Tag: Airbnb

Airbnb Stories: Running a 420 friendly Airbnb

Running an Airbnb in Portland Oregon allowed me to legally offer marijuana to guests which I didn’t mind if they smoked in the house. Public consumption is illegal. Out of towners need to be aware of this. It’s the main reason I won’t allow smoking weed on the front porch or out back. Don’t get me wrong, you will smell the distinct smell of Mary Jane while you move throughout the town. Technically though….. and not all cops are cool.

I used to be a cigarette smoker. “Used to” being the operative words here. It has been 12 years since I quit. It is by far has been the best thing I have done for myself. For that reason alone, there is no smoking Tobacco on the property. That’s right, not even outside in the backyard. Sorry not sorry.

You can find a marijuana dispensary in every neighborhood. Several actually. There are two dispensaries within walking distance from the house. The dispensary that was a bit further was one of my favorite places to go therefore I referred many many guests there. So many guests, that after some time, one of the budtenders they asked me if I was the “Julie” who was referring all the people. Yes, yes that’s me.

At some point the manager, at the time, approached me with a promotion I could not resist.

He had discount cards made for each of my guests to receive 20% off of their purchase. He gave me a laminated version of this discount card. They tracked how many cards came from me by assigning them the same number. That number is on my laminated card. They wanted to make sure the promotion didn’t result in a loss for them which means they also tracked how much of a discount I received along the way. I love this deal! It is a win win for all parties involved.

As a result of this dispensary promotion and laws in Portland for recreational use, I made welcome kits for each of the rooms. There was a small basket filled with paraphernalia and either a small nug or perhaps a leftover joint. There was hemp wick, a lighter, a small cheap $5 glass pipe and an ashtray.

You wouldn’t believe how much was weed paid forward. In hindsight it makes sense. My guest were traveling and they couldn’t travel with it so they left it behind. It wasn’t always appealing to me. I felt it kind to leave for my guests.

One time there was a sweet foreign guest who didn’t know what 420 stands for. She was very surprised! She rolled with it.

Another time I received the best review about the 420 vibe in the Airbnb house. The house was 3 bedrooms, two of which were for guests and the big bedroom was mine. Sometimes guests dealt with each other. I was always around.

The Best Things To Do In Portland Oregon

photo-1436505743955-a98c0d3eb1a8I have been living in Portland since March of 2011 and I am still loving it. Portland isn’t a big town.  It is a dense town, which means you get a lot of options in a small radius.  Portland is made up of lots of neighborhoods (each with their own flavor). As a local, it is common to stick to your part of town since you can find everything you need in your neighboorhood.  Overall Portland is known for its nature, coffee, beer, food and strippers.

Over the last seven years, I have had several friends visit, which has prompted me to find all the fun things in town to do.  I also run an Airbnb, so I am constantly offering suggestions to guests.

Getting around town

  • The public transportation in Portland is reliable, efficient and affordable.  The TriMet system is the organization that runs the Max (aka: the light rail), the bus and the street car.  It costs $5 for an all day pass.  You can use your ticket to ride any of the options for public transportation.
  • You can also Rent Bikes. If you do get a bike, I encourage you to ride it around the Eastbank Esplanade.  Bikes are allowed on the bus, light rail and street car.

 

The esplanade goes around the waterfront and Steel Bridge
The Loop.

 

  • You will need a car if you want to go to the Gorge, the Coast or Mount Hood.

West Side/ Downtown of Portland

oPortland City Grill is located on the 30th floor of the Bancorp tower otherwise know as Big Pink.  UnknownBig Pink has its own Instagram page dedicated to it. If you are driving, there is a parking garage right next to it.  PCG will validate your parking for up to two hours.  There is also a max stop right in front of it.

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Powell’s Books Store.  Quintessential Portland. Give yourself some time to be in here. There are many rooms to explore and gifts to consider.

 

 

portland-parks-m25d0img24312-sPark Blocks.  Have you seen the movie that was filmed in Portland, What the Bleep Do We Know?  There is a scene explaining quantum physics using a basketball.  It was filmed in the Park Blocks.

 

1486700177406Portland Art Museum.
The first Thursday of Every Month is free from 5:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

 

 

img_6381Portland Saturday Market– Where local artists come together to sell you their creations.  Happening weekends, March through Christmas Eve.  This is a great place to shop whether you’re a local or a tourist.

 

1297969442-screen_shot_2011-02-17_at_11.02.55_amGround Kontrol.

The places where you can drink and play video games. All ages until 4:30p.m. daily.

 

 

Places to Eat :

Piazza Italia– my favorite Italian restaurant

Cool Moon Ice Cream– right next door to Piazza Italia

Thai Peacock– my favorite Thai restaurant

Voodoo Doughnuts if you must– I think they are over rated.  Don’t buy the hype.  The one downtown always has a line out the door.  They only take cash.  There is a location on the east side you can walk right into most anytime. I saw someone get married there once.  There was a line that day since they shut down the store for a few minutes.

Alder Street Food Carts or the Food Carts on SW 3rd Ave between SW Washington and SW Stark Street.

Mother’s Bistro– Quintessential Portland Breakfast.  “Call your Mother”

Shopping on NW 23rd Street. A street lined with shopping.  Where us locals  to buy clothes when we aren’t thrift shopping.

 

 

East Side of Portland

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LaurelHurst Park is great because it’s in the middle of the city.  It’s big, has a lake where you can see ducks and birds, etc.

 

 

 

images-1Mount Tabor is an inactive volcano.  Once you’re at the top, you get a great view of the city. If you are visiting in August, be sure to check out Soap Box Derby Races

 

 

 

Places to Eat:

Blue Star Donoughts on Mississippi

Salt and Straw on NE Alberta.Right next to Bollywood Theater

Bollywood Theater– best Indian food in town.

Cruz Room– great tacos.

Por Que No Tacos on Mississippi– Mexican food tacos.

