Maybe I am not looking in the right place.
But I keep hearing more and more people say they only allow registered guests in their place. So does this mean you do not allow any visitors to stop by whatsoever…not even for 10 minutes?
And many say Air only covers registered guests for insurance. So how does Air know who is or isn’t registered in the group? Do they have names of all members of the paying group already?
What does “registered” mean? What is required to register someone and how does a guest do this?
And where do I find the information about the registered guests?
I just never see anything other than the person who is booking. So it makes me think the info is somewhere I just never click on, or my guests don’t ever register anyone in the group.
Well I think they mean your own process of registration, whatever that may be. Say Dan says he and his wife Cindy are my guests. I have them sign a snorkel waiver but that is about it. That’s the only Way I would also have obtained cindy’s name as I am not that strict. That would mean anyone other Cindy and Dan coming on the property would not be allowed. Some hosts however get the first and last names of all staying guests. Along with their ID. Every hotel you check into does this!
When you have ST insurance like Comet I would imagine that you have to submit the names of each guest booking that they are insuring. But I could be wrong.
On a similar note, Hawaii is considering legislation that would require hosts to submit names and addresses of all staying guests into a central database. I don’t know the purpose of this and don’t quite get it.
I thought other hosts were actually referring to the guests being “registered” somewhere within the Airbnb platform.
So I take it there is no basis to the “Air only covers registered guests” then? Hosts just say this to guests when they don’t want to tell them that they don’t want anyone visiting?
Air does ask the guest to give the names of everyone in their group at the time of booking but for some reason they don’t share this information with the host. I don’t think it’s compulsory for the guest to provide the names but I’m not 100% sure as it’s been a long while since I’ve travelled as a guest. If I remember rightly, you get the option to include their email address so info/directions/rules etc can be shared with them.
I don’t understand why Air doesn’t share the names witrh hosts.
I’ve had several guests say, when I’ve asked them for the name of the other guest coming (I only accommodate two people), that they already gave this information.
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And what if the person booking doesn’t end up staying?? I have a man at our str now whose wife booked for both of them but it’s just him staying. They live in the area but a bit of a commute and apparently he had business in the city so wanted to stay for a couple of nights. He seems very nice and the type I’d want as a repeat guest, but I’m sure she’ll always be the one booking. Should I have denied him once I found out she wasn’t staying?
No, not at all. Husband and wife is different than third party booking. Just be glad you got only one guest to deal with!
Trust is a huge factor in home-sharing situations. Generally I make an effort know who will be in my house ahead of time, so I am not surprised. I don’t have any formal process of registration for the second person so long as the primary guest is trustworthy and vouches for that person (more often than not it is a spouse, significant other, family member, good friend anyway…after all they share a bed).
I do have the ‘registered gusts only’ clause in my house rules, but that is just to cover my ass in case anyone ever breaches the trust thing (like inviting some stranger in without telling me and then he ends up stealing something or something horrible like that). Generally i am very lenient with my guests, because I want them to enjoy their stay without feeling restricted. For instance, I had a lovely Dutch couple last summer who had friends from the other side of the pond who just happened to be in L.A. at the same time. He asked if it would be okay to have them come by and have drinks in our garden before they went out. Of course, I said. This was a guest I had a very good connection with and trusted, so there was no cause for worry. And, and he respected me enough to ask ahead of time. That goes a LONG way with me.
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No, I would not have denied him. I was only asking because I keep hearing people say that Air only covers registered guests. And I have heard (like what Magwitch said) that guests can register everyone on the platform. So, I was just curious if people are more just using the Air insurance as a reason to politely decline visitors, or if people are really getting reservations with a bunch of registered guests.
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You know what? It’s funny you should ask. I’ve always told myself if someone other than the person who booked showed at my door, I would not let them in. Someone booking on a guest’s behalf is a major red flag to me.
Well, earlier this week I got an instant book from a guy who said it was for his wife and that he actually wouldn’t be staying. Hmmm…I immediately began to wonder. Were they taking advantage of his account because he had a positive review from other hosts and she didn’t (and so she couldn’t instant book with me)? Does she have a negative review on her account and they are trying to hide the fact? Are they just too lazy to jump through the hoops of creating an account for her?
Well, long story short: I asked him to cancel since booking for someone else is against Air’s policy…even for family members. He was really nice about it and said he completely understood that trust is an issue. Of course then he took so long that someone else ended up booking the same weekend (and it was a much more favorable booking for a longer stay…and more $$$ for me).
Moral of the story? Follow your gut and don’t do anything you are uneasy about. Rewards will follow.
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I tend to be the one that makes all of our travel arrangements as well so i could relate somewhat. This guy turned out to be great, i could hardly tell he stayed. I’m hoping he stays again next time!!
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So…my last two guests have grumbled when I requested the names of their travel companion(s), stating they have already provided that info in the reservation. I never see this info, and I can tell the guest is a bit irked when I ask. It is in my house rules that all names and relationship must be disclosed when booking, blah, blah… Airbnb does not offer this info, correct? It would be really nice if they did, and I’m just missing it…
Not as far as i am aware. Sometimes they book in groups if multiple folks in the party have Air accounts. Generally though I don’t find out the name of the second person (I have a max of two people for my guest room) until check in time, and the person I have been in contact with introduces me. That’s fine with me as long as the person whose identity is associated with the booking actually shows up to stay.
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Jack, May I just say how much I love that you are back posting! You are so smart, don’t take any crap and I love your perspective! 
Yes you may. 
Yeah, I’m in and out. Depends on the cycles of my job and what’s happening in the world of hosting. 
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Thanks very much–just wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing anything as I recently made a couple of reservations and was asked to share my travel companion info. I don’t remember the exact wording, but I was left with the impression that the info was being gathered for the host’s benefit and knowledge. Obviously, this isn’t being passed on (yet?) for whatever reason.
No. Hosts do not see the additional person names. I always ask, and generally get a first name, which is enough for me.
