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@Ann72
I hardly ever have to deal with guests asking for discounts, but i happens.
A couple of years ago I got an inquiry (not airbnb) that looked kind of impressive bc it was on a the company header of a softwarecompany and the guy was one of their executives. He inquired for a discount. So I wrote back.
„Dear guest.
If You take a look a my calendar You will notice, that I'm completely booked out for this year and I do have reservations for next year. Your requested date is 10 months out. Why should I sell my place to You at a discount if I have 10 months to find someone to play the full price?
All my guests so far have accepted my weekendrate of 800 Euros. Now You are offering to pay 650 Euros. Can You imagine how it feels for a homeowner to have guests inhouse who think that my place isn't worth the price I am asking for?“
This guest finally booked at the full rate and apoligised for his discount haggling.
If someone asks for a discount I need a reason to consider such discount.
E.g.: „Dear host, I really like Your place and I am considering to spend my 10 next summerhoollidays in Your accomondation and I would pay 50% of the total rent for 10 years up front. What would Your price be?“ Well, that is something we can talk about.
Or: I once gave a group of 10 young guys a 100% discount for a weekend. In exchange they were digging a huge hole for me in the garden. 10 guys age 25 can dig a really huge hole in one day. That was a great deal. I don't do holedigging discounts anymore though bc in 2017 we bought an excavator.
To consider a discount, I need a reason, an incentive. If there is no incentive, there is not discount.
The biggest incentive for me to give a disount would be, if I knew that guests are entertaining. In these many years I'm hosting I had unbelievably funny and entertaining evenings and even nights with some of my guests. We got drunk together, loved each other and we all enjoyed the usual next morning headache. There were nights I will never forget and I was literally laughing my a*se off. We have a group coming here for years now and the husband of this family is the biggest joketeller I've seen so far. Generally, I don't like people telling jokes, but he is so determined and excited when telling a joke, that just waching the sceen is big fun even if the joke is bad. But his jokes aren't bad, they are hilarious.
But how do You agree upon upfront on guests You don't know being entertaining? They may state they are entertaining and then they aren't. I haven't found a solution yet to that problem.