Fellow hosts – need your advice on check-in timing & new update

[Paras45]

Hi everyone! 😊

I’ve been a little inactive on the forum recently—was having some issues posting (still happens sometimes), but glad to be back and hoping someone here can help or share their thoughts!

Check-in timing & guest communication:

I offer self check-in through a lockbox, but my listing mentions that check-in is allowed until 11 PM. A guest booked instantly and messaged saying he’ll be here by 11.

I’ve followed up asking for an ETA but haven’t heard back yet. My house rules say the main door closes at 11 PM, so I’m up waiting just in case, point is how long do i wait or what are my options (also recently, some additional guest showed up so i raised it with support and they simply asked me ask for reimbursement for the additional guests).

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Just wondering what’s the best way to handle this when there is self check-in, but there’s also a cut-off time. Would love to hear your suggestions!

Toiletries question:

I like to offer the same high-quality toiletries I use at home—makes it feel more personal and thoughtful. I noticed some hosts even mention specific brands for things like shampoo and body wash, which I think is a lovely touch. I couldn’t find where to add that detail in the listing though—do people just include it in the description?

New “Today” tab update:

With the new “Today” tab, I’ve noticed it shows check-outs alongside reservations, and it threw me off a few times. 😅 Curious to know how others are feeling about the update—any tips on how you’re using it to stay organized?

Sustainability (recently read a post for sept sustainability month on the community)

I have added in my house rules, and automated msgs but still often guest leave both the AC's on sometimes it's running at it's max at 16, so what i simple do since all of them are wifi controlled i turn then off my self instead of requesting again or notifying them, it's not only an energy issue but i believe also a safety one ? As i am not sure what time will they come back!

Thanks so much in advance!  🙏

Special shoutout to @Joelle43 for helping me multiple times already 🙂

[Paras45]

 

Hey everyone, i just saw this today and i wanna ask you guys sorry i have been very busy lately with work & personal health issues on my end - unable to read each response it's been a hectic couple of days, --- i raised this issue with airbnb on 4th i had an unauthorised guest, i have cctv coverage i was proactive about it and reported the same day talked to the support for almost 2 hours my issue was closed twice, without any resolution now i am being asked to just file with the resolution centre i just saw this again ?

And, honestly i am so disappointed that i got no reassurances nothing shared that what should i do next ? it has become very time consuming for me now, should i ask for extra fees through resolution centre or should i just leave ? i wanted to know my rights,  so i can make better and informed decision next time, this is when i specifically asked the guest to confirm in writing that they were 3 and they gave it to me in writing that they were 3 persons but showed up with 4 guests -- only thing i understood is that i can cancel the reservation if they are not paying or all the guests upon arrival ? 

@John5097 @Guy991 @Lorina14 @Mattew2 @Joelle43 Thank you for all the responses means a lot! 🙂 

[Joelle43]

Hello @Paras45 

So sorry to hear you're struggling right now and it seems that you need help with another issue.  It would be a good idea to start a completely new post so that it doesn't get too confusing for other hosts reading your first post on something else.

See you soon here on the CC!

[John5097]

@Paras45 

I would suggest just marking them down in the review. Don't even mention the extra guest before the review process is completed. 

You could request an additional fee and contact customer service but this will likely just end up with you getting a one star review.

Every day host post this same situation. They call CS and CS says don't worry we will remove any retaliatory review but they don't and host ends up with one star review and something false, that will cause host much more in lost bookings than any fee they collected.

In the review you can state something like "These were very nice guest, left everything in perfect condition, however they brought an unauthorized guest that exceeded the guest count."

In my listing I state "Ideal for a couple or solo traveler (two guest and one car max)"

So I eliminate this issue. But if you charge an extra fee for each guest, which is fine, I would just mark them down in the review and avoid a dispute with them and don't give any indication you intend to mark them down. 

 

[Joelle43]

@Paras45 

Great reply by @John5097 and he's totally right in his analysis of the current situation with Airbnb regarding the impossibility of removing retaliatory reviews.

You don't need the hassle right now so take a deep breath and as long as they leave the place in an OK state, then mark them down in the star allocation.  Guests don't see how many stars we leave them, just what we write in the review.

[Paras45]

@Joelle43 @John5097 Thanks so much, i did not knew this--- i was assured by the customer care representative that they have made case review and any review by these guests will be removed ? I was assured of this as this was not the only problem and i had spent nearly 4 hours with the support lately i feel the support has deteriorated.

[John5097]

@Paras45 

Yes feel free to create aborter post as @Joelle43 suggested. 

