Flight cancelled, host not available for check-in following two days

[Kenneth12]

Dear hosts,

Recently,    we experienced a flight cancellation that made us unable to reach a destination (Paris) until the following day.

The host was fairly new (4 reviews),   out-of-town,    and had no one to check us in the follow two days.   Thus we had to make last-minute arrangements to stay somewhere else (ah,   the ongoing saga!).

How do other hosts see this?    I'm fine with paying for the day due to a flight problem (we have travel insurance),    but it seems to me as a host,   if you're not there and don't have someone to check your guests in if things change,   the days you couldn't get them in are largely on you.

Anyone have a different perspective?  Thanks.

[Helen350]

In-person key exchanges are the ONLY way to go for homeshare hosts like me.

1) I have a dog, so obviously guests & dog have to be introduced; what guest wants to be greeted by a loudly barking dog & no host?

2) My letting rooms are in my own house with all my belongings & clutter. I need to show the guests which areas they can access, & which are private. I also would not want the thought of a guest ransacking my private space/belongings in my absence, so in MY situation, meet & greet is the ONLY WAY to go!

@Kenneth12 Not ALL Airbnbs are minimalist, cookie cutter, designated guest spaces... There still are old school places on the old 'corner in my own lived-in place' model! - And I wonder if this is more the case in Europe??? Just a theory? America may have been more taken over by the 'professional' whole place, upmarket, luxury listing? So maybe you are just not prepared for Europe's different-ness? Maybe.... Just a thought......

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

Ditto. I'm in the same situation as you (except with cats rather than a dog) and the idea of letting guests self check in is abhorrent to me! I can't even begin to list all the things that can go wrong. The only times I have not personally checked in guests (because I was unavoidably away), I got someone I knew well, who also knew the house well and whom I briefed thoroughly, to do it instead.

Besides, I find that most guests prefer it. I think that is proven by my consistent 5 stars for check in. Even the guest who checked in last week, who is VERY independent and wants minimal interaction, appreciated the check in and thanked me for the 'excellent tour'. It meant he was set up for his month's stay and now hardly needs to ask me anything, which suits him to the ground.

[Debra300]

@Huma0, @Helen350,

I usually greet my guests at check-in, but one of my spaces is self check-in, because there are times that I am unavailable, and I still received all 5 stars for check-in.  When I send the guest the door code, I also send a graphic of the lock with directions so they will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the lock before arrival.  I also have my neighbor/property manager readily available to answer questions.

[Huma0]

@Debra300 

I think it does vary according to the type of property and length of stay. Being a live-in host it makes sense for me to be here to check in guests (gives me a chance to suss them out too jut in case) and it's not so much hassle these days as I host long-term so there aren't constant check ins to do.

The thing is that I have a very old, four storey house and there are quite a few things to explain. Guests often seem to have a problem with the front door lock, for example, and I am not sure that they would get it with written instructions, which could cause all sorts of security issues. We know that guests often don't read stuff. There are a bunch of other things, so it's not just a question of showing them around but explaining the quirks and casually reminding them of a few house rules (the ones that people commonly break).

Most of my guests (and all the long-term ones) seem to really appreciate the welcome and the tour. They are often female, solo travellers who need help with their luggage and don't want to arrive alone at an empty property. Meeting me as soon as they get here gives them some reassurance.

Obviously, a lot of guests do prefer self-check in, but I imagine those people are booking entire units who want less interaction with their host. I have hosted tourists/business travellers who weren't that interested in the tour or interacting or were just too tired/in a hurry. You have to play it by ear. 

[Debra300]

@Huma0,

Yes, I agree.  At my guesthouse, we always do personal greetings (it may be me or my god-daughter's mother), because the guests are technically sharing our house although all of the guest spaces are not on the same floor that we live, but we do go upstairs to do laundry and clean the common hallways.

[Huma0]

@Barry-and-Lera0 

This may differ from place to place and policy to policy, but having a lockbox or digital keypad can void your home insurance policy. Here in the UK, policies tend to be pretty strict RE what kind of lock you can have on your door and I decided against either of those options on the advice of the locksmith.

It is also quite likely, as this is an apartment in Paris, that it is within a building where there is a shared external lock and owners/tenants can't change the lock and wouldn't be allowed to install a lockbox.

Also, this host may be actually subletting (with or without the landlord's permission), in which case they would have no right to make these changes either.

[Mark116]

@Kenneth12   You seem to have an inordinate amount of problems w/the airbnbs that you choose, I wonder if you should re-evaluate whatever metrics you are using when you decide which ones to book.

[Kenneth12]

No,  I don't.    I do spend about half my life in ABBs or hotels,   with a strong but diminishing preference for ABB "live like a local."

As commonly reported in the travel media,  Airbnb is a platform which fails to enforce standards and assure quality,   with evidently increasing problem rates and serious,  unaddressed issues.   It thus seems increasing not recommended by former advocates,  some former strong advocates.  An entire US congressional committee has been formed to investigate Airbnb's failures in delivering on basic guarantees that guests get what they book (and multiple times not described here,  *I simply didn't get what was advertised in some significant way*,  though not usually as bad as the worst reports in the media).

And frankly,  why the *-*-*-* would anyone think such a rude comment is appropriate to post?  Have you heard of customer service and courtesy?  Are you equally rude and inappropriate towards guests in interactions?   What kind of impression are you trying to make and leave,  by making such a quick,  offhand,  negative comment?  Have you bothered to think how it would be received by the customer / guest?

