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That’s why the one day prep time is essential for me as far as having happy guests and no requests for altered times. My guests almost all fly here and then take the bus from the airport, which is an hour away. The flights from the US and Canada usually arrive mid-day, early- mid aft. The flights out usually aren’t until late aft. If I made my guests check out by 10 or 11, they would have to just find somewhere else to hang out, with their luggage, until it was time to head for the airport.
The guests who fly from Europe land in Mexico City, then have to take a domestic flight to PV. So that could get in any time from morning to night. And the guests who take a bus from another area of Mexico can also arrive or leave anytime of day.
It’s just easier to have my 11am-11pm check-in window and 4 pm check-out.
Plus I like having some breathing time between guests myself. My bookings were sporatic my first couple years of hosting, but the season before I closed due to Covid, I was getting quite solidly booked. To the point where I was almost guested out and considered a two day break between bookings.
I would leave the wording in so that you don’t have to say no when you get requests. I have a homeshare and do my own cleaning so I can be quite flexible. When it is just not possible I offer to let guests leave their luggage and pick it up later but it is out of the rented space. They can also drop it off, but that is a rare request. If requested I always get people to commit to a specific time. When I have no back to back reservations I often message guests and tell them that they can come early or take their time leaving. Many appreciate it. This wouldn’t work if you I didn’t live here and had to meet guests elsewhere or schedule a cleaning crew.
We homeshares have the option Christine suggests. I also let them keep the off-street parking spot ( a treasure in my locale!) for the interim. And I am a 5 minute walk from many places to eat, drink or otherwise while away an hour or two before check-in, or after check-out, so it’s always worked out smoothly.
We rarely get requests for early check-in or late checkout .
Each of our scheduled messages remind the guest of the check-in and check-out, and that our cleaner is scheduled to arrive at or shortly after the 10 am check-out time.
It would be difficult for us to extend the check-out time because our housecleaner has been scheduled from the time of booking to come at 10 am. Also, we need every minute from 10 am until 4 pm (check-in time) to do the cleaning and running through our routines.
It is sometimes possible to permit an early check-in time if a guest has not checked out that same day, but we cannot promise that well in advance as we don’t know what our bookings will be.
We did have a guest request an 8 am check-in time, instead of 4 pm, but we explained that we would potentially lose a day of booking were we to promise that, suggested that they instead book check-in for the day earlier, which they did.
I occasionally get requests for early checkin. I tell them I can handle that only if there is no reservation the day before since if there is, then there is insufficient time to prep the apartment the morning of their arrival.
I very rarely get requests for late checkout and if I do, it’s because they have late flights and want to leave their bags. Occasionally I will accommodate that if I my cleaner doesn’t mind coming later in the day, else I tell them it’s not possible. Or I will say pack up your bags and leave them by the front door (inside). Then pick them up at a specified later time (I use a keycode so there is no having for them to keep a key) during which time I will ensure the cleaner has already finished or not started.
I am now thinking I should refer those people to this service https://mindmybag.com/ which could be for people wanting an early checkin which I can’t accommodate or a later checkout.
Late check-in is a bigger problem for us.
Early check-in we tell them, that its possible but only if its ready, and we can not know until the day of check-in. If the room is not ready they will have to wait.
Late check out, not possible at 10:00 the cleaners will enter the room and start cleaning. (I cannot help you have not time management and/or no parenting skills)
Latest check-in is 21:00. We get plenty of requests for those, but only accept them from returning guests or in case of an incident.
If the guest don’t like it they are free to book somewhere else.
We receive late checkout requests quite frequently- usually during their stay. I get it, folks want to maximize their long weekend escape and we do have a super comfy bed. If there’s not a tight turn around and it’s been a good experience hosting so far we will usually give an extra hour or so.
You are in good company. I’ve done that a couple of times. I do it often in FB/phone message threads. My friends and relatives just chuckle. For example, I sent my landscaper a message intended for my daughter that I had plenty of booze for the Christmas party. He volunteered to come help with the excess.
Yes, and it is actually two days between, but only because of my other job schedule. It takes four to five hours to clean and reset my small place. If I were home every day, and if I did same-day turnarounds, I would, of course, have to adjust my check-in and -out.
Once upon a time, when I started hosting, I could do the turnaround in two hours and sometimes did do same-days, and not just because I was a decade younger. There were no bed linens to change or pots/bowls/cups/utensils to wash. Guests brought their own sleeping bags and camping gear and wood. It was a cheap way for them to spend some time in the woods and easy for me. However, that setup is very niche and those days are gone, at least here.
this is becoming an increasingly big issue for me also - I would say that 70% ask for an early check in, of the remaining 30% at least 10% ask to check in after 10pm after booking when I clearly state in my pre booking message that they should inform me of this prior to booking as I cannot always guarantee it’s possible (some of the properties I manage are in buildings where self check in isn’t allowed and forgive me if I don’t want to be waiting for guests to arrive until midnight twice a week!)
No matter how politely I try to say that early check in isn’t possible (for the same reasons you have outlined) people really push me about it and I find it very difficult to stick to my guns and find myself taking on extra stress for both me and my cleaners to try and fit around guest’s schedules, rather than them fitting to ours - that are clearly outlined when they book!
The only thing i have found that sometimes works is if I recommend a bag dropping service - ie the website Bounce - where guests can leave their bags until the apartment is ready. Many guests are very happy with this suggestion.
Have a check to see if this, or a similar website, exists where you are?
The other thing I have tried is charging extra for early check in (Where I am able to offer it) just £20 - 30 depending how many hours early they are asking to arrive. I often find this makes people suddenly reconsider their NEED to arrive early, and where they are willing to pay it helps ease the blow of the extra rushing around that it causes and makes me and my cleaner feel a little less over worked and underpaid!
My early check in requests are trending upwards also. The wording is weird, like they’ve been reading the same “hack Airbnb” tips, where they make an affirmative statement, then maybe soften it with an ask. “We are arriving at noon.” “We will check in as early as possible.”
You cant offer early check in because of “logistical reason” but you can all of a sudden accept same day booking and no logistical problem there. Which is it.
About 10% of my guests ask for early check in or check out. We all here have travelled. The airplane lands in all hours of the day. We all know how nice it is to get early check in or out so I don´t get annoyed when I get asked.
If there is a window available for it I say yes welcome. But if there is now window for it I say no.
But if you as a host. have available early check in but say no because of some principle or “wear and tear” or try to charge extra. Just be that kind of host and good luck.
