Addressing guests who arrive hours ahead of check-in time?

21

I agree with other hosts that inviting the guest in and showing them around is an implied invitation to stay. It’s poor communication on both sides, and a lesson learned.

I would not change your listing as suggested, but just be straight if someone asks the question again. “Unfortunately, the check-in time is at 3pm and I cannot accommodate an earlier check-in. Please let me know if I can suggest activities or restaurants in the area.”

We do accommodate those who we can, and there is a fine line between being accommodating and being a doormat/mug. Also, when a guests asks for something, I figure they’re asking because if you don’t ask then you don’t get. There is no harm in asking. I don’t get offended by it, but I also don’t feel shy or guilty about declining their request.

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22

It’s very important never to say anything like “due to guests taking advantage” or anything negative. And I have found that one shouldn’t even mention anything about other guests to new guests, because it’s really just tacky.

There is really no need to explain or justify your rules. The rules just ‘are’. Hotels don’t explain or justify, unless there’s a problem.

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23

She checked out today and I left a review indicating that somehow she took “dropping off bags” to mean “welcome to arrive and settle in nearly 4 hours early.”

I worded it much better and more politely than that though. She replied and said, “Hey [name]! Sorry about the check in, i thought it was alright because i texted you in advance about it and you said it was ok. Sorry!”

…she didn’t text, she called. I said leaving bags was OK, not arriving early and settling in.

There may have been a slight language barrier issue as well here, but I can’t really excuse it due to that as this guest was here interviewing for a medical doctor residency. She obviously speaks English well enough to be a doctor at a hospital so I think understanding that I said yes to leaving bags ONLY is not something that would be over her head.

From now on I am not allowing anyone to arrive early for any reason. She’s ruined it for everyone else. Glad the ordeal is over with.

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24

Man! I don’t remember exactly but I think the train station charges $20 or more per hour for a large case.

25

It was pretty funny to read this thread this morning and think - yup, that’s happened to me so many times.

Fast forward to this afternoon while my husband and I are busy cleaning an apartment because our cleaner has not shown up. It’s almost 2pm and our check in is after 4pm. As I’m vacuuming someone comes up the steps and announces that they are here to check in. I introduce myself and tell him - you’re two hours early and the apartment isn’t ready. Go have lunch or a walk and come back at 4pm. I’d already confirmed the time with his wife yesterday. He seemed a bit miffed, and told me that they’d been travelling for 18 hours and would really appreciate being let in as they’d like to rest. Something about the way he said it really rubbed me the wrong way, so I just smiled and said “oh, I’m really sorry, it’s just not possible. But I’d be happy to put your bags in the foyer while you step out for two hours. See you back at 4pm!”. I swear I almost trilled out the last sentence.

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26

Wanna bet? :smiley:…

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27

very expensive! ,

28

My guests try to give me sob stories of how they would really like to check in early for a 2 night stay, and they are driving in their vehicle from only an hour and half away…lol.

They always need to drop off their bags or food. Or “we will be leaving our place at 9 a.m. and arriving in your area early afternoon. We would really like to drop off our bags so that we can get our day started.” - I never realized grown ass adults are stuck in their vehicles with their two day luggage and just can’t do a damn thing unless they are able to remove those items. Sigh…

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29

I had guests who tried to make me feel guilty that the check in for their next Air was hours and hours and their food would go bad, so can they please keep it in the room fridge?? No… sorry. I have to clean. This was after check out. Of course they first tried doing a late check out. No, I have a guest coming and need to clean. Well, then they still wanted to be able to leave their luggage in the room, and their food in the fridge… and then borrow the snorkel gear and take a “quick rinse” once they got back from the beach! This was AFTER they checked out!

I relented and let them leave their luggage on my lanai where it eventually scratched up the decking. I let them borrow snorkel gear (because they were so demanding and entitled that they should get to use it) on the promise that they’d bring it back within the hour (no, they brought it five hours later, just before my next guest had to check in) … AND they still wanted to take a “quick rinse” even though the room was clean and it was almost check in time for the next guest.

What part of check out and leave do you not understand?

They did not leave a review or acknowledge the favors.

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30

Today I had my very first unauthorized early arrival. Finally had to practice what I preach lol.

“I’m so sorry but check in doesn’t start until 4pm and your room isn’t ready.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t read that.”

31

Tonight I got an inquiry where they asked if on their departure day, they could leave bags after checking out and pick up on their way back to the airport.

I sent them back a firm no on that - and they said that was totally OK and still booked!

Having a backbone feels really nice! I still kinda feel like the guest in my OP ruined it for everyone but I don’t want guests getting here before 3 or staying/coming back after 11 AM checkout.

32

Hi there, Southernbuckeye :slight_smile:
I haven’t had similar issues with guests checking in early and staying. But I did have guests check in early just to leave their baggage. I do emphasise check in and check out time. I also make it clear that if guests want to drop by early to leave their luggage, it’s okay but that they cannot stay, as I might need to clean the room after previous guests check out. I just think it’s a matter of negotiation.

Here’s another trick you can use:
If guests insist that they check in early, and you don’t need to clean up from previous guests staying ( i.e.; your room was open the previous day ) , you may want to charge them an extra fee by telling them an early check in will cost an additional $30 or so. You’ll need to block one day before their check in date so you should definitely charge them. Of course you can adjust the price on the Airbnb page yourself.

