Feedback Needed: Hosting Friends / Family

[muddy]

I host a private room n my home and do my own cleaning. if friends or family want to come, I just block the dates. It’s dead simple.

[PitonView]

@blaine

I’d like to understand other processes that hosts are dealing with

Our process is: you can stay at our place for free when we are there. Otherwise, you rent it out like anyone else. We’ll give you a “trusted renter discount” of about 10%, but that’s it. (Whole-house rental)

[blaine]

@jaquo

• Friend inquires. I look at availability on app. Approx 30 seconds
• Block dates on Airbnb. Another 30 seconds.
• Regarding cleaning, keys, etc. carry on exactly as I would if the guests were coming from any other lead source.

Great, thanks for your feedback.

[blaine]

@Helsi

Your procedure seems quite complicated - mine is so much simpler.

Friends/family contact me. I confirm the booking and add to Airbnb calendar linked to my i-calendar and send them my Airbnb guest guide with check in info, wifi, amenities guide including booking cleaner pre and post stay etc, They leave cash for anything they need to pay for.

Done.

Good to know, thanks!

[blaine]

@cabinhost

One thing you need to be careful with is tax implications in the U.S.

Thanks for pointing this out. I’ll investigate.

[RebeccaF]

My procedure is a bit different.

If I find out friends/family will come to stay, I don’t block the date any more. I simply raise my price for that date (those dates) by a factor of 10.

That way, if anyone books, I can afford to send friends/family to a very nice hotel!

[RiverRock]

@RebeccaF

If I find out friends/family will come to stay, I don’t block the date any more. I simply raise my price for that date (those dates) by a factor of 10.

Then direct the family member to book n AirBnb…

hehe

RR

[Arlene_Larsson]

@jaquo

• Friend inquires. I look at availability on app. Approx 30 seconds
• Block dates on Airbnb. Another 30 seconds.
• Regarding cleaning, keys, etc. carry on exactly as I would if the guests were coming from any other lead source.

I do the exact same thing. Depending on who the person inquiring is, determines how much I will discount the stay. Sometimes I don’t charge anything, sometimes I charge a cleaning fee, and there are a few that just pay a reduced nightly rate. It’s never really been an issue.

[Militaryhorsegal]

@Debthecat

think the cheapest is $10 a night

Actually it is $10 a booking…I have done it with a regular who pays me the rest directly (and we split her savings over Airbnb for the full amount) We both like doing great reviews for each other which is why we do it this way instead of just going direct completely.

[Militaryhorsegal]

Ditto………

[Brian_R170]

@blaine

I have a place in Las Vegas, and I frequently have friends and family who want to stay there. T

What do you intend to “automate” that makes it easier than this, which is slightly modified from what I posted in the [other thread] linked above.

The use case is that you already have properties listed on Airbnb and want to offer special rates to friends and family. Airbnb already supports this by allowing any guest for any available dates. When the guest is your friend or family member, you can respond with a “special offer” of any price (minimum is $10/booking as @Militaryhorsegal pointed out). Note that there are already tools for syncing Airbnb calendars with other short-term rental sites, so this still works if you already list on multiple rental sites.

For you, there is only 1 difference between a normal Airbnb guest and a friend or family member and that is you have to respond with a special offer. You should already be prepared to do this for any regular guest with special circumstances, so this should not really be extra work.

For your friend or family member, all they need an Airbnb guest account, and a payment method that Airbnb accepts. It’s beyond fair to put that small burden on them compared to a nearly-free stay.

Absolutely everything else is simplified for both of you. I honestly don’t see how a separate service could make it any easier for you or your friends and family, and I am dying to understand it since you are the second member to bring this up.

[KKC]

I contacted this guy to participate but didn’t get a call at the appointed time. Maybe I messed up but I’m not chasing someone down to participate. He got plenty of free advice here anyway so maybe he just decided not to do the calls.

[muddy]

There is a certain type of poster on forums, I’ve noticed, who start a thread, but if they don’t get the answers they were hoping for (That’s a great idea- sign me up!), they disappear, not even bothering to thank the posters who took the time to answer.

[Militaryhorsegal]

I didn’t even get an appointment time…