Just curious, a question for remote hosts.

[Delwyn3]

Hi everyone,   I would appreciate some feed back on something I ask of my guests that a fellow host has told me she thinks is unreasonable.

When I know someone is arriving I can't really relax until I know that they have gained access ok and are comfortable and all is well.

Then I can get on with my evening, or go to bed and relax.

So I provide my mobile number and I message them the week before when I send all my house information  "On arrival, please let me know when you are in the house either by text or Airbnb messaging. It's nice to know when guests have arrived and everything is OK."

Is this a reasonable request or would guests find this a nuisance?

I am 3 hours away and although I have people I can call on to help in general, I don't have a  local co-host that I would feel I could ask to go to the house late in the evening.

I understand that some people have travelled all day and arrive late and in these cases I don't hold it against them if they don't manage to let me know on day of arrival, but I would still expect some sort of message the next day.

Just curious what other hosts think.

[Paul1255]

@Delwyn3I hope you are well!

To answer your question: I feel it's a reasonable request, and it's good hosting.

I ask the same of my self check-in guests, most do let me know when they've made it into the listing- but equally some do not.

I think it could be anything from having arrived not feeling the need to keep an eye on the Airbnb app, tiredness, jetlag to overexcitement!

If I don't hear from them on the day/evening of check-in I send a message the following morning to see if they had a comfortable first night, and sometimes they don't reply to that either.

I work on the assumption that if there was an issue or they weren't having a good time they most certainly would let me know about it!

I have trained myself to switch off from thinking that not hearing from them means they aren't having a good time or they didn't arrive.

If you host remotely and you want to see when guests arrive, and have some visual control at the listing you could think about installing a camera doorbell so you can see when guests arrive/depart- and you don't have to rely on their messages.

If you decide to do that, make sure you make it clear that you have a camera doorbell in your listing so guests are aware.

Paul 🙂

[Delwyn3]

@Paul1255 Thanks so much for reassuring me that it is a  reasonable request and that it is in fact good hosting.  My friend and fellow host had got me doubting myself.

You have also given me a great tip for how I word the message the next day if I don't hear from them. 

"Have you had  a comfortable first night" sounds much more friendly than "Have you arrived".

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond,  thank you.

[Elena87]

@Delwyn3 

How about considering installing a smartlock.

I've one on a place I co-host and it logs each time the main door is opened, you can monitor when guests arrive and depart if desired.

[Delwyn3]

@Elena87 I didn't know about these, that would be really useful, thanks.

[Emilia42]

@Delwyn3 I don't think it is unreasonable at all but instead of sending the request with your check-in instructions a week prior to the stay, you may want to send a message on arrival day. Say something like "The house is ready when you are. Please let me know if you have any trouble check-in. I am a phone call away to help." Or later in the evening "I hope you are settling in nicely. Just checking to make sure you arrived safely and had a smooth check-in." Most times this will trigger a response from the guest (at least in my experience it does) and they will reply with a "We're here." Or "We expect to arrive around 7 pm." 

[Delwyn3]

@Emilia42 good point I had started to wonder if asking the week before was too long before arrival.  Thanks!

[Sarah977]

@Delwyn3  Guests are likely to forget if you send a week before. Day-of seems better.

And while it's great to exchange strategies and ideas with other hosts, we are all individuals and have to run our listings in the way that works for us and our guests and that we feel comfortable with. Other hosts will tell you all kinds of things that they think is necessary or unadvisable, like that you should only have white bedding and towels, as if it's some kind of universal law. Listening and discussing is fine, but you don't need to take it all on board.

[Delwyn3]

@Sarah977 thanks, that's good advice.   You are very discerning.   I have had some major stuff to deal with in the last few months outside of hosting and it's all got on  top of me.  However it's all behind me now and I am going to keep things more in perspective.   Thanks again.

[Delwyn3]

Thanks everyone, I have the answers I need.  Appreciate all your help.