Hi all, I am hoping I can get some advice. I had an inquiry a few months ago from a lady(with great reviews) who works as a night shift nurse at a local hospital. It didn’t work out for the prior dates because I got an instant book from another guest while we were messaging back and forth. This time she is wanting to book Dec 6 for arrival Dec 7 early in am, and pay for a late checkout Dec 11, around 6 pm. If I hold to the hard and fast rule of my schedule, then she will be paying for 6 nights for what is really a 4ish day stay. I have another guest checking in on Dec 12 and I have not been busy lately, so not much likelihood of getting a different guest wanting to check in on Dec 11. Any suggestions as I would love to get this last booking before I have family come. I generally like to be accommodating when I can as this is just a side job for me. However, I don’t want to set a precedent of bending over backwards for a guest who could be a repeat guest. Thanks!
I’d take the chance. I have limited experience but in those limited experiences medical people work long hours, aren’t at the house much and are quiet and clean when they are here. And it could pay off for more great bookings in the future.
Thanks for the quick reply K9! I forgot to add, she was offering to pay a late fee for checkout on 11th. So I sent her a special offer with a $40 fee added to her 5 day inquiry, with the dates modified to show checkout on 12th. That eliminated the possibility of any overlap if someone wanted to instant book the night of the 11th. Hopefully she feels like I’m trying to work with her.
I just had a medical professional here for about 80% of the last three months. Actually it was two guys who shared the assignment I guess, but just one guy paid. As a pair they were a dream come true as guests and a near perfect fit for my rental. I hope your nurse works out for you. I’m quite close to a hospital so I’m considered trying to get more of that type of guest.
Traveler Nurses and other medical people generally make exemplary guests.
I think you did the right thing. I had traveling nurse only once though I am few minutes.from hospital and she was the best guest
We bend over backwards for all health care professionals and ALWAYS discount as a gesture of Goodwill where possible. It’s our way of paying it back. Residents make less than minimum wage here.
Well she accepted my offer and booked, so I’m happy! Thanks all for the encouragement-now I’m off to do some laundry😆
They may need to book the day before or after to accommodate their shifts and sleeping in the day. Stick to your check in and check out times.
Say when you accept the booking that you don’t normally do this and can not guarantee it in the future but due to the time of the year will be happy to allow it this time. In other words exactly what you said to us.
One doctor came in around 6 am and checked herself in. She was so quiet that I never heard a thing! An absolute treat to host!
It’s not " bending over backwards", to accommodate working health care professionals, it’s an honor.
Devil’s advocate here. If I make a special effort to accommodate health care professionals (bend over backwards, discount, whatever you want to call it) for no reason other than that, it’s a kind of stereotyping. I have no reason to do that for them, or first responders, or teachers, or military or social workers or those who work for political causes I support up front. Some health care professionals are horrible people.
I had a traveling nurse here twice who expected special treatment and to some extent got it (not because she was a nurse but because she was a guest). My exchange she left no review the first time and a four star review on the return trip. Looking at her other reviews shows her to be a less than ideal guest and I don’t care to host her again.
My approach is to treat everyone the same up front and then after I get to know them I can bend over backwards as some would call it. Any other treatment is prejudice and whether it’s in favor or against, it’s a bad idea.
Is see your point, bottom line this is a business.
If your nurse guest pays you an extra night for the late check out, I’d concider she’d change her check out time and leave even in the morning. So the question is when the next guest comes and will I have enough time to clean. One day never changes a lot. I’d allow a free late check out (“Only once” I’d tell the guest), but be sure I can manage everything.
This way I’d have a better review and she’d come again rather just booking another host.
I agree with @KKC. We’ve done this for night nurses and for international travelers whose flights got in at 5 a.m. It’s always been worthwhile, and we’ve ended up with repeat guests.
Be sure to block the “extra” night she’ll end up with so that no one else can book it.
We’re about to do a STR (not through Airbnb) for three months with a night nurse. I realize that isn’t the same thing, but we do well with the gone-all-night, sleep-all-day guest schedule.