Screen Door– great for breakfast

Dicks Kitchen – healthy eating

There are too many to list!!

You aren’t going to get bad food in Portland.  We like it locally sourced, organic, infused, muddled and flavorful.  If you are Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free or Dairy Free, you are still going to eat well in Portland ❤

 

 

In General

images-1Japanese Garden– Cost $16.95 admission.

This place was recently remodeled and expanded.  It is serene, peaceful, never gets old to visit.  It’s a glimpse into another culture that is not far from the city.  Located in Washington Park.  You can get here with public transportation.

 

 

 


“Amazing View” @  Pittock Mansion

I have never paid to go into the mansion.  I just go around the back to show my friends the free view.  If going inside to see a restored to the time period house interests you then click on the link to get all the information you need to go.

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Portland International Rose Garden in Washington Park
There are over 10,000 rose bushes of approximately 650 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October with the peak coming in June, depending on the weather.

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Vista House in the Gorge. You have to take part of the Colombia Scenic Highway to get here.  Breath taking views as you look east and west. A special place we have just 20 minutes east of the city.

 

stelprd3823422Multnomah Falls 

At the base of Multnomah Falls, the Historic Multnomah Falls Lodge awaits to offer a place of relaxation, a fine meal, the perfect gift, hiking or visitor information, or possibly an espresso or tasty treat to accompany your hike or day trip.

 

 

So there you have it.  There are more places to see, eat and drink of course.  I think the ones I have listed should not be missed. Come enjoy all the things Portland has to offer, stay with me in my Airbnb, we will have a good time 🙂

Safe travels to you!

 

Where are you from? not an easy question for me.

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When people ask me where I am from, I have to put on my happy face and ask some clarifying questions. Like- What does your question really mean? What information are you really looking for?

  • Did you want to know where I grew up?
  • What does grow up mean to you? childhood years or teenage years?
  • Where you looking to figure out where I was born?
  • Where did I move to Portland from?

Each one of these questions has a different answer. Language is important.

Usually I start by saying. I moved to Portland from Austin, Texas. Then they usually say- oh you grew up in Austin.

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Wait? What? I said I MOVED here from Austin.

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I grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Then they think I was born in Colorado.

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I was born in San Francisco, California

Spent half of the childhood years and 3/4 of my Senior year of High School in the Bay Area.

I realize this question is meant as a friendly conversation starter however I find it painful.

After all the answers- this question comes.

Did you move around so much because your family was in the military?

oh no… another innocent question is about to open a can of worms….

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No, we moved a lot because I had a dysfunctional family – I say with a smile to ease the tension.

I don’t really have any family per se. I have never met my Dad. Well that’s what it feels like anyway. I did see a picture of him holding me when I was about 18 months, my only half-sister passed away and my biological mother is dangerous to my happy life so I don’t talk to her nor have I for a very long time.

I wish society would come up with some other basic questions to get to know each other. Pronto. It’s quite possible that this question serves to constantly remind me that I am not like everyone else and to be comfortable with that. I can relate to orphans more than anyone else. Next question please.

Airbnb: “Airbnb is for little people”

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I have the nicest man for a guest at my Airbnb right now. He exudes genuine positive energy. It radiates. I imagine his wife must be equally cool . They have three daughters. He misses them and he has only been gone for a day.

He is staying for just a couple of nights. He came down from Washington State to work. He is an American professional football player. He is tall and a solid 315 pounds. When he arrived, he was wearing a boot around one of his feet. He has a torn Achilles Heal and I wondered immediately how he would do with the stairs.

It never occurred to me there might be a weight limit on the bed frame in the room.

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The bedrooms make up the entire second floor of the house. The rest is downstairs, including the bathroom. You know he will have to go up and down the stairs a few times everyday to shower and stuff.

I won’t enforce the shoes off policy with him since a persons health is more important than my preference. He should continue to wear that boot. My only request is to be careful with the bathroom rugs and the squishy ones in the kitchen.

Shoes off policy is not just about keeping the floors clean, or keeping all the things you have tracked in out of the kitchen where food is being made, it is mainly about Feet, Shoes, and Feng Shui.

He checked into the house around 9:30p.m. which is close to my bed time. There was another guest arriving at 10:00pm – I wanted to wait up for this guest since it would be his 1st time to use Airbnb. Stays just go better if I can meet and greet, give a tour and let them settle in.

Once everyone was settled, I got undressed to crawl into bed naked to sleep. Sleeping naked is the best and I highly recommend it. Benefits of Sleeping Naked according to Science. Not even 10 minutes later, I heard a loud noise that could be someone falling down the stairs. I got up, opened the door and shouted out ” Everything Okay?”

It took a second to get a response. The response came from the bedroom of the football player. He sat at the edge of the bed and the frame broke. Oh no! He was okay. He felt bad. I felt bad. It required attention and a makeshift solution. This is going to be challenging since I am a minimalist. Not much lying around.

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I went down to the basement and came up with two paint cans. Crossing my fingers they would be the right height. They worked :). As we were putting the cans under the bed for support, he was able to lift the entire bed up with one arm while laying on the floor. This is when he dropped the comment that Airbnb was for little people. I laughed and realized how small everyday things must be for him. He did use a beach towel for a shower towel. I noticed it when he was walking down the stairs because I have the same towel. I made sure to check in with him in the morning to make sure those paint cans were holding up. He slept fine. He was also able to relax and hang out on the bed.

As a Superhost, I feel like I should be able to provide comfortable accommodations to any guest that shows up. Although I do not have the funds right this minute to get another bed frame. It will be the next big purchase I buy for the Airbnb.

Airbnb: Please don’t ask me about the money I make from hosting.

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I understand that people are curious creatures. Humans have a natural instinct to understand the world around them. It is fun to travel and see how other people live life. You could find yourself asking questions to help gain a better understanding of the settings around you. Friendly reminder- there is more than one way to gather information, especially when dealing with sensitive topics.

