I’ve got a guest that is asking to book a stay that is about 5 weeks outside of my 90-day booking window. Is there a way I can do that without changing the booking window on my listing? For example, could I send a special offer with dates that are outside the booking window?
That’s what I’d suggest. Or just open the calendar, let them book then close it again.
1 Like
Hmmm, looks like I can’t send a special offer without the guest sending an inquiry first?
This is a previous guest (potentially my first-ever repeat guest) and they want to book on the platform, which is fine with me. The guest contacted me via Airbnb messaging from their previous reservation.
Can the guest send an inquiry for dates outside the booking window, or can they send an inquiry for dates inside the window and then I can respond with a special offer and adjust the dates?
@Brian_R170 I get this quite a bit. You can open up just the dates they want but coordinate when you are doing it so that no one else is able to book them (unless there’s not a real demand for them, but usually it’s something that will be in demand and that’s why they are booking early).
And they also messaged on the platform so now taking them off platform seems problematic.
I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve had this situation. But I’m looking forward to you experimenting and then sharing the answer with all of us. That’s assuming you don’t want to open the calendar and then re-close it as suggested.
I would like to know this too. Please let us know if you try this and it works.
No they can’t. The dates have to be available; however, you could just have them book any one date and then do a Reservation Change for the correct dates. I’ve done it that way as well.
Yes, kind of like this but you don’t even have to do a Special Offer, you can just have them Book a date inside booking window and then send them a Change Request for the correct dates.
I’d like to avoid an extra step if I can, especially one as awkward as booking the wrong dates on purpose. I’ve been playing with it and it looks like guests can submit an inquiry without specifying dates at all, if that’s the case, then I could just respond with a special offer?
Just book them direct. Less money for them, potentially more for you.
JF
3 Likes
They just don’t make it easy. It’s a PITA and you’d think they would give us an easy option so that they get their free.
But every guest who has tried to do this tells me they had to put dates to send this message. Even potential guests that I don’t know have sent messages with dates in them and said, “these aren’t the dates I want but the dates I want are blocked-out and it wouldn’t let me send it without dates”.
So, I don’t think so but I haven’t personally done an inquiry in many years so am not positive.
I must have done this same scenario that you are trying to do at least a dozen times and everytime, I had to either open the dates on the calendar for the guest to book or have them book a different date and then send them a change request. It’s truly a hassle either way. If you find a better work around, please let me know, I would love another option!
Why there isn’t a “Send Offer” button on every completed reservation will always be a mystery to me. Seems like a no-brainer. Any other business goes to great lengths to facilitate repeat customers but not Airbnb…
He can open just the exact dates that they want to book and let them book. This is the most straight-forward approach. I’m not sure what you mean by “close it again”?
I’m lazy. I’d just extend it out 6 months, have them book then change the setting back to 3 months.
3 Likes
Oh. That seems harder than just selecting those specific dates on the calendar and clicking “available” ,) (I’m lazy too 
1 Like
Yeah, that would get complicated if I don’t want to accidentally get another reservation at a low-ball price due to Smart Pricing currently only pricing about 100 days out and that being the start of my high season.
2 Likes
There are times when I don’t know the answer and I should just not answer.
2 Likes
So zen 
…
2 Likes
What you imply here is that if the OP extended his/her open calendar to 6 months, the guest booked, and the OP set his/her calendar back to 3 months’ open, the reservation wouldn’t go away. I remember now that I’ve wondered about that in the past.
I think Airbnb would fix that right away because it would affect their bottom line. Imagine how often a host would just play with that setting and delete all bookings beyond 3 months out.
2 Likes
But I won’t be entirely surprised when it does happen.