i know it’s crazy. they only realize like the day before omg i better find out how to get the keys. So better to contact them very close to arrival day - airbnb sends reminder 10 days before its WAY tooo early right?
20% is impressive. I would say 20% let me know without me asking. And now I always write, “Check in begins at 4pm. Please let me know your estimated time of arrival.” If I just ask for their eta I get noon, one, two, three. And then I get irritated because I know they haven’t read anything. I avoid that this way.
I have to say it’s never bothered me if I don’t get a “personal message” when I instant book and I certainly wouldn’t think of cancelling a carefully chosen place just because I don’t get a “thank you for booking” message. I don’t think the host doesn’t want my business: I’ve booked, they’ve accepted me and that’s fine as far as I’m concerned. I might write myself nearer to the time of traveling if I have questions, and usually some kind of communication about check-in etc will be established, but to go as far as considering cancelling because I don’t get instant communication seems rather odd to me!
Try this:
“As you know, our check in time is 4 pm. Please let me know what time you’ll be arriving so I can meet you and show you to the apartment”.
No instructions at all at this stage. When I say “as you know” I’m pretty certain that they don’'t because they haven’t read the listing properly but I’m not saying that - I’m crediting them with more gumption than they possibly have 
The inference is strong that they don’t get into the apartment without being let in by me, so saying that they’ll arrive earlier is no good. Turning up unannounced is no good either. They have to communicate if they want to get in.
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Here is what I say…
Thank you for your reservation. Please read over the following information which is also contained in the room description.
-Earliest check in…4 PM
-No kitchen use other than refrigerator storage.
-Let me know if you would like coffee/tea at check in for the next morning. Only nondairy milk available but you may bring your own.
-Shared bathroom. Please try to leave it in the condition you found it.
-Please have on hand the tax amount that I notified you of previously in the EXACT amount.
-my address
-my phone number
-Please let me know your estimated time of arrival by the morning of your visit!!! I will send you check in instructions when I hear from you. Thanks.
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I expect some acknowledgement after an Instant Book, even if it is automated. I know I’m not alone on this because @KKC has experienced the same. It is not how I run MY business, I know that. No one books without some personal acknowledgement from me. Folks are nervous enough as it is about using peer-to-peer rentals. (Yes, they are.)
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I thought the guests get some sort of confirmation after instant booked reservations?
No, not a confirmation. A response! I just got booked 15 minutes ago. Within 5 minutes I sent this:
Hi, Carolyn! Thank you for choosing Green Cottage! I will be in touch again closer to your arrival. In the meantime, please feel free to ask me anything about the cottage or the area. ~ with gratitude, Gail
Acknowledge my booking! I just paid money on the vague promise that you’re not a nut job and I will get what is in the photos! Send me a note!
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you have it down.
also letting them tell you the morning they arrive that is great obviously they have a vested interest at that time.
my problem is I must plan a cleaning team 7 days out so I need to know before.
it’s hard.
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What are your check out and check in hours? Our guests check out at 11 am and the next guests check in a 4 pm so that gives me five hours to get the apartments ready. This is enough time, even when both apartments are turned over on the same day. It’s a rush, doing two, but possible.
As long as cleaning can start not too long after 11, we’re good 
I’m so disheartened that there are hosts here who think not responding is just fine. We really are hurtling towards the hotel model on both sides.
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Thank you!! That’s how I feel! I haven’t even bothered to chime in at this point because the responses are depressing me, but I am not talking about entry instructions or rules. I’m taking about a ‘thank-you-for-choosing-me-over-all-the-other-properties.’ I can’t believe this is a hard sell.
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You can count me in, too. To me, it’s just common courtesy in any business. ‘Thank you for your order’. ‘Thank you for visiting’. ‘Thank you for working with us’. Whatever - just plain old fashioned politeness.
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Well I’m going to possibly offend someone (who, me?!) but maybe the reason we three have had so much success as hosts is because our attitudes are a little different than that of the average host.
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My husband and I were recently on the road and for about 40 hours we were without cell service. I was stressed out the entire time about missing an Airbnb message. Sure enough, as soon as we were back in cell range my phone started going crazy. I had missed a great booking for my maximum number of people for 5 nights at holiday prices. I would have gone out of my way to book those folks anyway, but at about the 30th hour an instant booking came in. It was for fewer people and less days, but they were very understanding about my lack of communication right away.
I still feel bad about not being able to respond to the other folks, not just for the money lost, but because it’s not how I wish to treat people.
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Hey Boo-Boo; it’s been known to happen!
Yogi! 
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All true - and I’m sorry you missing that booking - but it sound like you’re not using instant book. I’m not talking about responding to any inquiry. We all do that posthaste. I’m talking about acknowledging an instant booking.
Thank you. I do use instant book, but this one was a request with a question. The question was about enough space for parking a boat, so I could see why they wouldn’t instant book.
I respond to all my instant bookings, even if late on occasion, I cannot imagine not at least trying to make a connection with my guests.
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I get that often and the answer is NO. This is based on some experiences that I’d rather forget. (Before Airbnb). So you might not be missing out on great guests - they might have been menaces
Ha! The folks that ended up instant booking had a boat too, but just asked after booking. They were great guests, but I did have my reservations. But, then I realized if I don’t book people coming for the lake, I won’t have many bookings through the summer, it’s way too hot.