From reading many post CS often tell host don't worry we will remove retaliatory review but that usually doesn't happen because the guest review may not violate the review policy. So CS isn't intentionally try and deceive host as that's what they are trained to say but its really hard to get reviews removed. I tried once without success. 

Sometimes host still have to communicate with guests over some issue and just keep it constructive which I"m sure you do. For example thank them for staying, etc, then mention the issue you would like to address. 

I'd say if it's not disrupting neighbors just wait and save it for the reviews. 

But I'm not sure what other issues and that's subjective. Feel free to start another topic. 

For a long time I just look at it like, did this guest cost me any extra money in damages. If not then don't worry about it. For something minor just mark them down. I don't want something minor blowing up. 

It's also positive that great are booking your place so that comes with it and they are always doing something. 

[Paras45]

@John5097 @Joelle43  Apologies for the delayed response, i had a lot going on!! 

Thanks for sharing your perspective, I completely agree — sadly, the system makes it really hard for hosts to actually protect themselves, even with proof.

I’ve personally had multiple situations where guests seriously bent or broke policies:

1. One brought an unregistered guest and outright refused to pay for them — I had CCTV footage, clear house rules, everything. AIRBNB couldn't help. 
   (I waited for 14 days and then filed with resolution center)
   
   
2. Another guest booked for one person, wanted to arrive with 7, and when I tried to raise it with Airbnb, I got blamed for communicating outside the platform — even though I had messages, call logs (it was registered from an international number they used another number i simply answered yet no common sense applied they communicated and literally harassed me for hours), everything documented. Ironically, that guest was a host themselves - no resolution for me even in SOS situation.
   
   
3. I’ve had cases where guests left the AC running while gone the entire day, and when I reached out, they casually said they didn’t plan on coming back — but they returned anyway later with again another guest not the original one. When I politely reinforced house rules, it felt like I had no authority over my own property due to reviews.

I never leave negative reviews lightly, but lately, it feels like some guests are becoming destructive or unapologetic, and hosts are left with zero recourse, especially regarding reviews. It’s exhausting — dealing with these things, trying to stay professional, and still being told "wait for the review process" when serious issues happen.

Honestly, I’ve been so busy dealing with real-time problems that I never got the mental space to escalate some of these properly. But reading posts here reminds me I’m not alone, even if solutions feel far off.


@Joelle43 Also, given the inputs i have added a few more pictures showing the natural light and refined on my description, slowly i am refining more so i apply each of your suggestion with due diligence, Thanks again everyone.

[John5097]

@Paras45 

Glad you are so busy! 

I took a look at your listings and location, Rishikesh, India, Wow I'm so impressed, your listings are  really well thought out and I'm so pleased that such a place exists, a city that is all vegetarian! Now I have to visit and always wanted to travel to India! 😍

Both you and your guest are all incredibly articulate and thoughtful as well. 

I totally understand how denial oriented it can become while hosting. 

If you are having issues with guest brining too many guest or unregistered guest, you might consider not offering as many sleeping options. One of your listings has a bedroom, king size bed, another small room with a queen, and sleeper sofa, plus you add that you can provide even more bedding, so that might encourage guest to bring more people and cause conflicts or issues, so just need to consider if its worth it. That is also a lot of extra cleaning and washing. 

I also used to have a pull out sleeper but it's better for me to just have one bed and limit to couples or solo travelers and offer better value. 

Then if the extra bedding creates more bookings just realize that there  can be more to manage with more people. 

As far as leaving the AC on in many places that's the practice as it cost more to cool the space back down when turning it on and off. 

You also have very positive reviews and your guest have wonderful things to say about you.  I would just be cautious as it is a review based system so anything minor its best to just mention it in the review.

It's really up to guest to leave whatever review they want.  

[Paras45]

@John5097 Thanks a lot sir for your detailed response, yes this was a new listing so I was very busy given that I do all the things on my own and I am unable to find any reliable external-support as yet! 😅

Thank you again, it meant a lot that you read the description and went through my listings, yes sir rishikesh is basically yoga capital of the world, and has deep spiritual roots - thus it’s legally banned for alcohol and non-veg (even MNC’s like dominos, burger king are all veg only) and if you visit please come and I will be more then happy to share our culture and treat you with our many home cooked delicacies!!

Yes-indeed, I have had some guest who whom i also went above and beyond and they also wrote the sweetest reviews but lately I am facing a wave of bad-guest request, while I am constantly refining this unit! 

Honestly I don’t have the AC for my other room installed, but it’s there in the living room- thus I have sleeper sofas so you can not complain although the other room cools perfectly well but it’s the perspective.

And, for 6 if they want me to provide extra bedding I will without any problem just for their comfort, if you all six wanna sleep in the sofa beds no worries happy to accomodate, that was my initial thought - now I just want that people go by rules and if they don't I at-least know the option what can I do in the case so and protect my rights, Example, a guest had 2 unregistered children (above 14yrs) was very accommodative and airbnb asked me to ask him to pay and he paid and even wrote the sweetest review he was very co-operative so I did not even flag him while reviewing. (I overthought guest comfort here, so plus 6 it accommodates so I made sure it’s super spacious for everyone thus the beddings)

But now, i know i can at-least cancel penalty free, but the review area is very much grey to me.

(Also @Joelle43 mam even asked me why i said it was a mini room if it can fit a queen size bed in my description, because here we live in homes and not flats (most of us) so that room was less spacious comparatively as per our standards so i better clarify (especially for my Indian guests) so to keep expectations in check although it's super cozy)

For my other listing I have accommodated 4 people with ease in past, but now it’s only 3 so it gets booked by solo travellers, or couples with a kid 🙂

As for AC, they takes maximum of 5-10 mins to chill the room, so it’s better to turn them off when not in use to conserve energy.

Also- I’m really grateful to receive a response from someone as seasoned as you — 5 years of hosting and a perfect 5.0 rating, that’s incredible! 🙌 KUDOS SIR!!!  @John5097 

It’s not even been 5 months since I started my hosting journey, and I already feel like I’m learning something new every day. I’d truly appreciate any honest and constructive feedback you might have or anything else you might want me to add— I’m all ears and ready to grow. I'm especially trying to improve my listing photos (work in progress), but I’d love to understand things better from a guest’s perspective too.

Thanks in advance for your time — it means a lot! 🙂

[John5097]

@Paras45 

Really appreciate the positive words! 

I looked through your listings again. The first time I just briefly looked at the listing with 6 reviews and two bedrooms that sleeps 6. 

You have another listing that has over 40 reviews. The first time I thought you had been hosting 4 years, but you have only started 4 months ago and wow! 

First let me say that you are having a very positive influence on your guest. Each one expressed the most thoughtful complements about you so much so that you really had a meaningful impact on their lives and going above and beyond to accommodate them where you are like a cultural ambassador and your guest are looking for direction. It was really a nice insight for me to read them. 

About some of the details about listings. With the 2 bedroom one that sleeps 6 that's a good approach to have a rate for 2 guests, I think it was $77 for two for two nights, then for each they add its an extra $23. This is fine. The only risk is that some guest may try to book for 2 guest and bring 5 or 7. As you mentioned you would have option to have the reservation canceled but guest would likely still be able to leave a review. 

I find the best solution when these little conflicts crop up is to use communication and update listing to prevent it from being a problem again in the future. This will be very easy for you as your listing is so will organized, the list outline is brilliant, it gives clear description. I also liked the fact you mentioned where the two AC were located. 

Likewise you could state that "The apartment it ideal for 2-4 people but can accommodate up to 6. (Please be mindful to include an accurate guest count) 

I'm sure you could phrase that better, but just adding that will probably be enough to prevent anyone from trying to sneak in extra guest without paying the fee. 

I really don't like having to add things like that but sometimes its necessary and other guest won't mind because they understand it's not meant for them and will even trust you more as it demonstrates you are a purposeful person and guest like rules, structure, and clear communication.  

Some guest might also be too busy to have read the listing and just see that it sleeps 6 and don't bother to include accurate guest count. 

If this happens you can send guest a Reservation Alteration request. You would just change the guest count to how many they have and click send and include a message. If they click accept the reservation would automatically be updated. 

But it's best to avoid it getting that far. In your first message you can also confirm the guest count and also include this is important that the guest count be accurate. 

Sometimes if my guest are in town for a wedding, event or to see friends. I state. "Guest name, 2 guest total one car" then the date, time of check in and check out, etc. 

Sometimes they cancel but that's fine. 

I'm sure you are already fine tuning things. Just ask your guest for any suggestions. 

Your listing is really inspiring. I always wanted to prepare food for guest but would need to totally change the approach. I still think it also has a meaningful impact on them. People can be incredibly preceptive and in general travelers are searching for some  direction, and you have really tapped into that. 

The great thing about review based system is the unlimited potential for host who guest love. 

Yoga is so popular here. Every day there are groups on the beach and seems like everyone is doing it. I'm more into the veg food and nature. It's all becoming more popular so really wish you and your listings all the best!