It seems that I had to lower my price for awhile but now I’m averaging close to what I was getting in 2014 when I started and I’m booked far more often but that’s not related to price. I’d like to think that it is related to now having more reviews than anyone in my city including the two that started before me.
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How would I know? I’m not going to ask them.
I understand, was not offended by your question, should have added a smiley
so you’d know that. Sorry!
Okay, with smiley face, 
, do you talk to your guests and get valuable feedback?
Yes, of course! First of all I make it a point to welcome my guests when
they arrive. I show them around the apartment, and make sure they know I am
available to help them however I can so that they can have a pleasant stay.
I encourage them to call me, text me or just knock on my door.
If they do not contact me after that, I don’t bother them; I leave the
interaction between us totally up to them. Usually guests reach out to me
upon checking out either in person or with a text but this has always been
with compliments and thanks (so far, so good!) The few groups that have
pointed out ways I can improve (bathroom safety bars, squeaky doors), have
done so with graciousness.
I tell guests “If there is anything you need or that I can improve upon
please let me know”. Is there something else you would suggest?
I hope this helps!
This is my experience as well, and I’ve been in the SRT business via my parents my whole life. Although I did have issues with older people from one particular part of the world (North America). If I would have to generalize, though, I mostly had problems with parents of young children. The problem is not just that they sometimes have issues with controlling their kids, but they also often have this annoying attitude “Duhhh! It’s just kids playing!”, that makes you feel like a Hitler every time you complain about the behaviour of their precious little angels. 
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Totally agree, and I am in my forties so not far off, but I am terrified when older guests book now. I am having more and more trouble with them recently. I have one couple now where the wife is permanently cold despite the oil heat8ng being on,. I gave her a fan heater yesterday and today she wanted the extra oil plug in heater. For goodness sake it is a small annex. Dreading a review from them even though I have let them check in early and out late, and out heaps of extras in the annex food wise. As I say the young may wreck your space, but the older wreck your head! Younger guests are so much easier and grateful and HAPPY.
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I’m with Stephanie here. People our age can sense insincerity like fecal stink. I hope I never inadvertently stay at your place; I wouldn’t be able to stand your condescending attitude. One day (hopefully) you’ll be over 50. Maybe you’ll have grown up by then.
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You sound nice. NOT.
I am too nice thank you, you sound like a barrel of laughs. I just appreciate common decency in people and I would guess that you have no idea of my very good review record. This is a place to offer an opinion on experiences, not troll contributors. I hope I never have you as a guest, but then again you don’t sound like you are the well travelled open minded type. You sound like the type that would never be happy.
***1. *During the past two/three weeks…
Can I bring my cat?
I can’t come tonight but my two friends are on the train now.
Can we bring our children x 4 requests
Enquires for one person; “we are a group of students. Does the property have a BBQ? How far from the station? Is there Uber locally”.
I’m allergic to cats. Can they be kept out of the property?
**2.**Recent Reviews…
We didn’t realise there would be other people stayingstrong text
Maybe my fault but I thought it was an entire property****
Breakfast is shared with other people.
Recommend a car as not close to amenities, apart from a pub next door.
The cats made me sneeze, so we left.
**Action:
-
Six declines and one cancellation by Airbnb for third party booking, fully paid.
-
I cancellation, fully paid. Four sent private messages advising that all the issues they have raised concerns about are fully described in the listing. One asked to dispose of used condoms with decorum in future.
**New message for ALL potential, including instant bookings;-
Rural location and no local transport, except on foot, at weekends
B&B/Guest House
Cats
Other guests may be staying
Child free for safety reasons
No prizes for what I’m really thinking…
"**
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Somebody told me once to define the best kind of guest for me if I wanted to be successful. Hello, potholes.
My town is like PIttsburgh. Unemployment is very low, and it has it’s charm, but it’s not touristy. The big draw is low prices, and work. In that order.
What I got were people who literally left the house for an hour a week. The rest of the time they looked to me for conversation and entertainment.
Bang head here.
What I now require is their employer and/or specific itinerary. And it’s worked out well.
Cheers!
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Ha! What more could they possible want? I once bought a house simply because there was a pub next door. I don’t really care about a supermarket or a launderette or a bus station … there’s a pub for goodness sake!
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The pub next door was the deal clincher. Despite falling in love with the house, we wouldn’t have moved to splendid isolation without it. Had to laugh at the Valuation report though; it stated that the pub reduced the value of the house…
Ok, I’m starting to realize that in a two months time, I will host a guest that I might not want to host. He seems to be clueless. Writes these awkward short sentences without any interpunction. He entered the wrong number of guests, although I urged him to change it. Today he wrote to me asking when will he card be charged for the booking. It’s obvious that this person has no idea how Airbnb works.
I wrote him a polite but a bit stern message, saying that Airbnb handles payments, not hosts, with a link to the relevant Airbnb Help center page. Further I wrote that he should accept my request for the change of persons, although the price is the same, as it is important for both me and Airbnb that he does so. And that I urge him to re-read Airbnb guidelines, my description and my house rules.
Please reassure me and tell me this guy won’t be a total PITA once he shows up.
@Inna - maybe AirBnB has him on the split payment system and he is wondering when his card will be charged for the rest of the booking fee? I wouldn’t mark him down on that. And awkward short sentences may mean that English is not his first language.
Well, honestly, I got the overall impression that this guest is not really acquainted with Airbnb in general, so having a split payment system seems not likely. In any case, this is something Airbnb can help him with, not me. So my response was applicable for this situation as well. He is not writing in English, he is writing in his native language.
He may be using a smartphone
You mean, he might be using a smartphone in a lazy and careless way?
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Have you tried using one in a car? Not whilst driving of course, but being a passenger; judge ye not!
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