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This is a first for us and twice now in the last week where we get a reservation. This was not the usual thing. Instead of an inquiry, booking request or instant book, we got a reservation and our calendar is blocked. The guest account listed is pending, with just a first name and no photo, id or account history.
It is frustrating. We spent a lot of time on the phone with Airbnb and finally got our calendar back to open. Is anyone else facing this? Thanks much, and we hope that you-all have a solution?
Yep, it just happened to me. I believe it’s due to them getting fully vetted by Airbnb with their ID. It was close to my actual date and I requested 3 times from them if they were fully vaccinated which of course they weren’t so after holding the room for 24 hours and then being booked for 2 days, they told me they weren’t so then they had to cancel. Well now the date is in two days so it’s unlikely to get booked now. It is really frustrating but I’d rather have no guest than a bad guest.
Yup. And messaging the guest is hit or miss. All 3 didn’t want to upload their ID to AirBnB. Thankfully my calendar wasn’t blocked, but I’d have some choice words for Air CS if that happened.
It happens once or twice a month, on average. The hold is now 12 hours instead of the 24 hours from a couple of years ago so it seems like an improvement.
Though very frustrating, I usually just let it play out because I don’t have 6 hours of energy to give to Airbnb. I’ve never been successful in having them open the calendar before the 12 hours is up anyway. However, almost always the guest is booked and it’s over with within an hour. If someone really wants to book, they do the verification and it goes through. You should at least give it an hour or two before you get annoyed or bother calling.
In my experience, if it’s blocked for the whole time that means you’re not getting a booking out of it. Sometimes people withdraw their request instead of verifying or withdraw even if they do the verification, but Airbnb doesn’t open up your calendar when the guest withdraws their request, you don’t find out until 12 hours later when your calendar opens up and it’s still empty. That’s the worst part.
And even though they block your calendar so that guest can get verified, they don’t make sure that the guest is going to be able book with you otherwise. Sometimes it’s someone that wants to bring a cat or something and I’m not taking their reservation anyway. This summer, my calendar was blocked for a few hours and it turned that it was a group of 4 for my 2 person listing. But most of the time it works out and works out in an hour or two.
Aw crap. One more thing to worry about. We have not seen that yet but now are dreading the day.
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Our bookings are often same day or under a week out, so any kind of BS 12 hour hold on our calendar could easily cost us real bookings and revenue.
But most of the time it works out and works out in an hour or two.