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So my guest checks in this afternoon, I was not there to greet them as I was preparing for my gf bday. So I left a key for them to check themselves in, and gave them an over the phone tour when they arrived (approx. 3 pm). I get a TEXT several hours later at 5 pm with this,
“Hi, it’s me… it’s a little different then we expected. Since we don’t have a car we don’t want to pay $40 just to get to the grocery store. Your place is awesome but I think we’ll drive home earlier. I’m sorry about that. Do you think we can do something about the money if we don’t stay”?
They arrived via Uber, and I live in a popular North Houston Lake Community. But, there really is no public transportation locally to me as I am on the North side of the lake. I told them (now over Airbnb.com), that they needed to send the above message to Airbnb and they would discuss it with them.
Airbnb sends me an email a few hours later asking if the customer can shorten their stay from 16-17. But if I accept then I am out and have to find a Sun-Tues (hardest days in my opinion) replacement or be out the two nights. However, if I dont accept I am afraid they could leave a bad review. … WHAT DO I DO!!!
I don’t think you should refund. You blocked your calendar for them, held your place, refused other bookings. They want you to refund? Just say no. Don’t worry about the review. I doubt they will leave much of one, and certainly don’t get yourself in the headspace of being held hostage for a good review.
They don’t have a car. They knew your location when they booked. Too bad if it’s inconvenient. Not your problem! I would have said, “No, sorry I can’t give any refunds because it will be next to impossible to rebook. Hope you understand.”
My first reaction is to not allow the cancel. Anyone when traveling, especially if they are not renting a car, knows that you need to be aware of the transportation for getting around. I am certainly not going to expect to go outside of any global city and expect this.
The money is semi important, I work O&G and its dead, so I use this income to supliment my living expenses.
Cancellation is anything a week before they loose the first night and 50% of any night after in their booking
I do believe that my listing is clear, I have even mapped out the places like the grocery store, etc. So people can see where that is in relations to the condo.
They want to just stay one day and change the trip from 16-19 to 16-17.
Yes, I agree - when my husband had business trips in London (yay!!) I would spend hours researching the bus routes to the choices of places to stay and where his meetings would be. I always had the route mapped out before booking.
I have been absolutely astonished at the number of people that come to my home and have no idea where they are going. OR, the people the write and ask me how convenient I am to certain points. I would have found out on my own.
I’m assuming you may have already responded to the guest by now.
But I would have said the same as Kona “Sorry but once I accepted your reservation, my calendar was blocked off from others booking. I really wish you would have asked me about the transportation before you booked.”
They can cancel and get their 50% refund for the unused nights. I wouldn’t eat it. And the thing is that even if you cancel them in full, it still does not mean that they will not leave you a negative review. You can tell them the only way to open your calendar back up is if they cancel. Then if you rebook you can send them some money if you rebook. But I would only do that after you have been paid out by both parties and no chance of Air taking the money back.
What do they mean by they are going to drive home earlier…via $40 Uber again? I doubt it…they probably found other accom. closer in to the action. Awkward situation but I hope you stuck to your guns and said no dice on any refund.
I had this happen this week. Guests decided to leave early and requested to modify reservation from four nights to one night. They had already caused a lot of inconvenience. I agreed to modify to two nights rather than four, especially as they did not vacate premises until late afternoon, and because they were cancelling at such short notice. Once I accepted the revised request to reduce stay from four to two nights, I was free to open up the calendar again. And free of those guests, which was a great relief!
