Yes, I agree with @NordlingHouse. If I were the guest, I’d assume there was an elevator. Actually, I’d probably ask, but I can believe that a lot of people would simply assume it. Be specific!
This is a tough one, because of regional sort of commonalities, for lack of a better word. For instance, in NYC, it’s totally normal to say 3rd floor walkup because there are buildings with elevators. However, in the majority of the Northeast US, it is most common to have 3-story houses, like the “New England Triple-Decker” and most Victorians as well (these are the bulk of the homes), and yet they never have elevators and no one would expect one as they are really just houses and no one really expects an elevator in a house.
Our house is 3-stories, but it’s just a house and it is the typical style for our area and no one has an elevator. About 80% of our guests are from the immediate region and if I listed our apartment as a “2nd Floor Walkup” it would seem odd at best and possibly pretentious (“oh, I guess that’s a New Yorker…”). It just wouldn’t make any sense whatsoever. And for that matter, there are 7 steps up to the 1st floor of the house and I don’t say “Half-floor Walkup” for the 1st floor apartments - that would be silly. I say 1st Floor and 2nd-Floor and that our house is 120+ years old and then I note that the number of stairs under “must climb stairs” … but if you think you can come to the NE US and stay in a historic old home and not climb stairs, well, that’s plain foolish 
Got to read the listing and also ask the host…
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And @NordlingHouse
But it is only a house. I believe @Jefferson notes it as a Victorian home. Would you really assume that there is an elevator in a house? I’m honestly curious.
edit to add: I am fully supportive of any potential guest asking about stairs/elevators as I stand by my commitment that I prefer and encourage guests to communicate; however, I don’t think anyone with a regular house should have to say it’s a “walk-up”. (And I believe that this is precisely why we have a place to say ‘must climb stairs’ but nowhere to say “no elevator”).
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Guests get confused about whether a post is for an apartment, a freestanding house, a shared house, or whatever. They read or skim or don’t read at all. Adding the word “walkup” can’t possibly hurt @Jefferson. It could be the one word a guest actually sees.
If I booked there, assuming an elevator, and arrived to find no elevator, I wouldn’t be able to stay. I can’t walk three flights of steps. So why not do whatever is possible to prevent that—including a photo of interior steps?
Yes, of course, I do that and anyone with steps should do it. Our steps curve and are a bit narrow, as is typical in these old homes and is important information.
It just doesn’t make any sense really. Of course it’s a walk-up it’s a house with more than one floor. I’m certainly not using a high-percentage of my listing title to say that, because it’s not going to be relevant to most of the guests booking my place. My location and the fact that there’s a full kitchen and a yard is more relevant because 98% of the other listings are also a “walk-up” so it doesn’t set it apart or help me advertise my listing, which is what the title is for.
And your review would start with: “Guest apparently did not read the listing or even look at the photos…”
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He talked about multiple apartments, so I presumed it was what on the left coast would be called a small apartment house. And at least when I lived in SF back in the 60s a top floor apartment would have been called a “walkup” or if an attic apartment even a “garret” or “attic”.
I really wish we had more filters available for searches, though, and stairs should be one of them. I have 21 steps in front and 37 in back (daylight basement in front, full wall in back of house). I do note the steps (one of the reasons why I don’t allow children or infants) in the listing. So far the only guest that had a problem was one of the first guests, but she was with her daughter who booked it and didn’t realize her mom would have so much trouble with the stairs, but still got 5 stars and a small jar of seal oil (hey, this is Alaska!).
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I absolutely agree. Also, it’s really common for even single family homes to have steps to enter the home. Single-family homes are rare in my city but there would definitely be at least 6 steps to enter one…it seems silly to call it a “walk-up”. I really think this is where the listing details come into play and are so important. It seems like anyone who has any issue with stairs should be diligent about checking the spot that says, “must climb stairs” or at least messaging the host and clarifying that there are no stairs or how many stairs. But a filter would be ideal!
Every time we’ve booked an Airbnb, I’ve had to message the host to ask about steps. None of the Airbnb locations we’ve targeted have ever disclosed steps or shown a photo of steps.
I’ve ended up messaging half a dozen hosts just about every time. Maybe one or two of them reply. Maybe.
When we went somewhere and found just one Airbnb within miles, it took three months for that host to reply. I had to get Airbnb involved to contact her. She turned out to be a lovely host with a great property, but she was out of the country for months and didn’t answer messages.
Even with search capabilities for “steps,” I fear that far too many hosts would never bother to check the box.
Finding an accessible Airbnb (steps are my only issue) is always a PITA. We’ve ended up in hotels more than once because I can’t find one or can’t get a host to answer.
And—by the way—hotels don’t always disclose that they have steps and no elevator. Even brand-name places (I recall a Best Western that was silent on that topic, two stories, no elevator).
Not being able to climb stairs is a hardship for a lot of people. If the word “walkup” is somehow offensive (or whatever it is), then I suggest “must climb steps."
My listing says exactly that, in 3 different places, but there’s no room in the listing title for it.
I think it must be difficult with Airbnbs because they are typically ‘homes’ and homes don’t tend to have elevators but steps are common. I am truly sorry you have trouble finding places though and it is egregious that people don’t tick the box or provide a photo of the stairs.
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Hosts who don’t reply are egregious. As are hosts who object to being asked questions.
That’s why I canceled on my ME host who couldn’t be bothered. And that may be why I sometimes get inquiries instead of IBs because people want to test my responsiveness.
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I have the “must climb stairs” box checked and I have a ranch house - no steps anywhere inside, but two steps up to the front porch! I do not want any guests surprised by those steps.
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@georgiahost, I suggest that you say in your listing that “must climb stairs” applies to the two steps up to the front porch. That’s a lot different (for me, anyway), than a flight or two or three of stairs.
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Like this?
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it would not matter if it said “walkup”. Some people just don’t read. It is what it is.
It was all there, for anyone to see:
Sorry that our attempt at a moment of levity apparently has gone so awry.
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I think I said this in another context here, in other words. But I think our main job is customer service, and the fact that we have a room and publish information about it is secondary. I don’t mean to be a pollyanna about it, but we can turn many annoyances around and see them as opportunities for great customer service. If someone asks you simple questions that have already been answered, that’s a great opportunity to repeat something simple that will cause your guest satisfaction with only tiny effort on your part.
I worked for Trader Joe’s a while back, and the simplest thing was the most powerful. Trader Joe’s does not have signs on their aisles, and ALL employees (part-time, managers, and the Captain) are trained to lead a customer to the exact place where an item lives if they ask the question, “where is…?”. It was a revelation to me, too, because it transmitted the notion that whatever I was doing wasn’t as important as paying attention to the customer; and that nothing is too trivial.
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if it’s an apartment building most likely, although I’ve seen apartment buildings without it. When it’s someone’s house, no. Besides, here in US, 3rd floor is the attic, la mansarde, or whatever you call it. Most houses have it, you are not supposed to be super rich to have it.
Now private homes with lifts/elevators do exists in the US but they tend to belong to rich people with mansions or humongous home with a gazillion of bedrooms.
Private houses with lifts are fairly common here. It gobsmacks me - people will lose the use of their legs. 
Monaco? French Riviera? 