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I am trying to figure out how to write a review and rate a guest…a guest who was never here !
They departed earlier this week. HERE IS THE SCENARIO ----
young woman places a booking for her “team”. I think it was an instant booking.
I question what kind of team ( I was thinking a bunch of soccer playing kids ) and she clarifies that it is her real estate group and they will be in town for a conference, and going to meetings downtown.
Here is the exact exchange:
Hello xxxxxxxx! We can’t wait to have our team spend a few nights in your home.
please provide additional information for my comfort level. What kind of “team” is this? What brings the Team to town? Thank you.
We are a real estate team from xxxxxxxx with xxxxxxxs coming to an event in xxxxxxxxx.
I would be happy to provide any additional info you need to feel comfortable.
BOOKING CONFIRMED.
So , I send out my customized contract and require it to be signed. She signs and returns it with her work address, not personal address. ( red flag ) . She has somebody else also sign and name and initial the contract. ( red flag again ). ** Important note: I did not catch the insertion of the work address…or that would have triggered me to stop and question the non guest right there. And I think it is implicit when anyone is requesting an address on a contract, that the request is for a home address and not a work address.
She Never mentioned to me that she would not be at the house. Is there a way that ABB is supposed to let an owner know if it is a work booking / 3rd party booking? Do we have the option to say no to a 3rd party booking. Are they obligated to tell you it is a 3rd party booking?
Person arrives at house . A bit early. The other guests trickle in over the next 7 hours.
I text my standard courtesy follow up on the next day. No response. No nothing. Silence.
I text once more the second day, and mention the lack of response, and to see if everything is fine. I get an answer: Everything is fine. And then she types “beautiful”.
I suspect she is not here
The next day, the rental group headed out once more, after their day long meetings,…probably a finale banquet. There is an extra unauthorized car pulled into the driveway around 5PM… The extra car blocks my garage and also both our cars. We are stuck in for the night unless we disturb them and text them at the banquet / business meeting. Since I suspect that she is not here anyway, I fume and pace, and spend the night in. I dont want to break up a business meeting, and I have figured out the guests are clueless.
Before bed I get a text from someone asking about departure instructions. I direct them to the book.
I express that I never had a chance to meet xxxxxxx. I am told she is not in town…she only made the booking for them.
House is left clean.
I follow up with xxxxxx via text, standard thank you, and she says they all had a wonderful stay. Once more no mention of the fact she was never in the state.
She sends a text asking us to mail back a set of missing guest keys, if found.
We find a spiff on the back deck. Again, willing to ignore it.
She has left a review.
OK NOW…BALL IS IN MY COURT…
Advise anyone ? Advise everyone?
I am feeling manipulated and lied to. Can I get a reality check with feedback from everyone please?
Be gentle…
First, don’t review right away. Take time to process, especially since you are under stress given the approaching hurricane in your area. Remember that this is a business, not a date, not your mother’s 100th birthday party. Put your feelings in a safe place far away from the review for now.
Now, what important? They paid, they left the house in good condition, they weren’t exceptionally needy. They didn’t steal or break anything. Would you host this group again (let’s say its an annual conference)?
Is there any good stuff left in the spliff? LOL. If so, go smoke it and then come back and we’ll reassess.
I see you posted in another thread and added some more details. Hmmm.
In no rush…I have 12 days or so…
would I host again? Only with a signed contract by someone staying.
I dont want a 3rd party booking. George reviews parking with the key person.
yes I started a new thread.
No I have no stress over this storm affecting us. Going for a walk and getting my hair done today.
I am unable to write a positive review. She was not here and therefore how can I review her.
It is either shut my mouth and no review at all…
or
decide how to rate and review someone who was sneaky.
It’s not unusual. However it is wrong to lie about it. It was especially dishonest for the booker to have pretended to stay there when asked how it was by the host.
I didn’t catch where she lied but maybe I didn’t see it. I just think sometimes people forget they are booking to strangers. I would put business travelers as my best guests, clean and quiet. Just my 2 cents.
I take this as a no then. So I’d say “Can’t recommend due to being a 3rd party booking” in your situation. Someone else who feels strongly about this as you do should have the opportunity to be warned.
For me this booking wouldn’t be an issue but I’m not the one hosting this listing. You asked for a “reality check” but your mind is made up. You really want people to validate your feelings of anger/manipulation. I can’t do that.
That is not true that my mind is made up. Please dont assume that.
My mind is made up that I dont want a 3rd party booking and I intend to avoid it in the future, and that I feel she was manipulative.
My mind is not made up as to whether or not to leave a review, and if so then what to rate and what to say.
I am leaning towards either: 1 - being clear she was manipulative, or 2- keeping my mouth shut.
Even if I say what you suggest, I still dont know how many stars.
Yes I want input and my mind is still open.
I also want input about ABB stance on advance notice to Owners and Hosts regarding business 3rd party bookings.
Thank you.
I don’t understand. Air allows businesses to do 3rd party bookings for their employees. I’ve had a couple of these. It sounds like it was pretty clear she was just booking for others when reading the exchange you wrote. What I’ve done in these situations is make sure I know exactly who’s staying along with their contact information. In the instances I had, they added the actual guests to the reservation (only after I asked) and I was able to communicate directly with the guest. They were both positive experiences for me and I left good reviews. I have been confused myself though in knowing whether they were officially signed up through the business traveler thing or not. I would leave a good review but just say it wasn’t made clear that the person that booked wouldn’t be staying. In other situations I just deny 3rd party bookings.
Groups of non-related business travelers have not been my best guests.
Just my person experience.
They have a "get away and party " mentality.
I think it is important to have someone in charge and at the helm.
You know how behavior can spiral out of control at conventions. Freedom!
And remember…I was trapped in my house all evening. I could not go out for dinner, and I could not do errands, go to exercise or leave my house, except for a walk. That was a reality.
Does ABB let you know when it is a 3rd party booking or is it just carte blanche allowed?
That is part of my question…and very easy to understand.
Should I assume in the future that every booking could be a 3rd party booking or is there a signal?
I’m not sure she was manipulative?? I’m just wondering if she just assumed hosts get these types of bookings all the time and would know she wasn’t staying. I would have asked questions based on the things she originally said, and I also wouldn’t have hesitated to break up a meeting if I were trapped in my home. I would definitely mention the parking thing in my review!!!
In her messaging she continued to pretend she was here.
How could she say: “beautiful” ?
And my decision was to not text her, to text somebody else,
to reach them downtown, to have them come home to move a car.
I was blocked in. That was rude and against the rules.
I chose to calm down and not to interrupt a business corporate scenario to have somebody come back and move the car.
Here is the airbnb link for information about “booking for your team.” It seems like you would know, that there would be a signal but I’m not sure. I’m in the “for work” category and I’ve never gotten such a 3rd party booking to my knowledge.
Yes that is my question too. I’ve never been sure if they were truly signed up for business traveler program or not. I can’t seem to find the answer online. But if someone said they were “booking for their team” I would definitely ask questions.
