No call, no show

21

I don’t understand how this could have happened. (Although I’ve read about it here before, I think.) I thought that most of us contacted the guest the day before check in to tell them about the arrangements for their arrival?

The word ‘tomorrow’ is a pretty good indication of when they’re booked. :wink:

In some cases, the guest has contacted me before I’ve been in touch with them, wanting to know the same thing. I don’t give guests their keypad code until a) they arrive in the case of meet and greet or b) a couple of hours before their ETA if it’s self-check in.

That’s worked for me ever since the first keypad days. In the ‘olden days’ the communication was just as important so that the guests could get the keys,

22

I text the guests the morning of.

Humans, that is how!

I showed up to a hotel a week late once, little kids in tow and they accommodated me:) . Luckily they were not sold out that week.

RR

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23

Yeah, I was on the fence about it but I’m now glad I did. I’ll never second guess reaching out. I know some people see it as strictly a business but I think the personal touch is what sets it apart from a hotel. In the future I’ll just take the chance and reach out.

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24

I have a dog boarding client, younger than I and quite bright who has been confused about what day is what several times. She’ll write me and say she’s bringing the dogs “tomorrow” and I’ll say, I thought you were bringing them Friday and she’ll realize tomorrow isn’t Friday. Or she messages me about a booking but has the dates mismatched with the days. It definitely happens.

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25

I think the OP said the guests just got married 2 days ago so I could see that there’s a lot going on their end.

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26

Yep, they did. They’s actually one of the reasons we went ahead and offered them to stay next weekend “off the books”. And we even added a day at no charge. Call it a wedding gift. haha

27

I have a friend who had a language student stay and he sadly drowned one night , she had to get in touch with his language school and his parents. I also had to support a host family I was working with, as one of they’re students also died tragically. These things do sadly happen and its just humanity to care about people. I would feel cared for if I was asked for contact details if I stayed somewhere.

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28

My daughter and her boyfriend had booked a night at a traditional B&B. They arrived, went to the front desk, they were shown to their room, showered, and then were sitting around relaxing in the common area. I’m not sure how the receptionist managed to not check the name on the booking, but the owner came back just as the guests who had actually booked the room arrived and told my daughter and boyfriend that they had booked those dates for the next month, and that there were unfortunately no vacancies. My daughter looked at her booking info and realized she had entered the wrong month. They sheepishly had to pack up and go find a motel.

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29

I get quite a few hikers, both singles and couples. You can be 2 miles from town on the most accessible and popular trail here, and because of the mountains have no cell signal, and if you’re on a side trail, you may not see anyone for several days. If you slip and fall off a trail, or break a bone, someone might not find you for days, especially if they don’t know you are in the area.

So I have a standard form in the kitchen table drawer, asking for their full name, cell number, who to contact in an emergency, and which trail they will be hiking on. I also ask them to sign in and out on the sign up list at each trailhead, so we can tell if they have returned to the trailhead.

So far no guests have disappeared. One got lost but was redirected by local hikers (or he would have spent a cold night lost in the clouds on a fogged in mountaintop).

Plus, the valleys that these trails follow, along with a adjoining mountains, have large black bear and wolf populations.

None of my guests have carried bear spray, which, quite frankly, if you can actually hit the bear with the spray, you are too close and it won’t stop a charging bear.

I also educate guests about what to wear for hiking in a rain forest, where wet clothing and low temps can kill you. I convince guests that they need to do this because hypothermia kills far more hikers than bears or wolves.

I also encourage folks to hike together. We have about 25 or so folks lost here over the past 50 years (hikers and hunters) who have never been found because they were alone. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine stumbled over the bones of a hunter that had been lost since the 60s — at the time it was presumed that he had probably had a heart attack because of his age and previous health issues.

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30

Every hiker or person who likes to go wandering in the bush or camping should be required to see that movie “127 hours”. Anyone who watches that and still thinks it’s okay to take off without anyone else knowing your plans and projected time of return is either an idiot or has a death wish.

31

@NordlingHouse

Or read/watch “Into the Wild” (book is much better IMO). A map and compass would have saved his life.

Another movie based on real life events, “Gerry”, is worth the watch. Another tragedy easily avoided with a map/compass.

32

I would message once but remember that sometimes guests cannot open very long messages on their phones so make it brief. Fortunately having hoted since 2012 I’ve only had one guest come on the wrong date. Thankfully we were able to accommodate her.

33

I’ve had two guests in my 4 year history of STR who confused the check out date with the last night stay date. Fortunately for them I could accommodate.

34

And since a bunch of idiots were trying to reach the bus ever since the book came out and having to be rescued every summer, the State of Alaska helicoptered the bus out and took it to the University of Alaska museum in Fairbanks, where it will become an outdoor museum exhibit.

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35

It was indeed nice of you to follow up and spare them a night of scrambling for lodging!
I think the statement that Airbnb won’t allow refunds, you would if you could, was a teeny bit disingenuous, though. Hosts can always voluntarily refund.

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36

Indeed. At least one of them died (2014). The movie does not go into the details. Chris was only a few hours from safely traversing the river. They should post some signs and maps, just in case. There will always be “some idiots” who make the trek, bus or no bus.

Real wilderness is no joke. Even on Mt Washington, people die or need to be rescued every single year. The weather can change very suddenly. A comfortable “t-shirt day” can become very cold and nasty in a hurry.

37

Excellent, a good description of an Airbnb host with great local knowledge and I expect very life saving too : ) I bet your guests were very impressed and felt well cared for by your use of practical strategies !
I was very relieved and reassured, living in Cambridge UK, when my eldest daughter went to do a ski season in Whistler and they were given very good survival training. I’ll be eternally grateful to many of the wonderfully community minded people she met there, from the bus drivers who would stop to pick up the young people walking home at night along the road in the snow, to the ski volunteers and her friends who all looked out for each other. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: