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Our listing has the following description:
A few min ago, we got a booking inquiry from a fellow host, with good reviews:
I don’t always say that people don’t read. But when I do, I post images.
In case anyone is wondering, we responded very quickly with a nice sympathetic message.
A lot of people would assume you have an elevator unless you call it a walk-up…
The accommodation is on the 3rd floor of a building according to what you have provided on this post. Are there stairs that you do not have in the listing? From the limited information in your initial post it is hard to see what your listing offers. The question from potential guest seems legit.
Our most common non-reader asks to bring pets when our rules say no-pets. If someone is searching several listings in a hurry there is a lot of information on each listing that is not always as prominent as we think it is.
I must have become Americanised over the years because I would tend to assume that a place on the third floor would have a lift. (Elevator, sorry). Therefore I don’t find it unusual for the guest to ask. One of our apartments is on what Americans call the second floor (first floor in the UK) and I’ve had people as if we have an elevator. There are only 17 steps but I guess if you’re unsteady then that seems like Everest.
Funny, Christine, about the pet thing. I get that a lot too. Mind you, I think every time I’ve stayed in an Airbnb rental, it’s said no pets and when I’ve asked to take the cat, it’s been okay. 
In fact, I am glad they ask. I’d hate for them to get here and not be able to get up to the apartment. That would be rough all the way around. We can put everything in the listing but I’d still rather guests ask about things if they feel the need to (reading and insecure or not reading, it doesn’t matter to me) - it also tells me what is most relevant to them so that I can provide the best stay. I prefer the information that their questions give me, personally.
Me too. It helps to consolidate the sale and get to know your guests. By the time they arrive, you have a relationship established with them. The ones who never ask a thing are the ones to watch out for to me. Who doesn’t have the occasional question about the place?
I would be kind in this case. A hip operation is no joke, and she is probably stressed. She took the time to address you by name. She also was probably wondering if you had any other handy amenities to support her.
Man, you must be upsetting a lot of hosts. The nerve of you to ask! 
We are a small historic town. In the USA elevators are primarily in NYC etc.
Here, an elevator is a high-end feature and would be called out, not the other way around.
I was kind to him … it was the last thing in my post … but perhaps you didn’t get that far?
I know, awful isn’t it?
It’s surprising though how many hosts who definitely don’t want dogs are okay about cats. (Our condo rules are the same - no dogs but cats are fine). No pets seems to be a sort of default, somehow.
I admit that I am terribly biased but cats aren’t anything like the trouble that dogs can be (they don’t slobber for one thing) but I think the most important thing (here anyway) is that cats don’t bark! 
Ok well I thought that some of you might it amusing. Never mind. The listing does mention 2 flights of stairs, further down.
The point is that 3rd floor is called out in the very first line. He did not ask about elevator or stairs.
You people just love to be contrary … 
Don’t assume most people would know that. They won’t, especially if they aren’t familiar with your area. Happy to hear it’s in your listing, though.
It doesn’t really matter. He literally didn’t see the 2nd sentence on the first line. We thought it was amusing.
In all fairness, the Airbnb search criteria is so poor that as a potential guest I’m reading through dozens of descriptions and reviews to find a good fit. At some point they all begin to blur together. Granted, I would reread a listing before I booked or sent a query to the host, but it’s information overload.
I’m headed to Paris and London this summer and I spent the entire day yesterday sorting through listings.
Recently someone in the forum asked about what we wished Airbnb had on the platform. In addition to sorting on bed size - which VRBO now has - I wish they had an “x” next to each listing so you could cross them off your list once you see something that isn’t a good fit. Every time I moved the map it reloaded the list I had just gone through.
All in all, it was an unpleasant experience.
I booked Paris on Airbnb, but moved over to VRBO for London where I needed a 2b/2b with a king bed and was able to sort that way.
I agree with everything in this post. It’s a lot of work, even staying in the US. (Which is why I use IB and SH despite the limitations of those filters.)
Yes, yes, yes!
YES.
1000% agree! I can’t tell you how many times I viewed the same unwanted listings when I was looking for accommodations with two queen or larger beds in Italy.
Me too!!! This would really help a lot!
…and it should say 3rd Floor WALKUP…