Less Bookings with IB Turned Off?

[SeasonedHost]

Hi All,

For those of you who once had instant book turned on but have now decided to turn this feature off, have you noticed a drop in overall reservations? I am considering turning instant book off because I cannot manage the quality of guests and have had some bad ones.

[Debthecat]

IB are pushed up to the front pages. Have a look where the algorithm puts you when you turn it off to see just how searchable your listing is. Then decide.
I have heard from some hosts that they are on page 1/2 with IB then drop to page 12 without it.

[realfoodgasm]

Hi. Really sorry to get off topic here. I just signed up for the forum. How do I make a new post with a question?

[Debthecat]

You can’t until you have posted a few times.
What was your question?

[yecatsr]

@SeasonedHost

instant book turned on

I’ve had instant book on for 3 years. Since then, I’ve never been off page one. My two cents. (300+ listings in my area…) SH status of course helps too, but I don’t filter for that when checking on the ranking of my listing.

[Ritz3]

Yes, you will get less booking BUT less can be more if you’re dealing with 3 star guests. You’ll have a bit more control when guests have to request to book. With instant booking, guests that are 3 or less stars can still book as long as a host in the past has not clicked on “will not host again.” The way it’s worded “guests with reviews” does not mean that all guests are 5 stars. They can have reviews that are below the 5 star rating.

I had a guest that used instant booking and he was a total slob. When I looked at his ratings he has 3 stars. Unfortunately, since it was instant booking, I kept the booking and hoped for the best. I should have cancelled it.

[Spitfire]

I’ve moved between and instant and request depending upon my circumstances at the time and have noticed no difference in the amount of bookings

[jaquo]

I’ve always used IB.

It seems to me, and of course, I might be wrong, that hosts who don’t use IB and who carefully ‘vet’ their guests have as many (if not more?) problem guests as those of us who do use Instant Book and accept everyone.

[muddy]

I can only speak for myself, but I have never used IB and have never had a problematic guest.

[RiverRock]

I can only speak for myself, but I have always used IB and have never had a problematic guest

RR

[muddy]

Really? Isn’t this your post?

Urine, blood and dog pee this week

So this has been my week for body fluids, I had a human piss the bed and bleed on the pissed sheets. Then I had my first dog pee in the cottage, the guest called at check out and fessed up that her dog peed on a rug. I am grateful for my double protected mattresses, both a zippered waterproof liners and mattress pads did the job and no damages. Also glad that I have vinyl floors and rugs that can be hung over the outside railing and hosed off. Not too bad after all the dogs that have stayed …

I guess not everyone has the same concept of problematic.

[RiverRock]

The guests were not problematic. It was just my turn to deal with these things I guess.

To me a problem would be overstaying, breaking stuff or pissing off my neighbors.

I have had less than perfect guests, but really no significant issues or damage. I have never had to ask a guest to pay for anything.

RR

[muddy]

Like I said, we all have a different idea of problematic. I would consider a guest who peed the bed, if they didn’t bother mentioning it, and ask how I would like them to deal with it, to be problematic.

As opposed to the really nice guest I had, who had an unexpected attack of Montezuma’s revenge before she got out of bed and could run to the toilet, and got a bit of feces on the sheets. Although she was mortified, she right away told me, said she didn’t want me to have to touch them and could I please show her how to work the washing machine.

And a guest who brought a pet who peed inside I would also consider problematic.

[RiverRock]

@muddy

I would consider a guest who peed the bed,

I am assuming it was a kid, it was one of the twin beds.

I figure it all evens out, first time I have had to deal with this in over 3 years.

RR

[muddy]

As far as general cleaning goes, that’s my attitude, too. Most of my guests leave their space clean and tidy, some really immaculate, and that evens out with the guests who leave it messier.

And that’s also my attitude with guests who are quite self-sufficient, and those who need more attention. It evens out.

I just feel it’s disrespectful to leave a urine soaked bed and not mention it. Doesn’t matter if it’s a kid. Kids who pee the bed need to wear a diaper at night. If they’re supposedly toilet trained and no longer wear diapers, and still pee the bed, there’s something wrong that the parents aren’t dealing with.

[RiverRock]

@muddy

I just feel it’s disrespectful to leave a urine soaked bed

Yes it does. I find it helps not to take things personally.

But whatever, the housekeepers found it and put it in a basket and sent me pics. I put it in an extra long wash cycle and now its clean.

Kids do not always tell parents about accidents.

RR

[Oldlymehouse]

I recently turned off IB for all three of my listings. It appears to be untrue that you are not penalized if you cancel an IB booking because you are uncomfortable. As an experienced host I can often tell from the feel of a communication that a guest may be a problem. This happened twice with instant bookings and the guests were both HUGE problems. So I not longer allow IB. My newest listing NEVER gets booked and I can’t even find it when I search key words. changing from IB made us invisible, but I’d rather fewer booking than the nightmare guests I could have avoided