booking for someone else, no reviews, no photo

Jeremy722
Level 2
Austin, TX

booking for someone else, no reviews, no photo

Hello,

  Someone wants book my property as gift to someone else.  She asked for the first weekend in April of '22.   I have no problems with this.  However, the booker has no reviews, no photo and joined in 2021.   Not being familiar with scams that can happen to hosts, I'm unsure if this is one of them.   What do you more experienced hosts think?

 

I'm new to hosting and this could only be my second booking on ABB.   Our place is very remote and secluded - it is a great gift for a couple - so that all makes sense to me.

 

 

7 Replies 7
M199
Level 10
South Bruce Peninsula, Canada

@Jeremy722 

 

3rd party bookings are absolutely not allowed for whatever reason on Airbnb.  DECLINE!

gotcha. thanks

Katrina79
Level 10
Saskatchewan, Canada

@Jeremy722 @If the booking guest will be there to checkin then it would be okay. Otherwise it is a third party booking and you will not be covered by the Airbnb insurance…it’s a bit risky especially from someone with no reviews. 
can you suggest the guest purchase a gift card in the amount it will cost for the reservation? https://www.airbnb.ca/giftcards

Then share your link with the inquiry and have that person share the link with the potential guest to be gifted? 

That's an interesting idea.  I didn't know there were gift cards.  I declined and let the person know about the 3rd party booking policy

M199
Level 10
South Bruce Peninsula, Canada

@Jeremy722 

 

Glad to help!

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Jeremy722  While it's against Airbnb policy, it's really up to the discretion of the host (Airbnb actually tells hosts this if they inquire, but will also cancel a booking on request if the host realizes after it's confirmed that it's third party) and some hosts have taken 3rd party bookings without incident.

 

As new hosts, I would definitely not advise you to accept it, though. Not only will Airbnb not support you if something goes wrong, they can be very problematic if the guests haven't actually read the listing description and arrive with false expectations, the booking guest can write the review, which doesn't actually reflect their own experience, etc.

 

If you were more experienced hosts, if the booking guest had a good history with Airbnb , if they communicated really well with you, and if it wasn't just a weekend booking, which can mean party time, it might be different. Occasionally a guest might want to surprise their  parents with an Airbnb stay for their anniversary, or something like that- while some hosts take a super hard line on third party bookings, others have accepted them on occasion. It really depends on the circumstances and whether a host is willing to take the risk, but in general, it should be a no.

 

And it certainly should be a turn away at the door, if the person who arrives isn't the person who booked, and that was never mentioned.

 

 

Thanks again Sarah.   You have been a big help!