New guest inquiry format?

November & December are historically my slow season for reservations or making of future reservations so I may have missed this change when it happened.

Is this the new Airbnb rental inquiry format? Or has it been in use for some time and either my guests didn’t complete check-in time & reason for trip questions or the change occurred during my slow time?

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I had an inquiry today but it didn’t have this format. Maybe they are testing it in some markets?

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I’ve gotten two Requests with this format in the last week or so…

I received a Request two days ago and it was the same old format.

Not fair! … :tired_face:

Got that too. Fairly annoying since all the requests I’m getting now are for guests who wants their own check-in time (which this format allows them to choose).

@Oded

Fair observation about check in time. The good news is that if we cannot accommodate the requested check-in time, we know it at the beginning of the reservation and can address it early.

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@Oded
@KenH

Did your reservation inquiries include any structured items in addition to check in & reason for visit?

The check in time is SO weird. Why would their software even allow the guest to choose a wild check in time? Just another one of their stupid features we will have to counter in our communication with the guest.

No, you may not come at 1pm. Sheesh.

Can’t agree. Bottom line for me now that each reservation takes me more time to deal with. Even if it’s in the minutes but still. Addressing stupid questions - who wants to do that?

One asked for 10AM check-in time… REALLY?

Airbnb keeps thinking of the guests only. When was the last time they did something awesome for hosts???

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I worry about the ones who want to check in at times outside our specified window… and have specified that in their request… Get here and try to show up early because they have marked it off.

Airbnb is doing things for guests that hotels wouldn’t even do now. It’s subtle… but when you add up how much has been skewed toward guests in recent years it’s disheartening. I think they also know how many new hosts they have. Hosts who don’t know better and think they have to let guests run them around.

What’s next? Elimination of House Rules?

I don’t approve the requests now until THEY approve their understanding that check-in is at 3PM. Unless there’s a special request for an early one and that involves extra $.

@Oded
@konacoconutz

I don’t like that the guest almost seems encouraged to “name your check in time” instead of only being options within our check in time frame. However at least if I know they want something I can’t accomodate before the booking is complete, we can either work it out or they can make other arrangements.

For example my check in window is 3:00 pm to midnight.
My Christmas long weekend rental wanted a 2:00-3:00 am check in. The day before arrivals, I messaged her a request for her approximate check in time. That is when she chose to ask me about late check in. If I had known in advance, I would’ve explained that was difficult for me to accomodate. I probably would’ve suggested that a different rental would better meet her needs.

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This is exactly what I mean, Annet. Airbnb are throwing more confusion into things by allowing the guest to choose a check in time that contradicts our own requirements. Just another thing we have to spend time correcting. And time is money everyone. Spend ten minutes to correct every reservation that picks a check in time you cannot meet and add that up over the year. How much of your life have you wasted that you cannot get back? To say nothing about how confusing that is for the guest.

What on earth are they thinking?!!!

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