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If you are on IB and they booked via IB where you have no chance to do any vetting then you can cancel 3x a year with no penalty, very simply, and online. If you cancel more than 3 x a year you will have to call them to cancel. “uncomfortable” is a legit reason.
“Hosts who have Instant Book turned on for their listing can always cancel, without penalty, if they’re uncomfortable with a reservation.”
It’s well advised to familiarize yourself with Airbnb policies. Here is a link from the help center:
I took my cats from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires and back during one month traveling x miles per day and no one, I mean no one ever complained about their hair or anything else about the cats. Mind you I stayed in Airbnb homes all the way that allowed pets. All the owners agreed to receive my cats before I made the reservation and they spent special time with my cats. It was a lovely experience.
A few years ago, I drove from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires and back during one month, staying at Airbnb homes all the way. I programed it from day one to day 31. All the owners accepted my sojourn knowing I was coming with the cats.
I never received one complaint about the two cats riding with me! No one mentioned their hair. I traveled with a liter box so that was not a problem.
All the families were lovely. They invited me to share their meals with them and adored the cats. Airbnb hosts are so super.
Oh sure. I’d never host them again after the cats’ peed, but I didn’t know that until they left.
To turn someone away, however, when they’ve just arrived because they mention they are temporarily homeless is, at the least, rather cruel, don’t you think?
Thank you. That’s very helpful. I cancelled one reservation at the beginning 13 minutes after it was booked and had to plead with Airbnb not to count it against me. I’ve freaked about doing it again ever since.
If you are on IB and they booked via IB where you have no chance to do any vetting then you can cancel 3x a year with no penalty, very simply, and online. If you cancel more than 3 x a year you will have to call them to cancel. “uncomfortable” is a legit reason.
“Hosts who have Instant Book turned on for their listing can always cancel, without penalty, if they’re uncomfortable with a reservation.”
It’s well advised to familiarize yourself with Airbnb policies. Here is a link from the help center:
I would have turned them away for the cats so it is a moot point, however to be honest I would probably turn them away if they told me they were homeless for a few reasons.
I am not a homeless shelter or a church.
I would be worried they would be hard to get out.
I try to avoid situations that invariably will turn out bad.
The most recent Airbnb I stayed at (the one with the undisclosed camera) had no issue with my kitten and actually ended up getting much of the dusty floor under the bed cleaned up by the kitten rolling and batting around all the junk they also left under the bed…spare change, chapstick tubes, ribbons, price tags, and the like.
Here’s the saved text I’ve sent to the one person who requested a discount, but it’s ready for the next person who requests one. I declined the request, but I did not realize that with instant booking, he could go ahead and book, which he did. I did not realize at the time that “decline” meant that I was declining the “offer,” not declining the guest. I am determined that the next time I use this, I will turn off instant booking for a few days so that that particular guest can’t do that. I don’t want to just make the dates unavailable. By the way, he was by far my most needy guest and gave me my lowest rating… behaving exactly as I predicted. I am thankful that I read this forum and I knew what to expect.
Experienced hosts come to realize that, in general, guests who ask for bargains are high maintenance. It’s a two-edged sword… give a discount on an already excellent value (like ours), and the guest will often try to see what else they can push on to get an even better deal, and still want more. Say no, and if the guest books anyway, the host can certainly count on a bad review. While these characterizations may not fairly describe you, we choose to go with the odds. Vacancies are a welcome time of rest. We do wish you the best in your travels, though!
Discount is a dirty word to me. Think about that discount and where it comes from. You cannot ask the bank for a discount on this months mortgage, you cannot ask any of the utilities for a discount, you also cannot ask the supermarket for a discount on supplies. So where does that discount come from? It comes from your profit which is what you live on. Ask anyone you know if they would be willing to take less pay for whatever work they do. What do you think that answer would be? In my 14 years experience of hosting guests I have come to loathe the word discount. It’s usually the worst of people that ask for one and their reasons are usually confounded and self serving.
People ask for a discount on my funky, fun budget listing which COSTS LESS THAN OUR YOUTH HOSTEL’s shared rooms with 14 people. I happily direct them to the Youth Hostel if they want to PAY MORE and share with 13 OTHERS and have a BUNK BED instead of a real bed, 200 square feet of space + their own en suite half-bath.
"Experienced hosts come to realize that, in general, guests who ask for bargains are high maintenance. " EXACTLY! And the funny thing is they often tell that they will be LOW MAINTENANCE!
I direct anyone who asks for a discount to the Boutique B&B near me which charges double my nightly rate plus VAT
Those that ask for a discount for a last minute booking, I tell them I give discounts for early bookings and vice versa for those wanting a discount for an early booking.
At least it says ‘in general’. There are few hosts here as experienced as I am - and I say that in the full knowledge that I am very much revealing my advanced years here - and I have no objection whatsoever to guests asking. They don’t get a discount but still book as a rule and they are no better or no worse than any other guests.
As we’ve mentioned many times at this forum, many guests are programmed to ask for discounts. They don’t mean it to be anything other than that and it certainly doesn’t mean that they’ll be troublesome.
This might be your experience but it’s simply not the case to say that it ‘certainly’ means a bad review. (Potential hosts reading this, please take note).
I do think that entire message is a bit weird, to be honest.
Caroline_Bradbeer:
