Guests hanging around unit before check in

@Zandra @konacoconutz
I’m still not in my grave yet :wink:, although two months ago I almost was. But you know, what doesn’t kill you, will only make you more craz…uhhh… stronger!
I’ve been very busy: work, almost a new place :relaxed:, guests in trouble,…

Anyway, don’t worry girls: I’ll be back ! :kissing_heart::kissing_heart::kissing_heart:

@Brittany_Anderson If you don’t want him hanging around, explain to the guest that this isn’t very pleasant for other guests or your cleaning staff (ak yourself).

4 Likes

@GutHend…g ood to hear from you, and sorry about your health issues! Hope everything is okay!

New place? One you designed? Do tell!

By offering to allow the guest to drop his bags off at the door, and recommending nearby cafes/parks where to ‘hang around’ before returning to the premises, you can make it known that being within the premises is not part of his ‘hang-around’.

If an early bag-drop-off is not possible, I might word it like this:

“Check-in, which includes entry to the premises, is agreed for x am …” And then go on to recommend those cafes/parks etc.

You might even want to update your Rules where you say link check-in to guests’ first entry into the premises.

Like others have said, it’s probably not possible to stop someone walking the streets outside your premises. The best that can be done is to be emphatic about the cafe/park recommendations. Hopefully, something like this works for you.

2 Likes

super busy over here!

1 Like

So I let them know that we would be ready for them between 2-3pm, which was the check in time requested. Then I told them a litany of things to do around town that should keep them busy for much of the day. I’m crossing my fingers this works! will let you know how it goes!!
From what I’ve experienced, most people don’t read the house rules. People wear shoes in the house, leave food debris in their rooms, so I’ve pretty much given up on adding things to the house rules… but I will add it anyway just for giggles :wink:

2 Likes

Whaaa? I always go dead as doornails in the summer! What’s your rate? You may tell me in a PM if you wish. :slight_smile:

Airbnb was sending me all kinds of things trying to persuade me to lower my rate…so I raised it. LOL. My self contained apartment under the house (with mostly 6ft ceilings) is $85/night with a $40 cleaning fee. September is our 4 year anniversary of hosting so I’m doing $50/night to celebrate :slight_smile: My shared space “bedroom suite” with private bath is $81-$95 per night. September I am also doing $50 per nights to celebrate, but most of them have been booked. I’ve noticed that the smart pricing usually keeps my rate at the lowest I’d take so I adjust my pricing on my own with the trends. It is a bit more of upkeep for me but I don’t like Air having control over my rates.

amazing you are getting booked so much when summer is dead. At least on our side. All my neighborhood rentals are dead too. What, they stay Hilo side and not Kona? (cue pidgin accent)

This! Some guests think that they are the only ones ever to stay at your place. It’s weird but true. They just don’t get it and seem to imagine that you have been waiting all year only for them to arrive and that they can check out whenever they like because obviously you will close your place until such time these special hallowed people may bless you with their presence again.

Sometimes guests, like children, need to be reminded in a kindly manner that they are not the only people in the world and It is Not Your Turn Yet.
At the same time, simply explaining the situation to guests (and children!) can obviate these awkward things: just explain WHY it’s not ok to turn up and grab the parking space and get in the way before other guests have left. The vast majority of people are reasonable and will understand - the rest, well you just have to deal with them as best you can!

5 Likes

@Brittany_Anderson

My condo is also in a fly-to destination so there are a fair number of guests who arrive in town hours before check-in. I have communicated to them beforehand the stringency of their check-in time but they know I won’t be there. They have the entry code and I know they intend to try and gain entry on arrival. Wrong-O.

I don’t take any chances after my experience with one couple who did not adhere to my instructions about checking in. They showed up an hour earlier, used their code and let themselves in and scared the housecleaner half to death. She was on her hands and knees hand-wiping the floor in the entry as she was working her way out the door. She had her earphones in listening to music and didn’t hear them open the door. You can imagine the joint reaction of the three of them.

I was livid when I learned of it. (As an aside, the housecleaner had a stroke 6 mos. earlier.)

After that, I set some new rules for both the housecleaner and guests. For the housecleaner, do not change the code until she is done and on on her way out, and if she hears knocking, ignore it. For the guests, I remind the ones who I know will be in town hours earlier that check-in is from 3 pm and they may have immediate access from that time on. I commiserate with them that they will be “homeless” for a few hours but it can’t be helped…though sometimes it can be. [wink-wink!]

I suggest they enjoy a nice leisurely lunch at one of the nearby restaurants or relax at the pool deck downstairs where there are restrooms and a snack bar but not to go upstairs and knock at the door because the housecleaner will not let them in if she is not done prepping the unit.

I also remind them that “unfortunately”, they may not drop their luggage off in the condo because the housecleaner does not want the responsibility and she will not work around the luggage. There is really no room for argument.

There has not been an incident for several years. All it takes to ward off guests who try to test the early entry rule is to take the upper hand. I know your situation is a bit different with you having a stand-alone property where incoming guests could hang around and make themselves a real nuisance but it is just a matter of coming up with the right thing to say to take control of the matter.

2 Likes

From what I understand the board of Tourism is heavily pushing Hilo as a off-the-beaten-path type vacation. I have an Instagram account for my Airbnb and I’ve gotten a few bookings off that.

1 Like

Interesting. I should try it.

Sandy, i agree… I think I I have told the story of when I managed my friend’s beach house and our cleaning staff quit on us without warning. So I hired my BF at the time who needed the money to clean (I know big mistake) …I told him, whatever you do, don’t let the guests in early if they come. Tell them to wait at the beach until check in time. well guests came early and talked him into stopping cleaning. Plied him with alcohol… oh here have a drink, charge the owner for a full cleaning and let us in early.

I was furious!!! And broke up with him over that!

If you let guests in early before the place is clean they can complain it wasn’t clean and want money back.

2 Likes

Sooo true! And on top of that, what you said (wrote) the other day about “first impressions” make lasting impressions. That’s how it is with me so I figure why chance it. Let them see the place as it’s supposed to be.

Yeah, I remember the stint with you managing your friend’s beach house but I forgot the tidbit about your BF being plied with liquor and letting the guests in early. Dang, he was an easy mark, huh. Too bad.

2 Likes

Well, as a fellow healthcare worker, we know you can’t allow a guest to listen in on a consultation. You need to be firm about that part for sure, and not feel a bit bad about it.

1 Like

This, luckily has yet to be an issue for the space I list. I believe it is because I send guests access instructions which also includes the question “what time after 3:00 will you be checking in.” This forces them to answer with an appropriate time response.

I think I was too ashamed to admit it. :grimacing: This was in my early days of managing vacation rentals, too. Learning curve number 2200.

I remember he called me up and said he was getting drunk with the guests when it was only 12 noon. Then fessed to the rest.

1 Like