I find my financial details to be sensitive information and private. I am also willing to express my boundaries. I do not feel bad for standing by them either.

When two strangers meet, their respective boundaries are unknown. Maybe something will be said or done to reveal someone’s boundaries. When boundaries are expressed, it is important to respect them.

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Whenever a guest arrives and proceeds to make conversation about what it must be like to be in the Airbnb business, what it must be like to be a host, what it is like to have strangers around, it seems the money question also comes up. What makes people think it is okay to ask a stranger about their financial situation? and make no mistake, you are asking about money and since I can only speak from my experience and I only know the intimate details of my situation and you are asking me- then yes, you are asking about my private business.

Do you know what it seems like. It seems like this……

Hi nice to meet you, how much money do you make?

  • Is Airbnb lucrative?
  • Are you able to cover the mortgage?
  • Do you have to have a second job?
  • How much do you get after Airbnb fees?

The answers to these questions are none of your business. When asked, I am put in the position of verbalizing my boundary, which sounds like….. Sorry, however we just met and I do not discuss my financial situation with strangers.

The gentlemen who asked me the lucrative question followed up my response with- Oh, I am not asking you about your money. We argued a little. Listen guy, yes, yes you are. Here is the definition of lucrative.

Some people feel bad after my boundary response, which puts me in the position of trying to smooth things out because they are guests in my home and I want them to feel comfortable. I have had to work really hard for this- a few times. My honest response brought an awkwardness to the situation that I felt fine about but I could tell my guest didn’t. They overstepped the bounds with their questions and now they feel bad because I responded honestly and shut down the conversation. Now I have to do the hard work to make it comfortable again.

In the future, think about what you’re asking, really think about it. If it requires divulging personal information then think twice asking a stranger about it.

The saying goes “Treat people how you want to be treated”. As much as I understand the lesson being conveyed, I think we should tweek it a bit to say- “Treat people how they would like to be treated.”

Airbnb: Drinking with the Russian Guest – Part 3 The End.

Albert called a truce on Twitter and we got to bottom of our issue. Our issue was caused by a glitch in the app and bad communication. Airbnb Lesson for the Week: Bad Communication will get you nowhere. Turns out, there is a glitch in the Android version of the Airbnb app. The glitch won’t allow you to see the ALL the House Rules for a listing. There are preset options from Airbnb that you have to choose from and there is additional space to put custom rules (the part he could not see). For now, I am just glad we have made peace. I already think communication is challenging enough with people you know, it can be even more challenging when you don’t know them. It is easy to misinterpret their intent based on their style of communication. Ultimately, I still think it wasn’t okay for him to take my personal information and bash me on Twitter to the point where strangers could identify me. I do understand it was his way to vent his frustration.

Yesterday when peace was made, he asked if I would like to meet for dinner. My schedule did not permit meeting so I asked if he would meet me at Box Social for a cocktail at 8p.m. the next day. He said yes.

On his way to meet me, he was in the area of town where a person jumped/ or was pushed off a parking garage into the downtown streets of Portland. Police Investigation is Underway. He is a great photographer and captured the incident with great detail (the body in the middle of the street). The pictures were gruesome however that’s real life so I find it fascinating. He told me in Russia that pictures like that are often sold to the media. Had he headed my way a few minutes earlier, the timing would have put him there to actually witness the event with his own eyes. How terrible.

We hung out for a few hours, drinking and chatting about his world travels, government red tape, being Russian in the United States right now, jobs and logistics. He is well-traveled – I am in awe of it. I have been craving adventure/travel for close to a year now. Life has required my attention be focused other things. Now that I have done my due diligence, I am ready for some fun!

I am such a light weight these days and after two drinks I am feeling saucy therefore it was time to go after that. I am also a bike only girl who has been too drunk to ride her bike home before ( that was a crazy fun night) as well as terribly funny to me when I realized I couldn’t get home by riding my bike. Did you know you can get a BUI in Portland?

One of the reasons I chose the Box Social was because I am a sucker for a fancy vodka cocktail. Their cocktails are bougie.

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I enjoyed a Doc Holiday and a Bleu Apple Fig Panini. For the second and final drink, I ended our time together with a Moscow Mule.

He will be traveling back to Russia in the morning so it was nice to meet before he left. We hugged it out and then parted ways but not before joking that he had a new follower on Twitter.

Thanks for extending the Olive Branch first Albert. Thanks for showing up. Thanks for staying in the conversation long enough to figure it out and for listening to my side.

Peace and Chicken Grease.

Airbnb: Getting Harassed by a Russian Guest Part 2- Twitter

Twitter time.

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I only joined Twitter to talk smack to President Trump. I can’t stand him. He is harmful to our nation. He is harming our nations standing in the world. He is harmful to the lives of women, children, immigrants/brown people, and anyone who isn’t rich. I could shout at him daily. I was good about it at first and then I stopped paying attention since it’s guaranteed that he says crazy things every day and I want to spend my time doing other things.

I was informed a couple of days ago by a very kind stranger that the guest that required kicking out (Albert) had turned to Twitter to bash me and I didn’t deserve it.

Albert claimed to be a famous Russian blogger that was going to destroy me. He actually ignored my request for non communication and continued to send me messages gaining momentum in aggressive language. I feel harassed. You can only call me a Cunt on Twitter so many times before I have something to say. He has great reviews on Airbnb. That guy didn’t show up to my house to stay. I think we see his true colors on Twitter.

The research has shown the following tweets.

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and so it begins.

After getting kicked out, he went to the Inner SE which is close to a homeless shelter and dive bars.

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He sent a message saying he was landing at 11:00p.m. My mistake in thinking he would come straight here to check in around 11:30p.m. or midnight. My check in window ends at 10:00p.m so I was already doing him a favor.

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so he can follow instructions.

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He didn’t read the details in the listing because it clearly states where the space is located. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

and there are lots of signs around for good communication, including an chalk board arrow in the hallway pointing in the direction of the guest room (which is what I wrote on the arrow sign) Airbnb Observation: I’ve decided if you do not like these signs then you do not like communication.