About feedback:
I would not advise getting emotional with guests who break rules. Like Colorado said, play nice with her and leave her a negative review after she checks out. If you get emotional with her during her stay, she may leave you a negative review and write nasty things about her.

33

Yeah, but look at her calendar! NO RESERVATIONS after November 7th!

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34

SouthernBuckeye, I wouldn’t be too hard on future guests. I don’t know where you’re located or if most of your guests fly in or drive. But for us, most people fly in. It used to upset us when they wanted to come by early, but we realized they have no control whatsoever over what time their flight gets in.

Our check-in is 2:00 p.m. So if someone’s flight gets in at 7:30 a.m. - what are they supposed to do? Drag their bags all over New York City until 2:00? So we realized it’s easy enough to let them stop by and drop them off. We’ve been doing that forever and only once or twice had a problem.

The first time was when this idiot girl came in… she dropped her bags off and then very innocently asked if she could use the bathroom. I thought about it for a second and then said sure. I mean why not? It’s understandable they might need to use the bathroom after the almost 2-hour trek from JFK to our place.

Next thing I know - she’s taking a damn shower! I couldn’t believe it! And what could I do? Open the door and stick my head in to inform her a shower isn’t permitted!! It was an impossible situation.

Anyway, from then on we always tell guests they can drop their things off - but we tell them there will be two other guests here when they come by so they won’t have access to any of the apartment except to drop their bags off. Or, if we’re feeling charitable and they ask to use the bathroom, we make a bit of a big deal out of it and say, “Well, if you’re quick - because the other guests who are still here are paying for this time and the bathroom needs to be available for them in case they get up and need to use it.” That way we’ve avoided the shower situation from coming up again - by giving them a sense of urgency and letting them know they can use it as long as they’re really quick.

In the end it actually works out pretty well. Because when they drop their things off, we give them the key, show them how to get in and out with our security system and then they’re free to leave and stay out all day. We always ask them what time they think they’ll be back, and usually they end up coming back at 9:00 or 10:00 at night - which gives us a lot of extra time to procrastinate in getting their room ready! It makes for an easier day for sure.

Oh and one other thing we tell the people who want to lounge out in the living room until their room is ready - is that they can’t because we’re cleaning the entire apartment, not just their room, and we really can’t do the job we need to do if anyone is here.

You’ll get a lot of mentions of this in people’s reviews if you let them drop their things off early. They really appreciate it and it’ll make them more likely to leave a great review.

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35

I am 5 min from the international airport, but I get a mix of drivers and flyers. I’m not a huge destination like NYC is, however. Many of my guests come through for either job interviews or conventions as opposed to leisure travel.

Maybe people can’t help when their flights get in but I disagree to a point. Whenever I go on a trip I know that the standard hotel check-in time is usually 3 PM or later so I book flights that will get me to the hotel at…3 PM or later! :slight_smile: That way it is guaranteed that I can get into my room right away and etc. Then on the way out I book a flight that leaves prior to check-out time or at least requires me to be at the airport by check-out time. I feel like it is honestly a common sense thing.

If I have to get somewhere before my hotel or AirBNB is ready then I know I need to figure out another solution for my bags. Sometimes hotels will hold them, sometimes not.

That is great if bag drop-offs work for you, but I’m going to avoid them at all costs because I don’t want someone getting here early, making themselves at home because they interpret bag drop off as getting early access, and not making extra money off it. If they are getting in by 9 AM and absolutely have no other option but to come here they are welcome to book the previous night too so that I’m compensated for it. :slight_smile:

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36

I’m so far out in the country that guests who think they can drop their bags and sightsee realize they are better off simply waiting until check in time.

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37

I might be way off the mark here, but was she not American? Only in America, as far as I know, people say ‘use the bathroom’ when they mean ‘use the toilet’. (In other words, have a quick pee).

But to a UK visitor, for example, ‘using the bathroom’ would mean having a shower or even a long soak in the tub :slight_smile:

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38

My son, who was 12 at the time we visited London , always chuckled to see the bathrooms called TOILETS. We compromised and called them loos thereafter. :wink: that said, central London has virtually no public loos! There’s one in Mcdonalds and one in Harrods, I can tell you that!

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39

OK not the same thing as my OP, but complaining again.

Had a guest who arrived yesterday and he booked several weeks ago. One day prior to arrival he said that he has an all day interview (doctor job at hospital) on check-out day. He couldn’t bring his luggage with him to the interview but the interview would last beyond my check out time at 11 AM, so could he please leave his luggage here?

Of course I felt like I had no choice but to let him do that but I told him firmly in the message that I don’t allow this but will make an exception. He said he would be back by 12 and it’s now almost 1 PM and his luggage is still here, and I’m unable to leave because I don’t know when he will be back to collect.

I AM NEVER SAYING YES AGAIN. PEOPLE TAKE A MILE IF YOU GIVE THEM AN INCH. I also have updated my listing to reflect absolutely no early luggage drop-offs or late luggage pick-ups unless they pay for the extra nights.

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40

I have a check in window timeframe listed- 2-5pm. Then a few days before arrival I restate that check in time is 2-5pm and then ask if they know what time they plan on arriving. Today is the first time that people have said " I’ll be there at 4:30" and then they show up at 2pm without any advanced warning. It was weird but luckily I was home. Most times they come at the time they say and within the window.