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!
Hi Rachel, I’m in MA, too, and am part of the MA Covid 19 effort. Like you my rental helps pay for house expenses and while I miss the extra money, there is not a chance in hell I would put myself or my family at risk. I have talked to extremely ill people and have friends who continue to have debilitating side effects ever since they had Covid months ago.
There is still a lot to learn about this virus. You have to weigh for yourself if the risks are worth taking. There is still a lot to learn about the vaccines as well and what their efficacy will be as the virus mutates. As a sidenote, it’s pretty typical for a virus to mutate. It’s just in this instance it could be more deadly.
I’m reading more about the effects of long covid, even in mild cases. I have a friend who has been ill for over a year with something else and got covid this fall. He had a mild case and wasn’t hospitalized. But I’ve seen him in person a few times lately and it really seems to me that he has had a significant drop off with his memory. That spooks me more than a lot of things. I’m considering being one of those who only reopens to people who have been vaccinated. I don’t know if Airbnb would support that so the alternative may be to remain closed except to friends/family/repeat guests.
You are right to be spooked. One friend has had nightmares and heart palpitations since she had covid. Another has debilitating fatigue and can barely work.
Out of three family members who’ve had it, two mild symptoms and one who was floored for a few days, the only one so far with after effects is the one who was pretty ill.
Shortness of breathe and fatigue mainly, but the silly bugger is back at work humping 25/35kg backpacks up and down numerous flights of stairs. He should still be off sick… bloody gung ho paramedics
I know that you are in Massachusetts so I’m wondering if you are re-opening yet. We opened one of our three rooms for July and already have 3 two day bookings. I may have to go back to a checklist since I’ve forgotten my routine. We used to have three rooms bustling by this time every spring/summer. However, my daughter moved home and took one room and we may never rent our own room out again until our health concerns are reduced. I also do an Airbnb experience and have had one booking for that as well.
Hi. We are opening at the beginning of July and we have a couple of bookings but it looks as if it’s going to be slow. We sit on our posting that we are fully vaccinated and welcome vaccinated people. I know we can’t turn others down but if they haven’t been vaccinated we will probably ask them to wear a mask in the shared areas. We’ve been enjoying unemployment benefits but those are ending. Time to get back to work. We are looking forward to it.
My advice would be to not open or delay opening as long as you can. In our experience, it’s completely brutal out there. Many travelers, because of the pandemic, have really lost their minds and the amount of abuse you are likely to take on will break your heart.
I’m a new user here. I wanted to post a new thread about this but I couldn’t see how to do that. I’ll do that as soon as I can.
In general, what we’ve found is that guests are not really happy traveling during these times because of restrictions, etc. and they will imply take out their frustrations on the hosts with bad reviews, etc. Airbnb is no help at all, unfortunately. So if you open, expect to be out there on your own with little in the way of support.
Must be you, or your region. Since reopening in late June last year our guests have been excellent and have, in the main, left stellar reviews. They have all been appreciative of the measures we had to put in place to protect both ourselves and our guests, and accept that some amenities within our apartments have been restricted.
I keep hearing how bad guests are now, always on the internet. When I speak to hosts I know personally, their experiences are not that different to ours.
Sadly, that has been the case for quite some time. Maybe it’ll improve now they realise how badly they fecked up, or maybe it won’t.
We’ve had only a handful of guests since we reopened, but they’ve all been stellar. We increased our prices significantly. It hasn’t stopped us from getting reservations, including bookings from repeat guests.
The situation here (HI, USA) is different from the mainland and other areas which share borders directly with neighbor states or countries.
Being that a flight is the only realistic travel option, the state in affect shut down entry making our covid numbers the lowest in the US. With that, business tanked but our heath-care system did not collapse.
The state’s strict approach continued with a required C19 test prior to arrival when the state opened up mid October. I wasn’t quite ready as the kitchen and bath renovation was not complete so I took the time to get that done and watch how things progressed with the incoming visitors.
Come December 1, my rental was ready and I felt comfortable with the situation.
My heads in beds rate for December was 80%, January dipped but February picked up and since I’m at 83-87% through June.
A few ‘remote workers’, not too different from the past, but the majority of guests are those with pent up ‘travel needs’. ALL have been from North America which is different from than previously when Asia and Europe were homes of a good number of guests.
Data points; my rental is an attached ADU (accessory dwelling unit). Besides the primary structure, nothing is shared with the primary (my) home. Separate entrances, cooling systems… everything.
As before the pandemic, I do an in person (now-masked) walk through. I got the two jabs months ago and most of the recent guests are vaxed as well.
Since re-opening, average stay has been 7.5 nights (six night minimum) and a 5.0 rating.
