This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
My STR is a 1 king bed bedroom with a den, and kitchenette suite. The den has a daybed but it’s not for sleeping and I make that clear in the description, photos and in the check-in message.
I do this because the room with the daybed is above my own bedroom and folks sleeping in there wake me up in the middle of the night going to the bathroom (not on purpose but the floorboards squeak).
I created a second listing as an option for folks that want the 2nd room as a bedroom (at a much higher rate) because then I know to make up the bed, sleep in my living room and the money compensates for my inconvenience.
I’m pretty sure they are using the 2nd bedroom because I was woken up last night at 3 am from the daughter going to the bathroom and because when I entered the suite to give them more coffee, they quickly shut the door of the den.
So now I have guests that only booked for one bedroom and acknowledged that she understood it was just the one bedroom. She’s a host too so she understand the rules.
There’s not much you can do if she denies it. Plus any guest could be up and about in that room because they don’t sleep and don’t want to wake others in their party. This seems impossible to prove. The same could happen if it was just a couch. If you really don’t want anyone to ever sleep in a room, you almost need to furnish it with just chairs. Even then a guest could throw an air mattress in that room. People don’t read very far into descriptions so if you are stressing this difference, put it very early in your write-up. I’d ignore this occasion.
I’ve thought about removing the day bed but I just don’t have any room to store the bed and I want the option should someone be interested or if I have guests visiting.
It’s written when I send them the info on what I need to confirm reservation and also in house rules that they agreed to.
They acted way to suspiciously and the daughter quickly closed the door when I entered (with their permission).
I agree with Christine, they’ll deny it and won’t pay the extra fee. At this point, I would let it go.
If the booking is for 3 guests and they’re paying for the one bedroom, the child will most likely sleep on the daybed. To prevent this from happening in the future, suggest the second option to them when they request to book.
If they still insist in the one bedroom, strip the daybed. Only use a decorative cover and put away the sheets, pillows, quilts, etc. If they choose to sleep on it, they’ll be sleeping on the mattress protectors with no pillows and it will be uncomfortable.
At that point, they might contact you for the bedding and then you can remind them of the extra charge.
That’s why you should have removed
any extra blankets or pillows since she only paid for the one bedroom. It’s dishonest on her part to use the daybed to sleep on since she didn’t pay. It happens all the time.
My place sleeps 6 but some guests only include 6 on the reservation and don’t add their children. I started putting away all the extra linens and towels because they were using every extra piece from the linen closet. The laundry was becoming a headache, washing over 20 towels and numerous flat sheets and quilts. The last guests used the extra quilts on the floor for their toddlers. Now I have to remove all extra quilts as well.
I would let it go. There are things you can do to prevent them from using the bed. Like putting a lock on the den door, remvoving the day bed, etc. You don’t want to do those things, and for good reason. I would let my review reflect these guests inclination to take advantage though.
To clarify, was it 1 parent + 1 daughter and they are using two beds? Not an unauthorized 3rd visitor staying over?
If it’s only 2 people, I don’t see how you can reasonably make the daybed “off limits.”
It’s as if you are saying to the guests, “Yes, there’s another bed in the listing, but you’re not allowed to use it. Well, maybe you nap on it during the day, but at night both guests have to sleep in the same bed in the same room, we don’t care who snores or tosses and turns.” The guests don’t know about the squeaking/sleeping issue for you, so on the surface it would seem weird and unreasonable to me as guest.
Can you fix the squeaky floor? It may be just a matter of having someone in to put in a few screws. You can google fixes.
Or, upon booking, ask if they want to pay an upcharge to have the daybed made up for sleeping, instead of making a whole second listing? That way you get paid up front instead of having to chase for compliance afterwards. If you go for that, make the daybed as un-sleepable as possible, no pillows, etc., no extra blankets or throws about, as others have suggested.
Airbnb won’t let me do an upcharge for using the bed. That’s what I used to do but a guest complained and Airbnb said that it’s not allowed.
I have a listing with a 1 bedroom and den or a 2 bedroom, no den. I’m not saying there is another bed but don’t use it. I’m saying it’s not a bedroom. If you want the 2nd bedroom, use my other listing.
Floorboards can’t be fixed. I have a very old house with very expensive padding and carpet. I run sound machines too in my bedroom and I still get woken up.
This might sound harsh, but not accommodating a reasonable expectation by guests, and expecting them to accommodate you by refraining from using furniture in the rental in some normal manner (not destructive and not dragging around rearranging) seems pretty unworkable in the hospitality business. Your squeaky floors are not their problem.
That said, how is a surcharge not allowed? – it’s an extra service! Maybe you just need to reword it. If I do extra services, I ask for $ through the resolution center, and haven’t gotten pushback. In your case:
“You are booked for, and the listing accommodates, a one bedroom stay. Guests who try to sleep on the daybed in the den report a very uncomfortable experience. But we want to provide a happy solution for everyone! For an extra charge, we can make up the daybed with comfortable bedding if you prefer to use 2 beds. Just confirm via message and you’ll get a payment request for $xx on the Airbnb platform.”
That might do the trick as far as what seems to be your main goal – getting advance notice so you can relocate and are not woken up by guests’ movements. Another option that may be whacky and unworkable depending on your floor plan – can you make your living room your bedroom (maybe with a screen around the bed?) and make your bedroom a sitting room?
I don’t think there’s any practical way to prohibit use of the daybed (unless you install electric fencing you turn on at night!) other than charging for providing extra bedding.
Did you know it was a mother and daughter before they arrived? If so, I’m not sure how you expected that they would be sharing the bed, unless the daughter was a toddler.
As others have said, I think your set-up is unworkable, despite having 2 listings. If you don’t want guests using the daybed at night unless they have paid extra, remove it entirely.
And I don’t quite understand being okay with being woken up at night by squeaky floors just because they paid more. If something disturbed my sleep at night, it wouldn’t a monetary issue.
Did you know it was a mother and daughter before they arrived? If so, I’m not sure how you expected that they would be sharing the bed, unless the daughter was a toddler.
As others have said, I think your set-up is unworkable, despite having 2 listings. If you don’t want guests using the daybed at night unless they have paid extra, remove it entirely.
And I don’t quite understand being okay with being woken up at night by squeaky floors just because they paid more. If something disturbed my sleep at night, it wouldn’t a monetary issue.
I would fix the squeaking floorboards (many ways to do this) and buy a rug with a rug pad under it. You can get an 8x10 foot rug for $140 from Amazon, I just bought one (any SAFAVIEH rug is durable) for my STR.
I might also sell the day bed and buy two used chairs off craig’s list or from a consignment shop.
You’ve created a situation that invites problems–you didn’t do it deliberately I trust, but that’s still what you have. Why do this.
Of course I would let it go, in answer to your specific question.
Years ago I was threatened with having my listing suspended but who knows what would happen now. It’s weird but it really hasn’t been an issue until the last month or so when guests have been doing this.
Many times, in listing, house rule, photos, and when they get the check in info. When I see a situation when they book that it might be this senecio, I make sure that they acknowledge the 1 bedroom but I guess people don’t really care.
perhaps in your description call the daybed a sofa? So for the listing that is just the one bed offering, describe the den differently, giving no indication that sleeping in there is an option. No photos of it made up like a bed, etc. Max of 2 guests. Done.
Perhaps put in your one-bedroom listing “For guests who need an extra bed, we do offer a separate two-bedroom configuration where the day-bed in the den is made up as a sleeping bed”, and then put a clickable link in the property description. Airbnb does allow uncesnsored live links if the destination is an Airbnb URL
