Two Proposals for Airbnb to Consider for the Hosts

[Sabrina108]

Dear Airbnb, 

As the whole business model is tilted towards the guests (I know it is important), I am proposing the following 2 things for consideration which may make it a little bit fair for thousands of wonderful hosts around the world. 

1. Make hotels and houses separate: Please look into the possibilities of making houses/homes of people and hotels/guest houses/hostels etc separate. 

In the recent times, the amount of commercially run listing on Airbnb has increased and it is creating unrealistic expectations among the guests when they come to someone's house. With the complicated feedback and review system, the normal house owners are in a helpless position. So, I think it is possible to separate the listings. When someone logs into Airbnb,  there should be two options to choose from as Commercially Run Establishments or Personal Properties. Based on the preference, people can choose what they want. 

2. Prompts: Create a prompt with a small form when someone makes a booking to clearly state their arrival time, flight number and to make sure that they have read the listing details properly.

It is very important as many of us work and need to work around the guest arrival time. There are many guests who are not communicative and turns up whenever they want outside of the check in time and want to leave after the checkout time. When we mention this to the guests, they take their frustration and revenge through the feedback and ratings.  

This can be a fairly simple thing for Airbnb to create a small form that the guests have a fill-up when they make a booking to make the guests mention about their times and ensure they comply by the host's rules.

I hope this will be considered.

Thanks

Sabrina

[Gina32]

Nice idea to make the guest acknowledge that they have actually read the listing, house rules etc.

You are right and many have expereinced the problem of guests not arriving at the agreed time. This is possibly again because the guest does not understand he is coming to someones home and they are not going to be there all day and night waiting for the guest to turn up. Some guests are polite enough to phone and say if there has been a delay, but many do not.

I am finding more and more, less repect from guests about this issue. They do not understand that you the host, actually have a life! you possibly work and you might even like to go out with your family and friends occassionally, that you too have special occassions to celebrate and that you try to go to a lot of trouble to fit in your guests needs with your own.

[Cormac0]

@Sabrina108

@Gina32

I suggested Airbnb should incorporate geo-positioning into their app so Hosts could see in real time where their guest are currently positioned, so those last-minute detours for lunch or pints of beer in the local tavern, aren’t excused by traffic jam's or unforeseen delays.

I had one group change the E.T.A four times before they arrived with the smell of alcohol on their breath. While I drummed my fingers, and bit my lip.

Hosts have all sort of penalties and it would appear guest have none what so ever, it’s time to redress the balance.

wait for it, wait for it, then we're archived

[Gina32]

@Cormac0 what a grand idea. Airbnb response....

"tell him he's dreaming"

Wait for it!

[Sabrina108]

Hi Cormac, 

Geopositioning will be the intrusion of privacy. Would you like someone to track you through your mobile device? Probably no. I would not like a host to tell me when I go to their home that I have been to certain places and they know about it. 

With the check in/out times, I am sure most of the hosts are flexible, given the guests communicate and maintain their times. I often accept a request from the guest to check in late if they properly communicate all details.

Thanks anyway

[Gregory11]

Yes its also a great idea to separate Commercial and Non Commerical accomdation i.e. Hotels/ Resorts/ Hostels from home stays like apartments/ condos/ houses/villa - 

the more PROPERTY TYPE SELECTION for potiental guests the easier quicker and hassel free the whole searching experince will be.

IDEAR for Airbnb JUST COPY Tripadivor/Flipkey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a Super Host for 2 Airbnb Properties.

Airbnb has failed to be logical by going backwards and getting worst NOT better by :-

 1. not supply all hosts with a list of the guest Review questions and actively inviting constructive objective feedback to their proposed changes - but rather just do the changes and not listening. Not listening and doing something to correct the problems about Hosts complaints.  Just having a Host Chat Room for them to vent their frustration but act never respond or act like anyone from Airbnb management ever takes any notice is poor service.

2. checkout and copy Flipkey how their guest review system works and why its simpler and less problematic for guests and hosts.

  whats the point changing some thing for the worst ???

3. for not having in place a system to supply a copy of the reason for the changes OR for Hosts to be able to view the changes. After speaking to 3 of Airbnbs Supervisors - no one can say what the thinking actually was and why it was done - this creates ill feeling with hosts and loss of business to Flipkey due to the frustration.

How about a new Hosts section called "REASON FOR PROPOSED and RECENT CHANGES" with "we listen and invite your feedback !"

5. NEVER responding to direct FEEDBACK to emails sent to Airbnb about "how we could be better " as invited in their "complaints" section. I sent them a copy of these suggestions  over a dozen times !!

6. for not using the correct the web site designers and having them and management NOT accountable for pissing off lots of Hosts.

7. for making me and hundreds of Hosts write obvious stuff a Billion dollar company should already know !!!!!!

8. for REMOVING their PROPERTY TYPE guest search option - now all property types apartments /condos - houses/villa - and eveything else like caves/ boats/ campervans ect are all in together to fustrate potential guests searching for just 1 particular Property Type.  - why the stupid change Airbnb  ? - again no one knows why !   Flipkey still has this logical PROPERTY TYPE option to help guests searching for accommodation.

Logical thinking from Airbnb is now optional - as they try to be everything to everyone - as they loose the original overview concept of being " a simple cool and fun experience " !!!

[Huma0]

@Sabrina108, I agree. It would be very useful to have a prompt or a form guests must fill in confirming they've read the full description/house rules and stating their arrival time (reminding them of the check in and check out times).

It is very time consuming to have to constantly message guests to find out this information and even more time consuming dealing with early check ins or guests who want to drop off their luggage earlier in the day. Then some turn up at a different time than they said and you've ended up wasting your whole day.

I find that the vast majority of my guests seem to expect to come when it suits them and don't care what times you've specified on the listing. And yes, if you tell them it's not possible, they can take it badly and in turn reflect this in their reviews.

I'd like to see a form that could give them the option to select their arrival time within the check in window only. Then, if they want to arrive outside of that time, there is an option to make a 'special request' and the host has the option to indicate fees for this if they want.

[Gregory11]

Yes you have some good ideas - Airbnb deleted their Rental Type option of your guests searching for a property - here is a copy of TRIPADVISOR/ FLIPKEY Rental Types options

Below that is Airbnbs attempt to be helpful !!

FLIPKEY ------

Rental types

• Any

• Private room
• House
• Apt. / Condo
• Villa
• Resort
• B&B
• Yacht
• Cottage
  AIRBNB -----

  Entire Home

  Have a place to yourself

  Private Room

  Have your own room and share some common spaces

  Shared Room

  Stay in a shared space, like a common room
  Cancel

  See homes
• Houseboat
• Studio                 Airbnb - IT WAS EASIER AND BETTER TO BEFORE your RECENT CHANGES !!

[Cormac0]

@Sabrina108

Hi Sabrina

I would have no problem being tracked by the AirBnb app, when,
I had given a commitment to meet a host at a prearranged time, it would keep the less punctilious honest, and maybe we could go to the bar and join them for a drink rather than sitting anxious wait for them to arrive.

I am not a door mat, I am Spartacus