Post by High Priestess on Feb 4, 2016 2:02:01 GMT
From this post on New Hosts FOrum:
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-205910
Linda shared Feb 3 2016
Change of guests' situation after reservation made
A guest for 2 weeks from now just booked a room with us. When he put in his request he said there would be one guest with him. We accepted his request and he booked. Now he asked if it's ok to bring a couple of kids ( I think he's a youth minister). The room is small and can only accommodate 2. He wants to have them sleep in sleeping bags. We also have a couple staying in our larger room. What should I do?
Deborah
This is the kind of thing that every host needs to think through and decide whether this is acceptable to you. It is not a question of what you SHOULD do but what you WANT to do.
You do not have to accept extra guests or kids if you would rather not. Many hosts take offense at guests adding in extra people after they complete the booking, others which it seems the guest knew about in advance but did not disclose.
If it is okay with you to have the extra people, You can submit the guest a reservation change to add the charges for the extra people in. Or if you don't wNt them just tell guest no you cannot bring any others with you, and tell then they will need to cancel if they don't want to come without the kids.
Queenie & Ted
In addition to what Deborah said, you need to consider the impact on your other guest. Will they now be sharing a bathroom with 3-5 more people? You might make this guest happy by accepting a bunch more guests and end up with a horrible review from your other guest.
Andrew
In addition to everything Deborah says, also take into account that the couple in the other room may have booked under the expectation that they are sharing the facilities with a certain number of people. Bringing in a group that exceeds your capacity is going to have an impact on their stay, too - especially with kids. If I were you, I'd refuse the request for extra people on this basis, and suggest that the guest cancel and book a place more appropriate to his needs. Your cancellation policy is Flexible, so the guest would get most of his money back anyway.
Another thing I probably shouldn't say...from my experiences as a child in the Bible Belt, if I heard a so-called "youth minister" intended to share a bedroom with someone else's children, I'd shut it down as fast as if Bill Cosby handed my sister a cocktail. Everything about this booking frankly sounds terrible, and you won't regret the chance to get out of it.
Linda
I agree wholeheartedly with Andrew - this situation sounds very shady to me also and I live in the bible belt.
Jessa
100% with Andrew on this one, all of a sudden he is a youth minister who wants to bring a bunch of strangers' kids? I'd consider calling airbnb on this one too, this could be something horrific.
Linda
Thanks for your input folks! And yes - my biggest concern is consideration for the other couple who booked weeks ago. I normally touch base with each guest a few days before checkin to find out dietary preferences, and at that time, mention that another guest has booked our other room as well - "so there will be lots of conversation at the table". I like guests to know exactly what they will be getting and I think that laying this news on the couple who booked earlier would be too much.
Andrew
Good call. If the guest gives you any trouble about changing the number of people in the booking, contact Airbnb by phone and let them deal with it. And make sure they're aware of the guest's intention to spend the night in the same room as some children; it could be benign but if it's what I suspect, it's something a lot of "youth ministers" get away with due to an insufficient paper trail, and you have the paper trail.
Linda
Thanks Andrew. I sent a response that clearly indicated my thoughts on bringing children here to his small bedroom. I was polite but firm about my position. I will keep you informed, but don't expect a problem at this point.
Jessa
Linda please contact airbnb regardless of if this man stays or not and brings children or does not, just in the unlikely event that this is not innocent.
Deborah
Andrew's point is very good -- I read your post quickly and didn't take in about the couple you have in the other room. You would yes very much need to take their comfort into account. WHich is why in my opinion hosts who intend to rent out more than one room in their home, to guests who don't know each other in advance, need to give a lot of thought to how this can be done without creating problems for one or the other of the guests or parties of guests. I believe stricter rules and more limits are needed in such an environment (and I would say, it would really be best to NEVER allow children to stay, in such a setting where you have an unrelated guest in another room) because things can easily get out of hand if people are given too much freedom or space to "be themselves" and invite all and sundry. I would say, no children, limit of 2 people per room , and guests cannot bring ANY visitors into the house whatsoever. Also you would do well to have quiet hours and rules that would prevent monopolizing of the kitchen space.
