can try:

- fill in all listing details including shared space

- sending a standard message with information about the listing in which you again subtle point out that only their room is private

- note in the house rules and room details that only the room is private

- note in the house rules that common space like dining table can be used, but not for long dinners since you also live in the house and need to use it

 

But even this is sometimes not enough. So you could consider the following: in your listing photo's place a "photo" with text like: Please note you have selected an Airbnb "private room", not "whole house". So you will be my guests, welcome! Please read the house rules.

 

It would even be better if Airbnb just makes a pop-up to remind the guests while booking. House rules are on the booking page but still people don't read. A pop-up on private rooms would probably fix it. Maybe make it possible for the guests to turn off this pop-up.

  Very awkward to explain to guest that the bathroom is in the main house and shared with the owner.I have same issue that guests do not read the description and the rules.  I feel that Airbnb could make it very clear that the guest needs to read the whole description before arriving.