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Background: I had a guest cancel because their cat was at the vets after a fit. I told them they could book later no penalty and opened up in case of a last minute booking. Not fussed either way. Was watching tv and got this message but didn’t see it to reply till much later. I have a minimum 2 night policy. I’ve noticed recently that not doing what people want you to do when they ask (nicely!) is considered a moral failing on my part. Or maybe it is just me
ps. I thought of wishing her good luck with the fishing but remembered they are probably in my neighbourhood (good fishing spot) and probably driven past a few times and I am home alone so best to keep
Brianna6:12 PM
Hi James, would you consider a last minute overnight stay tonight? just for the one night please it would be much appreciated
•6:12 PM
James8:49 PM
Sorry just read this.
Brianna8:53 PM
That’s ok, is this something you might consider?
my partner and i are hoping to do some fishing when the tide comes in at 11 and it would be nice not having to travel all the way home afterwards plus waking up to that amazing view in the morning
James8:54 PM
Sorry not tonight.
Message from Airbnb Service
Enquiry declined
•8:55 PM
James8:55 PM
minimum 2 nights
Brianna9:15 PM
Very disappointing. Not everyone can afford that type of money. As much as im sure theyd love to stay the 2 nights and pay you for the time if they could afford it but unfortunately they lose their oppurtunity altogether to stay at all, just the 1 night they can afford to pay.
Yep! I put in some breakfast supplies.
Last guest informed me that what I had supplied was insufficient to their needs and wanted a daily refresh. It was more like they expected enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner. First time in 4 years that someone complained about fresh food in the fridge!
And her last message says “they” as if it was a third party booking, where the first ones say “we”. These scammers can’t even get their stories straight.
There’s a recent one that in the running for Most Entitled Inquiry over on the Airbnb CC. Look in the Host Circle section for the “I am doing you the service of booking with you” thread. (Sorry, links won’t copy from that section)
It’s a doozy. Read through the thread to where the OP then posted the guest’s response to the very professional and restrained message the host sent back.
It didn’t occur to me they were trying to scam me except asking for something I don’t offer. Or maybe later threaten to leave lots of dead fish unless I pay them to remove them?
I clicked the link to Airbnb but got the message: “The application you are trying to authorise has made an invalid request”
Maybe I should have sent that as the reply. Will do from now on to people who request 1 night on a 2 night booking.
I just edited that. Look above for directions to find it. That section of the community forum is only open to hosts so I guess they have links blocked somehow. Which is good, because hosts can post stuff there they don’t want guests to be able to read.
I wouldn’t have picked up any scam on the original inquiry. But she presented it as “My partner and I”, then in her last entitled message, it’s all “they”.
Bet you anything they wanted to throw a party.
I thought of replying that it would cost $215 for the one night but I figured she’d immediately come back with “That’s a bit expensive can you lower it to $145?”, “We’re only going to be there 8 hours”, “can we check out late since we won’t check in till 1am”, “its 1am and wear outsid as cant work out how to use the lockbox can u let us in?” and “theres no breakfast stuff as promised so will be leaving early but expect a full refund or we’ll leave a bad review”.
I’ve just reopened this week after being closed since early January. I haven’t noticed any difference, my guests are generally good as ever. The pandemic brought many new guests in, people looking for different sorts of leisure and looking to not stay in a hotel. I try not to take those kinds of snits personally. They haven’t been trained to understand how Airbnb works.
My background as a teacher helps me deal with this. Lots of what you are calling “entitlement.” Every semester there would be a handful of kids who didn’t think due dates, required elements of the assignment or minimum grades applied to them. This couple probably thought they should have passed their class with a 57 when 60 was the passing mark.
Being a teacher or a parent is pretty good training for the dealing with people part of hosting. Parents constantly hear the refrain “That’s no fair!”, and “You’re so mean! Everyone else is allowed to go.” The last one used to amuse me- I’d name some friend of theirs whose parents I knew were pretty strict.
“Really, Jessie’s allowed to go to a party where the parents aren’t home?”
“Well, no, she can’t go, either.”
You are correct and wise dear. Since our 4 month lockdown last year all my guests have been great and I must admit I have stopped getting upset by small transgressions like yapping dogs because I know what it is like to have no dogs, including my own, for 4 months.
Dang, that takes some nerve!