Hi forum - I’m new to AirBnB. Have not hosted yet but have 5 bookings for the next few weeks. I had wanted to offer a gourmet breakfast hamper as an option. I’ll be providing some simple supplies but for those that want to self cater with free range eggs etc I’m happy to do that - question is how do you charge on AirBnB for 'extra’s to the accommodation - or even can you?
Thanks
Sally
That is all inclusive in my price
Thanks Deb - but can it be optional? So they only pay for it if they want it.
My method is - I put some breakfast things in the fridge for you… what is your favourite style of bread… they tell me - if not eaten - goes to my chickens
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I would rather just supply it than have my hand out for extras
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At this point, I don’t think you can have add-on charges with Airbnb. That may change soon though. Personally, I don’t like add on charges. I’d either skip the gourmet breakfast or have it built into your price. Being new, you want to keep your price low initially until you build up a history of good reviews.
I fundamentally disagree with this sentiment. Price your listing for a price that is fair. The new listing boost is a terrible thing to waste.
Much better advise is to go live for your market’s peak season.
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I provide free range eggs for free. They come from my backyard chickens. In return the money from our guests goes to keep us all in high quality organic chicken seed.
I didn’t mean ridiculously low but lower than others but still fair. If you’re a potential guest looking for a place to stay and looking at 2 places priced the same. One has many great 5 star reviews the other has zero reviews. Which one are you going to choose? However, if the zero review one is a little less expensive, you’d be more likely to give them a try.
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Another thing to factor into the price discussion is that *in my experience) lower prices means lower standard of guests.
I agree. Extras are included in the price. If they are used or not is up to the guests. At least they have the option and the extras are freely available to them. We all know that something that businesses give away ‘free’ is paid for by the consumer somewhere along the line!
I’d have to disagree with you about starting out as a new host in the busiest time of the year. Actually, I think if you’re ready to go then start no matter what time of year. If anything, I think it’s easier in a slow time so you’re not bombarded all at once with lots of reservations. You can ease into it gradually. When we first started it was January, in the dead of winter. I’m glad we did it that way so we could work out the kinks before it got really busy.
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Welcome to he forum @limetree. In true Airhostsforum style we have not answered your question. LOL.
The answer is yes. At the top of the message thread (on the website, not sure where it’s located on the app) is a “send or request money” button. Click that then request money, then extra services. You’ll see a popup that gives examples:
Providing meals or giving a ride to the airport are things that can be paid via Airbnb. Just be aware that this takes you to the resolution center and guests often have a hard time finding any record of the request. The easiest way to find it seems to be for the guest to check their email and follow the link in that. No additional Airbnb fees are added to these charges. By having the agreement to provide breakfast in the message thread and then sending the request via the platform it helps ensure you’ll get paid.
All that said I would just have the guest pay me directly if possible.
There isn’t one standard practice. Many hosts prefer not to have add ons but there is no such thing as a free breakfast. So either everyone pays whether they eat it or not, you pay or (my preferred option) is only the people who eat it pay. If I had a more expensive whole house rental where each booking was hundreds of dollars I’d make it all inclusive. If it were mostly one night rentals for $50 a night (like mine) I would make it an add on.
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Brilliant reply from @KKC 
Another ‘just be aware’ thing - one way of looking at it is that the more you provide the more you have that could go wrong.
Breakfast you supply could cause food poisoning, a lift to the airport could result in an accident or guests demanding airfare money from you if you’re held up in traffic and they miss their plane… plenty more.
I know that all new hosts want to offer the very best to their guests so that they stand out but you’ve got to weight that against any possible consequences.
We used to have a regular here (long-time members will remember her) who had what sounded to be astonishingly gorgeous accommodation with antique furniture, fragile handmade lace bedding etc.
Some of us here remember how stressed she used to get when items were damaged or stained. You see, you have to take your own stress levels into account too!
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Very good points! We once had a guest who got food poisoning while staying with us but hadn’t eaten anything here. She got it out somewhere. It was fortunate for us she hadn’t eaten here because she could have blamed us even though it happened somewhere else. It’s a difficult thing to prove but could still ruin your reputation and ratings even if it’s not your fault.
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Off topic incoming!
I had a recent guest who asked about the ride share availability in my town for an early morning flight. She needed to go to the airport around 4 am. I honestly didn’t know the answer. Checking the security footage the next day I see she didn’t get picked up up until 4:30 am. She did make her flight due to the proximity of the airport and no traffic at that time of day. I could easily see a guest saying in a review that the ride services in a town are terrible.
I would have been willing to give her a ride for a fee except I didn’t want to get up that early that particular day. Everyone has to consider their own stress level and risk tolerance. My own risk tolerance is high and it stressed me out to think this guest might not get to the airport on time. If I have another guest in a similar situation I am going to set my alarm and give them a ride if they want.
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I have done that for folks, too, no charge, because they said Ubers and taxis in the very early hours are very unreliable, which is true.
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I’m not willing to do it for no charge. Not when my average night is under $50 and I have one and two night guests. If someone put $500 in my pocket then I might give them a “free” $10 ride. LOL.
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I would have them pay you via venmo or paypal. Leave a sign in the unit to have them contact you if they want breakfast. I’m not sure what kind of notice you need, but maybe have that on the sign as well.
My advice with breakfast pricing is to make it all-inclusive. If they don’t want to eat your food, that’s their business, and they can tell you they don’t want it.
Customizing breakfast or breakfast hamper, IMHO as a Personal Chef, is best done from a menu. Have several hampers they can choose from rather than letting guests dictate to you what they want. With your “welcome” message you send a list of breakfast options that they choose from. Once of the choices can always be “Don’t Bother, I’m Not A Breakfast Person”.
I do prepared full breakfasts-for-two, and the guests get to pick from a menu of about a dozen choices. But then I’m trained and prepared to do that sort of thing every morning. We’ve only had one or two gusts who’ve said “don’t bother, I’m visiting family” orwhatever.