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I give everyone a fresh start. Fresh sheets, dust, trash, clean mirror, and a 420 kit along with a personalized name on a chalkboard for your room. 3 Top Things Airbnb Hosts Should Do

Drunk Guests are the Worst!

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He doesn’t remember. I came downstairs to see what was happening, I noticed he just arrived since he still had his shoes and was drunk I felt compelled to make sure he knew where the bathroom was and where to get water. I don’t need another guest “accidentally” trying to come in my room while “looking” for the bathroom when the listing states in 2 places the bathroom is downstairs and the bedrooms make up the entire upstairs of the place.

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Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you lie about reading the house rules, show up and violate them, then your stay with me will come to an end.

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After giving a mini tour, I tried to go back upstairs to go to bed. I had to be to work early and it is hard to go back to sleep when you wake up too much. He had questions though. Where could he smoke a cigarette? Smoking is not allowed on my property. He made faces and said – I can’t go out front? No. I can’t go out back? No. I reminded him that is states in the house rules (that he agreed to) He said he didn’t see that and gets out his phone to argue about it. I am grumpy from being rudely awoken and know he wants to argue. I shut down the conversation and say we can pick it up in the morning if there are still questions.

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This guy is killing me. Like it says in the house rules, the house is 420 friendly for guests since public consumption is illegal. I guess you lied about reading the house rules since you can’t seem to find them.

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I don’t argue with drunk people. Once I could smell the alcohol on his breath. I stopped the conversation and said we could pick it up in the morning.

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so the drunk guy thinks he is going to take action before I do. He sure talks a big game for someone who didn’t do a thing but complain on Twitter.

Before I went back to bed at 3:00a.m. I sent some messaging through Airbnb to document the situation. see messages here

at one point, I asked him to stop messaging and when he wouldn’t respect my request and wasn’t making sense or responding in an appropriate manner to the things being said, I knew I was going to have to have him leave.

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I called Airbnb first thing the next morning. They tried to call Albert but he didn’t answer. I had to go in the room with my phone. A case manager was going to tell him it was time to vacate the premise. Instead of keeping all his money, I would let them change his reservation to just one night.

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How does he think Airbnb will be on his side when they already told him he was wrong and had to leave?!?!

They already sided with me.

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He sure tweets a lot. I told the case manager I did not wish to pursue the penalty fee. I wanted to be done with him as fast as possible so I made it easy and let it all go. Look at him trying to be all big and egotastic……

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Did he get that refund he was demanding? Nope!

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He is trying to change his story and they are holding him to the agreed upon modification.

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He didn’t get his way and now he is whining away.

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I have worked hard for my Superhost status and he doesn’t have the power to take that away.

I have reported these messages to Airbnb.

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Actions speak louder than words. For the record: I have an Android phone not an iPhone. Get the facts straight.

I got it, he thinks that he can take advantage of my Super host status and their wouldn’t be consequences to his rude behavior.

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I can’t take it anymore and finally I say something.

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My favorite part is where he says Airbnb is not on my side this morning when he is at a crappy motel. He was asked to leave my residence. He did not get a full refund. He got his Airbnb privileges suspended. He has already complained about the situation. Which part do you think is confusing to him?

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I have a lot of gratitude out there for a particular person who gave me a heads up this Twitter bashing was happening. It should give everyone concern that someone can get your information legitimately and then take it to another platform where they intend to do you harm. Put enough information out there that strangers can identify you. I have an angel watching my back! I also am tired of being called a Cunt and the lies he is telling. He wants to sit back and act all big and bad and tell his followers a bunch of stuff that isn’t true. So I am here to give my side to the story and provide evidence along the way.

Twitter banter leads to a resolution..stay tuned for part 3 – meeting with the Russian.

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Airbnb: Getting Harassed by a Russian Guest: Part 1

I have been a host for Airbnb for 2 years and I have hosted over 350 people. People are people and patterns have revealed themselves. I have encountered all kinds of situations and behaviors – I thought I had seen it all. There is a first time for everything.  Lessons Consequences Choices Wisdom

Albert booked last-minute and sent a message saying he was landing at 11 pm. I took this to mean that he would be headed over straight from the airport and would be arriving around 11:30pm maybe midnight. My check-in window is from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. however I always let guests check-in later since I have a lock box and they can self check-in. Most people have Respect and come in as quiet as possible or at least apologize for waking people up. Not this guy.

20180612_0808551415496442.jpgAlbert, showed up at 3 a.m.- drunk and woke up the house wearing shoes while clopping up and down the stairs. I went downstairs to use the restroom and check out what was happening. I found Albert on the stairs with a deer-in-headlights look on his face. I asked if he was wearing shoes.  He said yes.

I asked why, it’s a house rule (with a penalty fee for agreeing with them and then showing up and not following them).

 

Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable? There is also a friendly reminder sign on the front door. 20180501_195549.jpg

It appeared he had just arrived.  Clearly he hadn’t read anything nor was he aware of the details so I felt compelled to point out the bathroom and guest area in the kitchen so he could get a glass of water.  As I headed back upstairs to go to bed he had more questions. I am a bit grumpy when rudely woken up in the middle of the night. He wanted to know where he could smoke a cigarette. Well….like the listing states there is no smoking cigarettes (tobacco) on the property. He got a quizzical look on his face and said he didn’t read that. Could he not step outside?….no. Could he not go out back?…..no. He argued and debated and I was growing more grumpy. It wasn’t the time for it.

He got out his phone to pull things up. At a glance, I could not tell where this information was located on his phone nor was I going to wake up enough to sort it out. When my eyes opened enough to read it was 3:09a.m. I instructed him to turn off the lights when he was done and we could talk about it in the morning.  Airbnb: I am a host not a 24 hour concierge desk

Before I went to bed, I sent some messages through Airbnb to document the situation.  I knew that I would be calling first thing in the morning to see what my options were.  I have attached all of them for your viewing pleasure. Start from Left to Right in each row.

