Problem with the latest guest

[Valeriya24]

Hi! Can you please advice? I had a guest who stayed for one night and started complaining re that we had no door to the room and instead have a heavy curtain.  She did not know that we had a curtain instead of door. However, all our others guests were happy and no one felt uncomfortable. The guest said that it was an issue for her and she will be moving out. I said sure if that is what she wants. Before checking in she asked for a discount. Check-in earlier and she wanted to communicate outside Airbnb messenger. I gave her a discount and allowed to check in earlier but not to communicate outside the Airbnb messenger.  She stayed in the flat, showered, slept went for dinner and slept over night. And she told me that she will be looking for another place as she does not feel comfortable. I said ok you will just pay for what you have stayed.  Clearly she did not like it and she contacted Airbnb behind my back photographic curtain. An agent Noel has cancelled on my behalf the reservation which resulted as if I cancelled. My list got unlisted. I got penalised for her night and I have to repay for her cancellation fee which amounts to two of her nights out of five. Not sure how they worked this out but that is what it is. Everything I contact Airbnb my case keeps bouncing back from one agent to another. No idea when it will get resolved or when my room will get listed again. Every time I try to click to list it says to contact customer support. I am not sure what to do! Any help will be much appreciated! Valeriya 

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[Emiel1]

@Valeriya24 

Was it made clear in your listing there was a curtain instead of a door ?

[Valeriya24]

It was not mentioned but the heavy curtain served as a door. All other guests left only positive review and found the place comfortable and safe. Now my room is unlisted and I cannot make it live again. No matter how many times I contacted Airbnb they keep bouncing back my case from one agent to another. They said after five days my listing will be resumed and it is still not resumed. Not sure what to do. For her discomfort she received a discount prior to her check in. Plus I just do not get it how can you possibly stay somewhere if you are not happy, sleep, shower go to dinner and sleep over night. If it is not comfortable leave immediately. It just does not add up. Please advise what or how to communicate with Airbnb. Thank you, Valeriya 

[Helen3]

Why didn't you show in your listing that there was a curtain rather than a door to the bedroom as this is unusual . It should be shown in your photographs and clearly highlighted in your listing description @Valeriya24 

I'm sorry you had a difficult desk. Guests asking for additional discounts are a red flag for many hosts. Unfortunately it sounds like you had a difficult guest and you not being clear that there was no door to the bedroom gave her a way of asking to leave early without penalty.

Learn from this and make it clear that there is only a curtain in terms of privacy for the guest bedroom 

[Valeriya24]

Thank you @Helen3 for your feedback! Make sense. The listing has been updating since then! However, could not get from Airbnb to make the listing active again. Not sure why it took two weeks to make it active again. Because of no door the price for the room is lower than in any other circumstances. But any how the listing is updated now! 😉

[Huma0]

@Valeriya24 

A guest asking for a discount AND and early check in AND to communicate off platform, is a massive red flag.

However, I think @Helen3 is right. It doesn't matter if previous guests didn't have a problem with it, something like having a curtain instead of a door is significant and should not only be mentioned clearly and prominently in the listing and shown in the photos, but probably mentioned to the guest in a message before they book, to make sure they are aware of it and okay with it. I cannot imagine that this is the last time you will get a guest who is not happy about it.

[Valeriya24]

Thank you @Huma0 for your feedback! The listing has been updated since then. Yes, I should have mentioned it but that is why the price for the room is lower than with the door. The house is so quiet and no one enters any one's room or disrespects anyone's space. The curtain is a heavy type of curtain so serves as a door as much as possible. Any way, the listing is updated and clearly shows the way the room is! ;

[Valeriya24]

😉

[Gillian166]

@Valeriya24  perhaps for the UK you are "cheap", but i fail to understand why you don't just install a door. the fees from a 2 night stay should cover it.  

why have you set up it as 1 person max, but then list an extra fee for an extra person? are you collecting that in cash?
why would any couple stay with you, in a room with no door? if hubby and myself stayed with you, 2night minimum! it's going to cost us $700AUD.... and with a curtain for a door. this is the type of thing that ends up on social media.