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I have a very nice couple from from France staying with me. I kindly told them that I can accommodate them at 3:30, 1.5 hours before check in time. I did not charge them an early check in fee . I pull up to my apartment at 1:15 to get it ready, and guess who is standing outside???
On Friday I had a guest who I told I would meet at the apartment at check in. I was finishing up with my house keeper and I get a message, “the key is not in the lockbox” not only did she come early, I was HUMILIATED bringing the new guests (who arrived at 1:30 today without letting me know) upstairs.
I have a note in my linen closet telling guests that I’ve provided enough linens for their stay, but if they need more to please ask me because I may not have enough for the next guests on busy weeks.
These guests took an extra comforter, towels and sheets without asking. Low and behold I didn’t have enough for today’s guests.
Wet towels on the bathroom floor
BUGS in my bathroom. THREE BIG BUGS. I have had this space for 2 years and have never seen a bug in it.
Throw pillows on top of the dirty linen basket
A fitted sheet on the futon; leading me to believe they snuck in another guest
Old smelly food in the fridge
Didn’t take out their garbage filled with used feminine products
I also let th m check out an hour late and waived The late check out fee. I Told the new guests to scram until check in, but now I don’t even kno it I’ll be ready by then.
Because in their heads the place is empty before they arrive and it will be empty once they leave. They have no real concept in what they do, has a major effect on what you have to do!
There are magic cleaning fairies who can wave their little wands and everything is clean, refreshed and ready to go.
I have had a lot of guests ask to check in early. Recently I had guests show up early and the cleaner was still at the house, so they left. If it’s possible I let them, but when I have a same day changeover, and I am not even around to see what is going on, it does make me nervous. That is terrible what happened to you! I sympathize!
I hate this happened to you. Requests for early check in & late check out are surprisingly common. I think some of the challenge is because people new to using Airbnb want to treat us like a hotel and check-in whenever and like @debthecat said they have no idea what it takes to prepare the condo for the next guest.
Some guests turn up early because they have simply arrived to the location earlier than they thought. Planes can be early (a lot more often than I’d thought possible) or maybe the guests allowed five hours for the car journey but made it in four. Whatever the reason it happens and I think that sometimes guests turn up ‘just in case’. ‘I know that check in isn’t for another hour but shall we go and see just in case it’s ready?’
If it isn’t they are usually perfectly understanding.
If the place is ready I let them in and if it isn’t, I send them away. It’s not a problem either way.
Stop allowing early/late check-in/out! Just say NO. Tell them to go away and come back. Tell them they must leave now, you have to clean up behind them for the next guests; if they’re obnoxious, tell them you’ll have to call the police and have them evicted.
Because guests do things for their reasons and not ours. As far as they are concerned, the fact that we have to dash around like crazy to prepare the accommodation for them just doesn’t occur to them. They seem to think that the rental is sitting there doing nothing just waiting for them to arrive. They can’t put themselves in our shoes (and really, why should they?)
If we give them concessions - such as you can arrive and hour and a half early - then why not make that two hours? Or two and a half? They are on a trip, they are out of their home comforts and their normal life and so they’re not thinking about us at all.
It will always happen. Always. We have two choices. We can deal with it by being strict with guests or we can put up with it.
If anyone knows of any other option, please let us all know
First…anyone who shows up early and the room is not ready is told the room is not ready and they will need to wait until the requested time to check in.
Second…if you have a guest who is requesting a late check out, deny the request if you are having a guest that same day unless it is 15 minutes or so…
Third…apologize to your incoming guest advising them of the issue, offer a partial refund for the day or a gift card from the local diner where they can get something to eat while they wait. Be honest, just advise that the home was left in the condition where a quick turnover was not possible. Do Not say anything specific…especially bugs…guests will appreciate that you want the home to be nice for them and generally will be accommodating. Good Luck!
This has been doing my head in for the last few weeks. After getting 2 apartments ready for early check ins on an already jam packed busy day, the guest messaged me hours after saying that they decided not to check in early and would check in later that night.
So I thought to myself right, from now on, if someone asks for an early check in or a late check out, im going to charge them extra.
So far so good, ive made an extra $30 in one week and the guests are more than happy to pay for the extra time. I believe this will at least take some of the angst out of having to run around like a mad person. I might even treat myself to a lunch with the extra cash
I used to try my best to accommodate people but it was rarely acknowledged in a message and never in a review. I worked out it was 50% of my work for nothing. So I changed my check out from 10am to 11am and have this in the message I send plus in the itinerary:
Hi,
I am sorry we cannot offer late check outs or early check ins. The villa is very popular and only has two to three vacant days a year.
We require this small window of time between 11am -3pm to turn the villa around. We have to clean, wash the linen and towels, complete maintenance and make sure it is up to standard for the next guests.
Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Kind regards,
Poppy
Btw, I was at one of them the other day and as it was ready for the guests I broke my rule and messaged them saying it was ready and they could check in early. Surprise, surprise…I didn’t hear anything from them. Stupid me
In a nutshell, there is no reason to being nice, it is not appreciated.
I agree for charging. I had someone few days ago I charged £30 for 3pm late checkout and they were really appreciative on their checkout message (no review yet). The guests after them were arriving at 6pm so most of the times its just luck.
@SmallNSweet maybe it will help if you remind your guests that checkin is at 5pm in your welcome message because we all know they probably didnt read it before they booked. If they arrive early and you’re there maybe just offer to store their luggage if its possible and then tell them to go away As others said have a locked wardrobe for your linens and make sure you leave those people a bad review
I don’t think it’s “being nice”. You’re in a service industry and if it’s possible to let a guest check in or out either a bit earlier or a bit later then why not? On the few occasions we’ve been able to do it the guests have been grateful and their reviews have reflected this.
We did it yesterday. Group of four in Jerez for a Christmas party on Saturday and they asked at check in if they could leave a little bit later. Our last check out is midday and we offered them a 2pm checkout as that apartment was empty last night. About 1pm four bleary eyed young Spaniards emerged to head back along the coast home. They were very complimentary about the apartment and thanked us again for giving them a bit of latitude over check out time.
Will we get a good review, no idea as they were from BDC and we’ve found the review rate to be significantly lower than Airbnb.
By the way I am sending you that PM so you can send me a link to your listing. I think we are looking at coming over in the autumn when the weather cools down over there a little.
I block out a day in-between bookings for my own sanity so happy to offer a later check out if it works for me and I like the guests.
Early check in’s not so much as I quite often work from home quite.
@Helsi nailed it. Just do not allow it. OR charge for it. I offer a 2 hour late check out for $45, I usually offer a day early check in if not booked for about 60% of regular rate. I have had guests take advantage of the extra day in order to check in early, then show up late. When I get a booking if the day before or after or both not booked I send a message offering those nights at about 60% of regular rate. Most do not book but some do. I figure it’s not going to get booked anyway so win win.
Absolutely. Imagine a situation where I had one of the rentals ready by 2 pm (which happens if a guest leaves a little early to catch a flight) and yet I refuse to let the guest in until check in time at 4. So there’s the apartment, all ready for them, and there’s the guest - tired after a long flight or drive - struggling around town with their luggage or gloomily hanging around in Starbucks until the magic time. Bonkers.
Or picture the situation where I know that the next guest won’t be arriving until seven in the evening. Despite this, I insist that the outgoing guests leave at 11 despite the fact that their flight isn’t until 3 pm and so they have to waste time (and money probably) being bored in the airport. Yet I could have told them that they could check out at 1 pm. Equally bonkers.
On a turnover day, my day is scheduled to deal with that turnover. My other work needs to fit around it. That, as @JohnF says, is a part of what being in the service industry is - service. And it’s certainly not ‘being nice’. It’s a case of arranging matters so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. Sometimes it’s not easy, juggling check in times with check out times plus other necessary work, so tight and efficient scheduling is required but as far as I’m concerned it pays off with great reviews and repeat clients.
I usually send a text between 2-3 letting guest know that housekeeping has finished cleaning the cabin and they can check in just as soon as they snap a picture of their ID and text it to me. Once I get that I send the code. Almost everybody wants to check in early it seems, late checkouts are pay to stay with me. I want to get on with my day.
As others said have a locked wardrobe for your linens and make sure you leave those people a bad review