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We are getting ready to list our 3-bedroom home. All have queen-sized beds plus we have a queen-sized sleeper sofa in the living area so we can accommodate up to 8 people.
I’m unsure how to price our home. My concern is how many beds I will have to launder and make up…not necessarily how many guests I have staying. I’m worried after reading in this forum that even if one guest books the home, they could use or dirty all four beds. What’s your experience with that happening? Should we set our list price for one person/couple and add on extra guest fees from there, or price the home at a higher “fixed” rate and allow up to 8 guests with no extra guest fees at all?
Thank you. We will not be living there but are only 4 blocks away. Unfortunately because it is an old historic home, the layout is peculiar which does not allow us to lock off any bedrooms as it would shut off other facilities like bathrooms and laundry…
I’m wondering if it is possible to tell guests that if more than one bed is used they will be charged for an extra guest? Is there anyway to do something like that?
You could maybe do that if you have proof that they used more than one bed using pictures as evidence. Can you set up a security camera outside to see how many people are coming into the home? If one person books, that person isn’t entitled to bring company over if you make it a house rule. That’s a common excuse that people will use.
What is the norm in your neighborhood? Where we are, it is very common to charge for extra people - anywhere from a one-time $30 charge to $100 per person per night. That’s because there are not a lot of whole-home rentals, and we consider ourselves as competing with hotels, where they have to rent multiple rooms for more people, and not competing with other VR’s.
I have a 4 bed, 4.5 bath home that is on VRBO and Air. We can have up to 8 ppl stay. Based upon our location, I charge $235 a night plus $140 cleaning. We frequently have 8 stay, yet sometimes fewer. I don’t change the price for less guests. They all have to pay the same amount. I’m booked all of June, July, Aug, Sept and 3 weekends in October. I’m not a beach or destination place. Just a home on a golf course, in the Foothills of Calif. Hope this helps a bit.
You will be severely limiting your income potential for your rental if you price at a level 2 people would be interested in booking. You should price near the top of your occupancy. Perhaps charge extra for guests 7 and 8.
Unfortunately you can’t rent out the whole home and tell guests they can’t use every bedroom they “paid” for. Or charge extra if they use more rooms. That will go over like a lead balloon.
Either determine the occupancy you are comfortable with (I would say 6) or get locks for the doors that you will close off.
Thank you, yes that helps. We are in the Pensacola Beach area of Florida and I would really prefer to have a set rate and not have to deal with charging per guest and having to call people out for having more guests than they originally claimed. We are just a couple blocks away so I plan on doing occasional “drive-bye’s” if I ever suspect there may be shenanigans going on… The airbnb market is pretty active here so I’m hoping to have a booked calendar like yours!
For most of my listings have a base fee for 2 persons, and an extra guest fee for everything above 2.
I have 1 listing for 17p. I have a base rate, and charge for every guest above 10.
I remove all blankets and pillows for beds/rooms that are not booked. I only but a sheet on the mattress for protection.
Lol you are certainly going to have to do this if you are renting a large house that people will try to exceed your max number at anyway. Take the advice of others in this market & get cameras!
As others have said security cameras are a must (externally) if you are going to try to enforce an extra guest fee when the extra guests are brought. I charge an extra guest fee above 2, max 5. I keep all beds made and sheets on. I get a lot of last minute booking so i never know the occupancy too far ahead. Usually a two person booking is great, only one set of sheets to change… but every now and then ( like our last guests) more beds are used. I actually think they only had two people but they used two queen beds and looked like they also spent some time in a single. I need to upgrade my camera as it isn’t good enough to see the whole parking area and I can’t tell how many people get out of the car!!! If I had seen more than two I would’ve requested funds. Actually I have in my rules unbooked guests well be charged at $50 night, extra guest fee is only $15. I think this has deterred people trying to sneak others in.
You win some you lose some is how I look at it with the beds. It really doesn’t make much difference to me cleaning time in the end. best to do it whatever way gives you less stress!
I was speaking with a neighbor that does the same thing (posts that in her house rules) and she has yet to have an unbooked guest. So I guess it can’t hurt?
I haven’t had to enforce the fee yet. Put it in more as a deterrent for those that might be thinking about bringing non disclosed guests. Seems to help!
you are certainly going to have to do this if you are renting a large house that people will try to exceed your max number at anyway. Take the advice of others in this market & get cameras!
have you had much luck enforcing it?