New to this. Seeking info about group sizes and building considerations

[gillian]

@muddy

I wouldn’t give them a choice, simply because general concensus, according to all the host posts I have read, is that a meet and greet on check-in seems to encourage more respectful behavior.

probably true (although in our case our 3 worst guests were all greeted on arrival), but if guests know you are living on site, it also discourages bad behaviour.

@Brewski we also are on 100acres, we aren’t building new buildings, just converting existing buildings and the next 2 we are doing are strictly for couples only. These are the easiest guests IMHO, they are coming to the country for some quiet time away, we don’t even have a TV in 2 of our listings. We are in a wine region so they mostly come here to go to a few wineries, a nice restaurant, and sit by the fire with wine and cheese. we’ve considered doing more buildings, and still prefer to cater to couples, not groups.

[Lynick4442]

@Brewski

Thanks for the input. There certainly are a lot of positives to that. That would also limit the amount of children which is something I still need to figure out with the water and all the steep, rocky terrain.

You can select no children and no infants and you can say it’s not safe. Again, I’m of the least hassle mindset these days and kids make messes, and brake things.

[Lynick4442]

@muddy

I wouldn’t give them a choice, simply because general concensus, according to all the host posts I have read, is that a meet and greet on check-in seems to encourage more respectful behavior.

I don’t agree with Muddy but the guests (If they read the full listing) know I live below.

I used to meet and greet and again, I go with the least hassle to me. Guests almost never show up when they say they are going to. I’m also finding that most guest don’t want to have a host bothering them. (My opinion). I have keycoded locks, and cameras (a must) and I do check in via the app within 30 minutes of their arrival.

You can also get noise meters/alarms, smoke meters/alarms, water meters/alarms to keep an eye on activity without being intrusive.

Also, with flights being delayed, it becomes more of an issue

I do try to say hello to the guests during their stay when they have left the unit just to be friendly and to do a short chitchat with them to ask how their trip is going.

[gillian]

@Lynick4442

and I do check in via the app within 30 minutes of their arrival.

wait, what does this mean?
sometimes i see that a guest will acknowledge checkin, but can we hosts do it too?

[Lynick4442]

I send a message when they check in (or early morning if they checked in after I was sleeping. I mainly use this as a mechanism to cover thy a$$ with Airbnb. If a guest complains about an issue after they leave but responsed to me that all is ok, I can show this to Airbnb should the guest complains. It also goes to show that I tried to reach out to remedy any issues. In theory, Hosts are supposed to be allow to remedy certain issues. I also take a video on check in day that is time stamped (even show the mattress to show no bed bud residue)

Basically, I try (don’t always get a reply but it’s in my house rules that they are supposed to and reminded with the check in instruction.)

This is my check in message:

Welcome to 16 Slayton Road’s Airbnb Guest Suite:

We just wanted to check in and make sure that everything was as you expected.

If you have any concerns, please message us via AirBnB message system so that we can address any issues that might arise during your stay.

Pleasant dreams and enjoy your stay.

Warm regards,
XXXX

I should not that some you think I might be going overboard but since I started to video tape and send message and write a list of house rules, I can’t remember when I have got a complaint.

[muddy]

@Lynick4442

I should not that some you think I might be going overboard but since I started to video tape and send message and write a list of house rules, I can’t remember when I have got a complaint.

That doesn’t sound overboard to me, however, if my phone pinged, waking me up, with a non-urgent message from my host in the “early morning” , I would be supremely annoyed. After 10am seems like a reasonable hour to call or message someone who is on vacation and may want to sleep in.

I think your situation makes host check-in not an issue, since you live right downstairs. You also say you try to at least have a little in-person exchange with them at some point. The OP seemed to be thinking that she/he should make themselves basically invisible to guests (and the host’s dwelling wouldn’t be visible from where the guests are), which I don’t think is a great idea. It sort of negates the advantage on-site hosts have when it comes to guests doing bad things, if they don’t even realize the host lives on the property.

[Lynick4442]

@muddy

however, if my phone pinged, waking me up, with a non-urgent message from my host in the “early morning” ,

I’d love for others to pipe in on this one. I believe that we are adults and that we should manage our phones. (E.G - set your phone on Do Not Disturb) until you want calls. For me it’s more about late evening calls (after 8 pm) .

I do give my airbnb guests my landline with instructions to only use if it’s an emergency and I’m not responding to their airbnb message. I let them know that they will be waking me up but that it’s ok if it’s an emergency. I’ve never had a guest call my landline.

[muddy]

Personally I do normally turn my ringers off at night, but there also might be situations where I wouldn’t, if I was possibly expecting an important call or had an ill relative who I wanted to be available to contact should their condition deteriorate. And is there any reason why you couldn’t send your welcome message at 10 instead of early?

[Lynick4442]

Most of the time, they get the message the evening before. I usually wait until about 8. 10 is just not convenient for me. I get up at 4 am. I’m 1/2 through my day. I also want it on the record that I reached out in a timely manner.

Regarding calls that you might be expecting - you can add them to your favorites and then the call will always go through.

[JJD]

@Lynick4442

I’d love for others to pipe in on this one. I believe that we are adults and that we should manage our phones. (E.G - set your phone on Do Not Disturb) until you want calls.

8 am is too early for hospitality.

I check in with my guests too but not until somewhere between 10 am and 12noon. Not only do I think 8 am is too early to message someone who is on vacation but I also want to give them enough time to use the apartment (make coffee, shower, etc) so that when I ask if everything is working and if they have what they need that they’ll actually know (and not just guess).

The problem with being an adult is that it very often comes with jobs and other obligations that prohibit turning off our phones at night. So it’s not safe to assume that anyone’s phone is off nor expect anyone to adjust it for their Airbnb stay.

@Lynick4442

10 is just not convenient for me. I get up at 4 am. I’m 1/2 through my day. I also want it on the record that I reached out in a timely manner.

Yes, it’s for your convenience and for something that you want. It’s not for the guest. The problem I see with that is that that’s likely evident to the guest. If you messaged me at 8 am on my vacation, it would be obvious to me that it was something for you and at a convenient time for you. That’s just not how I want my guests to feel.

[Reggie]

Best to keep in mind, the host is not on vacation, but the guest is.

[muddy]

@Lynick4442

I also want it on the record that I reached out in a timely manner.

8 am for vacationers isn’t “timely”, it’s uncivilized.

[gillian]

@Lynick4442

I’d love for others to pipe in on this one. I believe that we are adults and that we should manage our phones. (E.G - set your phone on Do Not Disturb) until you want calls. For me it’s more about late evening calls (after 8 pm) .

yes. i agree. all Apple phones have a do not disturb period you can set easily. I have my checkout message sent at 7am (we used to send it the night before but then people ‘forgot’. then we sent it at 9am but people were either packing up or already left).

@muddy

but there also might be situations where I wouldn’t, if I was possibly expecting an important call or had an ill relative who I wanted to be available to contact should their condition deteriorate

Apple has thought of this situation, and you can allow calls/msgs from your Favourites whilst in DND mode, also if someone calls 3 times it will come through. So problem solved.

[muddy]

You’re assuming everyone uses Apple products?

[gillian]

haha, nope. just pointing out that the device that changed the world does this thing, no clue if androids do it too but i’d assume so.

[muddy]

I imagine my android has something similar, I’ve never explored that. I was just razzin’ you because indeed there are assumptions that everyone uses an iphone. In fact, Airbnb posted an article once giving tips on how to take good listing photos “with your iphone”.

[gillian]

Perhaps in some circles iPhone is generic for “smartphone “ although chesky is a smug, arrogant chap, I can see how that would have been annoying.