Stick to your check in times!

Sadly, being flexible with check in doesn’t seem to work for me. I rent a space in my apartment. This morning I received a guest who wanted to drop her bags off in the morning when my check in is at 3. I had agreed to this because I wanted to be kind. When she dropped them off in the morning, I gave her the key and the run-down of the place. She said she would be back much later in the day and I told her I was meeting a friend for lunch and we would probably be coming back to my place for a few hours for coffee and a chat. When my friend and I did get back to my place in the early afternoon, I found her at home and she declared that she was going to rest there - still 2 hours before her official check-in time. I said we would go out to give her space and she said ‘no, it’s ok for us to be there’ and she will just rest. So we stayed and chatted and drank coffee. After about half an hour, she packed her bag and walked out in tears without a word! Apparently she was ‘uncomfortable’. I could have avoided this situation by not allowing her to come in earlier than my official check in time - or not having a visitor! I’ve sent her a refund and fully expect a poor review. Still reeling!

I don’t think sticking to your check in time would have made a difference. Walking out in tears without a word is indicative of something else. I hope you will also stick to your refund policy and refuse any refund requests. Edit to add I re-read about you having already sent a refund. SIGH.

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Sometimes leaving in tears has nothing to do with the host. It’s possible her reason for her visit just cancelled on her, leaving her very disappointed and left in a place she wouldn’t be visiting on her own.

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Sorry you had this difficult experience.

If I allow early bag drop off then the guest come back to check in at the agreed check in time.

I certainly wouldn’t have refunded her in those circumstances- but neither would I have given her the keys if I allowed an early bag drop off .

You have every right to have friends in your home. Particularly when guest shouldn’t have even checked in.

Sounds like she may have some emotional problems .

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First of all, it’s YOUR home and YOU are allowed to have a visitor/friend/coffee with whomever whenever you want. I have friends over when I have someone in my home share and I tell my guests about it. They understand that they don’t get an entire private home, just their room and bathroom and shared spaces.

Why did you send her a refund? Her tears and pushing the boundaries are not your problem. Yes, you shouldn’t have been “kind,” especially when she checked in a half a day early - which, in my HR means an additional night’s stay.

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I no longer allow bag drop off because people take advantage of it. It’s in my rules. I provide luggage drop off locations.

I also don’t allow early check in (but will let them know that if my place is ready early, I’ll send a message. When I do this, half the time they never show up early.

And I never refund for any reason unless the guest has an extenuating circumstance and then they have to provide documentation to Airbnb. I will however offer them a refund if I get re-booked and only the amount that I get from the new guests and after it has arrived in my bank account.

Sadly, people lie to get their way.

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I agree with KKC. I don’t think the tears were related to you. I suspect she was meeting up with someone and that person cancelled last minute. I don’t think she will review you and if she does it should be five stars since you allowed her to drop off her bags, gave her the keys and even refunded her stay.

I don’t understand why you would feel the need to “give her space”. Even if she hadn’t checked in early. Do your guests not have their own room? Was she lying on the couch, or what? Do you always feel you can’t have a friend or anyone over when you have a guest?

I don’t understand why you told her you were going out, letting her know the house would be empty, if you planned to be back 2 hours before her check-in time, why you gave her a key when she dropped her bags off, why you offered to leave when you found her there, nor why you gave her a refund.

Her behavior was odd, but it seems that yours was also.

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I used to provide that but stopped for the same reason. “My flight gets in at 0630 I can be at your house by 0800 to drop off my bags for early check in.” Ummm, no you can’t. I once had someone tell me “What am I supposed to do with my bags in the meantime? I have plans for the day” My response, “Your rental car has a trunk, put them there.”

OMG. People…

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