<Entire apartment hosted by ____ 2 guests · Studio · 1 bed · 1 bath

[Charl2838]

I am confused about this ad. I booked this ad by the understanding that by default 2 guests are assumed and not just one. And then you have to pay more for the second guest. 

Because when I made the booking I did not bother to change the guests from 1 to 2 because this ad clearly states to me that 2 people are assumed and that I'm renting an entire apartment.  Now the owner wants to charge me almost double per night for my girlfriend. That makes this from being just affordable to very expensive.

Also at the price block, it states R250 / night. Not R250 per night per person.
 

I'm very disappointed, is there some way to resolve a matter like this?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Charl2838 you need to enter the correct number of persons at the time of booking to get the correct pricing, that is how the system works and hosts choose their base price based on the number of persons staying, not on the number of persons the unit sleeps. With a studio, it makes sense to price per person as it is a highly suitable size for 1-2 persons. The pricing is set so that the target market would be both single travellers and couples.

I have a 2 bedroom apartment sleepimg max 4 that I price with a base price for two, and with an additional charge for each person after two. This way my place is attractive to both couples and groups of 4 and gives me a larger target market. My extra charge after two is reasonable though and will not in any way double the price, but it will cover the extra use of amenities and extra laundry.

[Charl2838]

Please remember that hosts cater to the public that doesn't understand the terminology. When someone from the public sees an ad that reads: Entire apartment - 2 Guests R6000 per month.  What are you supposed to think. Remember the public reads the ads in a list form and then you click on the ad. When it says "Entire apartment", then the amount of guests becomes unimportant because most of the public rents apartments and the amount of guests does not influence the price.

[Colleen253]

@Charl2838  You are prompted to input the correct number of guests at time of booking. You made some incorrect assumptions and neglected to do this. If you sent a request the host has accepted, and you want to cancel, depending  on the terms in place you may be able to cancel it yet without much penalty. You should make looking into that your priority right now. It it’s still just pending and the host is wanting adjustments, you can withdraw the request.

[Charl2838]

I already booked in and now after I had my girlfriend here for 3 days the owner tells me she has to pay and he upped the price to make more money. This started out to seem dishonest. Now it just screams it.

[Emilia42]

@Charl2838 

The ad should be read as "Entire apartment hosted by ___ 2 guests MAX - Studio - 1 Bed - 1 Bath"

Not:

"Entire apartment hosted by ___ Priced for 2 guests - Studio - 1 Bed - 1 Bath"

For accurate pricing info, you need to input the correct number of guests just as you would input your correct dates.

This is a live and learn moment and I bet you won't make this mistake again.

[Charl2838]

Also, I got 38% discount for the month booking. Now just adding my girlfriend almost triples the price. So now I'm paying instead of  R6500 I'm I have to pay R14 000 for a 1 bedroom flat 

[Marit-Anne0]

@Charl2838 the monthly discount should apply also for 2 persons, so that sounds like a system miscalculation. The total amount can be amended if the host initiate the change to the number of guests.

If your girlfriend will be there only for a part of the time, you need to negotiate the total with the host.

Having a girlfriend is expensive - we all know that 🤣

[Charl2838]

That is not my issue, my issue is that the heading of the ad says: Entire Apartment 2 Guests R6500. That to me means I get the entire apartment with a max of 2 guests. And I should not be paying more for the second guest. Like these 2 ads. Because why would I pay more for a place that I already rent in its entirety. The owner can't put someone else in here or make money in any way from my girlfriend not being here. We sleep on the same bed..
All the other places in the area that advertize this way the prices are not effected by the amount of people: 
https://www.airbnb.co.za/rooms/46766318?check_in=2021-02-01&check_out=2021-02-28&source_impression_i...

https://www.airbnb.co.za/rooms/44111306?check_in=2021-03-01&source_impression_id=p3_1609860213_6YzuN...

So how is a person to know when you will be paying more. It should be saying "Per Person Per Night" and Not "Per Night". Me, my dad and my Girlfriend read the ad and all of us never even thought the possibility existed that there would be an extra charge for the second person

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Charl2838 

Your assumption "that by default 2 guests are assumed" is wrong. 