Someone needs to learn the difference between a House Manual and House Rules.  I even write in the manual to look at the rules for people who are slow or lack attention to detail.

I am an early riser.  I called Airbnb at 7:30a.m. to explain what was happening.  I was assigned a case manager who assisted with me in the process of changing a reservation. He called Albert several times to inform him it was time to vacate- Albert didn’t answer (shocker).  So when the case manager called me back, I said yes I was willing to knock on the door so they could speak on my phone.  Time for Albert to go.  He required me asking him when he was going to leave, he was just chillin’ in bed so I was forced to call Airbnb back to confirm it could be immediately since Albert was trying to say he had until check out time.  Why would he possibly want to stay any longer?

In the past, the guest leaves, I get to keep all the money since they violated the terms and conditions of the agreement.  This time I compromised and let him out of it by agreeing to let the reservation be altered to just one nights stay.  I also cancelled the request for the penalty fee for wearing shoes in the house.  I was willing to let him off easy just to get rid of him so I could move on to the next guest, who would be nothing short of awesome in comparison.

With Albert gone, I hung out with my other French guest, who had cooked us a delicious dinner the night before.

I had the best guest and the worst guest at the same time.  Good thing I like to focus on the positive. Back to the happy place.

Until I received a message from a kind stranger informing me that Albert was trashing me on Twitter, I mean really having a go at me. To the point where a kind stranger could identify me, reach out to me and let me know what was happening. I thought I was free and clear of his harassment.

Time to remember the Twitter password.

Part 2 coming next……

 

 

 

 

 

Airbnb: I am a host not a 24 hour concierge desk

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I am a host that offers two private rooms in my three bedroom home. I live on property, upstairs in close proximity to the shared rooms. I have several jobs and enjoy the flexibility hosting has to offer so I can fit it all in. The beauty about being a host is that you get to set up your business however works for you. My check in window is 3:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. People frequently ask if it is okay to arrive later than 10:00p.m. It is always okay to arrive later since I have Self Check In. I make sure to leave a key in the lockbox and the porch light on. I let them know that I will be asleep and that they have everything they need to have a smooth check in.

I understand that late night flights are common. By the time they get luggage and make their way to the house, it will be after the check in window.

Recently, I had this scenario come up. Guest asks if they can check in between 11:30p.m.- Midnight. I say “Checking in late is not a problem. You will need to Self Check In though as I will be sleeping at that time 🙂 It’s easy, I will leave a key in the lockbox and the porch light on.”

To which they reply – “Hi Julie. We just read all the house rules and are totally cool with how you operate in the house. Thanks for the clarity. We will be sure to abide by them. Look forward to meeting you too!”

Fast forward to the night they are scheduled to arrive.

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At 10:35p.m. I sent a message that said – “I hope you made it okay. I’m headed to bed. I left the light on in the room since it will be late and dark when you arrive. The weather was a little warm today. So I left some blanket options for you in case you get cold. There’s a fan and a space heater, please make yourself comfortable. See you in the morning. Sleep well!” and then upon rereading, I sent another short message – “I’m tired and that message could have sounded better. Good night”

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I woke up the next morning to a message they sent at midnight! At Midnight!

“Hi Julie we have arrived at the house. What is the code to key box?

This message ruffles my feathers on so many levels. They were very nice people. Young. Educated. Still. Who waits till the last-minute to ask for information they have had since they booked? Standing on the doorstep is not the time to get what you need. Airbnb Lessons are Really Life Lessons What makes them even remotely think I would be available to answer this question or that I would be up to help?? I mentioned more than once that I would be sleeping. I literally sent a message saying Good Night.

Needless to say, I did not respond. I also found them in the morning using my personal kitchen items. It was clear they didn’t read the details of the listing. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

Airbnb 101– READ the details, ALL the details of the listing. This will ensure that all parties involved have a nice experience. Airbnb: The Hosts feeling matter too. It will also ensure that you don’t cross boundaries you are unaware of.

I have a life. I have a day job. Guests don’t get to come and go 24 hours a day and I am certainly not doing the same job twice. Airbnb Lesson for the week: When asking for already provided information – expect to be pointed in that direction.

Have some responsibility for yourself. Prepare yourself. Your quality of life will improve because of the time and attention you put towards it. You will be happy you did.

You’re Welcome ❤

Airbnb: Sex with guests

Would you do it? Have you thought about it? Been tempted but refrained?

I have thought about it (a couple of times).

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I am a very single girl. I don’t have children. I don’t have any pets and I haven’t had sex in years. Did you read that last sentance? Years!

I am not interested in going out to bars to pick someone up. I am not meeting anyone on Tinder or Bumble or Match or *insert app. I have never used the adult section in Craig’s List nor do I plan to. A few of my friends have and they recommend it. It scares me.

I can hear you now. What’s the difference between going out and going home with someone vs finding them on CL and hooking up? What about meeting online, then meeting in person and having sex quickly?

The answer is : I don’t know. It feels different. I know they will be leaving. They don’t live in town so I don’t have to have some awkward run in at the grocery story if it doesn’t go well.

One time I hosted a gentlemen from Canada who came down to attend a workshop at the Convention Center. He was staying with me for four nights. I was enjoying his company during the times we saw each other at the house. On the third day, very early in the morning, I woke up to a message that was meant for his old co-worker. He accidentally sent it to me before he went to bed.

