Start date & End date

[Hunt0]

Hi

When setting the dates that my listing is available, is the end date, the date that the guests are checking out? Or is the end date the last night that they'll be staying? i.e. if I have my listing available from 23/03/2016-28/03/2016 (Wednesday - Monday), does that mean the guests are able to stay the night of the 28th and check out on the 29th? Or are they staying the night of the 27th and checking out the 28th?

Cheers

Hunt

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Hunt0,

This would mean that the guest is checking out the morning (or whenever your checkout time is) of the 28th (Monday) meaning they are staying 5 nights.

Dave

[Hilary11]

This was not my experience. I made available my place June 5-12. I thought this meant that they had to check out on the 12th. Not so. Someone just automatically booked my place and they are checking out on the 13th. Now I have to find a place to stay the last night.

[Frances15]

I'm confused too.  AirBnB's help guidelines say that the starting and ending dates are shown as "partially blocked" because people may come or leave those days.  But on my calendar, they show as completely blocked.  So far, I have blocked the date before departure but not the departure date, to avoid the problem that Hilary describes.  In other words, if I block the 12th, the night of the twelfth is taken but not the night of the 13th.  This has the potential to be very confusing!  Has anyone seen a calendar listing that "partially" blocks a day?  Thanks

[Mark1052]

This exact same thing just happened to me today.  Had to find a motel room last minute.  They have to start using the system that everyone else uses - check in date and check out date - NOT start and end dates.  

[Tammy163]

maddening that this hasn't been rectified....I waste hours upon hours with this 3rd year now. why do I keep coming back for more complete stress. sounds trivial, but its a run-around and 7 phone calls later which take 40 minutes each 

[Mike122]

I asked airbnb "Does start date mean check-in date? If they do, then why not say that somewhere, start date & end date are inherently confusing"

Does start date mean check-in date? Does end date mean check-out date? 

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[Pasek1]

I'm also SO confused and frustrated by this.

I have a personal friend staying from 7th Sept and checking out on 11th Sept which is 4 nights.  

Now, if they'd booked it on Airbnb then those are the exact dates that they would put in to the calendar i.e. the check in and check out dates.

However, when I go to the calendar, as the host, and block those exact same dates it shows 5 nights booked and, consequenly, no one else can book for the night of 11th.  

The only difference I can see is that when guests book on Airbnb it's called 'check out' but in the calendar, via the hosts dashboard, it is called 'end date'.

This also results in the rather ridiculous situation that if I want to close my room to new bookings for just 1 single night, I have to put the start date as, say, 27 Aug and the end date ALSO as 27 Aug - now, to me, that means that I haven't booked a night at all, but Airbnb seem to think that I have!

[Sandra1721]

Why can i get a airbnb tonight

[Rashiim0]

This looks like Airbnb is running a scam here. Why do they list the room as $x/night but charge 3 nights for only a 2 nights stay? The checkout day should have no charge.

[Greg484]

I'm a user, not a host, and I just got my plans all screwed up becuase I assumed that when you ask for days needed, and you click TWO days, that would mean you are sleeping there TWO nights. 

[Rashiim0]

I'm telling you, this is 100% scam! Airbnb will advertise a low rate of say $80/night but not specify that you will be charged for all days from check in to check out. This gives the host an opportunity to charge 2 different marks (guests) for the same day!

Example: The mark checks in 3pm Monday for a 2 nights stay. They check out 11am Wednesday thinking they will only be charged for Mon-Tue. They are actually charged Mon, Tue, Wed. The second mark checks in at 3pm Wednesday for a 2 nights stay. They check out 11am Friday thinking they will only be charged for Wed-Thur. They are actually charged Wed, Thur, Fri. The final mark for the week checks in at 3pm Friday for a 3 nights stay. They check out 11am Monday thinking they will only be charged for Fri-Sun. They are actually charged Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon.

So as illustrated by this example the host is able to charge 10 days in a 7 day week. Conclusion. Scam!

[Tammy163]

This is maddening to me!  Third year posting my unit and every time I have to call half dozen times to get my listing resolved with the check-out date because if I rent from Thurs - Mon that should mean they check out Monday, but Airbnb ALWAYS shows the check out another stay and when I preview my listing It allows me to book as if the check out date were Tuesday, AND if switch it to Sunday check out it reduces the cost....NOT user friendly site at ALL....

[Sarah977]

@Tammy163  I agree it can be confusing. But if a guest books Monday the 1st and Tuesday the 2nd, they have booked 2 nights- they check in on Monday and check out on Wednesday the 3rd. The reservation will read the 1st-3rd. That is actually 2 nights and if the host takes back-to- back bookings, doing same day turnovers, the 3rd will show as available to book. 

[Angie29]

@Hunt0   It means the guests are staying for the nights of 23rd INCLUDING the 28th and they will check out on Tuesday the 29th NOT on Monday the 28th.  This is all about available NIGHTS for the guests to stay.  I didn't realize how old this post is (2016) but I hope this helps others with the same question.