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I disagree. What guests ask for from a host is some of the most useful information that a review can possibly contain. It is actionable and practical information, unlike “guest was a good communicator and respectful of my house rules…”.
And regardless of what the request may have been, the information is equally useful to a host that cannot provide the same as it is to a host that can provide it.
I’ve personally, been on both sides of the early check-in requests attitude and have also had years when I couldn’t provide an early check in and years now when I can and do provide it. That information would’ve served me as much then as it would now.
To me, there is nothing wrong with a guest asking, and I agree that if they continue to ask or demand when they have already been told no, that is harrassment.
However, giving a guest a 1* in all categories review, if they otherwise were non-problematic, is unfair, and misleading to other hosts (asking for an early check-in may be quite situational, such as an early morning flight, and never be asked for on future bookings) . A lowered communication rating, depending on how their other communication was, would be warranted, but certainly not 1* in the other categories, just because they were annoying about early check-in.
Asking for early check-in doesn’t fall under disrepecting house rules, IMO- following house rules has to do with behavior, not words. If they showed up early, ignoring the no early check-in rule, or didn’t respect check-out time, that would fall under the house rules category, but just asking, even if they ask repeatedly and annoyingly, is a communication issue.
The OP seems to think guests should be rated on his/her own annoyance level. It’s like guests giving a low rating for check-in because they couldn’t figure out how to open the door.
It also seems like the OP thinks it’s perfectly okay to give a low rating for a ridiculous reason but if they get one for a ridiculous reason they should successfully petition to have it removed. I can see the review removal process entering a downward spiral to the point that we are back to all reviews reflect the experience of the person submitting it and we are going to let it stand.
It must’ve been some time prior to Airbnb completely defiling the otherwise well-established 5-point rating system, by declaring that “5” is the only rating higher than zero.
ha, you sound like me. I’m fully aware, but there are certain types who I suspect always ask for more, more, and more (this is also in line with certain cultures in my experience). They don’t need early check in due to flights arriving early, or they are going to a wedding and want the extra hour to prep before heading out at 2pm, or even trying to work around kid nap times. Those situations I understand and accommodate. I guess I just have a gut feeling for this behavior, and it’s actually not that often that I put those details in a review, in fact I think I’ve only done it once, when the guest was really rather entitled.
Actually, it sounds to me like English is not her first language, that’s all. I interpreted it as she’s fine with the regular time but used confusing language following that. I don’t read “entitled”.
I have several “quick replies” at the ready. I believe the proper wording deflects any animosity from “being denied”:
Hi [guest first name],
I’m sorry, but early check-in is not possible at this time. We have guests scheduled to check out at noon on the day you check in, and we need the time to properly clean and prepare the cabin in order to give you the best experience possible. We appreciate your understanding.
-Bob & Tam
Or:
Hi [guest first name]! Thanks for your inquiry! We won’t know if we can offer early check-in until closer to the date. It depends on whether there will be a guest checking out at noon that same day. If that ends up being the case, we will need a certain amount of time to properly clean and prepare the cabin in order to give you the best experience possible. We appreciate your understanding. What check-in time are you requesting?
Bob & Tam
Or:
Hi [guest first name],
We are happy to accommodate your request. You may check in as early as noon [or whatever time we choose to type].
-Bob & Tam
We also have this one I use all the time. I send it as soon as we’re locking up after a same-day turnover, sometimes we finish early. With a 4 PM check-in, this let’s them know that if they’re ahead of schedule they needn’t delay their arrival. Many times we get a reply thanking us and updating us with their ETA:
Hi [guest first name],
The cabin is all ready for you! Feel free to check in anytime!
Bob & Tam
EDIT TO ADD: Sometimes saying “no” like this makes it less personal. Instead of the guest feeling like you’re being stingy or petty or whatever and choosing to not give them this thing, it gives them a plausible actual reason to accept why they CAN’T have early check-in… because it’s for their own good. And then letting them know when it’s ready early, lets them feel like they’re getting something for free.
I agree about there being effective and non-effective ways to say no. A lot of people are so wrapped up in what they need or want that they never think past that. Like it bizarrely never occurs to them that they aren’t booking a hotel with dozens or hundreds of rooms, and there may very well be guests still in the unit from the night before, so obviously they can’t check in at 8am.
Giving people a logical explanation for why you can’t accommodate some request, no matter how stupidly obvious it seems, can help them understand why their request isn’t reasonable or doable.
I just say "oh I’m so sorry, we can’t do that because we need to make sure it’s scrupulously clean for you and that takes time! I think people ask for early check in only because their plane lands several hours before check in, they don’t know the city, etc. I always view them as someone nervous about being in a strange town, not some “free loader”-
I try to suggest places they can go before check in - but now that things have been so dreadfully slow for months I’d probably jump at them getting in early.
update: I requested her to book the night before but she declined. I blocked the night before so she could check in really early. I bent over backwards to be nice to her and extracted a five-star review from her.
I also rewarded her with a 1* on communication and house rules, since she caused a lot of extra work for me. I also wrote up her behavior about unreasonable expectations and not booking the night before in the review.
I gave her the option to cancel with a full refund, but she didn’t. She was overall an unprofitable guest for me because of all the extra work she caused me and having to block the night before. No damage done to my property, and reviews, so I can continue with my business. I know in this business sometimes you have to take a temporary hit for long term profitability and she was just that.
I plan not to go so hard on someone who wants an early check-in, so my risk of a bad review is minimized. Instead I will use some of the text other people have used (even though much of it is not applicable to me).
While I wish my review would give her a tough time finding other places and other hosts wouldn’t have to endure her, I know Airbnb will force other hosts to put up with her.