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He was telling a story about a road trip and a funny suggestion. He wanted her to know that he actually followed through with her suggestion they talked about. He wore lace panties all day to the conference and they kept him” WIDE awake, almost better than coffee.” When he came downstairs that morning, I had to inquire about what these panties looked like. He turned beet red and then became a good sport about it. Telling me about his shopping adventure at Victoria Secret’s-there was a sale so he bought three pair. He planned to try them all out. I suggested a photo shoot so we could send pictures as proof to the former coworker. It was spontaneous, adventurous and funny as hell. I laughed so hard at times. I was rolling on the floor with tears coming out of my eyes. He was such a good sport about it. I asked him to pose in specific yoga poses. Warrior one, Reverse Warrior, and Tree. During one of the poses his penis slipped out and I didn’t notice since I wasn’t wearing my contact lenses. He would later mention he was impressed I didn’t skip a beat when it happened. That was when I told him I couldn’t see that far without my glasses. We played around for about thirty minutes when some sexual tension started to develop between us.

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After the photo shoot, we got ready for the day. He went to the conference and I went to work. When we both happened to be home for the evening, he invited me out to dinner and I decided to go. I took him to Bollywood Theatre . Even though I felt like I was on a date, I was aware of the Host/Guest relationship we had. I wanted to remain professional. I also didn’t know that much about him. I did enjoy his company and I was attracted to his body but I like to know more about someone before I get naked with them.

Nothing ended up happening. Unless me being able to hear him masturbate after the photoshoot counts?! ( The Sounds of Fucking yourself )

I crawled into his room the next morning, the day he was checking out, to acknowledge the tension and admit that I wouldn’t be acting on it. I don’t want to bang and then he leaves. I don’t want to give someone that part of myself if there is only one opportunity to enjoy it. If I do ever have sex with a guest, it will be towards the beginning of their stay so I can enjoy them the entire time they are in town.

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We decided to go to Multnomah Falls with his last few hours in town before he drives home.

The morning after he left, I was thinking about him. I decided to send a text saying hello along with a picture of Multnomah Falls from the day before

I couldn’t have guessed his response in a million years. He was married ?!?!?! He thought that now was a good time to tell me so that I could decide wether to continue to be connected. He wasn’t happy in his marriage. He said meeting me showed him he needed to deal with his current situation. This does not make me feel better.

I was instantly glad I didn’t have sex with him. He lied about quite a few things.

I know this happens all the time in life however it’s not something I’m interested in doing. I broke connection with him immediately.

New Rule: No sex with hot guests.

Im so thankful I didn’t do it. I would have been crushed.

Airbnb: I don’t recommend hosting anyone other than the person in the profile.

It is becoming more common that I get requests to host a relative/ friend of the Airbnb member ( the person in the profile). Even though I have been doing it, I have remained hesitant the entire time. There are guaranteed challenges that come along with it.

  • Communication– it automatically becomes third-party communication because it forces the communication to be outside of the Airbnb platform which is not recommend. This opens up the host to some liability. I personally like to screen shot outside communication and then put those pictures into the Airbnb messaging system. 20180405_162305.jpg

Bad Communication

Don’t communicate outside of Airbnb

  • Details included in the listing– hosts take the time to provide a wealth of information in the listing. Not having access to this information takes away the guests ability to be self-reliant. Guests are going to have more questions and are more likely to step over boundaries they aren’t aware of. Time is valuable and I don’t like wasting mine by explaining information that has already been provided. When asking for already provided information expect to be pointed in that direction.
  • House Rules- just like the details not being read, guests tend not to remember all the rules. How are they supposed to remind themselves if they don’t have access to the details of the listing. I provide a laminated welcome sheet that has the rules posted on it. If only guests would take the time to read it. My feathers get ruffled easily when guests don’t follow the rules they have agreed to. My House Rules- do you think they are reasonable?
  • The Review- The guests that are hosted are the ones that should leave the review. If they relay their experience to the profile person and then the profile person leaves the review it feels like we are playing the old school telephone game. I don’t think it’s fair nor as accurate as it could be. Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.

20180522_082856.jpgI recently hosted someone’s parents.

Overall it went as well as any other guests stay. Their visit included the aforementioned issues which reinforces the reason not to host people who don’t have their own profile.

In addition to the recent experience, I learned something today that will result in me declining requests to host people who don’t have their own profiles. Straight from the Airbnb website……

Can I book on behalf of a friend or family member?

Transparency and trust are vital to the Airbnb experience. People rely on information in Airbnb profiles, reviews, and other verifications when deciding whether to host or stay with someone.

We require Airbnb reservations booked for personal travel to be booked by the person who’s going to stay at the listing.

Instead of making a reservation for someone else, consider referring them to Airbnb.

The longer I host, the more I learn about the law.

I find value in knowing the way short-term rentals work, informing guests of how things work, and without hesitation enforcing the rules. I’ve noticed people don’t like being held accountable and if you stay with me….plan to be.

Knowledge = Power

Ultimately- Everyone is responsible for themselves.

Airbnb: Superhosts don’t always make Superguests

Lately, I have had some tough experiences with guests therefore I have set new parameters of who qualifies to instant book. Instant book means anyone at anytime can book the room, if it’s available, without communicating with me first. The new parameters include; if you are new to Airbnb and do not have any reviews, you have to inquire first about being able to stay or if you have negative reviews on your profile, you also have to ask first if you can stay. I take the time now to review those guests with greater scrutiny and I actually look at the reviews that have been left by previous hosts. I will no longer be accepting guests that have established a pattern of less than ideal behavior. It is not worth the time or stress.

You can imagine my delight when a reservation came in from a Superhost.

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Even though it was only for one night, I was looking forward to having a rock star guest that would know how it goes therefore he would do all the right things to make it a great stay.

My hopes and dreams could not have been farther from the reality that was to come with his stay.

His communication was terrible from the beginning. He didn’t answer the questions asked upon booking. He didn’t answer the question asked specifically in the message I sent. I had to repeat the question until I got the answer. Eventually he said he would arrive at the official check in time of 3:00p.m.

Instead, he showed up at my doorstep an hour early because he needed to charge his phone.

