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I know there are many US hosts that are waking up to disappointing news - imagine if you’ve already spent $ 1,300 to come to DC to celebrate our first woman president?
Of course I will offer to refund if I re-book. Right? Policy is strict.
As much as they wanted to be here had their candidate won, I’m sure they do NOT want to be here since she lost.
I thought she was being a bit presumptuous.
Thoughts?
Hi @dcmooney,
Yes, just saw the results. This is very very bad news. My sympathies to all Americans. Though perhaps we should be offering sympathies to everyone, as this is bad news for everyone.
It belatedly occurs to me that you might be talking about your reservation. And yes, you could refund if you rebook. Unless your guest tries playing the extenuating circumstances card. She might just discover that she has been taken suddenly and violently ill. 
Can I come live in your tower room? With my three kids? 
But is there a risk to me if I tell her I’ll refund her if I rebook?
Do I message her and say “You may cancel the reservation; if I re-book for those dates I will refund your money?” Is this how it works?
I’ve seen hosts say they do this; just want to understand.
Thanks
Hi @dcmooney,
I should probably let the more experienced hosts give advice, but why not just hold off for now and not say anything? Can’t you refund her later as and when you want? Is there a time limit?
LOL. We’ve been having extra fun here today, ourselves. Did you hear our fun Indian news? It wasn’t as momentous as the fun US news. More annoying than momentous. The criminal lunatic who calls himself the Indian Prime Minister has withdrawn all the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes in circulation. That’s most of the paper money (by value) in circulation in India. And much of India runs on money, much of it part of the underground economy. Which is why this has been done, of course. It’s an attempt to flush out illegal/underground money. Though it’s not going to change anything, either.
She’s a new user - only one review. I’m concerned she didn’t even look at the cancellation policy…
I didn’t see the last bit before replying
Yes, she can take ill and cancel - if she does it now! Not the day before arrival!
That’s a good argument for suggesting she cancel now and telling her I’ll refund if possible. This way she won’t be tempted to do something duplicitous later.
Yes, I heard that on the radio. Did you hear the momentous news from the UK? Not the news that Prince Harry has a ‘mixed race’ American girlfriend. No. The big news on BBC radio was that the chocolate bar, Toblerone, has been reduced in size causing a consumer uproar.
So while Americans were agog watching the election and Indians were concerned about the currency, the UK was fussing about chocolate. That’s what I call priorities
@dcmooney I am still processing the news myself. But the couple who had booked our basement apartment in DC (at a relatively low premium and on a flexible policy because we had yet to get a review) had naturally canceled this morning. I sent her a note to say I understood and commiserated with her.
Friends and guests had been telling me that the rates I was charging her for inauguration week ($150/night) was a steal and should have charged more. Partially because of that and perhaps partially out of pique I’ve upped my rates to a ridiculously high $250/night for that week and $350 around the 20th and set my cancelation policy to moderate.
Maybe someone will pay it, maybe not. I don’t know. Maybe I don’t want to host that weekend. Who knows. Maybe I’ll get over it by Thanksgiving.
What’s a daily rate that makes up for for pasting on a sincere-looking and gracious host persona on a week that many of us may find difficult to cheer on? (This is a rhetorical question, of course)
FYI I was netting $260 a night, but that’s for 5 people. It’s only $125 more a night than my high-season rates. I had those dates blocked, but had just turned off a pricing service so was manually putting in my rates and BAM she booked me. I felt like I could have gotten more but of course had to accept it.
You can do it - you can wear your lovely host mask as they money goes into your account. What’s the other option? Pass up a windfall AND be disappointed politically?
Try to check what % of hotel are already booked.
If close to 100% you can get higher price
Yes, and because she booked immediately after the days being opened up for a few minutes, I’m confident I can re-book for more. When I was using Beyond Pricing they had those days priced at over $300 back in September. (Although in truth I did not find Beyond Pricing’s pricing helpful, it still tells me the increase could be considerable).
Does anyone know the answer to my question? Do I write her now and allow her to cancel with a promise of refund if I do get a booking?
Obviously you’re not responsible for the results of the election, nor medias in denial trying to brainwash citizens (not a Trump supporter here, but I had seen this one coming, French medias are in denial of our populist candidate).
I would not proceed to a refund. Your guest took a bet, had 1 chance over 2, she lost. End of the story.
Yes, I see that view, too. My bad for even having the dates open and accepting the reservation - I had qualms about someone so sure of what was going to happen.
In part I’m irked that my first thought this morning was about my airbnb guest…I had been concerned about it.
But it’s not my problem, right?
Only fact for my own self is that I think I could have gotten mo money had I kept the dates blocked until this morning.
You are sure she will not come but to be sure that she is canceling and not getting your date blocked for nothing maybe you can offer a small refund now…to get dates open or see first if she is canceling after you are saying no refund.
Interesting idea; thanks.
Strict is strict. Keep the money and buy your kids some Christmas presents.
Ha! The money she was paying is about what we spend on ALL of Christmas!!
Now that I think about it some more, she’s coming from CA, so surely she booked plane tickets as well?