Children policy - under 2 stays for free

[Mary348]

Hi Everyone, 

Airbnb has this policy that children under 2 yrs old stay for free. We are getting bookings and inquiries for large groups including children under 2yrs old.

After thinking through and reading the posts by other hosts on this matter, this is what Ive come up with in my listing.

For 4 paying guests, only 1 child under 2 yrs will be free of charge

For 8 paying guests, only 2 child under 2 yrs will be free of charge

The rest of under 2 yrs old will count as paying guests at the same rate as adults. I feel that this may also deter guests from being dishonest in trying to pass their above 2 yrs children as under 2 yrs.

Please do let me have your feedback on this. Also do I need to provide children/infant pillows and blankets. How do you do this? 

Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

Regards

Mary

[Zacharias0]

Its seems AirBnB makes the process as convoluted as possible to account for kids. Kids are people. It doesn't matter if they are 1 month or 12. They still take up space and require a place to sleep. You can't put an infant between two grown adults on a bed so you'll need space for a crib. My point is that creating so many options for age of guests helps to understand the type of guests youre receiving, but also encourages guests to game the system to their detriment if they know they are being charged based on age. Hotels and motels don't charge for little people they simply state a max occupancy per room by fire code. A life is a life regardless of age.

As to feedback about your price breakdown for kids I found it to be confusing. You've created so many variables, but to what end I'm not sure. Does it cost you more to house a 5 year old compared to a 1 year old? Its redundant to state your pricing plan because when the guest inputs the number of adults and kids it automatically calculates the total. Your written rules state 1- OR- 2 kids are free, which one is it? AirBnB makes you specify and this is how your daily rate is calculated. At the moment you seem to charge for kid #2.

If you are worried about people sneaking in a gaggle of kids that should be charged then charge for more than 2 people,  raise your daily rate, increase your cleaning fee, charge for cribs or be more understanding of a family traveling on a budget and offer options. Its okay to tell them you are happy to set up a bed for the kids at an additional one time cost and send them a charge in the resolution center which they have to accept before arriving. You have the ultimate say if you want to take in 2 adults and 4 kids between 0-2. We can't win them all, but we can even the odds.

A few reviewers stated your space is family friendly and I'd build on that to keep my place booked. Buying kid friendly games, child appropriate linens and/or having a crib would entice more families to book. Having a easy to understand pricing breakdown would help as well.

best.