[Colleen253]

"So how is a person to know when you will be paying more". When you go to book, you're prompted to enter the number of guests you are booking for. If a listing is set up like this one, the price will change as you add guests. @Charl2838 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Charl2838 

Guests always need to read the listing description and put in accurate # of guests - regardless of whether the price is the same for 1 guest or 2 guests. And just because the listing is an entire apartment and says they allow 2 guests does not mean you can book for one guest then have an "unregistered guest" come and stay with you without adding the guest to the booking or checking with the host that it's okay to have an unapproved/unregistered guest. Airbnb is not like renting an apartment (and it's wrong of you to assume this is unimportant). The # of guests is VERY important and proper guest count needs to be on the Airbnb booking. 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Guest-Brings-Unauthorized-Visitor/m-p/637230

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Guest-Brings-Unauthorized-Visitor/m-p/470433

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Problem-with-guests-having-visitors-after-hours-and-stay...

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Airbnb-allows-encourages-guests-to-cheat-on-number-of-pe...

[Charl2838]

Never assume I was assuming. The ad was clear: Entire Apartment - 2 Guests - Price.

No assumptions needed to know that I'm renting an entire apartment for 2 guests for a price. Please tell me what I am assuming. You are assuming I care about the technicalities and what the practise is in the business.

I am not in the Airbnb business, I bought something that was advertised for a price. It was clearly stated in one unambiguous line of English that we all understand.  There is nothing to assume about the heading and no further terms can explain away a statement saying that I will be paying a price for an entire apartment for 2 guests. 

Ask anyone that is not a Host what they know they are getting when they read that line, not what they are assuming but knowing. Like seeing a price on a car. You know you are getting all the weels. Not just 1. Come on people stop trying to protect bad practise and deceiving headlines. If you are running an honest establishment you won't be trying to attract business in this way. Most of the other reputable places in he are do not ask more for the second person if it is for the Entire place.

What am I missing here.

[Johanna394]

As a very much non-host, I have always understood that line/number to mean the maximum amount of people that can be booked to property at the same time. However, I have not got the impression that renting the entire space gives me the freedom to bring as many people in as I like without needing to ask for host's permission. If I wish to bring people with me, of course I would have to register them at the time of booking - like others have brought up, people have different pricing systems set up, and it is not like it is my own property I am booking in.

(could be though I have just spent enough time reading this Help forum that this principle has been firmly drilled into my head 🙂 )

[Nathalie-Et-Gilles0]

@Charl2838 

The host job is to set the maximum number of people the place can host and the price.
This number is a real maximum for insurance reasons and sometimes legal reasons (decent place).

The traveller host is to enter the right information about the group.

What dates? (price can change with dates and number of nights).
How many adults?
How many children?

How many babies?

How many pets?

So the right price appears.

And the right information is written in the contract (reservation).

If you read your Airbnb reservation, it is written : 

1 people for X price and dates.
So now you have to update the contract with 2 people and Y price and dates.

It is the guest duty to give all the necessary information about the group to check the place is suitable for its needs.

The best is to do it before booking with an request for information (contact host button) instead of a request for reservation.

You assumed that it was the same price for 1 or 2 adults.
Some other travellers assumed is it the same price for 1 or 4 adults, 2 children, 1 baby and 2 big dogs (real case).

Surprise!
Hopefully, it is not on a legal point view and host opinion.

As far as i am concerned, it is the same price for 1 or 5 people.

The all pay for 5!

If there is a mistake (sorry, my mother-in-law wants to come with us in Paris), 5 instead of 4, it is easy to correct.

It makes sense to have a price per people for big houses (6-8 people).

I would have set a flat rate for a studio as it is the same cleaning and electricity and heating for 1 or 2 people.
Only the water is different and can be included directly in the price with a base of 2.

This is my point of view and hosts are free to chose their price depending if they prefer to have small or big groups, duration of stay and season.
In your case, host prefer to have 1 people and did an attractive price for 1.