Daytime use only - couples

[Richard3526]

Hi,

 I’m Richard. I have been hosting since December 2024. The rooms are nice. My single room is sparse having been recently redecorated, converted from a child’s room. I live in the house. 
I’m in central Bristol and in a great position to pick up guests moving between international flights and the train. It is also great for people who work in Bristol one or two days a week  it isn’t a property you would choose to spend days relaxing in. 

I’m only hosting briefly as I now have longer term lodgers lined up. 

Twice I have been contacted by people who only want the double room for 6 or 8 hours during the day. Both times it has been for 2 people. The second woman also has a pet, a small dog. I can imagine more scenarios in which a single person would want a room for daytime only. For two people, a sexual liaison or prostitution looms large in my imagination.

i wouldn’t want to provide a venue for an affair. I definitely wouldn’t want to provide a place for prostitution   

Do others have experience of bookings for couples for daytime use only?

 Thank you

 Richard

[Emilie]

Hi @Richard3526, 

It sounds like you are in a prime location in Bristol, how have you found your first year as a host so far?

I'd like to see if some of our other hosts have any advice on how to approach these unusual kind of requests: @Jess2718 @Shelley159 @Joelle43 @Dave-and-Deb0 would you have any suggestions for Richard?

Thank you everyone 🙂

Emilie

[Shelley159]

Hi @Richard3526 

The practical issue that blocks this type of request is that it's actually a 2-night booking. You can't host them on the same day someone else checks out, and you also can't have someone else check in the same day after they check out. They would have to book two nights for your calendar to work out. It's up to you to decide whether you want to suggest a 2-night booking (at the price of 2 full nights, which will likely be rejected), or whether you prefer to simply say straight out that you don't take day bookings.

[Hello6]

Go 3 night minimum and no same day. 

And have check-in in person.  A whole extra amount of peace.

Good luck.  🙂

[Helen3]

Welcome I've been hosting for nine years in Bristol and have never had that request . @Richard3526 

When you asked the guest about the reason for their stay what did they say ? 

if the guest wants a daytime stay they would then have to pay for two nights. 

[Emilie]

Thank you @Shelley159, @Hello6 and @Helen3 for the advice!

@Richard3526 What do you think of those suggestions? 🙂

[Kumsal1]

@Richard3526 

We are also hosting in two private rooms in the apartment we live and get that kind of requests occasionally.

There are few things that you might take as a precaution such as setting a minimum nights or blocking last minute reservations as @Hello6 suggested too, but in case majority of your reservations fall in these categories, then it would affect your other bookings as well.

If you have instant booking on, you might set advance notice setting to 1-2 days and allow requests after that time, so any reservations after that would need your approval.

These guests usually do just one of the first listings they see and do not really read anything on the listing. When we get such a request, I put it something in my message to remind somehow that it is a private room in our house and we will be around. In case they requested check in time earlier than our set check in time, then I tell them that we cannot promise that. Most guests with such intention, would probably go for somewhere else after reading these, as they would prefer privacy and having the place for longer to themselves.

Not all of these requests are for similar reasons though. We had few nice guests so far, who needed a quiet place to work and maybe to take a shower, while they had connecting flights with long pauses. This is usually clarified in their first message.