There are many travel bloggers who report that their problem rate with ABBs is *higher* than mine.   Yes,  this is concerning.   A naive new host is one thing;   mass corner-cutting operations,  which result in guests not getting the experience promised,   or getting  something worse than they could have paid less for at a hotel,   undermine the value proposition of Airbnb.

My posture towards guests always begins with *create the absolutely best experience possible*.  If there's a problem,   address it proactively as possible,  with the most diplomacy and courtesy when possible;   as long as reasonable and no skin off my back,  bend over backwards to make things work and leave a good impression for the guest.

This should be a forum where guests should feel comfortable,  WELCOMED,  and HELPED.   No guest coming to these forums should be exposed to the anti-guest,   every problem is the guest's fault,   hosts-can-do-no-wrong,  unhelpful attitudes and tone on display from some above (and in many other corners of these forums).

Even if the guest IS WRONG,  replies here should be  at a minimum,   AS HELPFUL AND COURTEOUS AS POSSIBLE,   because without that,  guests will continue to abandon the platform,  hurting hosts' bottom line.

Telling someone the problem is their fault,  is rarely a courteous move,  or one that will brand the ABB platform well.

[Mark116]

@Kenneth12  If you were replying to me, there is absolutely nothing rude, let alone "inappropriate" to suggest to someone who despite being a host, and therefore familiar with the platform, has had multiple issues with multiple airbnbs in multiple countries that they may want to re evaluate the methodology they use in choosing an airbnb. 

You also might consider taking your own advice on being polite and courteous to others.  Best of luck. 

[Kenneth12]

@Mark116 : **

No means no.  Could anything make my hostility towards your opinion,  and thus that it is unwanted,  more clear?   And the latter is the point.   I may think my guest is being entirely a twerp;  but unless necessary,   I'm going to keep that opinion to myself and treat them with an extension of courtesy-- until I don't.

Otherwise,  once again,  there is more than sufficient evidence that professional travellers in a variety of professions,  have similar problem rates to myself;   yes,  ** obviously,   when I'm able make bookings further in advance there would be more choices;   we've been over this many times before;   stop-victim blaming,  **   both hosts & Airbnb have a responsibility to ensure quality,  not  the guest!;   && Thomas' Second Corollary to Godwin's Law applies here.

**[Inappropriate content removed - Community Center Guidelines]

[Ann72]

@Kenneth12  Wait, you went to Paris?

[Kenneth12]

Uh,  wait,   given that some have suggested I maintain a "Ken's constant ABB journeys" or such,    where were we last in this story?

Yes,  we are in Paris this week.   Hiroshima and Nagasaki may be harder to pull off,   depending on whom I'm willing to bother / ask favours from,   how much.

[Debra300]

@Kenneth12,

Please provide a little more meat on the bone.  I have some questions, if you don't mind.  How much lead time prior to your scheduled check-in did you notify the host of the flight cancellation?  When did you inform the host of your new targeted arrival date and time?  Did the host say that someone would be available to greet you at the new time?  In the listing details did the host describe how he would interact with guests?  Since you knew that the host is offsite, did you ask for the contact information of the person who would provide you support during your stay?  What percentage of the overall stay do the unavailable days represent, e.g., 2 days was 20% or 50% of the stay?

I know you've mentioned the less than stellar amenities here and the upcharge for towels in another conversation.  Are you planning to factor in these items in your discount request, or will it purely be based on the unavailability of the person to hand over the keys?

[Kenneth12]

@Debra300 :

OK,  some confusion here-- we actually had three Paris reservations(!):

#1) made > 6 weeks out,   cancelled about 3 weeks go
#2) the one we're talking about here,  the replacement for #1 (made about two weeks ago),  availability & choice already pretty limited when it was made 
#3) the towels-are-extra place,  which we took as a replacement for #2 as "the only 2BR place in 2km of the ceremony we're barely going to make it to at this point" "yeah,  a bunch other people probably passed on this,  but it's slightly better than a hotel ..."

Trying to get through all your questions:  
Our flight was cancelled after getting to the airport,  about 8am;    we messaged the host shortly thereafter;   host had not let us know she was not in town and was expecting to reply on someone else to exchange keys,   and didn't let us know that was the case until later that afternoon (in fact,  she didn't have any way to let us in later in that day, either,  as her friend was suddenly not available);  (there are key drop/exchange services in Paris etc that work okay,  you know?);   host had listed her check-in from 3pm to 10pm,  but couldn't make a later-than-afternoon check-in;  we wound up unable to find any flight later that day so took a hotel for that night.

As I just figured out:  her first time listing the whole place.

Thus:   first night we couldn't make it;  the next 2 nights (of seven) she had no way to let us in,  that is,  we needed to book option #3 for two nights while waiting for this host's friend to be able to drop by with the key,   (which was another long series of communications in itself).

And yes,   as I've expressed before,  the closer you get to trip time on ABB,   often the slimmer the pickins and the more problems overall,  in-my-experience.

[Debra300]

@Kenneth12.

Thank you for the additional details.  When you contacted Airbnb after the first night the place wasn't available, did they offer to reimburse you for your stay at the hotel?  On other OTAs, if a host cannot provide access to the space, they will relocate the guest (usually at a much more expensive location), and the host is on the hook for the additional costs.  I don't know if Airbnb works that way, because the only time I've canceled reservations was this past March due to the pandemic.