You should have just said to them I won’t be home til __ at night you will have to wait for me then, or you could have left a key out for them and came back to greet them when you got home.
Obviously leaving a key out is not going to work for people who need security or are sharing a home.
They had plans that night that could not be changed. Was the bar mitzvah going to happen some other time to accommodate these guests? It might have been possible to find a way for the guests to do a self check-in, but likely more possible if they had communicated the later check-in in the first place.
Quite rightly said.
GutHend : am I right in remembering you host with your husband and in-laws and that you don’t even give guests a key as there is always someone home? And Karma is a retired teacher running a secondary kennel business from home besides hosting (Sorry if I’m mistaken about either!). To all intents and purposes, both are stay-at-home hosts … which is great :-)!
Not everyone is in that situation, hence why this behaviour is out of order.
When I have an event to attend, I take my listing off of Instant Book. If someone asks to book, I tell them when I will be able to check them in and make sure that it works with their plans. It sounds like the original poster didn’t tell her guests that she would be gone in the evening until it was a problem.
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I had actually told them in initial communications that I had an event to attend in the evening which was the point at which they told me they’d be arriving midday. There was either a misunderstanding or they forgot.
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If I have an event to attend; I tell guests and ask them to agree that they understand on the Airbnb email system before I permit them to book.
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And here’s the crux of the entire matter.
Yes, great memory. But I have self check in set up: a private entrance and a digital code and a Ring doorbell so they can talk to me even if their phone is dead or lost and a secondary way for them to enter the house if all else fails and a co-host who might be able to go help. I’m about to start my 4th year of hosting and have made many changes along the way to ensure that neither my guests or I are inconvenienced. I’m not saying your way is wrong, not everyone can do as I do. But it’s not correct to say I’m an always home host, I’m not.
It seems there was just miscommunication her. I understand why you were annoyed. I also understand why the guests were annoyed.
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I’d love to be able to set up a self check-in but renting out 4 rooms in total I’d worry about the guests wandering into the wrong one. I also have stand in hosts available if enough notice is given…
I understand. I was clarifying that I don’t stay home all the time despite running two in home businesses. Dogs, btw, don’t have self check in. LOL.
Heck why not, if your primate guests can do it I bet the canines are more than capable 
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I wish. I’ve had to sit here more than once waiting on a late drop off or pick up. I did have one client I trusted so well that I told him I could give him the code to the garage door and he could come in and put Jake in house or yard. We never had to use that emergency option.
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I totally agree. I’m in the same boat at the mo. This particular guest has changed her time 3 times. The last message I stated we had plans that evening and where going to be out at such and such time, so its great you are arriving when you are blah blah blah.
Today I messaged again to confirm times, like I always do a day before. She then stated I think we will come now later in the night. It depends she says on the weather! We were going to message you on the day she said. When I challenged her to give an approx time again and stick to it she got very irritate. ‘Well what other suggestions do you have’ she says!! I am furious as she knew we had made plans. So now are plans are completely messed up. I am very flexible with guests but this just takes the biscuit! No respect whatsoever. Do guests really think we have no social life, that we will sit in all day waiting for them! Dread her coming. Thank god its only a one night!
But why would you change YOUR plans? You need to set firm boundaries & tell the guests when check in is available & it’s up to them to be responsible adults.
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What?!!! This isn’t family. These are guests who book your place and agree to your terms and rules. They should just do whatever they want?
You must be a new host. 
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By this logic, you should let your guest’s unsupervised, hyperactive crayon wielding toddler loose in your house. You should not ask your guest to remove his mud caked boots before he walks across your cream colored carpet. You most certainly should not be hosting unless you are able to check your guests in at their undefined whim, whenever that may be. Right?
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@Leigh_Segel, did you read this thread? These guests didn’t just need a late check in.
I was only trying to illustrate that it’s kind of unreasonable for guests to expect to do whatever they damned well please simply because they are paying a host for accommodations.
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ONLY?
Leigh, Are hosts expected to have 24/hour check in like a hotel? No, sorry. We are not a hotel.
I used to be very flexible on late check in times until someone decided they would rather hike the lava trail (3-4 hours away from me) than check in before 11pm like I ask. They ended up getting lost and at about 2:30am let me know they would be sleeping in their car… THIS was after I waited since 4PM for these guests and I had to get up for an early job the next morning!!!
That is almost 11 hours of waiting around for guests. TOTALLY Unacceptable.
I now have a rule that basically states, unless it is FLIGHT DELAY related… no guests will be admitted after midnight. Period.
That teaches them to make better choices.
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I know youre right. Im just not in the mood for an even more strained check in. I dont anticipate a good review from her already so i guess i was just trying to sweeten things a little. I’ll probably kick myself after for bothering 
I dont think guests will ever grasp the fact that we arent hotels and arent manned 24/7.
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