This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Just to elaborate. I recently returned from an overseas trip where the apartment I stayed at was booked by my daughter.
Since she wasn’t actually going to stay, but did the booking to get air points on her CC (!),
she added me to the guest list so I could at least get details of the accommodation. But I could not actually message the host from the booking itself. I had to go to their listing and create a query and then mention I was actually already staying under this booking reference.
That was sort of okay but the host’s checkin instructions, (somewhat complex guiding the guest how to take a transit to nearby station, then walk about 150m through a very busy Metropolitan area, locate the apartment block, sort out a lockbox etc.) were all described by images with text. When I asked the host to send me the images he could not. He said the AirBnB app did not allow sending images to somebody who was not a current or future guest. So he sent all the images to my daughter and she then has to copy and paste them into another app for me to see.
I am wondering if people have ever been in a situation where the original booker is not actually going to stay or arrive later, and it’s difficult to message one of the guest who are arriving? I can’t see any security issues but would be interested in what others have to say.
I’ve had several occasions which have been similar - the guest’s companion arriving before the person who has booked.
In every case, the guests have given the other person my number for texting, WhatsApping or calling, whichever they prefer.
The arrival details to the rental you stayed at seem to be very complex but presumably had been sent to your daughter? Could she not have sent them on to you? Or did I miss something?
She send them to me but I had to rely on her to do that and sometimes she is not that reliable The host sent me the address but that wasn’t good enough (Taipei, Taiwan) as he said don’t use this as a Uber address. And since I was not the person to book, without my daughter remembering to forward to me, I had no idea about the complex instructions. What is the security risk of sending everything to the guests also?
I’ve never heard before that Airbnb will only allow the guest who booked to receive details. (I don’t see how they could know really.)
I suppose because it gives full details of how to get into the place, that’s a security risk but as you’re down as a registered guest and are an Airbnb host I don’t see why that should apply to you.
@lchiu7 As an Airbnb host yourself, I’m rather surprised that you think it’s fine that your daughter booked this for you, regardless of whether she wanted to get points on her CC. That’s a third party booking if the booker isn’t among the guests staying. I would be reluctant to give out info directly to someone other than the booking guest. And if the booking guest didn’t ask me if they could book for others and disclose they wouldn’t be coming themselves, I’d probably ask Airbnb to cancel the booking.
She thought she might say but come later but in the end decided to stay elsewhere. This host didn’t mind but just could not send me directly the images
I use a PC and have been able to attach a copy of my map, photos of landmarks to aid locating my house, etc.
The map appears very faint, though. I usually ask guests for their email address so I can send them a clearer copy and so they can print it out.
How have you tried to do it? You have to click on the + sign on the left side of the message box. The attachment doesn’t appear in the message itself, but separately.
On more than occasion I have had somebody book on behalf of somebody else using their account. That has never bothered me since the booker provides the contact details. Often it’s an admin person booking for their boss or I have had somebody book for elderly parents who are not capable of operating the platform. In my situation my daughter had planned to stay with us until at the 11th hour her fllights changed and she did decided to come over later and then stay elsewhere.
What you did was book as a third-party. I would have had Airbnb cancel your reservation. I ask questions when guests books so it usually becomes obvisou but I also have a rule that the person booking must be the first one to check in so that guests don’t play games with the third-party booking issue.
I have made exceptions to the first one checking so it’s not a hard and fast rule but I put it out there to let people know that it’s not ok.
Some hosts allow third-party bookings but I do not. You have no protection if the guests cause damage.
Theoretically. But even if it’s a non-third party booking, Airbnb paying out for damages seems to be a big crap shoot. I have never assumed Airbnb would be forthcoming with compensation. And Airbnb doesn’t even seem to protect hosts in any way if the host calls them to say the guests are over-occupancy, having a party and trashing the house- these days they suspend the host’s listing if they report a party.
My reasons for not taking a third party booking would be more along the lines of the person they have booked for maybe needing someone else to book for them because they’ve been banned from Airbnb or because they are 16 years old, or because the guest who booked may not have passed on any information regarding amenities offered, house rules, etc.
Also, a person who never stayed being able to leave a review.
It’s always been my understanding that the person booking is required to be part of the group staying. But that has changed. This is the current protocol: “When you book a stay for someone else, you handle the reservation request, introductions, and payment—then transfer responsibility for the trip to the guest. Once a reservation is accepted, both you and the guest join the message thread with the Host so you both receive all trip communications.
If you’re building a reservation for a guest who hasn’t created an Airbnb profile, you can still check out and pay. We’ll email the guest and guide them in both creating an Airbnb account and accepting your booking request.” There are many reasons to make sure the person staying has an account on airbnb. If someone wants to book and isn’t staying then I tell them I’ll hold the dates until one of the guests staying has a confirmed account and can be added to the reservation as described above. It protects the host and the person booking.
The host sent me the address but that wasn’t good enough (Taipei, Taiwan) as he said don’t use this as a Uber address. And since I was not the person to book, without my daughter remembering to forward to me, I had no idea about the complex instructions. What is the security risk of sending everything to the guests also?