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This could have been done easily at a coffee shop. I never got any communication that he would be early or that he was on his way. Just. Boom. On the doorstep. While he is on the doorstep, I get another message that there is no key in the lockbox ( You better believe there is no key available before check in time!) This is by design. It is in response to people who don’t read, people who aren’t aware of the details, people who are willing to break the rules Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?, people whose actions don’t match their words. I have hosted over 350 people, patterns have emerged. People require managing at all times. If there was a key, was he just going to go in? What makes him think this is okay in any way?! He was already putting me in a position by just showing up.

He was lucky I was home preparing the room. I still had a bathroom to clean when he started knocking on the door. If the other guests weren’t home, I would have ignored him to teach him a lesson but I didn’t want there to be drama. I just kept thinking that Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

As I opened the door, he introduced himself and asked if he needed to remove his shoes. Another Big Red Flag- I have every guest confirm they have read the house rules. It clearly states in the rules that there are no shoes in the house. There is even a reminder sign on the front door and a $20 penalty fee attached to breaking this rule.

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Clearly he isn’t paying attention nor is he familiar with the details. This is not starting off well…..

I invited him in, gave him the tour and the house key, as well as let him officially check in early.

He acknowledged that he often changes plans without communicating and it frustrates his wife. After a conversation, he seemed to be more aware of the error of his ways. I can only hope that he will be motivated to change his behavior in the future.

When guests only stay for a night, it forces me to ask early on what their check out plan for the morning is. Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time! This feels slightly awkward for me. It seems like I am saying, Hi- nice to meet you, here’s the room, here’s the bathroom and what time will you be leaving? I am sure it will get easier the more I do it. I’ve just been at it for years and it still makes me feel awkward.

He didn’t know his plan (of course). So I requested to be informed before I went to bed. That sounded vague. It is important to be specific when communicating. In conversation, ambiguity leads to interpretation which will lead to not getting what you were hoping for. I corrected my request to include a 9:00p.m. deadline. After a pause, he mentioned his flight was earlier in the morning so he would be checking out around 7:00a.m. or 8:00a.m.

I went to bed planning for that. I woke up to a message that said his flight was at 5:00a.m. so he would be leaving at 3:30a.m. and since I was awake by 5:00a.m., I decided to get a head start preparing the room for the next guest. This would allow me to get to work on the earlier side of the day. Imagine my surprise when I went into the room to clean it around 5:05a.m. and he was still in the bed.

He missed his flight. “Sorry for messing up your day ” he says. At this point, I am just ready for him to go. He mentions he would be leaving around 8:00a.m. and he did.

It is a sad day when a Superhost isn’t capable of being the best guest. If there was anyone to empathize with the host’s position. Airbnb: The Hosts feeling matter too. I find Hypocrisy a very unattractive quality to deal with. Get it together people.

Airbnb: The Bright Side

Fun can happen any minute of any day – if your open to it.

Have you ever seen the Jim Carrey movie where he has to say yes to everything?

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Well that was my life on Tuesday.

What started as a regular day for me, turned out to include spontaneity, cocktails, and new music.  I got up, ate breakfast, prepared food for work and left on my bicycle for the day. There was one guest scheduled to self check in around 3:00p.m and the other room was free.  Of course, I was hoping someone was going to stay…. I just had no idea how awesome she would be and the adventure that awaited me.

 My day changed at 10:21a.m.

This fun girl sent me this message :7685ae60-b366-402c-bd07-03a6a79abb53 “Hola, Julie! Wanna go to Washed Out tonight? I was a bit bummed I missed him in Seattle last night, but there’s no point wallowing in regret when you can move your butt and run down your dreams. My dream is to dance to Eyes Be Closed. With a new bud. Tonight. If it seems suspicious that I’m a new Airbnb member, yes I did make that account 10 minutes ago. But there’s no time like the present. So if you’re down, I will hop on the 2:20 Amtrak and see you a little after 6. PS, long time bicyclist here too, is it worth the extra $10 to throw my roadie on the train to get to your neighborhood (don’t have much of a grasp on Portland’s scale) or better to walk from the train station? Anywho, hope to meet you soon. And not kidding, will totally take you to this show if you got the inclination. “

How perfect is this message? How could I possibly refuse?  I said yes before I knew anything about it!

Then I began to research.

Turns out Washed Out was playing at The Wonder Ballroom , one of my favorite venues, which is 2 blocks from the house. No need to worry about parking or anything since we can walk.

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The set was exactly one hour long.  They were entertaining, they did a great job with their visuals ( I was impressed). I danced almost the entire time.  I didn’t realize they did the Theme Song for Portlandia!!!!! After eight seasons the show is ending and let me just tell you that the people in Portland are okay with that. portlandia_dvd_release

The band has a new fan.  I have a new friend. Goodbye Portlandia.  My new friend and I have an annual date together to see Washed Out when he comes to Portland and those times she can stay with me for free ❤

Gotta love Airbnb.

Airbnb: Dear International Travelers

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We are all apart of the global community.

Before you travel, it is in your best interest to prepare yourself to the best of your ability.  You can hypothesize about future challenges and already have an action plan to conquer them. #success

I would like to remind you that since you might not have easy access to the internet when you are in the United States, that it is a good idea to write down the information you need, before you show up to the front door of your Airbnb and can’t access the internet to get the required information. Personal Accountability is important.  You are in control of how smooth the check in will go by utilizing the information already provided.  Information = Knowledge = Power.  Airbnb Lesson for the week: When asking for already provided information – expect to be pointed in that direction.

Hopefully you have established a Check In plan with your host. What details do you need to carry out this plan?  If you will be Self Checking in, be sure to write down the instructions, the code to the lockbox or whatever details you need to have a smooth check in. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

You will also want to write down the Wifi name and password. I can only assume that you will have access to the internet when traveling internationally. If you don’t, then extra information will be necessary to write down before you travel. Prepare yourself with the Host’s information so you can have access upon arrival.

