Do you want them? Do you get them? Do you offer them discounts? Have you ever looked back at your emails with previous guests and invited them to stay again with a discount to fill in empty spots?
I love the predictability they bring, but don’t offer a discount.
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I want them. I get them. I don’t offer discounts. (Well, not often. Only if they ask). I don’t solicit them by email but I tell (good) departing guests that I hope they’ll be back.
I love repeat guests because of ‘better the devil you know’. I’d rather have a repeat guest who I know than strangers. With repeat guests I know that they’ve been ‘good’ guests - with strangers, you never know 
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I offer my regular nightly rate. That IS a discount. 
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Yeah, same. …
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I’ve had repeats but only offered one a discount. She became a friend and I was sad she quit coming monthly for business. Another has stayed 3 times with her dog. I don’t love her and in fact added a charge because of her dog. I would offer a discount for some repeats if the situation was right. I just stayed in a cabin a month ago and they volunteered the info that they offer discounts for repeats.
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Another plus that I find with repeat guests is that they book for longer than their original stay. I guess this is because they are sure that they like the apartment and the local area.
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I have had a few repeats. I have not changed my rate. It is nice when they already are familiar with the place. This may be a little weird but I have made a checklist which I use for each guest. Helps me not to forget stuff down to leaving a new sponge on the sink. I also use the list when they leave to note some stuff they liked or bought to eat. This helps if they return so I know what kind of yogert or wine they liked. I keep the checklists in a binder with my receipts for the year. This has helped me evolve my snack/breakfast offerings.
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I like most of my repeat guests and I offer to book off-site if they are exceedingly tidy and gracious.
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While a big number of my guest stated they would book again I am still not a year out. Those guests that would be a natural fit to come back (couple whose mom lives a few blocks at a retirement village I offer 10%) but we will see a year out.
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How often do they repeat?
I want good repeat guests and I offer a 10% discount to good guests who left a nice review with 5 stars ratings. I have yet to get them though, I am a fairly new host and my destination is not one you visit several times a year.
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How about discounts for referrals?
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I had a guest pop up again from when I first opened and was offering what I have now determined to be a profitless rate. She wants to come back now at the same rate as before, which is less than 1/4th of the current rates. How would you approach this?
Um, maybe offer to discount slightly, but explain that you had an introductory rate to get a few bookings and you were actually losing money at the time? I think people would understand. If they don’t good riddance.
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I do offer a discount for referrals from people I know personally, not referrals from previous guests.
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Boggles the mind doesn’t it? If she was a fabulous guest maybe I’d offer a small discount. Not only should sheunderstand an intro rate but she should also be told that you don’t offer disocunts because you can rent at full price all day every day. I’m not always booked on my airbnb so I do sometimes give a better rate or rent to referrals at a reduced rate. But in my dog business I am almost always booked to overbooked and have no reason to offer discounts.
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She was lucky to get in at the ground floor rate for a stay at the Felix house. Once. 
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I’ve only had three guests through airbnb and one of them stayed with me initially through craigslist. He actually was the person that encouraged me to get on airbnb. He’s coming back for the third time next week. I’m in the burbs, so don’t get the vacation travelers. He contacted me the day after I had to have my bad guest escorted out, so I was thrilled to have him back. As long as I’m not turning folks away because of so many bookings, I’ll give him a reduced price, but not much lower than the listings in the prime hipster areas. He’s been with air for over three years and has stayed at many places- four others in my town- so I’m happy to have him, it’s like a friend coming to visit.
My guest room has a full size and a daybed and he likes the daybed BC of the more firm mattress, so it’s a breeze for me to clean the room when he leaves. It’s a good fit for both of us, so I waive the cleaning fee. I only hope I reach the point where I am turning folks away… Then we will renegotiate.
Are return guests able to give another review? I think it would look good that someone has returned, especially when they have stayed at other places in the same town. He gave the others good reviews as well, another plus from my perspective- he liked all of our places, but likes mine better. woo hoo!
Good question. I believe so, for one of guests was able to do that.