I have my listing set up with a 2 night minimum. I have a guest that booked for 2 nights on a weekend and now they are requesting a change to 1 night. Not sure how to handle this one.
Reply that you have a two night minimum. They will have to cancel and book a different Airbnb. Do not cancel for them as you would be penalized.
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You could also bend your rule to accommodate them. We have another thread going about this ongoing challenge of dealing with “entitled” guests. Maybe they are in that category or maybe they didn’t realize when they booked that you have a two night minimum. But I’d hold firm and put the onus for the change of plan on them.
Thanks for your thoughts. They are within their non-refundable window. Do we risk them giving us a bad review if they are bitter that we didn’t accommodate? Is it ok to ask them the reason for the request for an exception?
Ah, should have known. The last minute request makes it look like they are trying to manipulate the policy. I say don’t be held hostage to the review. Maybe you should call Airbnb and get a penalty free cancellation. Of course you can ask them… but that shouldn’t matter. What are they going to say…“oh we thought the rules don’t apply for us?” That’s entitled guests for you.
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Hosts should never be held to ransom of not managing their listing properly for fear of a bad review,
Simply reply and say that they booked a listing knowing it had a minimum two night stay. That of course if they want to leave early that will be up to them but you will not be able to accept an amendment to one night.
I would just say no. Sorry this listing has a two night minimum.
Nothing else, do not engage them on reasons or exceptions or anything else. Watch, they will come for the two days once they realize there is no choice.
Give them a great experience and do not worry about the review.
RR
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We are new to hosting so we don’t have any reviews yet. We’ve been told over and over again about how important it is to get 5 star reviews for our first bookings. Although they were not the first to book our place, they are the first to stay so we are probably over-concerned about the reviews.
I also realized I misstated something earlier - they can still cancel without penalty. May be best to let them cancel and hope we get a new booking for that weekend. It is during a major Christmas festival.
Based on very anecdotatal evidence presented here, the manipulators target new hosts. Yes, it’s important to get 5 star reviews but I agree with RiverRock, those should be based on providing a great stay, not on ignoring your own policies.
I also agree with RiverRock (now that he’s stated his case and I have more info) to just tell them it can’t be changed as it’s a two day minimum. No need to justify yourself and asking them why they want to change is irrelevant. It’s not your problem and asking them just opens the door to them thinking they can get their way. Being a hospitable host doesn’t mean you throw out your policies.
I don’t agree with Helsi when she says this:
Unless they told you they knew it was a two day minimum, you don’t know that and they quite possibly didn’t know it. The minimum stay is not prominent on a listing, it’s typically not until one clicks on the calendar to input dates that the two day minimum is detected. And if they input the two days as part of their initial search they wouldn’t even see any indication of the minimum on the calendar. Once they clicked book maybe there is something somewhere about your minimum stay, I can’t recall. However, if a host replied to me and told me I knew something when I booked that I didn’t that would really rub me the wrong way.
This changes everything and takes the monkey off your back. Just say “Sorry we won’t be able to accommodate your request as it’s a two day minimum on weekends. You’ll need to cancel your booking immediately in order to ensure you get a refund.” As RR says they may just suck it up and keep the booking, even if they only stay one night. If they do cancel, please make sure your price isn’t too low for the festival. Many new hosts price too low and don’t take full advantage of their new host boost.
Say nothing except “Sorry my listing has a two day minimum stay”. Don’t suggest they do anything. It’s their problem – not yours!
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thank you everyone! Great feedback! I feel so supported as a new host!
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Welcome to the forum. It’s great that you stumbled on us before the major problems rather than after as many hosts seem to do.
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You will have to explain them about your two night minimum, but you could consider offering them the option of staying one night for 150% the price of 1 night. This way they can be (partially) happy about getting some of the money back, and you can be happy that the extra cost of the one nighter is (partially) covered.
On the other hand, since they are in the non-refundable period, maybe they want to cancel all together anyway, and they are just trying to minimize their losses and therefor they are requesting a change of reservation.