Returning guest special offer for blocked dates?

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Returning guest special offer for blocked dates?

I have a guest that would like to return for a weekend that we currently have blocked.  I do not want "new" guests for that weekend but feel fine with this returning guest.   Can I; or How can I send him a special offer for dates that are blocked on my listing to the public?  I don't want to unblock the dates least someone "new" books the property while we are gone.

 

Essentially my question is this how can I allow HIM to book the dates without showing it available on my listing?  I could have him pay me directly but that would violate the agreements with Airbnb and would not be wise.  I want to book through Airbnb~  thanks, tim

1 Best Answer

@Tim-and-Brenda0   I don't know of any way someone can book blocked dates. 

Only way I can see to do it is to coordinate closely with the guests.  As they have been previous guests, you have their number and they have yours.  Ask them to  call you, or vice versa, when they are ready / available to book.

Then, take off Instant Book so no one else can IB the dates. Open the dates so the preferred guest can book immediately while you are on the phone with them. Of course, if they are late off the mark you do run the risk of having another guest reserve and you having to decline them - if that happens remember to choose to keep the calendar dates available for your preferred guest or they will be blocked.

OR maybe Airbnb has a solution. Contact Airbnb.

USA  1-415-800-5959  -  Toll free  1-855-424-7262

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10 Replies 10

@Tim-and-Brenda0   I don't know of any way someone can book blocked dates. 

Only way I can see to do it is to coordinate closely with the guests.  As they have been previous guests, you have their number and they have yours.  Ask them to  call you, or vice versa, when they are ready / available to book.

Then, take off Instant Book so no one else can IB the dates. Open the dates so the preferred guest can book immediately while you are on the phone with them. Of course, if they are late off the mark you do run the risk of having another guest reserve and you having to decline them - if that happens remember to choose to keep the calendar dates available for your preferred guest or they will be blocked.

OR maybe Airbnb has a solution. Contact Airbnb.

USA  1-415-800-5959  -  Toll free  1-855-424-7262

Thanks Angie,  That's the only work around that I could figure out. 

I have the same issue. This is a whole lot of crazy workaround to solve a simple problem. When someone makes an inquiry and I pre-approve I have the option to block the dates so no one else can book while the person decides whether to book. It would be great to have the option when sending a special offer to block the days except for the person receiving the offer. When I've called AirBnB they had no other solution and seemed to have difficulty understanding the issue and instead tried to send me to the documentation again. 

Wei31
Level 2
Colorado Springs, CO

I have the same issue.  Returning guest that I have previously blocked dates for.   Sending a special offer to a returning guest  should not be this difficult.  I am on Airbnb, and the competing site of North America (VRBO), where it is much easier to send offers to returning guests.  PLEASE MAKE THE CHANGES AIRBNB!!!  Not only was this difficult, but since I had to take the blocked dates off so that the returning guest can send in the request to book, I had to decline 2 new requests to book.  My super host status is now gone bc I had to decline them.  This system is extreemly flawed, and needs to be changed!!!!

Adna5
Level 2
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

I've just had the same problem; a guest asked me to reserve her some dates because she had problems with her card. I've sent her a special offer and then changed the price for those days to an unreasonably big amount of money so no one books them. It's an inconviniance.

Hilary79
Level 8
Spokane, WA

As you are going to send the returning guest a special offer, when you open those block dates, set a ridiculous high nightly fee that no one in their right mind would book.  When I had a problem with the calendar syncing on Airbnb and the other sites I advertise on, this was my temporary "fix" to block dates until Airbnb corrected  the issue.

I have a similar situation:  Just had a guest stay for the weekend, they also reserved our place for next weekend.  After they left they contacted me and wanted to add an additioknal day, which is fine.  They were great for the first weekend and we would love to have them back.  However, I went to change their reservation to add the day and then sent them the request to "Accept". They have not accepted yet and we are afraid that someone else will want that extra day since it is available.  Afraid to block the daste because we are afraid the previous guest will be blocked out from the date as well.  We raised the price to double what the original price was in hopes this will save the date for the previous guest.  PLEASE AIRBNB FIX FOR THIS!  It would be great to block for everyone except for the previous guest or a specific guest.

This is still a problem (as of 8-3-19) and definitely needs to be made easier!!  I have a returning guest I'm trying to accommodate for three days next week. They were blocked on my calendar, though my apartment was available.  Coordinating with her, I unblocked the dates but even after "refreshing" the site, we could not find my listing on the Airbnb site for her to submit a request for reservation. 

Since I didn't want anyone else to book, I've had to block the dates again.  It's really infuriating!!

 

Even so, it's good to know there are others who have experienced this. I hope Airbnb makes this easier in future. 

Shannon417
Level 2
Redondo Beach, CA

AIRBNB Please Help.

Return business is a high goal for my homes in Tulsa.

Our return guests should receive elevated status. 

 

REPEAT business is critical. Please there must be ways to allow for an ACTIVE Special OFFER button for our returning guests.

 

Please help!!

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Why are you going through Airbnb. Just block your calendar and take it as a direct booking @Shannon417 

 

Then you can give them whatever special offer you like.