This is really messed up. Now when hosts indicate that our listing is suitable for up to X guests, it's really X guests + 5 free children under 2 years old, and there's no way to adjust for this. This is outrageous. 1. We should have a say in who comes in our homes for free, 2. We should determine the total number of guests. 3. FIVE FREE INFANTS? REALLY? FIVE? THAT'S A WHOLE PRESCHOOL CLASS. EVEN PRESCHOOL CLASSES HAVE A COST AND THOSE KIDS GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE want our home to be comfortable for children and welcoming, but when we said we could only accommodate up to 4 people, that didn't mean up to 9 people if 5 of them were under 2 years old. It didn't mean free lodging for ANYONE. You could allow hosts to offer free passage to children, in a discount setting. You could allow guests to search for "chlldren are free" or "infants are free" in a search feature. You absolutely have to allow hosts to determine how many people they can comfortably, affordably and safely lodge. We've added the following statement to our listing: "While we are children friendly, we cannot provide free accommodations for children OF ANY AGE. We welcome your children into our home but all fees and total number of guest limits apply. We love and welcome children but at the prices we are offering, we cannot afford to have extra people of any age here, without compensation for our labor and resources. "
Response from Airbnb
The decision not to count infants toward the number of guests was based on hospitality industry standards. The goal for this policy is to support a positive guest experience, specifically for families booking on Airbnb. Although the majority of hosts are comfortable with this policy, some aren’t, and we are interested in figuring out how this tool can be improved to work better for more hosts.
If you don’t want to accept bookings from families traveling with infants, or want to include them as part of the total guest count, there are a few controls you can currently take advantage of:
Clearly indicate in your house rules whether your place is suitable for infants. If you must charge for infants, note that guests are to include infants in the adult guest count rather than in the infant guest count. Remember, avoiding discrimination based on factors like familial status is part of the Airbnb commitment you signed. Hosts should welcome families unless a place is clearly not suitable for infants and children, something often best left up to the family to decide.
If you’re using the request-to-book option instead of Instant Book, then you can discuss with potential guests whether you’re able to accommodate them.
You can indicate in your settings that your place is not suitable for infants. If you have instant book turned on, guests who indicate they’re traveling with infants will not be able to book your home instantly. They can still request to book your space, just as they would any non-Instant Book listing.
If you’re using Instant Book, then you can always cancel a booking penalty-free if a guest breaks your house rules.
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