Welcome! We are a community of AirBnb hosts

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!

Guest booked from tomorrow but wants to arrive today

#1

Reservation request for tomorrow (Wednesday 12th October). But the guest wants to arrive today. There’s nobody here, so not an issue if I book it starting today. I assume the guest didn’t book starting today, because I’ve blocked same day booking requests on my listing.

The guest suggested giving cash for the extra night, which I suppose is an option. But I think on balance I’d rather do it through Airbnb to keep things simple.

Option 1: Accept the reservation and then alter it from my end, if that is possible (I can’t remember).

Option 2: Send the guest a special offer.

I think option 2 sounds better, and I just wrote to the guest suggesting that. Thoughts?

ADDENDUM: I’m trying to figure out if it is possible to make this guest a special offer instead of accepting his booking? I don’t see an obvious way on this page. Help?

ADDENDUM 2: Looks I may have to accept the reservation and then submit a change request, per https://www.airbnb.co.in/help/article/35/how-do-i-send-a-guest-a-special-offer and https://www.airbnb.co.in/help/article/50/can-i-change-a-reservation-as-a-host. Can anyone confirm?

ADDENDUM 3: The Airbnb site thought this would be a good time to be flakey. Yay.

#2

What did you decide to do? Altering the reservation can be simple but for some reason, when using a phone, it’s not obvious where the guest has to hit ‘accept’. I think it’s buried in the email. I’ve had difficulty waiting for the guest to actually accept the change. But it’s all worked out eventually.

I assume you let the guest know they made an error with their dates?

I know it’s been slow there for you so - yay! A booking!

#3

Hi @dcmooney,

I accepted the reservation, then submitted a change request. But the site is being flaky, just for extra fun. It’s like the Gremlins inside the Airbnb site know you are trying to do something time-sensitive. Anyway, my guest just accepted the reservation, even though the confirmation page is showing a blank. Yay for the Airbnb software developers.

It has, yes. I think my listing is getting lost among all the other listings. But I did get a wacky Indian inquiry today + this booking request.

#4

Glad it seems like it will work out.

It is odd how it can go drop-dead silent at times. I’m finally getting used to that - but still it is not easy and I want to jump in and lower my prices or something else.

Enjoy your guest!

#5

My prices are already rock bottom, so that isn’t really an option. The amount I make based on the time I spend doesn’t make sense as it is. I should list on more sites (though nobody seems to have a good thing to say about them), or try to do some advertising, perhaps on social media, as @jaquo has suggested.

1 Like
#6

The Airbnb people really are a bit wacky. I wrote

I got a reservation request for tomorrow (xxxx). I want to alter it to include today. I’m Faheem Mitha, my listing page is http://towerroom.net . Is my only option to accept the reservation and then alter it?

Here is how they responded on Twitter:

Hi Faheem, the alteration tool can only be used once a reservation is confirmed. At this point, you can either decline the reservation request and then send your guest a special offer for the correct dates, or you can ask your guest to retract the reservation request on his end and send you a new one for today. Let us know if you have any other questions we’re here to help :wink:

They could have said - “yes, you can do that and your other alternatives are…”. But didn’t.

I’ve got to give them marks for politeness, though.

1 Like
#7

And marks for usage of emoticons…

It would be interesting to see what would happen if you raised your prices. I think there is a distinct psychology behind this - people don’t want a bargain-basement place so they don’t click on the bargain-basement priced places. I know this is true of me even though I’m on a budget. You have such a unique and cool offering!!! It’s exactly what I would look for and so much more interesting than other listings.

Must run - good luck with the guest!

#8

Yes, I want to branch out as well. Wimdu was good but now they only do bank transfer instead of paypal, but perhaps you already have to use bank transfers. Also, they send very few guests. Nice ones, though.

I’m going to get in touch with @jaquo once we have our construction done, and see how I can use other resources. I know she’s given us a lot of info already, but I need it in one place with hand-holding. I may even hire her to help put together a website. I just need a new name for our b&b. I used the word ‘cozy’ in the weebly website I set up, but now realize that that is the most over used word!!!

Must dash - teaching a class this morning

3 Likes
#9

I doubt that would be effective. I don’t have much room at all, either below or above. If I lower the price, it’s just ridiculous. And raising it would quickly take me out of competition. There are a lot of listings here, and my place isn’t really super fancy. If it was, I’d be getting all 5 stars.

#10

Are there any other? :grin:

They seems the only ones traveling at the moment (besides some lost Americans).

#11

You can’t be sure! You are just surmising! I raised my price recently in the always busy winter season and guests are biting. I thought the same thing. I am almost as high now as full homes in my area. But yet guests are biting. So try it!

2 Likes
#12

Heh.

Travelling where?

#13

Hi @konacoconutz,

How long do you suggest I try this experiment for? :slight_smile:

#14

FOREVER!!! Once you raise them, don’t go back!

2 Likes
#15

The Alps.
The season is over, it is absolutely dead here.
I still got a lot of bookings, mainly Indians and Americans, who are surprised that most places are shut down in preparation for winter.

#16

Why those specific groups of people? Any idea?

Altcoin Fantasy - Crypto Fantasy Trading and Simulation Game - Win Bitcoin and Altcoins!