Have these guests ever stayed at a hotel? There’s a reason for check in and check out times.
I am very flexible on In/Out times if I can be, but I try to offer my flexibility only after I know no one else is coming or leaving right after or before. My main concern is being respectful of my cleaning person’s schedule. I do mostly a weekend business.
Boy, I can’t believe what you onsite hosts go through. I am two hours away when my guests arrive and I think I much prefer it, although that may change occasionally once we have our vintage travel trailer guest house all up and running.
I am sure they did stay at hotels, but i think they think homestay is different and they are the only guests ever:)
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When is arrived in Fairmont, in SF, i asked for early check in. Though rooms were available they charged me 30$ to check in 6 hours earlier. I didi so many things before that check in time at 4 pm, that i thought it was worth to pay these money just not sit in a lobby
Maybe we should rename it air bed and babysitting!
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@jaquo, @SandyToes, @Maggieroni, @Dean4242
I agree with @jaquo, I would accommodate the request to pick up a few groceries. In fact, when I know a guest is arriving late, or is traveling with children, I will ask if there is anything I could get for them. As for early check-in, if there are no other guests overlapping the arrival, I would have no problem allowing an early check-in for a guest staying for a longer period. Frankly, I don’t understand the outrage, unless you charge $50 or less, what’s the problem of picking up a loaf of bread and milk or whatever?
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I rent a bedroom in my home and don’t allow cooking. We serve a very nice breakfast so this question doesn’t apply to me but that said I just don’t get this level of service.
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The OP of this thread charges 55 aus $ which is about $40 us. So you made your own point.
Yes, I did and I did so gladly. But she asked in advance. If she had told me matter of factly as if expected, I would have told her I’d have to charge more. Also, it’s quite possible I’m not losing anything because I am not booked every day and I am more booked during the week than on weekends. She is coming on Saturday morning. [quote=“Yana_Agapova, post:58, topic:5517”]
But in my 15 months experience of hosting people don’t really appreciate what is done extra for them.
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This is not the experience I have had in 25 months of hosting. I’ve only had one 3 star review. I know exactly who it was and why and I’m cool with that. I have corrected the problem. I have two 4 star and I don’t know who or why. I have 116 5 star. Every person I’ve done extra for has seemed appreciative. I started to make of list of the things I’ve done extra at no charge but then I realized it would just piss some of you off. Again, sorry, not sorry. I don’t do this business to win the approval of other hosts. I have a low priced room. I don’t know the net worth of my guests but I haven’t had a single bad experience out of 130+ stays. Here is the difference that I see. I cater to travelers not tourists.
I love this. This is my approach.
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@Maggieroni, yes, if someone is charging very little, then his/her profit margin is so narrow that it makes no sense to offer extras. However, the host can write back to the guest something like “I charge an extra $10 fee for breakfast items that includes a, b and c”. This way the host can make a little extra and accommodate the request.
OK, don’t throw things at me, but for week long bookings or international arrivals (which is very rare) I actually ask if I can stock the fridge with a few items… When a booking generates $1000 or more, I’m happy to spend $5-10 on a few things. I also feel very sympathetic to people traveling for over 20 hrs to get to my place – they arrive looking so exhausted and out of sorts. If I can put a loaf of bread and some juice in the fridge for them, I’m happy to do it and they’ve all been very grateful. I always ask them to not mention it in reviews since I don’t do it for everyone.
I would not do this for a 3 night booking, however, that is generating $150.
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Actually, I realise that’s more or less what I do as well - most of our bookings in the apartment are at least a week and nearly all are from outside Spain. In addition, it’s not that simple to explain how to get to our nearest supermarket and I don’t want guests to get lost on their first day!
I want to add we do not do this all the time. However, we have had a few requests, with proper payment, and I was more than happy to comply. As @chicagohost and @Malagachica mentioned, most of our guests are coming off of very long journeys, and are paying good $$ to stay with us (we have at least 4 day mins). So, if they ask nicely and offer to pay I am more than happy to accommodate.
Late Check IN/Check OUT is a different story. We started charging at our flat in Barcelona because I felt completely taking advantage of. We offer 1 hour +/- then it is a flat 150 Euro fee, it’s amazing how many times people miraculously don’t need the early check in/late check out.
Since we have not had people take advantage at our US properties we are a little more lenient. Also we typically do not have back to back reservations, and the house(s) are clean waiting for the guest. I try to stay around 1pm (check in 3pm) and 2pm (check out is 12pm). However, I will not confirm more than 24 hours in advance, and this has caused many people to book the night before/night after. We offer a discount, if booked in advance.
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Considering we collectively cover such a wide spectrum of cultures, are different in personal manner, economics, countries, laws, etc; it stands to reason no one set of rules set will apply to all, of course some basic ‘rules of thumbs’ are always useful.
I have a strict check-out at 11am / check-in at 1pm; meaning allows 2 hrs for cleaning. However, if someone leaves at 8am, than is best for me to try to get the next guest to check-in (meaning meet at dock) at 10am. I pick up the outgoing guests at 8am, drop off the cleaning crew at the same time, back in 2 hrs with new people. Two trips to island only.
Special requests? in my case, they come in the form of “Can you bring us out XYZ, which we forgot to get?”; 6-mile boat ride, 40 minute round trip, about $15 US in gas: on average they are spending 100x that, so makes it somewhat palatable. This rarely happens, because I go with them to shop for provisions at the start.
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Wow Caiti! So well said… Robs us from getting the opportunity to be generous. Very very nice.
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That’s good. Reading back my post it sounds a bit rude. I’m sorry about that, it wasn’t my intent. I’m actually pretty flexible about check-in and out times and will let guests arrive early and drop off luggage, also they can leave it here if they have a late flight or whatever. But early, to me, is 10.30-11am!
The thing about doing a disservice to other hosts was something I read ages ago on another group and it stuck with me, I’d never thought about it like that before. However, I think you’re right that it’s a non-issue in the end. We all have different places and different hosting styles, that’s the whole bloody point of Airbnb! Guests who don’t understand that all hosts are not the same are probably not going to understand a lot of things.
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In my SIX years of hosting people I have found the same!!! And when they smack you with something they didn’t like after you’ve gone out of your way to accommodate some special favor, that is when you quickly learn not to be a doormat.
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And I am sure the Fairmont was not cheap. I am sure that even with however much you paid, they still felt justified in tacking on $30 to check in early. Why? Because early check in HAS VALUE.
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I was recently asked whether I’d be interested in managing another vacation rental in my neighborhood. One of the stipulations was that the house had to be stocked with the guest’s choice of groceries before every check in and that I had to be present to greet, no matter what the time. The nearest store is 12 miles away, so it’s an hour round trip just to get to the store, then the shopping time, then loading in the car, a half hour drive back, unloading at the house… etc etc etc…
The pay for doing all this? A mere $60 a month. Yes you heard right. Of course I didn’t take the job. 
Are they joking… ? With what they must charge the guest to do all this… and offer that rate of pay???
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