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I’m 90% weekends only, so it’s generally not an issue for guests to check in early or stay later on check out day and I usually proactively offer it. I message my guests a week ahead so they can plan to arrive early. I rarely have guests ask for early check in or late check out.
I always offer my return guests an early arrival/late check out.
As an Airbnb guest, if I need an early arrival I check the host calendar. If the day before our arrival is open, then I offer an additional fee (1/2 of the nightly fee) for an early morning check-in - usually for overseas flights where we are arriving on a red eye. I did this recently in Iceland and the host readily accepted our 9:00 am arrival for an extra $100.
I guess what I truly don’t understand is why so many hosts are so frim-fram with their check-in times. It seems they totally don’t mind if a guest disregards the posted check-in time. And if it was any other thing in the listing, they would be on here complaining that guests don’t read.
My listing says “no pets” and the guest asked if she could bring a cat. Gasp! Guests don’t read!
My listing says “no smoking on the property” and the guest asked if she could just smoke on the porch. Gasp! Guests don’t read!
My listing says “not appropriate for kids” and the guest asked if she could bring 3 toddlers. Gasp! Guests don’t read!
My listing says “2 people max” and she asked if she could have 4 people stay. Gasp! Guests don’t read!
But:
My listing says “Check-in at 3:00 PM” and she asked if she could check-in at 12 noon. Oh, of course, sometimes guests just need some flexibility, that will be just fine with me.
I just encountered an early checkin request. My usual checkin is 3:00 p.m. but they wanted to come at noon. But they also said we’ll be happy to pay for early checkin. The room would be ready by noon but I still charged them a $20 for which they were happy to pay. It allowed them to leave their bags in the room and then go walking around the city without having to worry about where to put their bags.
Maybe hosts should set up an “early check-in area” for guests who ignore check-in times and arrive hours early expecting and feeling entitled to just move in. I’m thinking an uncomfortable chair under a ratty blue tarp, set up in the scrappiest part of the yard, hopefully where the cell reception is poor
I am very specific when it come to check in an check-in out times. If you want a guaranteed early check in or late check out, I explain that there is a $30 rush cleaning fee that I have to pay my cleaners to get to be the first STR they clean of the day. (I actually am the one to clean most days but I don’t wish to wait around for guests to stat my day.
I also now have a $50 per ever 15 minute late check out because I’m literally waiting around to get my dAY started if guest don’t leave on time. I’ve learned that half the time guest that ask for early check in never actually show up late and being nice really never helps. I do state that if the STR becomes ready early I will send them a message. I then send them a message 1 hour before check in.
Since we have a three day minimum we often have a day between guests. If we are finished cleaning the day before we will tell them their place is ready at 8am, they can come by whenever they get here. Otherwise we text them after our final walk through and are sure we are ready. My last renters told me this is why they are coming back next year. We exceed expectations.
We don’t have a fixed policy, early check in requests are done on a case by case basis.
Our usual response when asked, is to tell the guest that we can’t guarantee an early check in as the apartment may be occupied the night before and we need time to clean and prepare it for their arrival.
If the apartment is vacant then, depending on our schedule for the day, we usually try and accommodate.
What is guaranteed to NOT get you an early check in, is phrases like “We will be arriving at 11:30am” or “We need to check in early so will be there at 12:15pm”. They get the ok, we’re happy to store your luggage until check in time.
The thing I don’t get, with some hosts, is why they turn polite requests into a power struggle between host and guest. My view is that there is no harm in politely asking, and if the host can accommodate then I’d like to think they will. By the way, I’m not talking about those posting on this topic, but previous ones regarding early check ins.
I don’t mention early check-in for my listing bc I don’t want to invite them to ask. I have only had a handful of people ask if it could be accommodated. If the house is ready early, I do tell people that they are clear to head in early.
Honestly early checkins are not worth the hassle. Every time someone asked me for an early checkin and I said ok they arrived after 2pm(checkin time) anyway. Someone 2 days ago asked to checkin at 10am and because I had no previous guests I said ok. They arrived at 3pm.
Someone last week indicated that they arriving 9-11pm. My checkin is until 11pm because I wake up for work at 6am. They later messaged that they will arrive at 12am and didnt actually arrive until 1am. I told them that there will be a £25 fee. They didn’t pay it and they left a 2* on checkin even though I stayed up this late for them. I should’ve just cancelled them. Now I know for next time
Do you have self-check in? I’m guessing not based on what I’ve read.
Do you have specific time parameters for check in set up? For example, our check in is ‘anytime after 3pm’ but you could change it to a more rigid time frame, say 3-6 pm or whatever works for you.
If you really want to prevent early check ins you could include something in your listing that says ‘Check in is strictly between 3pm and 6pm. Please take this into consideration when planning your trip.’ People may be put off by it but like I said before, it’s your space and your listing and they don’t have to book with you if they don’t like it
That makes sense! I suppose it’s helpful to mention that we automatically block ‘preparation time’ off in our listing (we clean the place ourselves). So having a guest check in or out early is never an issue for us as far as worrying about another guest arriving.
We just hate feeling like we are getting taken advantage of so we charge the fee It makes sense for us; we are a budget-friendly listing near a big city with plenty to do if they did need to wait around before they checked in. So far the legitimate guests that aren’t trying to take advantage have been more than happy to pay the extra fee. Guests that don’t want to end up arriving at the check in time and have not reviewed negatively because of it (so far, knock on wood…).
But I suppose this ‘policy’ I have is like all the others with Airbnb. It works for us. Until it doesn’t anymore
Since I host a room in my home, my policy may not be helpful.
I don’t mention any exceptions to the 3 pm check-in or noon check-out. I have had many requests:
For check-out: ( at our convenience). “I can hold your luggage until (?), but would ask you to be out by 10 to allow me the time I need”, etc. That often nips it in the bud.
I do a similar thing for early check-in. “I can take your luggage at the door and put it in your room at 3.” Some folks arrive at noon, then ask to “freshen up” which I smilingly & “apologetically” decline, adding “you’ll find some lovely lunch spots nearby!”
I also ask them not to specifically mention this “extra” in their review - & have a strong hunch from the positive reviews that I’ve subtly signaled a “quid pro quo” ! (?).
This request not inquiry was for the second weekend of Spring Break in March for just Saturday night. I got it last month. My check in is 4 PM and check out is 11 AM. Needless to say I declined.
"Hi my family and I are planning a trip to Seaworld March 14-15. We love your place and are wondering if you’d expanding check in and check out to 9am check and 1pm check out? "
I invite guests to checkin early if I can accomodate that.
I offer to take their luggage if I can’t and if I’m preparing the place on the day of their arrival that’s the only option.
I have suggested that if guests want a really early checkin to book the night before their arrival.
So far, so good.
Totally agree. That jumped right out at me. If I was the guest and I received that in a message it is very unlikely that that host was going to finish up with 5 stars from me.
