Guests who book for single person then turn up with extra guests. We charge extra per person over two guests. We now ask them to confirm numbers right at the start of the booking process however those using instant book then have to either confess or cancel
Two have cancelled in the last week with one cancelling right on check in time. They asked for a full refund which we declined in keeping with our cancellation policy (moderate) but now I hear that AirBnB are “considering it”.
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Same situation yesterday. I do the meet and greet. They coughed up and the extra slept on the floor.
I will be honest in the review
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I suppose having two extra people with you when you travel is an extenuating circumstance, now. 
It’s really too bad that Airbnb haven’t found a good way to deal with it, especially since it tends to result in retaliatory reviews for the hosts.
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Legit question here… Why does it matter? Why is everyone so strict on number of guests? I get that theres obviously some level where it becomes a safety issue, but whats the point of making a stink when an extra person or two comes with them, so long as they all follow the rules? Who cares if they sleep on the floor?
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Our pricing is based on the number of guests using beds, showers, toilets, internet, etc. We can accommodate 5 but why should a couple pay the same as five? How hard is it to be honest about the number in your party. Is it ok to book for 2 and turn up with 20?
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Wear and tear, utilities, more prep and cleaning.
I have a group of three now that booked for two. I messaged them sweetly, “I didn’t realize you had three in the party! Would you like me to bring extra towels etc…” AirBnB always backs me up and I’m less likely to piss them off. I’ve only received one retaliatory review for collecting my extra guest fee.
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That was my laugh of the day.
Because it’s easier. Because it’s what most hotels do. Because a couple can use all the beds, take long showers, use all the toilet paper, etc. Because your primary cost is the amortization of your real estate and it is the same cost per day for 1 guest as it is for 5 guests.
I’m not saying having an extra-guest fee is bad. There is no doubt that more guests have a real cost associated with them. Also, having a low price for 1 or 2 people might be the best way to stay competitive in your market. However, guests aren’t going to change, so it might be worth considering to increase your nightly rate and drop the extra guest fee–especially if the average number of guests per reservation is 3 or more.
It’s amazing that so many guests think they are entitled to sneak in extra guests instead seeing it as theft. I think so many get irate when they are caught and asked to pay because they are mad at themselves because they have been lying to themselves about it not being theft.
A lot of hotels show room prices for a specific occupancy, but I’ve never heard of one questioning a guest for having 4 people in a room booked for 1. I’m sure it happens, but they usually just let it slide and that might be where some guests have developed the habit.
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If all they did was sleep on the floor, it probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, unless they exceeded legal limits. But they also tend to take hot showers, use toilet paper and soap and shampoo, drink up the coffee and tea and other edible amenities, use towels, plug their devices in to the electricity, you know, pesky everyday living stuff like that. Most hosts price their places based on their expenses and the amount of profit that makes it worthwhile to host.
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No, I would agree that booking for 2 and turning up with 20 would absurd. I guess for me it’s just an odd concept, the idea of charging per person. Hotel’s don’t charge (at least in the US) by the number of people, so it’s just an odd concept to me. Is that normal in other places outside the Airbnb world? For me If they have 2, 3 or even 4, it doesn’t change that fact that we go through the same cleaning list regardless. For us literally doesn’t change anything. Do you do in-home or is it detached?
@muddy thanks for the feed back. I guess we just look at it from a more holistic and less granular approach. I guess one difference is that we provide small shampoos and conditioner, etc (travel size) amenities that can’t be reused either way (much like a hotel). So rather 1 or 4 people use it, it doesn’t make much difference. Having said that we do fully stock the fridge and freezer with drinks, soda, even food, and we have never been taken advantage of. It was a concern that we would be when we started. Thankfully even our worst guests haven’t done that. Thanks for breaking it down.
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What if they have 5? 6? 100? Obviously at some point even you would have a cutoff where it would cost you more to accommodate the extra people. Everybody’s cutoff point is different.
I charge a base price for two and more per guest up to six. One or two people use only one bed (usually), use fewer towels, eat fewer snacks, have lower utilities usage, tend to be quieter, don’t cook as much, are less likely to spill things or break things, and tend to be self sufficient so altogether far less work for me. Also, they are that much less likely to have an accident that I would need to claim on my insurance.
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I do. I run a quality establishment where folks don’t sleep on the floor. It’s not a flophouse. And if they bring more than 2 persons per room (including children and infants, for which the rooms are neither suited for nor safe) they are violating the house rules.
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It matters for a few reasons:
- My insurance only covers registered guests, not random extras.
- City regs require I keep a guest list with first and last name.
- As the homeowner, I chose the max occupancy that makes sense to legally and comfortably share my home. Each time someone has brought extra guests, I can tell within moments of them walking in the house. 5-6 people are simply louder than 3-4. There are a number of reasons I chose my max occupancy, none of which are up for negotiation. Guests simply need to understand consent and respect. It’s my home, not a clown car.
- Although I realize it’s unlikely, if there were an emergency I’d like to provide emergency people an accurate count of who is in my home.
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Thanks, now that all makes sense. Appreciate the thoughtful and helpful reply.
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Some people live in communities that limit how many guests they can have at once. Homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and even some cities have those limits.
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I love your response, Georgiahost!
Off the top I don’t know if US hotels charge more for more than 1 guest. What I do know is that this is not a hotel, and people have a right to know how many and who is on their property.
Further, if I allow more people, it puts out the message that this is fine in our community.
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Really? Hotels don’t charge by the number of people? As far as I’m aware, hotel room rates are normally based on double occupancy and usually kids under 12 are free. I’m sure a hotel would have something to say if a person booked a double room and had 6 adults staying in there on air mattresses on the floor.
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Just stayed in a Michigan hotel for my daughters college graduation and I was charged more for the 1 room with 4 staying than I was my room with one staying.
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Because I’m a live-in host renting ONE room with a king-sized bed and I don’t want people sleeping on the floor. It’s my house, my rental, that’s why I care.
For remote hosts, the issue is safety and wear and tear on the home. And possibly insurance, HOA rules… you know… life. And it’s their listings.
Plus, guests not on the reservation are an insurance liability and violate Air’s policies
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