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-205910
Linda shared Feb 3 2016
Change of guests' situation after reservation made
A guest for 2 weeks from now just booked a room with us. When he put in his request he said there would be one guest with him. We accepted his request and he booked. Now he asked if it's ok to bring a couple of kids ( I think he's a youth minister). The room is small and can only accommodate 2. He wants to have them sleep in sleeping bags. We also have a couple staying in our larger room. What should I do?
Deborah
This is the kind of thing that every host needs to think through and decide whether this is acceptable to you. It is not a question of what you SHOULD do but what you WANT to do.
You do not have to accept extra guests or kids if you would rather not. Many hosts take offense at guests adding in extra people after they complete the booking, others which it seems the guest knew about in advance but did not disclose.
If it is okay with you to have the extra people, You can submit the guest a reservation change to add the charges for the extra people in. Or if you don't wNt them just tell guest no you cannot bring any others with you, and tell then they will need to cancel if they don't want to come without the kids.
Queenie & Ted
In addition to what Deborah said, you need to consider the impact on your other guest. Will they now be sharing a bathroom with 3-5 more people? You might make this guest happy by accepting a bunch more guests and end up with a horrible review from your other guest.
Andrew
In addition to everything Deborah says, also take into account that the couple in the other room may have booked under the expectation that they are sharing the facilities with a certain number of people. Bringing in a group that exceeds your capacity is going to have an impact on their stay, too - especially with kids. If I were you, I'd refuse the request for extra people on this basis, and suggest that the guest cancel and book a place more appropriate to his needs. Your cancellation policy is Flexible, so the guest would get most of his money back anyway.
Another thing I probably shouldn't say...from my experiences as a child in the Bible Belt, if I heard a so-called "youth minister" intended to share a bedroom with someone else's children, I'd shut it down as fast as if Bill Cosby handed my sister a cocktail. Everything about this booking frankly sounds terrible, and you won't regret the chance to get out of it.
Linda
I agree wholeheartedly with Andrew - this situation sounds very shady to me also and I live in the bible belt.
Jessa
100% with Andrew on this one, all of a sudden he is a youth minister who wants to bring a bunch of strangers' kids? I'd consider calling airbnb on this one too, this could be something horrific.
Linda
Thanks for your input folks! And yes - my biggest concern is consideration for the other couple who booked weeks ago. I normally touch base with each guest a few days before checkin to find out dietary preferences, and at that time, mention that another guest has booked our other room as well - "so there will be lots of conversation at the table". I like guests to know exactly what they will be getting and I think that laying this news on the couple who booked earlier would be too much.
Andrew
Good call. If the guest gives you any trouble about changing the number of people in the booking, contact Airbnb by phone and let them deal with it. And make sure they're aware of the guest's intention to spend the night in the same room as some children; it could be benign but if it's what I suspect, it's something a lot of "youth ministers" get away with due to an insufficient paper trail, and you have the paper trail.
Linda
Thanks Andrew. I sent a response that clearly indicated my thoughts on bringing children here to his small bedroom. I was polite but firm about my position. I will keep you informed, but don't expect a problem at this point.
Jessa
Linda please contact airbnb regardless of if this man stays or not and brings children or does not, just in the unlikely event that this is not innocent.
Deborah
Andrew's point is very good -- I read your post quickly and didn't take in about the couple you have in the other room. You would yes very much need to take their comfort into account. WHich is why in my opinion hosts who intend to rent out more than one room in their home, to guests who don't know each other in advance, need to give a lot of thought to how this can be done without creating problems for one or the other of the guests or parties of guests. I believe stricter rules and more limits are needed in such an environment (and I would say, it would really be best to NEVER allow children to stay, in such a setting where you have an unrelated guest in another room) because things can easily get out of hand if people are given too much freedom or space to "be themselves" and invite all and sundry. I would say, no children, limit of 2 people per room , and guests cannot bring ANY visitors into the house whatsoever. Also you would do well to have quiet hours and rules that would prevent monopolizing of the kitchen space.