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I’m curious how often other hosts get requests for early check-in and/or late checkout. A quarter of my guests make that request. Most of the time I cannot offer it due to logistical reasons. I also don’t like the additional wear and tear as well as the utility costs associated with guests staying longer than what they are paying for.
Another reason I don’t offer late check-outs is that I accept same-day bookings. There are many terrible Airbnbs on the island and people book them because of the low rates. Once they get there they are horrified and look for a different place. I often have last-minute availability as I keep my rates higher than the competition. Offering late check-outs prevents me from taking same-day highly profitable bookings.
I have had one or two instances of losing a star because I did not offer early check-in or late checkout. I explain that another guest is checking in that day, so to allow them to check in on time, I cannot offer a late check-out. The worst is when someone messages 15 minutes before check out that they need a late checkout.
I have started adding that early check-in and late check out is not available in the automated confirmation message, check-in instructions and check-out instructions. Since many guests don’t request it I want to remove these additional instructions.
I wonder how many hosts offer early check in or late check out. It seems guests are conditioned to expect that their request/demand will be honored.
What are some good ways of helping guests understand that they cannot take early check-in and late check out for granted?
Asking for early check-in and late checkout seems automatic for some guests. I say this because my own checkout time is a generous 12 noon, and check-in is a reasonable 2 pm, but I still get asked. Often it is a vague, “Can we get an early check-in?” with no time attached. It just feels like they ask everywhere.
They might take it for granted no matter what you do.
I have said this before about late outs and early in’s.
The guests see photos of empty listings.
It is empty when they come and will be empty when they go.The guest doesn’t see a later check out as an issue…… But for most hosts it is a revolving door.
Hotels can allow / offer these as a favour, but they have many rooms which allows them to juggle.
As I do a meet and greet, my last topic with the guest is - in order to schedule the cleaning team (me) do you have an idea when you will be checking out? This sets up my expectations and theirs. The ones who say midday are shut down at once
I gave up long ago on trying to control guests. I have some control over what I do. So I have a day between bookings. If I can have a back to back then I open the calendar for a same day booking. I realize your business is different so you can’t do exactly as I do. But the point is the same, try to think of what you can do, not how to change guests.
Perhaps you could have a day between bookings and then offer early check ins or late check outs for an added fee to help offset your loss of income.
Remind guests on the day of check out what time check out is. “Good morning, I’ve enjoyed being your host. As a reminder, check out is at xx. blah de blah…” Perhaps include that the cleaners are expected to arrival at the rental at check out time. Knowing the cleaners are waiting in their car (or whatever) might help get them out on time.
[quote=“lawre, post:2, topic:51860”]
checkout time is a generous 12 noon, and check-in is a reasonable 2 pm, but I still get asked. Often it is a vague, [/quote]
Curiously, the vast majority of the requests we get specify a time.
Our comment there is “check out is at 11:00”, and then give them a quick run down on check out procedure. We reinforce it the night before with a text message or an OTA system message, but depending on our ins and outs we do sometimes (shock horror from some!) actually offer them a later check out. I’d say that the vast majority thank us for the offer, but have already planned their day so toddle off before 11:00.
I’m of the opinion that if you can offer it, do so. After all, we’re in the hospitality industry, which many hosts seem to forget.
I don’t get asked very often. I just be honest about it. If a guest asking when they’ve just booked, or in the time leading up to the visit, I tell them that if the previous guests leave earlier that the normal 11am check out and then I’ll let them know and they can check in early
For late checkouts, I’ve already asked the next guests what time they plan to arrive so if they’re not coming until late, I offer the departing guests late checkout.
If I can’t let arriving guests come in early then I suggest that they go to the beach, one of many attractions or for a long lunch. I do offer to look after their bags if they’ve flown to the area,.
Prior to the pandemic, I have fees for early check -in and late check out. I explained that I had to pay the cleaners a rush fee. (I’m the cleaner) I also told people that if they didn’t want to pay to confirm an early check in, I would let them know the day of check in when the place would be ready. Even when I did this, the folks often didn’t show up early. For late check-out, I can only do until 12 pm also due to folks checking in. I used to nearly be fully booked.
Now I flat out don’t permit it because I block the day before and day after to run a HEPA machine and air out the place. I explain due to COVID I can not prepare the suite if I give early check in or late check outs.
What really peeves me is when guests inform me when they are checking in prior to my published 4 pm check in time. (Even though I specifically ask what time after 4 pm they will be checking in.)
I just had a guest who informed me at 2 pm that she was on her way. I knew she was new to Airbnb and informed her politely that it is not ok to tell me you are checking in early but to ask and if I can accommodate I will.
