potential issue?

[Taryn100]

I just started listing my Airbnb two weeks ago and I just got a request a book for 18 days. I have no reviews. The person that’s booking has 24 reviews and is verified though their picture is not coming up. It’s just a letter. Should this be a red flag? I’m definitely nervous and is my first official booking with somebody. I’ve never met

[Vivek143]

Hi @Taryn100 

Totally normal to feel nervous—your first booking always feels like a big step.

Based on what you’ve described, this doesn’t sound like a red flag. A guest with 24 reviews and verified ID is generally a very strong profile. The missing profile photo (just a letter) isn’t unusual either—some guests don’t upload one, or Airbnb only reveals it after booking in certain cases for privacy reasons.

What matters more than the photo:

Read their reviews carefully → look for comments about cleanliness, communication, and rule-following

Check how they communicate with you → clear, polite messages are a great sign

Trip details → ask why they’re staying 18 days (work, relocation, etc.)

What you can do to feel more comfortable:

Send a friendly message like:

“Hi! Thanks for your request—just wanted to learn a bit more about your stay and confirm you’ve read the house rules.”

Make sure your house rules are clear (guests with good reviews usually respect them)

Trust the review history more than the profile picture

Reality check:

A guest with 20+ positive reviews is usually lower risk than a brand-new guest with a full photo.

You’re actually in a good position here—this is the kind of first booking many hosts hope for.

If you want, share your listing—I can point out anything that might help you feel more confident or avoid issues with longer stays 👍

[Greystone0]

Hi @Taryn100  - yes, it is a potential issue and you should vet the guest carefully as 18 days is a long time to deal with someone who isn't a good match for your listing.

About the photo: until a reservation is confirmed you won't see their profile photo. That is totally normal and not by itself, cause for any alarm. 

The guest MAY or MAY NOT have a profile photo and so you won't really know that until booked. 

You CAN ask for them to have a face photo of themselves as part of their profile.

So, back to this 18 day reservation:

- since they have lots of reviews this is good! do any of the previous stays 'look' like your listing? If so great! If not then that is a data point.

- vet the guest: double check their occupancy, make them put in writing that they have read all the house rules and call out anything in particular that is a pain point.

- for a long stay like this  - do you want to do a mid-stay clean so you can get into the property? I would do this as a matter of practice.

- why are they coming? this is important info as 18 nights is long so what are they doing?

- and do you anticipate, generally speaking, longer stays like this? 

Just make sure to vet very carefully - it is a known scam for guests to take advantage of a new listing with a long stay request. This doesn't necessarily look and feel exactly like that, but you need to make sure you understand who/what/why with this guest.

[Curtis206]

I agree with the other host that has commented on this post. The one thing that I would do is look at where they are coming from. In my experience with me and my partner we don’t let locals book with us unless they have very good reviews and have few years on airbnb . We have found that this dramatically cuts down on guest throwing parties and tearing up the place. We have several rentals through out Chicago and Florida and have not had any issues with guests damaging our rentals.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Taryn100 

The guest’s profile photo will only be visible after the booking is confirmed, so that’s normal on the platform. In the meantime, you can review their past reviews to get a sense of how they’ve behaved with other hosts this is usually the most reliable indicator. Look for patterns in cleanliness, communication, and rule-following.

Based on what you’ve shared, there don’t seem to be any obvious red flags in this request. Still, if you want extra peace of mind, you can always message the guest with a few quick questions to clarify their plans or confirm they’ve read your house rules.

Just keep in mind that you’ll need to either accept or decline the booking request within 24 hours, otherwise it will expire and may affect your response rate.

[Taryn100]

thank u!