Sound in shared home

[Pam-and-John0]

We live upstairs, rent a huge room and guests have own private patio downstairs. Really reasonable cost compared to other homes in area. We had 2 twenty something guests for 4 nights. We literally tiptoed and whispered for 3 days and nights. On the last night, a Friday night, we had 2 friends for dinner and a movie. We had the volume so low on the movie that sometimes I couldn't hear dialogue. Movie ended at 10 pm. And friends left. So total silence from 10 pm to 7 am. The 20 something airbnb guest gave only 4 stars and said our movie was too loud and they were kept awake.

[Inna22]

@Pam-and-John0 I rent the whole house as two separate spaces and some guests complain they can hear the people upstairs at night. I have put it into the “must acknowledge prior to booking” section. I think you are better off being open about it, missing a booking or two but never having to tip toe again. 

[Pam-and-John0]

Where is the must acknowledge b4 booking section? Thanks 

[Christine615]

Put it in your house rules. I have a duplex but it’s an under/over duplex so my house rules ask 

guests to be mindful there are people in the downstairs apartment. 

I also got a 4 early on from one guest on noise. I sent her a message asking what she meant and didn’t get a response. But all the other guest ratings were 5’s.  Technically a 4 is not a bad rating except in Airbnb’s mind. Don’t sweat it. 

By the way, you shouldn’t have to tiptoe and whisper. Those are the wrong type of guests if they don’t understand that the owners have lives too. 

[Helen3]

Have you tried listening to the noise levels when having someone walk overhead, talk and watch a movie @Pam-and-John0 which you sit downstairs in your Airbnb?

This will help you get an understanding of what the noise levels are like.

Having said that 10 p.m. on a Friday isn't late.  

I certain wouldn't Airbnb somewhere where I had to walk around on tip toe all the time, sounds far too stressful 🙂

[Paul154]

@Pam-and-John0

I suspect you're frustrated , seeking expression and perhaps prospective.

If the noise issue were in a public review, you could respond: "Quiet hours are 10pm - 8am. Guests who require earlier sleep times should negogiate with us."  However, you risk extentuating the noise issue through a public response.

Update: I just read your listing and house rules. You have NO quiet hours. Why?

 Quiet hours are very standard in Airbnb.

Guests  want to know that they will be able to sleep during reasonable hours. 

Hosts wish to have a reasonable amount of control over their guests. 

I've read your reviews and you are a good host. If you truly are " Really reasonable cost compared to other homes in area", I would do nothing and carry on as usual.

This is Airbnb. Reasonable cost should correlate to reasonable expectations.

[Paul154]

accentuate = extentuate. My bad 😞

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Pam-and-John0

I agree with @Paul154

As hosts we have rules, but also we have to respect  our guests' privacy and quiet times. We are so careful if we know guests are home to be quiet - yes it's our home, but we do want guests to leave glowing reviews, so we make a feature of our quiet times and turn it into a positive. For example, even if we know they are leaving early on the last day, we say, sleep in till 11am and have breakfast - no problem (of course this depends on your situation), but we have found that engaging with guests and for example knowing if they need to be up at 5am on the final day, we will say - no problem, we will leave a breakfast bag for you to take with you and you won't hear a sound from us. We think it's worth the ££.£. 

Finally, you are an amazing host and whatever you do, someone will pick a fault, because AirBnB encourages them to do so. You have a lovely place - don't sweat the small stuff (ie small people)

Having said that, what floored us was for the first time in 3 years a guest from Poland giving us 4 out of ten for hosting - we later found out through email exchanges that he was homophobic - clearly didn't read our profile. They were a lovely couple, and we have great friends in Poland, but you get the odd bad apple. Thankfully Airbnb sided with us and removed his review (which was good) and ratings (which means it didnt affect our scores)

Good luck - and remember (to all hosts reading this message) that the more honest and open you are the more you will attract the right type of guest. One bad apple in 3.5 years is not bad...

[Sarah977]

@Pam-and-John0  If I felt I had to tiptoe and whisper in my own home, I wouldn't rent out spáce to guests. If guests are booking a shared home, they can't expect it to be silent. And there is such a thing called earplugs. I've found that many of my guests who are experienced travellers always travel with some, and I also have a bag of them if guests need them.