My listing is marked as a private room to book.
My headline reads Great House.
It also says " Welcome to my century old home"
My description says " you will be sharing my three bedroom house with myself , and if the other room is booked, with other guests.
My FAQ section says : “Do you live there?” answer : Yes, it is my home
My FAQ section also says : “Will the second room be booked by someone when we are there?” answer : Possibly
My pictures show what is obviously a house.
So, I ask potential clients a few weeks ago " Have you read the entire listing and are you fine with the house rules?" to which they answer yes, so I confirm their booking.
Fast forward to last night, one week before check in :
The clients send me a message to ask me if there is a coffee machine in the apartment.
I reply : There is a automatic filter coffee machine and a coffee press , but you do realise this is not an apartement. It is a room in a home
They reply : So the apartment will have…
I reply “It is not an apartment”
They phone me :
They: We thought it was an apartment
Me : No, no. It is a room in a home. It is clearly indicated in the listing
They : Well how may rooms are there?
Me : That’s in the listing too, there are two rooms. But you were looking for an apartment.
They : Yeah but I guess it’ll have to do. Its too late. Is the other room booked?
Me : yes
They : By one or two people ? Who are they?
Me : I don’t know. I’ll have to check and call you back
So, I hang up and can’t help but think that if these guests (who confirmed that they read my listing but didn’t and thought they were getting a one-bedroom apartment for $67 a night ) actually do check in, there is a high probability unmet expectations, less than glowing reviews and possible disastrous results. They havn’t arrived yet, and already, they are disapointed. Also , I have no gaurantee how they will behave with my other Airbnb guests will whom they will be forced to share the house. Also, what other things have they “missed” in my listing that might lead to problems?
So i decide to call Airbnb , explain that the guests have booked the wrong type of accomodation, that they confirmed that they read the full listing but did not, and ask that the reservation be cancelled, the guests refunded, and that it be done without my getting a fine, without losing my Superhost status, and without any negative implications whatsover for me. They agree and cancel the reservation and see if they can help the guests find other accomodation.
I also block their phone number on my phone, not wanting to discuss the issue further or argue about my cancelling their reservation
Today they sent me an Airbnb message (can’t I block someone from doing that?) I read the first few lines where they ask about “my attitude”. I stop reading and archive the message, telling myself that I don’t want to discuss the issue with them, don’t want to be perturbed, and that they are fully responsible for this unpleasant situation for both of us.
But I can’t help feeling kind of bad for them and wondering if I did the right thing. (I’m a sensitive guy)
Thoughts?