Guests are always late!

[Lisa367]

If hosts are rated on "check in" with stars, why aren't guests?  I literally wait 2-4 hours for guests to arrive, none of them available via phone.  I'm currently 2 hours into another wait.  It's a Saturday night, I've missed a dinner with a friend because the guest is two hours late.   At what point do the hosts have the right to just leave and make the guests wait for them?  If you schedule a time to arrive with your host, then don't show up for 2 - 4 hours, that is beyond rude.  It is ridiculous and completely disrespectful.  Hosts have lives, too, and making someone wait for up to 4 hours for you is completely unacceptable.  Especially since hosts are rated on "check in", yet guests can basically get away with showing up whenever they feel like it.  UNREAL.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

So frustrating!  This is most definitely a constant complaint!  There are threads dedicated to discussing this topic.  If you search for them in the forums, you'll find lots of suggestions.   

We have it in our house rules: 

* BE ON TIME: We'll expect you to work with us to find a mutually acceptable check-in time and commit to arriving at the agreed upon time.

We mark down every guest for "House Rules" if they are late. One day, we're going to have to send someone away for violating this - because we're out or unavailable when they show up.  

Mostly, we get guests who want to give us a range of time.  To this we respond: 

"We have busy lives. Since it's our home, we would like to commit to an arrival time with you. We both have commitments and jobs that often force us to be away from the house.  There is no full-time staff, it's just us, so we need to make sure one of us is available to greet you, let you in, and show you around.  There is no remote key or keybox and we'd hate to leave you stranded on the porch wanting to check in while we're off running errands. We hope you understand.  We'd be happy to put you down for a xxpm check in if that works for you.  Then we can set about planning our day around your arrival." 

Note, that Airbnb has sided against a host who had a range of time 2-10, but the guest said they'd be there at 3.  He waited until 6 and went home.  The guest arrived at 8. He said he couldn't get back until 9.  She was able to get rehoused and he got dinged for a Host Cancel.  They said since he had a "range" he had to be there for the entire time.  

[Lisa367]

@Alice-and-Jeff0  SO CRAZY!  What does Airbnb expect you to do if your check-in time is say "after 2 pm" or "24 hours"?  Just sit and wait?  That's ridiculous.  It is completely a guests responsibility to show up at the time of arrival.  In this case, tonight, the guest was THREE hours late.  I had already left for dinner, I got sick of waiting.  One guest never even told me what time he was arriving.  i messaged for days asking, no response.  i tried calling, sending messages,  nothing.  finally i messaged him and i was like "listen, its my husbands moms birthday so we have to go to lunch.  i cannot just wait for you not knowing what time you'll arrive."  of course he arrived in the middle of lunch.  i told him theres nothing i can do since i asked him what time and he didnt reply for DAYS.  he told me he'd be traveling and didnt have wifi.  sorry, NOT MY PROBLEM!  i made him wait for an hour until i was finished with the birthday lunch.

[Robin4]

@Lisa367

Yeah Lisa, it's a common problem, and it is you will appreciate, a hangover from guests dealing with hotels where there is a permenantly staffed reception desk. To them it doesn't matter, they have no concern that they are putting you out, you are being paid for it!

It possibly sounds a bit stupid but from my own experience, I build humour into my welcome message as I ask the guest for an arrival time, and my god, it gets a response, and an accurate one!

I know, it's a piece of nonsense but one guest fired back an immediate response about how they were sitting in a cafe and laughed so much when that message came through that those around them thought they were crazy. But they gave me a time and an accurate one. Another man said...."Crocodiles !, what the hell am I coming too" but he gave me an arrival time. 

Lisa, it's about creating a bit of a bond and by throwing something out of left field at them they will in general respond in a positive way.

I know Lisa, it's not for everyone but it sure does work for me!

Cheers.....Rob

[Lilian20]

Great one @Robin4 !!

[Robin4]

@Lilian20

Hi there L,

As I said, it is a bit of nonsense and I am all the time dreaming up new outrageous ways to welcome guests. Most hosts will probably shake their heads and say....'what a tosser',  but, the whole idea is to grab the guests attention and solicit a response, and seriously, you have no idea how it gets the desired response. Every guest I have had has given me an accurate time for their arrival as soon as I send my welcome message,  I give them something to look forward to.... a cheese plate, a wine or two, something that will make a response to me as their first priority....and L, that's the way it invariably turns out!

Cheers.....Rob

[HomeSuiteHome0]

Robin...I really loved this feedback and it is a great idea. 

thank you!

Kimberly

[Anthony179]

I think stating that on your profile will help out a lot.I know when i travel to different citys it is very easy to run late. 

 If i read on a profile that there is a designated 4 hour check in time then i would know that being prompt is important for this host.I would want to know that because i do run late working in the music buisness. It would make it easier for a guest to find the right host match.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Lisa367

uuuuu don't ever joke with italians, la mamma e la cena!!! :)))))

[Robin4]

@Branka-and-Silvia0... Hi girls....Mamma, Dinner! Your not suggesting my Crocodiles eat Italian guests..... are you?? 😉

Cheers.....Rob

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Robin4

no, it's like @Lisa367 let them wait until she finish dinner :))

there are few things very important to Italian people: La mamma e mangiare are two of them. The whole Italy eats at the same time and it is very rude to call or come to visit in that time right Lisa? 

[Carlo109]

This is a very stupid and unfortunate comment!

[Zacharias0]

Ive had that happen multiple times. Usually its not an issue as long as they provide a 2-3 hour window of their time of arrival. Its a self check in so they can arrive at anytime and let themselves in. I remember one time i had a guest book, not provide check in or check out time and waited until they were 20 mins away from my house to let me know they were on their way. I cancelled their booking because of their lack of courtesy and communication. I had reached my limit with the guest. They traveled by bus and the entire trip they couldn't let me know what time they would arrive. It was a one way conversation from the time they booked up until the time they arrived in my city and I couldn't deal with having that guest in my house. I must have sent them 5 messages, but they all fell on deaf ears. So, as  I mentioned I called AirBnB and just dealt with the penalities. I'm done suffering through these inconsiderate guests. Oddly enough, the guest didn't even bother messaging me to ask why their reservation was cancelled. Nothing!

[Zappa0]

I've had guests show up on the wrong weeks (or months). Twice I caught it before their arrival (but on the day they were coming) but once the guest just showed up (hadn't said a peep to me since making their booking) and proclaimed "We are here!" That's great but you booked for next week and it's occupied. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Alice-and-Jeff0

so, according to ABB we should put our check in time 14:00 - 14:01 h ?