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!
“My girlfriends and I get away the first weekend in December every year! This is our 11th year… and we have chosen dahlonega to visit for Christmas fun, wineries and outlet shopping! We look forward to exploring a new town!”
I responded with a friendly type response and that the town is a great holiday / Norman Rockwell type town and that a few Hallmark Chanel Christmas shows are set and filmed here. I reminded her of house rules (which Air had already done when she did the booking request) and asked a couple of conversational friendly type questions. She responded that “We may have another friend that might come on our trip, so since only 6 people can stay on your property we will be unable to book your home. Sorry.”
I’m glad she canceled the request thus saving me the trouble. I do wonder if anyone has a canned reply they send for booking inquiries to ensure they get the whole story from their potential guests that they wouldn’t mind sharing below? I’m newer and am working on canned responses that I can change if/as needed but right now I’d say it’s like drinking from a firehose.
What whole story? I don’t need a whole story. I need them to book for the correct number of people. Then seven days before they arrive I need to know if they will be bringing a car, what they want for breakfast, and what time they will arrive.
I really don’t care why they are visiting Boston (though almost all tell me) or if they are left-handed. Heck, I don’t even really care where they are from, though sometimes I will ask if they only put United States since that gives me a hint about how they might arrive.
I hate to say it, but I’m in the same boat as you. Each request is unique, so although I try to basically say the same thing, it always has to be tweaked.
I also find that a lot of people put out “feelers”. I suspect she was checking to see if you would actually allow 1 more guest to be squeezed in after you had some background info on them. If you are firm on allowing 6 people I would put that in your listing. “Please note occupancy of 6 guests is FIRM.”
For whole-home rentals (for me anyway) I am more careful about finding out their background and what the purpose of the stay is. On-site hosts can monitor it and deal with it on the spot, so not as important to get all of those details.
@CanadianHost this is my quandary. I’m a whole house renter and want to make sure the fit is good while protecting my home and the renter from disappointing results.
I’m like @anon67190644 and also don’t care about dominate hand but I do care about a few other reasons that renters choose my place. This forum is full of stories related to guest who didn’t disclose their full intent.
I’m just thinking their has to be a better way than needing, hoping, and wishing. Perhaps not.
Sort of yes.
It changes depending on how much info they give us when they inquire to begin with. It states something like this is a private adult triplex we only allow booked guests on the property so please make sure all guests and pets are properly listed. There is one off street parking spot for you (then we tell them which spot depening on which apartment.) Since we both work we do not provide breakfast as stated in the listing but we will have plenty of coffee, tea, bottled water and assorted snacks for your arrival. If you have some idea of when you would be arriving please let us know. We look forward to seeing you.
I have been doing it for 4 years, but i can’t come up with a stock response because people do a healthy mix of instant book “bucket list” and “is it available I’m left handed and afraid of cats” inquiries.
I have a generic welcome letter with useful info I send people as soon as they formally book. But before that, I’m mainly “Good morning/ afternoon/ evening, Here are fast answers to any questions you had, please note we have a cat and kids and a train, and 2 out of 3 are noisy. Can’t wait to meet you!”
… I’m more about "here’s all the stuff you should know about us " than “so, tell me about yourself” because there is no way to say “do you plan on leaving blood stains or a less than 5 star review?”
As I said, I want to know how many people will be on my porch when they arrive. I have never asked why they chose to stay with me, and can’t imagine how I would ask without sounding a tad creepy. In my week-before-arrival message, I ask for each person’s name so I can learn them, and only expect a first name as a response.
You are right that as an on-site host, the chances of a party happening without me noticing are slim to none. I suppose if your place is big enough for anyone to consider throwing an event then I might include something like “As my rules states, my home is not suitable for any gatherings that include people not on the reservation.” We always run the risk of irritating people who have read your listing carefully to protect ourselves from the ones who haven’t.
Can’t wait to find out if you’re actually an ax murderer, or only played one on tv!
… we live near the studio that films CSI, so a lot of my neighbors have been extras. (One of the lounging-on-street-bench guys played Saddam Hussein. He’s a sweetie, of course)
Well you did the right thing by referring her to the house rules before accepting her booking request. Our places are very similar and I have found that many guests will not divulge the total number of guests unless asked to specifically list the ages of all infants.children and the number of visitors.
If you have a blurb about your surveillance cameras in the house rules, then that is great. I believe you even have a picture of them? Another suggestion is to note in the house rules to confirm something when making a booking request. You could say something like “I will be able to accept your booking more quickkly if you list the ages of all children/infants and the number of visitors that you will have during your stay.”
So for example, let’s say a booking request comes in that says my wife and I want to book your lovely home for our 10th anniversary. You could reply back with “thank you for your inquiry. Before I accept your reservation, please confirm you have read the entire listing description/house rules as I am unable to cancel a booking once I accept. Also, will there be any infants/children in the group or just the two of you? Also let me know if there will be any visitors during your stay. As soon as I receive your reply, I can move forward with the reservation. Thanks”
Most of my guests do not read the house rules before booking. I even have a note for guests to confirm that although my listing is noted as child friendly, that it only means I accept children; ;however, the house is not child proofed and does not provide baby gear, etc.
Once in a blue moon I get a guest who says “I have read all your house rules and am fine with them, etc.” - when making the booking request.
I specifically do NOT ask if the guest “plans” to have any visitors. I specifically ask for the number of visitors. It’s too easy of an out for a guest to come back once in your house and say “well I didn’t plan to have anyone else at the time.”
Maybe I should have stated up front I str a whole house. A recent guest reviewed it stating
“…If you appreciate seclusion, you will enjoy this location–there is no sign of civilization in any direction from the house or yard, and no nearby lights to dim the stars above…”
With this seclusion and privacy comes temptation and regretfully I’ve seen folks bend to that temptation. Thus I tend to be more selective who I accept. I’d probably never be arms wide open and only ask for how many guests.
Perhaps one day I can live onsite and be a deterant to behaviors that I am trying to screen for. Thus…why I posted my question.
Yipes! As lovely as that sounds it does leave the impression that you could have a great party and nobody would notice. Even if you DO notice, it would be too late. So mentioning the security cameras is important too stress.
I like @cabinhost’s wording. When on Air I also include “please carefully read our house rules as we will ask you to sign our rental policies once you’ve booked”. (When the booking comes through Airbnb.)
We have SO many groups that bring more people than stated we are now asking for the names of each guest, and ages of anyone under 25. @cabinhost I really like your wording on that, too, and I totally see the reasons why you’ve worded it that way… you have to be one step ahead.
I get mostly instant book guests, so I don’t have many opportunities to find things out in advance. In addition to asking about names, parking, and ETA, I say something to the effect of: “Do you have any questions about the listing or house rules that I can further clarify?”
This seems to prompt people to look, and they nearly always write back to tell me that they understand the house rules, blah, blah. If they tell me they are new to Airbnb, I add Airbnb to the blurb above.
