Smaller reservations using all beds & bathrooms

[Jessica3942]

I've got a 3bdrm, 2.5 bath home with 4 beds total. Here's the layout:

Queen in bedroom 1 w/half bath attached

King in bedroom 2 w/no bath attached

2 double/full beds in bedroom 3, upstairs w/attached full bathroom

The issue I'm having is related to pricing/cleaning- no matter how many people it's booked for, I often find that more beds are used than the amount of guests the reservation is for. I have security cameras at entry points so I know that sneaking in extra guests is not the cause of this. I also realize that just because 2 adults book does not mean that they're a couple and/or will sleep in the same bed. Or maybe a guest didn’t sleep well due to whatever and wants to try a different bed or room.

For context, I have a 6 guest maximum and clean my unit on my own and do not charge a cleaning fee or hire any cleaners. I struggle to turn over the unit once those 2 beds and bath in the upstairs room have been used. So to combat this problem, l've set an extra guest fee for the 5th & 6th person (hoping that translates to the 2 upstairs beds being used) and to pay someone to help me clean for the larger reservations, if needed (I’m working on finding someone). I've also blocked off the next night after these larger bookings in case I don't have any help and need the extra time.

Is there anything else I could be doing? How would you deal with this if you did not have a cleaning crew? Seems off-putting to put a restriction on using the upstairs bedroom for any reservations fewer than 4 people in case that's the room that they prefer (maybe they have kids so the smaller beds are ideal or they want an attached bathroom). But at the same time, why am I spending time and money cleaning/laundering extra beds and bathrooms when the reservation was for fewer people? Or is this just the cost of business when having a larger Airbnb with rooms that may or may not be used? Would it be wise to add a fee in my listing for extra beds used above the amount of people included on the reservation? Would Airbnb even honor a fee like that? Or should I maybe have my extra guest fee set up for 3 or more people instead of 5 or more? I guess the problem is that I have 4 beds but my listing is set up to accommodate 6 people so I never know how many beds guests will end up using.

[Joan2709]

Hi @Jessica3942 

Several ways other Hosts handle this. Can you clarify if there is a full bath available in the home that can be accessed without going thru a bedroom? 

One way is to have multiple listings for the same property and price differently depending on number of bedrooms and guests. You will need the ability to lock unused bedrooms though. Link the calendars appropriately to prevent double bookings. Add locks to bedroom doors so you can lock off the bedrooms not booked to prevent guests from using them. This will only work if you or your cleaners are able to lock the unused bedrooms and clearly disclose that on the listing.

Parent Listing (all bedrooms)

Child Listing 1 (determine how many guests & bedrooms & lock unused bedrooms). Link to Parent

Child Listing 2 (determine how many guests & bedrooms & lock unused bedrooms). Link to Parent

[Jessica3942]

Yes, there is a main full bathroom downstairs that is accessible to all guests and not attached to a bedroom. About your suggestion- is this a separate airbnb listing? I’m unsure how that would work since that would require guests having to share common spaces downstairs, as well as infringing on guests when entering/leaving…I don’t think that would be the right fit for my listing if that’s the case. I do like the idea of locking the upper bedroom doors for smaller reservations, however. I’m sure I’ll have to disclose that in my listing, but that’s no problem. Thanks for the input!

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

@Jessica3942 

Yes...this would be 3 separate listings on Airbnb with linked calendars. They would be priced differently depending on the number of guests and bedrooms used. 

There would only be shared spaces if you have 3 listings, as guests could book child 1 or child 2.

2 Listings 

If you only have 2 listings (Parent and child 1), then if the child is booked, it would block the parent from being booked and there would be no "shared" spaces (lock unused bedrooms and disclose on listing locked bedrooms would not be available).

If someone books the parent, it would automatically block the child listing from being booked and again there would be no shared spaces. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jessica3942 I believe @Joan2709 's suggestion is spot on here but I will simplify it as follows

Have two listings

Listing A: 3 bedrooms

Listing B: King and Queen rooms only with double bedroom locked off.

Link the calendars so that if Listing A books then Listing B is blocked and vice versa

Obviously charge more for listing A than listing B to make money and pay for cleaning help.

Switch on pro tools in your account to make looking after 2 listings easier.

In high season perhaps block listing B (blocking will not be linked to the other calendar) so that you force people to pay the higher price. Perhaps unblock listing B if no bookings a few weeks out.

Hope this helps