Do you send a thanks for booking message?

[Alexandra316]

Hello all, I've made a few bookings on Airbnb as a guest lately, and I'm wondering if other hosts send a message thanking the guest for their booking. In both cases, I instant booked with superhosts and included an introductory message from me about why we were visiting and a bit about us, and there was radio silence from them.

Personally, I always send a message, something like: 

Hello (guest), 

Thanks for booking with us for June: we look forward to hosting you. The Inn on the Twenty is a beautiful venue, and I hope your neice's wedding is great (I always insert something that they've mentioned about their group or their reason for staying). 

If you have any questions or need any recommendations, please get in touch anytime. 

Have a great day, 

Alexandra

So am I alone in this? Is this not a normal thing to do when you get a booking? If the guest has already been talking to me and asking questions before they go ahead with the booking, I usually just send a one-liner thanking them for completing the booking. 

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Alexandra316

You are correct - it is just good manners to say thank you for your booking. Keep doning as you are doing and you will keep your superhost status. There are too many hosts on here who dont bother to even respond to nice reviews...

Good luck

[Gordon0]

@Alexandra316 Yes, I always send a 'thanks for booking' message, even tho they're a bit scarce when I book a place.

Not sure what you mean @Gerry-And-Rashid0; is this thanking somebody for thanking you (via a review) or something else? 

[Rubén16]

@Gordon0I believe @Gerry-And-Rashid0 are stating when you have an opportunity to reply to a review, normally the high percentage of these replies from hosts are when a guest leaves a bad review however some hosts use this as an apportunity to thank the guests for their positive review.

[Gordon0]

Thanks, I get it.
I made the decision back in the day not to do this. 
As well as thinking it looks a little messy/clunky (harder to read for the would-be guest), it feels like thanking somebody for thanking me (a very British thing). 
But (thankfully) we're all different, so while it works for me, it might not for others.
I absolutely don't see it as laziness tho, as in a 'can't be bothered' way. 

[Rubén16]

@Alexandra316 @Susan151 @Olga464 @Lisa723 @Emilia42 Below is my thank you message:)

Hooray!! Jessica is coming:)

Thanks for booking my Rusty Cottage Jessica, I am looking forward to meeting you on Wednesday. yes there is going to be a lot of snow when you arrive..

I would recommend for you to save my listings link https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21124046?s=51  for easier search in the future.

See you soon
Rubén

Below are some helpful notes.

Check In:
Check In is After 2:00 pm
I will be here to greet you, and show you to your cabin .

Arrival time:
Take your time arriving there is no rush, just let me know the day of your trip your approximate arrival time.

Check Out:
Check out is by 11:00 am

Bathroom:
Your cabin has its own bathroom

The location:
The cabin is located in rural Vermont where you will be driving through very well maintained scenic twisty roads.

Parking:
There is plenty of parking area in front of your cabin.

Communication:
You will have a private cabin, I will be at the house if you have any questions, need directions or suggestions of places to visit during your stay.

The cabin:
The cabin is clean, it has heat and electricity, beds and linen, we will not go into your cabin during your stay.

The Kitchen:
The kitchen is well equipped with pots, pans, cups, plates, utensils, microwave, however you will need to bring food, condiments, cooking oil and any other items you will need if you decide to do some cooking.

Suggestions from previous guess:
Bring food and anything else you might need when staying in a rural cabin , the nearest shopping center is about 45 minutes from the house.

My contact information is below:
Rubén

[Michelle-And-Michael0]

What a great welcome message, Ruben..... I may revise mine and add some extra pointers as you have! 

[Huma0]

I always send a response, thanking them for the booking, asking any questions if it's warranted and letting them know I will be in touch closer to the time with directions etc. but that they should feel free to contact me with any questions in the meantime.

I try to send this message ASAP, but certainly on the same day as the booking and no later.

[Alexandra316]

Really glad to hear that I'm not alone, and that so many hosts I respect are doing the same.

Even more frustratingly, I just got a message from one of these Superhosts. I had been planning on staying with my dogs, because we're attending a fundraiser for a dog adoption agency later in the summer (I run a group that advocates for Spanish hunting dogs). I carefully read all the rules, and everything seemed fine: they specifically mentioned dogs being fine and went into detail about their property being dog friendly. It seemed unabiguous. Their calendar was set up to accept bookings of 2 days minimum during the time I booked and nothing in their wording suggested that their policy was any different: I booked for two days. Their message just now said that I need to book for a minimum of 3 days, and actually, they don't really want to host dogs. So what do I do now? Cancel my reservation, or wait for them to do it for me? I'd prefer the latter, as I'm frankly annoyed by their crap communicaton and unprofessional messaging. 

What is wrong with these hosts, and how do they get Superhost status? 

[Emilia42]

@Alexandra316, what?! make them cancel ... sorry their rules and calendar should be up to date. 

[Alexandra316]

@Emilia42I agree: I'm sure I'm not alone in having that "Oh crap, I should have set a minimum on those dates!" moment, but when it's happened to me, I've gritted my teeth and said thanks for the booking, because it's my mistake. I have never mentioned it to a guest. And if they want to vet guests, they should not have instant book enabled. 

[Gordon0]

@Alexandra316 - I'd go back with something like "I booked as per your calendar specifications and because you stated you're dog-friendly. Happy for you to cancel my booking if it no longer suits." 

[Alexandra316]

@Gordon0That's really close to what I ended up saying to them. 

Hello *blank*, 

Your calendar in July is set for a 2-day minimum stay, so I was able to book. Also, your listing mentioned that dogs are allowed. If you would prefer not to host us, please go ahead and cancel our reservation. 

Regards, 

Alexandra

[Cathie19]

Hi @Alexandra316, They sound like they mucked up with their settings or are being greedy; , but not their descriptor message. I’m glad you didn’t cancel, and I like your response. Make the unprepared host deal with their mistake and their cancellation. It is indeed, not your problem....

[Ria16]

@Alexandra316 Always . It would be pretty rude not to ;):

[Rachel0]

@Alexandra316 I always send a response message as soon as I possibly can after receiving the booking - it wouild not have occurred to me not to not send one!  Maybe your rather rude hosts who do not do so were not brought up to write "Thank You" letters for Christmas presents and Birthday presents either.  It's just basic good manners.