First ever guest, all my fault and I am devastated! Checked in last night, then they went to dinner ( I have disclosed exterior camera and also she told me). When they get back, the key code lock didn’t work it froze up or something! This has never happened in the 6 months of work on the house but of course it happened last night. Anyway I drove over and got them in with a key, which I left with her in case it is weird again. They had to wait about 10 minutes on the porch in the cold! But it was habdled. And then this morning…Apparently my credit card auto pay got messed up and the city SHUT THE WATER OFF! I am mortified and of course it happened today of all days. If it had just been yesterday I would have got it sorted before they got here! Anyway my fault, I just apologized profusely and gave them a couple gallons of bottled water and I refunded them for last night and I told them I would pay for breakfast and the city told me it would go back on today so hopefully it is back by the time they finish breakfast. And if it’s not on by tonight I will get them a hotel if there is anything at all available in town. They were really nice about it and said they appreciated that I’m trying to fix it but 
. Anyway…open to suggestions of what else I can / should do. This might be a sign I’m not cut out for this…
Of course you are! Shit happens and that’s ok!! It’s only obvious it will happen on your first day of hosting 
I think you handled it very nice and in a professional way. What else could you do? Personally, I’d wave their whole stay (as I’ve done before on major f*** ups) and move on to the next. Don’t let this one experience traumatize you, learn from it and move on to the next making sure it will never happen again.
It’s all good, really. Even they are nice about it. Just make it right and we’re looking forward to hear about your second guest experience 
They are staying 2 more nights, hopefully this is the last issue! Now I feel bad I didn’t offer to refund the whole stay. I obviously will if the water isn’t on by this afternoon. and will get them a hotel for free. I just feel awful. Such a nice little family with little kids and I know if I were them a hotel would be a pain cuz then the kids don’t get their own rooms, compared to my listing with separate bedrooms.
Kids? No water? Locks won’t work? Sounds like real life!
I would offer to send over a catered meal. Perhaps a lasagna, salad, and fresh bread from a local shop, with a bottle of San Pellegrino and some fruit. If the water doesn’t come back on, then a hotel.
This is a good time for good old fashioned diplomacy. I would ask them what else you might do to make them comfortable with their stay. Since you are already willing to take a loss you have nothing to lose and it empowers the guest. I used this tactic for years to get my design clients to pay a past due bill and it always worked out. It’s awful that you had this as a first experience but I think one day you’ll laugh about it. Hang in there!
This too shall pass.
Things could always be worse. I had some guests staying when a deer got hit on the road at the bottom of the drive while they were sitting out on the front patio enjoying the evening. Of course it didn’t die and it laid their struggling. I had to call the Sheriff out to shoot it then I loaded it up in the tractor bucket and took it out back for the scavengers to clean up. It was lovely.
Oh my gosh that is crazy! Ha ok well I have to just tell myself at least a deer didn’t die in front of them lol.
In addition to breakfast? I sent them to the fanciest place in town for brunch, hopefully that turns things around and I’m paying so I hope they enjoy it! And maybe the water will be back on by the time they get back…fingers crossed.
Just so frustrated it had to happen today of all days. 6 months and nothing but get our first guest and boom!
dont worry jane, these things happen, i have stayed in hotels with no electricity, one no heating and another with a ghost. genuine people will see you have made an effort to make up for a few mishaps
I missed this detail. That is sufficient, assuming the water comes back on today.
Water is back on. They were without from whenever they woke up this morning until they got back from breakfsst- about 5 hours.
I’m on a well so if the power goes out so does the water.
I always let guests know up front “no power, no water.” I do keep a dozen gallon jugs of water on hand for just such an occasion and I let them know. Power doesn’t go out here that often but it can so I try to be prepared.
If I could get a free night and a free breakfast I would definitely stand outside in the cold for 10 minutes and do without water for 5 hours.
So sorry! Among first guests (a cancer patient), the toilet backed up. Another set of guests were locked out at 2 am when the key box rusted and they couldn’t get in. This happens. Just have Plan B and Plan C in place at all times.
Well what was their attitude about it?
I once refunded a whole night during Christmas week, bought new linens and recleaned because guests found millipedes in the house. They wanted more money off and left a terrible review and one star.
So just to warn you the bad review may still be coming even if you booked them a fancy brunch and refunded the whole stay. People suck sometimes.
Make sure they know they are the first guests. I have read reviews that say something to the effect of “hopefully they work out the kinks”
Better for future guests to assume things have improved.
My 2 cents
Ha yes they know they are the first guests. They are first time guests on airbnb too so we are all in this together! They seem really nice, I hope they won’t ruin my impression of them by leaving a terrible review later, just like I hope I haven’t ruined their chances of ever using Airbnb again.
And arent you in Hawaii! That is ridiculous! I worry about scorpions but they can get through almost anything so…fingers crossed none decide to invade.
And yes, they may still leave a bad review. Not much I can really do about it now I suppose except try to make everything great for the rest of their stay. They have been very nice so far, and said things like “Thank you for taking care of things so quickly”, and seemed happy about the refund/ breakfast etc, but you never know. I will be holding my breath after their visit!
These are harmless millipedes that roll in a ball but you would have thought the girl was getting attacked by the creatures from the black lagoon. She went on and on screaming and crying like someone died. My poor brother had to deal with her nonsense. I was able to leave them a crap review too because of the condition they left the apartment in. Bowls of bacon grease lying around, old fish and chicken in fridge. No trash taken. Wet towels everywhere. Bad bad guests. This is why I never ever rent while I’m away. Just too many problems and stress.