Surprise extra guest

Celeste & Esiris shared on New HOsts FOrum Nov 2014


www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-92221


Surprise Extra Guest





Guest made reservation for 1. Guest calls on their way and says "we". We say "Oh, we thought the reservation was for 1, is there more than 1?" Guests says yes, they can pay for the extra person in cash.What terminology would you use to explain that it would be better for everyone to make it legit through Airbnb?
7 comments
Following
Like

Delete
Hide
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
To protect both of us its better going through Airbnb and it's really simple to make a quick amendment.

Reply Like 1 like Delete
Elizabeth
Elizabeth2 years ago
Are they intentionally circumventing the higher booking fee for a higher rent?

Reply Like Delete
Maria Lurdes
Maria Lurdes2 years ago
When I get a request for one person and I double check with the guest, and they tell me - oh yeah, I'm bringing my ten year old but he doesn't count does he? I tell them yes. Then if they give me guff, I ask them how many people they want evacuated in case of an emergency. That's the number of people who need to be in the guest count.

Reply Like 2 replies•12 likes Delete
Maggie
Maggie2 years ago
Love that answer Maria!! Will steal it!

Marianna
Marianna2 years ago
Excellent response Maria. Great idea

Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
When this guest booked, what did they tell you about their trip? Usually I can get a sense of who is coming by the guest's description – we are visiting our daughter, my husband and I are taking a little vacation, etc. If I don't hear anything, I usually ask to confirm the number of people.

Because one is the default and a lot of folks don't read, it's easy to make that mistake. In my listing I say that we can only host the number of guests in the booking and ask for any changes to be made at least 48 hours in advance. I also explained that unapproved visitors are not allowed.

Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
I make it simple, and tell guests that if they contact me through Airbnb, all payments are to be made through Airbnb. I would then explain how easy & quick it is to make a reservation alteration through Airbnb, and I would submit the reservation alteration to them to accept.

Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Celeste & Esiris
Celeste & Esiris2 years ago
I usually handle all this well beforehand but this was a last minute booking and the guest reeeeally made it sound like she was all alone and it was just a 1 person booking in her messages so I didn't think it was necessary to double check the actual number of guests... (turned out she had a friend who actually needed *separate* sleeping accommodations -ha!)
We told her we would make the alteration for the reservation to be for 2.
She said it would be easier to pay cash.
We scrambled for some good terminology to help them understand that it would be better for *them* to have them both on the Airbnb (email hidden) husband kind of fumbled with the wording, lol... she agreed and accepted the alteration, but if we're thrown off guard again like this, is there something we can say about Airbnb's policies or Host/Guest Guarantee or something?

Reply Like Delete
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
Just say that it is Airbnb policy that guests who contact you through Airbnb must make all payments through Airbnb, as that is in fact the policy. Also say that the Host/Guest guarantee is void when payments for accomodations are not made through Airbnb.