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Extra guests are add-ons by their very nature. It’s the first thing hotel sites and Airbnb ask when booking. If a guest messes that up, it isn’t the host’s fault.
Also, nobody is getting ripped off at $45 per night vs $40 per night.
I completely agree that low prices contribute to lower quality guests. When I raised my base price by $10 this year, I saw an immediate improvement.
Exactly. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Yes, I was replying to Brian’s comment about it triggering bad behaviour in some guests.
I would consider raising the extra guest fee or get rid of it and raise your base price. It seems like just potential brain damage for limited revenue.
I don’t see 50% as th e right number because they are sharing some things like a bed, SOME electricity, etc.
Not always. 2 of our units are 2-bedrooms and we get lots of couples who sleep separately. I don’t count on it. Both beds get used more frequently than not.
I can’t help but think I would have checked it in the spot instead of waiting until the morning to find out he lied after he used you. I totally agree with you on the rest though!!
I hope all of that goes in his review, and I also hope that he doesn’t leave you a retaliatory poor review.
In his case they don’t have 2 beds to use. But even then SOME of the electricity or gas is being shared although not a lot so that’s why I don’t think 50% more for a second guest in the same party, in the same shared space (even if there is an extra bedroom) is right.
That’s not what we charge either but if I thought we could get it…
And what is the consequence if they decline?
The 50% isn’t based on actual extra costs, it’s based on two of my principles “a single person should not pay as much as two persons” and “two persons should not pay two times what a single person pays”. I see both as unjust from a different viewpoint, and I consider 50% to be the middle ground where everyone could / should be happy. But that is just me 
and my weird thinking.
Oh I think I misunderstood your 50% to mean of the reservation for two so basically double. I agree with your two sentences fully!!!
50% more seems like a lot for a rental like mine where the guests are separate and there’s only one bed. But if there was another bed or even a second room the charge would be more. Also the difference between 1 or 2 people in a shared space with the host is a huge difference. (Though there don’t seem to be many of those hosts). If I had to share my bathroom and kitchen with two people I’d be charging more than $5 for the second person.
Sorry for the confusion 
, just to be totally clear I’ll put it into numbers. In my ideal world if a single person pays USD 100, I would want a couple to pay USD 150.
@GutHend Ahh!! Totally clear and totally understood! And totally agreed it would be ideal! Alas, I only charge a second guest $20 whether they are in my $37/night base or $65/night base.
They can find another listing or come alone, I guess. No one has ever declined with a Request or IB. However, I have had one or two inquiries in which someone asks if 4 can stay for the price of 1 and I simply say, “no” and never hear from them again, which is the plan…
I have had an instance where someone booked for 1 and then admitted, when questioned, that it was actually going to be him, his wife and their baby (!). We are not kid friendly and I told him so but he wanted to argue about it (a lot!!!) so I finally just said, “look, you made your reservation for 1 guest. You are welcome to come and stay here alone as that is what you’ve booked for, or you can cancel”. He said, “you should cancel”. I said, “I don’t need to cancel, I’m happy to honor your reservation for yourself and, by the way, the cancellation policy will take effect at 4pm so it’s best to decide what you want to do by then or you won’t be due a full refund”. He grumbled and sent me several obnoxious messages which I ignored. And then he cancelled at 3:54 pm. Not my friendliest encounter but there were so many issues with his reservation (and attitude).
Putting a price on an intangible like inconvenience is interesting, and brilliant.
I secretly want to be a shared-space host when I grow up. Sadly, I wonder if I will ever reach that level of maturity.
That is so funny! I was an only child and still started asking my mom “when do I get to have my own place?” when I was 6 years old - lol, I’ve always thought it was because I was so mature. I’ve had exactly 2 roommates my entire life and am still traumatized from them. Our units are in the same building which is enough to make me question my whole venture into Airbnb entirely everyday. I just could not do it. But, oddly, I enjoy a shared space as a guest. Go figure.
And I often do it when I have a night open like tomorrow night. Since 12 Nov I’ve had one night unbooked. Then after tomrorrow I’m booked until the 3rd. I’m torn between blocking it, making the cutoff for early in the morning, or raising the price to make booking it “worth it.” That’s an intangible whose value is variable depending on what else is going on here.
When I hosted in my home and guests were sharing spaces with me a solo traveler was usually much more enjoyable than a couple. And I got far more solo travelers than I do now.
That’s basically what I do when I increase prices incrementally the day of, day before and the day before that (and now have added the day before that as well)…less notice to me earns me $5, $15, $30 and $50 more…well actually that minus 3%. It’s for my having to rearrange my schedule with less notice.
I do the same before and after each booking as I get them so potentially the amount above could be double - added to a base now of $38, $55 and $70 with cleaning fees if $21, $55 and $65.
I just upped my prices $1, $6 and $5 and cleaning fees $1, $3 and $3 yesterday.