On the guest side, we’re a different sort of place that requires packing everything out on a trail, @house_plants . They need a little time for that. On the host side, I have two days turnaround built in because of my job, so it’s not like I’m cleaning like mad for a same-day.
As @jaquo says, honesty works. If the place is ready, they are welcome to it. If it is pouring rain and I can give them an extra hour or two to pack out, I do. If I can’t, I don’t.
When the request is vague, I ask what time they are thinking and they often don’t get back to me. That’s the other reason I think it is automatic.
Thanks for training these guests not to expect that they can check in whenever they want.
I have said this to a few guests but then I often get a follow up question: Can you make it ready sooner? Or messages every 10 minutes: is it ready yet?
It’s another reason that I don’t mark my listing as infant friendly: young families need the space for infants’ nap time but most of them are not yet used to paying for an extra night or more space to make their children comfortable.
Another reason I don’t offer late check-outs is that I accept same-day bookings because there are many terrible Airbnbs on the island. People book them because they are cheap and once they get there they are horrified and look for a different place. I often have last-minute availability as I keep my rates higher than the competition.
These same day bookings are often at high rates and these guests leave a five-star review as well because they are so happy to get out of a terrible place into a nice one.
I’d say 10% of guests ask for early check in. I offer it for a fee. It’s a service and I don’t take into account how easy/hard it is to accommodate, I just bill for it.
Guests who take it seem really happy it is an option and send me nice thank you notes. I assume guests who take a pass were just looking for a little extra perk or convenience, as they don’t seem very disappointed to turn it down.
That’s a great data point that some guests are willing to pay for it and even thankful. I only tried to ask someone to pay once and was not successful so I gave up.
Have you had any negative reviews from people who wanted early check in and didn’t want to pay?
The way I see it, it’s a trade-off. If a host wants to maximize their income and therefore take back-to-back bookings, they are going to have more stressful situations to deal with- guests asking for early check-ins and late check-outs, having to scramble to clean the place up if guests have left it a mess, and so on.
Hosts who aren’t intent on full occupancy and leave a day or more between bookings can be more accommodating, therefore guests have less reason to be annoyed, and don’t end up marking you down for not being as flexible as they wished. You can’t have it both ways.
Nothing negative at all. I communicate politely, “I’ve checked and we can organize the schedule to accommodate an early check in. There is a $25 fee that will be billed through a resolution center notice on the Airbnb platform. Let me know if you are still interested.”
Even if it’s just your personal schedule for cleaning, or being there for check in, or whatever, it is still an accommodation.
We don’t offer late checkout as we always schedule the cleaners at 10am for 10am checkout. They prefer that time and good cleaners are like gold, so that’s that.
If there aren’t too many turnovers that day and the previous guests left everything in good shape and started (or even finished!) linens and there are no minor repairs needed we might be totally finished much earlier than the 3pm checkin. If that is indeed the case we message the guests they can show up whenever they are ready.
This time of year, with monthly rentals, we have over 24 hours to turnover a house, but the cleaners may have 12 houses in that 24 hours. So one of our homes was ready the 1st day, and we told the guests who were in the area they could checkin in the morning. The other house was more of a disaster that took several cleaning passes well into the next day. They were dropped off by a car service while we were doing the final walk-thru and putting up the welcome sign, three hours early! Luckily we were just finishing, so we welcomed them in.
Once the house has a final walkthrough there is no reason for us not to let the guests in, and tell them it’s ready for them whether they ask or not.
I have a file with my cut and paste responses, this is my late check out/early check in response:
Unfortunately that is not possible… My agreement with the housekeeper is that she sets her own schedule and I do not ask her to change it. She juggles family obligations, both child and elderly parent care and I do not set her schedule she works around my check in and check out times.
Edited to add, I used to offer early/late for a fee until once I forgot I had an early check in until it was almost too late and had to scramble to clean. Not worth the stress for me.
I’m as flexible as my schedule allows. If early check in isn’t possible, I offer luggage drop off. As far as late check out, I let them stay until noon (11 is what’s posted) at no extra charge for either. I check with them on their last night to see what time they are planning on heading out in the morning. I actually don’t get many requests for either.
Best to do this the day before with the checkout instructions and perhaps a second message on the morning of departure wishing them a pleasant trip home!
Summer 2019 I had my youngest guests ever & the most number of fly-in guests. Practically everyone asked for early check-in or late check-out.
Summer 2020 I had several fly-in guests so the same requests for early & late accommodations.
2019 & 2020 I had an empty night between rentals so easy to accommodate requests.
Summer 2021 not one fly-in guests. No requests for early/late in/out. I didn’t have the gap night so I could not have not accommodated a request for early/late in/out.
