Is this entitled language?

[Rolf]

@house_plants

Many times it is not a request. It is a demand.

You will punish them for their interaction? You will punish them for their grammar? You will punish them for their curtness? Hmmmm…

[Helsi]

And for not having English as a first language @Rolf

[muddy]

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.

[KKC]

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.

[KKC]

@JJD

when was that?

Here’s a thread about it and a link the the article that uses the language about reviews reflecting the author’s experience.

New Review Policy

Looks like this was released on Monday but I just got a pop-up about it on my dashboard. In case you haven’t seen it: Should be interesting Some movement is always better than no movement. It will be interesting to hear if anyone has a decidely different experience than previously, when dealing with a review issue.

Given your laugh emojis I’m guessing there’s a joke that I’m not getting involved but my brain can’t seem to process what that is today.

[Lozette]

Is this entitled language?

I got a booking today from a guest who wants early check-in. I feel she has an entitled attitude based on the way she wrote. I’m curious what others think. My post booking confirmation has a line saying Check in time is xx PM. Early check-in will not be possible. The guest write backs How may we request early check in? I thought I made it clear it won’t be possible. So I told her that she should cancel and book something else. then her response is I can manage regular check-in as well.…

Where is she from? Her messages sound like she doesn’t speak English and it’s a translation from what she speaks.

[gillian]

@Rolf

You are in the hospitality business…

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.

[Roocroft]

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”.

[Lozette]

I agree with your assessment

[Tranquility_Base]

@house_plants

I just have scars from bad reviews left from people who I didn’t give early check-in.

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.

[muddy]

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.

[Margi1]

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.

[house_plants]

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.