How to tell the guests your Elevator is out of service

[Christi8323]

I am wondering if anyone has had experience with your elevator not working and having to inform guests. Some view this is an added amenity, but some see this as a necessity and might be the reason the guest booked. We recently came in to an issue with our elevator and will need to repair it. It is going to be out of commission for t least the next month and we are fully booked. I am looking for advise on the best way to inform the guests and how to word it.

[Fred13]

@Christi8323 No better way then to tell them it will not be in service. This begs a missing-link question if anything out curiosity - how many floors are there that an elevator even exists in the first place? That is relevant to what feedback you can expect from those guests.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Christi8323 , Did you go with Fred's suggestion in the end?

Do let us know what worked for you the best and how you are conveying this to potential guests now.

Keep us posted!

[Patricia2526 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Christi8323 

How are you? Tough situation but it is important to be transparent and provide clear information.  

Dear  (Guest Name),

i hope this message finds you well. I wanted to reach out to you with some importany information regarding your upcoming stay at my Airbnb listing. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that there is currently an issue with elevator in the building, and it will not be available during your stay.

Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. I undertand that elevator is an important feature, especially for guests with heavy luggage or mobility concerns. However, I want to assure you that we are committed to making your stay as comfortable as possible despite this temporary setback.

Best regards

Host name

I suggest to provide luggage assistance, refund or discount to compensate for the inconvenience.

Just personalize the message based on your specific circumstances and amenities you can provide to mitigate the elevator issue. Hope this helps. 

[Christi8323]

Thank you so much! It's just nice to hear other's examples of verbiage sometimes :). I appreciate you taking them time to send this.

[Helen3]

You'd also need to offer a penalty free cancellation for guests who aren't able to access your listing if they have impairments which mean they would have difficulty in using the stairs (how many floors up is your listing?)  @Christi8323 

[Patricia2526]

You’re welcome! Wish you all the best.