How to ensure hungover guests leave on time?

[Ben551]

Howdy folks! It’s ideas time!

My wife and I have identified a risk that is oh so very likely to materialise tomorrow morning. We would very much like some advice, ideas, thoughts... and luck.

You see, we (in our inexperience) did not have gaps or preparation days in our early days with Airbnb. We turned this feature on almost immediately after we realised not even break-neck speed could manage a same day turnover to our required standard... so we relaxed our bookings and added a preparation day before and after each new booking.

Tomorrow is the very last of the “same day turnover” collisions we inherited from our initial settings and we will be glad when it is behind us.

But there is a problem...

We have discovered that our current guests (lets call them “Team Hangover”) are 2 delightful, beer loving Kiwi blokes who are staying overnight to attend an Eminem concert this evening. They arrived at 2am this morning and (based on our covert Facebook research) tonight we expect they will be back late, rat 4rsed drunk and in the morning likely hungover... 

After Team Hangover checks out, we have a mad rush to prepare our place for guests staying for 2.5 weeks!  These incoming long term guests (lets call them “Team Dubai”) are Super-hosts from Dubai. Naturally, we want to present our place very well for them, at our highest standard... but they arrive at 1PM and our quickest turnover time is 4 hours (with just me). It’s a big space and lots to do... with 2 of us we should be able to get it done in 2 hours but it will be a real push if Team Hangover have left a mess... which is possible. We have also discovered they are smokers... it takes time to air the room from smokers, even if they don’t smoke inside. It “clings” and last time we had smokers it took a full day to de-stink the place, including a chlorine wipe down.

Our success tomorrow morning all hinges on our ability to get Team Hangover out on time at 10AM. If they are late, or sleep in... the whole system will fall down and we will have an unhappy Team Dubai.

So far I’m thinking we will head down tonight and mention somehow that they can’t be late in the morning.... but.... I’m not entirely sure how to say it casually enough. I’ve thought of the old “mow the lawn at 9AM tomorrow morning” trick... but it’s rather a last resort. We have also tried asking Team Dubai to not checkin until 3PM but it’s unclear if they will show up early. It sounds like they are checking out of their other accomodation in the morning and wanted to come straight over! Not good... we’ll still be cleaning....

Help me experienced hosts! What else can we do to avoid a potential disaster? 

~ Ben

[Sarah977]

@Ben551  Yes, a reminder tonight, asking how much time they'll need to get packed up in the morning, and saying that you'll give them a call an hour before check-out, in case they are out cold, might do the trick. Maybe suggest they pack up as much of their gear as possible this evening, so they can enjoy their concert, sleep in a bit and just have last minute items to pack up in the morning, making it sound like your concern is that they don't feel rushed in the morning.

Or some ice water in a spray bottle.

[Ann72]

@Sarah977 LOL

[Ben551]

@Sarah977  hahahahaha ice water spray bottle.  I love it 🙂  Yeah I definitely think raising the issue politely today will be the start... thinking of offering fresh espresso or something corny, in reference to their night out at the concert... trying to work out how to say it.

[Mark116]

@Ben551   I always send a message the day before to remind people of check out procedure and the time, I also ask people to send a message either airbnb or via text when they actually leave the apartment..this allows me, if they are late, to text or message and say 'hey, you guys have been so quiet, I can't tell, have you left yet? or something similar.  

I would also, in your case, as we have done, tell them that we have a same day turnover so the cleaners will be arriving at 10am.  Other than that, I don't have any other preventative answers.  If they aren't out by 10:30 I'd knock and tell them cleaning has to start.

[Ben551]

@Mark116 thanks for that, yes we have precisely the same system. We have done all the communication as best we can, including polite warnings about being on time. Even so, I’m not sure if it will be quite that easy this morning, but we have done all we can. 

The other trouble is with our place is the front door to the cottage is a long way from the bedrooms. We would have to literally go down to the bedrooms and shout a bit. Since that seems very awkward, we are first going to try passive tactics and leave space invasion as a last resort...

[Ann72]

@Ben551, are firecrackers legal in NZ?  Because, hey, let's have some fun!  At 9am!

But if they've been to an Eminem concert, they'll probably be deaf, so that won't work.  Sad face.

How old is Team Hangover?  If they're older than 30, they might be very good at getting on with it in spite of the quantities they've had to drink.  Practice makes perfect and all that.  Not that I speak from experience or anything.

You can say something, though.  Don't worry about dressing it up.  Just say, There's a group coming in right after you, so we're going to start cleaning at 10 am.  Heads up.

At the dot of checkout time, if they haven't appeared, knock on their bedroom door and start cleaning, making sure you bump around a lot.  

I know you're going to be fine.

[Ben551]

@Ann72  you make it sound so eay! lol.  I would guess Team Hangover are around 35-40.  Both have young children (at home, not with them) according to FB, so I think this is their "lads weekend away" to attend a concert.

[Ann72]

@Ben551 Oh, then they're totally used to tying it on and getting on with it.  It's a skill-set you develop when you have young children, a life, and a job.

Don't forget that two grown-ups booked your house knowing what the rules were.  You don't have to offer them anything extra to abide by them.  They'll appreciate a heads up, and I bet they'll have to get up and get on the road because their wives will be expecting them back anyway.  

[Ben551]

@Ann72  yeah I think you're right.  They honestly seam like nice guys, so don't get me wrong I'm not calling them Team Hangover because I think they are trouble.  Quite the opposite, I actually hope they have a great time tonight and hey... why shouldn't they have a good night away.  I certainly don't judge it, I'm more trying to work out how to accomodate it... plus the other teams needs etc.

I could be mean and send my wife down to scowl a bit through the glass door at check-out time... it might remind them of their own wives... she does the 'look'....you know? *shivers*

[Ann72]

@Ben551 Oh gosh, no worries, I didn't think you dissed them, I saw it as an affectionate term 🙂 . And I didn't think they smoked in your house, either.  I'd give you 5 stars just for putting a bench in the garden for smokers. 

The only thing I'd want to know in the morning?  HOW WAS EMINEM?!?!?  I saw him open for Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium (the new one) and it was epic.  But I couldn't hear for about three days, so you are definitely going to have to use all caps when speaking to them!

I'm betting on my Team Hangover boys.

[Ben551]

Hahaha @Ann72 I hope your bet pays off too! I will post an update at the end of this thread, for anyone following this lol

[Ann72]

Okay, @Ben551.  Just remember - the opera isn't over 'til the fat lady sings!

[Susan17]

@Ann72 

Wives, kids and jobs at home... rare lads trip away... bucketloads of booze... Eminem gig...  10am checkout... definitely not a bet I'd be willing to make! 😉

[Ben551]

Hahaha @Susan17 I know right! 🙂