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I had my calendar blocked for tonight so I could take my time turning over the house from guests that checked out this morning. I was at the grocery store shopping for a few things for my listing and received a call from Airbnb. I called them back as soon as I was in the parking lot, worried about what it might be. The customer service rep said a “case manager” had tried to call me and that they would call me back. I was all worried about what I could have possibly done to require the attention of a case manager.
They wanted to know if I could accept a guest tonight that needed to be rehomed! Fortunately I had already cleaned the house and made all the beds, so I rushed back to the house with my groceries, stocked the fridge, and grabbed the laundry out of the dryer and stuffed it in a laundry bag to bring home. Half an hour after the phone call my guests were making themselves at home.
This is yet another good reason to have multiple sets of linens for your beds - I’ll be able to finish drying this last load at home and it will be ready for my next turnover.
I asked the Airbnb case manager and he didn’t seem to know. His English was not perfect and my hearing is terrible so I didn’t try very hard to find out details. I did not ask the guest, but I did message with them a bit to get a feel for them before I accepted the booking. They seem like a sweet family. Fingers crossed all will go well.
If I have a day blocked it’s for a reason. I’d be really cross about Airbnb calling me when I have marked a day as unavailable. It’s completely consistent with their flippant attitudes about property that doesn’t belong to them, but still I’m a bit surprised.
I don’t see the problem with Air looking to re-home these guests with another one of their hosts who has the room blocked on the their calendar. Who knows what happened. The other host may be ill for example. It’s only a phone call. There is no penalty for saying no. In this case, if the visit goes well, it seems that everyone wins.
I’m happy to hear that you guys would be helpful. And I’m not unsympathetic to the family. I know there are lots of crappy Airbnbs and that folks need to be rehomed. I hope when that happens in El Paso that they call someone who has open dates on the calendar. Calling someone with blocked days just seems disrespectful to me. Funny the things that will push one host’s buttons and not another’s, eh?
“No means no…oh except for you Airbnb. For you it means maybe.” LOL.
To be clear, I have no problem with them calling me for a rehomed guest on my available days. I’ve only had that happen once.
How do you price a stay like this? I.e. How do you or Airbnb put a price on a blocked day? The day is blocked for a reason and I assume it inconveniences you.
Actually, I just had it blocked because I was taking my time turning it over - I wanted to go play with the horse instead as the weather was so nice. Everything was already cleaned and beds made, with some laundry in the dryer still. I was planning on opening it back up after I had restocked the groceries, and Airbnb caught me as I was at the grocery store, with the listing as my next planned stop anyway.
I charged my normal weekend night price for the number of people that booked.
This was a great family, very sweet people, even with three kids I could hardly tell anyone was there. They obviously cleaned the bathroom and swept up before they left, didn’t eat any snacks or food, doesn’t really look like they touched anything but the beds!
I gave them a five star review, they left me a five star review, and they are already planning to stay with me next time they come to town.
The two times I had to last minute cancel a reservation due to extenuating circumstances (95 F-air conditioner not working & water heater failed) Airbnb last minute rehomed them.
I appreciate any host willing to accept that type of booking. It helps all hosts because the guest comes away with as good of outcome as possible & with a place to stay.
My background is in the hospitality industry and in my experience when things go wrong at a property the industry pulls together to do our best to look after guests - regardless of the rules.
If I have days blocked on my calendar, it’s for good reason. Even if it’s only because I need a break, that, to me, is a good reason. So I would also find it disrespectful for Airbnb to ignore the block and ask me to house a guest last minute.
But I’m glad the OP got stellar guests.
as the weather was so nice. Everything was already cleaned and beds made, with some laundry in the dryer still. I was planning on opening it back up after I had restocked the groceries, and Airbnb caught me as I was at the grocery store, with the listing as my next planned stop anyway.
