We’ve had plenty of folks who haven’t really read our listing and just go by a quick glance at pics (I know from the questions we field lol)
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I know what you mean. Even better are the people who have read the listing and quote what it says and then ask, “is that true?”. Nah, we were just trying to mess with you.
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No. You might imagine that they do, but they don’t. Try planting an easter egg and see how many tell you when they find it.
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I stay in Airbnbs about once a month, and as a guest I do like to fill these out. Someone goes to an effort to create a unique space, and it’s not generic like a hotel room, so I know reviews and information help future guests. It doesn’t take long and the detail makes you feel like your stay matters.
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I have a private room listing, and I stayed in a private room listing a few weeks ago. You just skip that or click the ‘not relevant’ or does not apply option…no big deal
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I wondered the same thing as I am a home share.
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Funny you mention it. I did indeed hide 10 mini Cadbury eggs for my guest that stayed Easter weekend and she found them all. Maybe you’re not motivating your guests 
I know that I examine a listing with a fine tooth comb and always have, long before being a host. So many guests mention details from the listing and other reviews that I know I’m not the only one - though I do get the don’t-read-crowd on a rare occasion. It probably depends on the listing, location, etc, like most things. You and I probably have different guest demographics.
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I’m one of those compulsive readers who’ll read the back of the cereal box over breakfast if there’s no other reading material handy and I seem to get the same type of guests. They almost all seem to read the listing thoroughly.
One who didn’t, surprised me, as she was also a host. She asked if there were kitchen facilities, when not only is it on my amenity list, it says right in the description that guests have “full use of my well-equipped kitchen”. And she wasn’t one of those hosts other hosts hate getting as guests, she was really nice. I know she had booked several Airbnbs for that trip, in various places around Mexico, so maybe she just couldn’t remember and found it easier to ask than go back and read the listing again.
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You make a good point! We have a ton of books in the apts and in the halls and we tend to get guests who like that about our place, people who read. And it attracts a lot of people who are coming to do research at the Ivy league University libraries, parents of students, grad students, professors, scientists and at least half of our guests are from NY and NYers are readers (cause public transportation). So maybe our guests read the listing better because we are attracting readers.
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I have no TV and not strong enough nor unlimited internet to stream movies, and make that clear in my listing, so maybe that’s why I get the type of guests who don’t care about that because they prefer to read, anyway.
I have a shelf of books in my living room that I tell guests to feel free to borrow, but not to take, and another shelf of books I’m not attached to they can take with them if they don’t finish them during their stay. And my guests have left me lots of great books they brought along and finished reading.
What was really cool when I went back to Canada this summer was that every school bus shelter out in the countryside area where my daughter lives has become a book exchange with shelves. People in the neighborhood drop off books they’re done with and pick up ones they might like.
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Nearly all my guests are from NYC and not all read the listing. Questions like- is there laundry? What kind of coffee maker is there? Do you have a crib? Etc. All are clearly answered in listing which we’ve edited down considerably. I chalk it up to many folks probably just being very busy and only looking at the first handful of pics and top paragraph
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My most recent guest review options never once asked me to rate any stars. They did have 5 levels such as perfect/excellent/good/poor/bad, or something similar.
You mean when you were reviewing a guest, or you were the guest?
And what about the case like my shared hone rental where I state they can have full main kitchen access if they let me know that they want it, while they still have kitchenette amenities in their private rooms? I had one guy complain he couldn’t use the kitchen. But not once did he ever let me know he wanted to, even while here for a month!
And now did you notice that the details AirBnB wants us to put in is the brand of appliances, soap, shampoo, towels, linens, etc…like we won’t ever change them…and for fridge do I put the brand for the one in their room and/or in the main house? And if I put the brand of range and oven in my kitchen and the bedroom doesn’t have one will I get marked down by the guest? Especially when the guest fails to let me know they want to use the kitchen??
Personally I rearrange the kitchen a little if a guest lets me know they want to use it. Otherwise I often have stuff spread out over my table like a desk. (I am single so family is nit eating at the kitchen table, and I also have a breakfast bar that I use sometimes too).
This one is always difficult for me when I have guests that do not read the listing, house rules and/or house manual and then show up without having downloaded the smart lock app and/or signed up. And/or then, they can’t figure out how to use it…technologically challenged people that do not read…
I try to give guests the option of having me be there to clear them for check out. Mostly just so they are less likely to leave dog poop in the yard and complain when I charge them for it in accordance with the house rules. Most of the time people turn me down, which is fine. Occasionally those that decline are still upset when they get caught not having completed the poop pickup. It is most common with those who also don’t follow the rules of supervising their dog…
I was quite disappointed that “whatever the local Chinese bazaar has going cheap” wasn’t one of the options under shampoo etc.
JF
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I have flexible check-in and AirBnB seems to show guests 3pm if they have t chosen their preferred 2 hour window. This is a problem when I have a guest checking out at noon and especially when I get their booking at 2:56pm.
I wish they had an option for “by appointment” since that is what I require in my listing, house rules and manual. Occasionally I will allow a self check-in if it really is not possible for me to meet them. This will NeVeR happen at my shared home listing again, though. I did it ONE time and had a horrible experience and record a 1 star that removed me from superhost even.
I have a similar gripe with the questions about laundry. Yes, I offer to do their laundry for FREE if I can fill out a load of my own. Otherwise they pay to do their own laundry.
Or when I have 6 cars show up and only 4 fit in the driveway???
That’s me most of the time! ;-). But I also used to fill out the pages of Publishers Clearing House surveys completely very time, too!!! Recycling bin, unopened, now.
Glad you have grown since then.
I think a lot of these are copy pasted that they send to all (or several) that show up in their search and then they just book based on those responses never having read the listing or house rules at all for any of them…I have been getting more of those lately with zero responses…
@muddy When I was a guest.