Remember to pack an electrical outlet adapter.  If you stay at my Airbnb, I will provide one for you (in case you forgot) 🙂

As it states on the Airbnb website, it is not recommended to communicate through any other method but their platform.  This seems to challenge many travelers, especially if you do not have access to the internet or the Airbnb app. Regardless, it has been my observation that people prefer to text. Airbnb Lesson for the week: Never communicate outside of Airbnb20180405_162305.jpg

Sidenote- texting is just a different platform to send a message.  A message is a message.  You have to pick a recipient, then type a message, and hit send.  What difference does it make if those steps are done in Airbnb vs Text Messaging ?

Ultimately, I realize traveling can be stressful.  Hopefully this blog has reminded you the importance of preparing yourself with as much information that is available to you and asking for any information you will need that is not provided .

Safe travels to you!

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

 

Airbnb Lessons are Really Life Lessons

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There have been guests that show up to the house who have never seen a lockbox or they  don’t know how to use it. They don’t communicate their plans or when their plans change.  They haven’t read the listing and all the details provided so they aren’t able to navigate the experience with as much ease had they been prepared. They say they have read the house rules, show up and don’t act like it. People say they will do things all the time they don’t do.

Isn’t this how life works?!?!

This is when you learn that actions speak louder than words.  You learn that knowing is different from doing. You learn when someone is showing you who they are that you should believe them. Unknown

Whenever a guest is having a challenge and I point out the part they missed, like reading the listing or following directions . Their response has been – “It’s my 1st time to use Airbnb”

5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

1st time to Airbnb- Here is your to do checklist.

Airbnb Lesson for the week: When asking for already provided information – expect to be pointed in that direction.

Can someone please explain to me how not using Airbnb before has anything to do with whether or not you read? What does being new to Airbnb have to do with following instructions? or being a good communicator?

I would genuinely like to know ❤

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airbnb: The Hosts feeling matter too.

imagesMost people think that  “The customer is always right”.

The Airbnb experience is a unique situation.

Individuals are not big business. Individuals are not always in a position to come up with a solution that will make the guest happy no matter the cost.

Yes, you are the guest.  Yes, you paid to be in someone’s home. Yes, I want you to be comfortable. You also agreed to abide by the house rules.  You agreed to adjust your behavior in the way that is being required of you during your stay.

If you aren’t going to follow the rules, if you aren’t going to provide communication or be responsive to the host’s communication, then you should expect a conversation that will be holding you accountable.

It is tough to deal with people who avoid conversation or don’t acknowledge what you’re saying or they blame the other guest or they don’t change their behavior after some communication. images1.png

If you don’t like confrontation or accountability, then be a great guest. Don’t break the rules. Don’t give the host a reason to find you for a “conversation”.

I do my best to be tolerant of the way people live.  Some people operate with more awareness and thoughtfulness than others.  I personally don’t say anything to my guests when they walk around loudly, close doors loudly, have loud conversations, listen to their tv loud, come home late at night or leave at 3:00 in the morning.  The only time I ever say anything to anybody is when they have broken one of the house rules. Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

You would think that people would be on their best behavior considering I have home field advantage. Would you believe me if I told you how many people break the rules inspite of that ??

 

Airbnb: Why pick a place thats details don’t fit the best into your travel plans?

People fascinate me.  I am a cultural anthropologist at heart.  I should have majored in Sociology instead of International Studies.

Some of the details for the two Airbnb rooms in my house are:

My Check In time is 3:00p.m.- 10:00p.m.

My Check Out time is 9:00 a.m. Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!

Full Kitchen use is not available neither is access to the washer/dryer.

There is a penalty fee of $50 each time you do not lock the front door when leaving the residence.  Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

I live in the Inner NE part of Portland Oregon.  It is 1-2 miles to the west side of town where Downtown is located however you have to cross a river with one of the thirteen bridges so it can appear further to people who aren’t familiar with town.  A mile is a mile though right? Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.

If these details do not fit the best into your travel plans then please do not pick my place while harboring negative feelings.  Instead, find a place that works for you.  There are a plethora of options out there.

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30% of guests ask to check in after 10:00 p.m. Checking in later is usually a non issue.  I most likely will be sleeping however I can leave a key in the lockbox and the porch light on.  The house has lots of signs around for good communication purposes.  They help strangers ( I mean guests ) navigate the space.

70% of guests ask if they can check in early. I normally only let repeat guests do so. I have been known to make a few exceptions however it is rare.

50% of guests ask if they can check out later. During the week it is not an option for me since I need to turn around the room for the next guest and get to work.  If  it is a Saturday, then I will give you an extra hour or two if I like you and you have been a nice guest.  If it is Sunday then guests get lucky and can have until 12p.m. due to my weekly volunteer gig.

Please don’t mistake me.  I understand that the answer to an unasked question is always no however it seems that people just don’t read the details of the listing before they pick 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do and then they try to work around the established boundaries.  I can tell by their language when they harbor negative feelings about it. It happens frequently enough I am writing about it.

Perfect Example coming atcha.

Review left by guest -“Location was great! The room was nice. The check in after 3pm and check out before 9am was kind of a bummer.” “I had to plan my flight around the check in and out which was a bummer and couldn’t spend an extra day in the city” Is this person serious?  This screams lack of personal accountability!!!  It triggers me ( I will work on that). I can’t get over the fact that he blames the check in and check out times on his ability to make travel plans.  

Airbnb: Private Room does not guarantee a lock on the door.

A private room means you get a door. Maybe the door locks, maybe it doesn’t. Do not be surprised if it does not.  The privacy part comes from the door.

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This seems to be lost in translation with  people.

If you want to have a lock for privacy then you should look into getting the entire place instead of a private room in a shared situation.  Which type of Airbnb is right for you? Shared Room or Private Room or Entire Place.

A host should not be penalized in the review with lower stars because you didn’t know that a private room doesn’t guarantee a lock on the door and you preferred one. Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.

If you would like to ensure your things are secure then make sure you lock the residence.  Your room will be inaccessible if thieves can’t get into the property.

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I personally will never have the Airbnb rooms in my home have locks.  6bd63441-a0cc-4eb0-83b8-ecea9d631def

  • I don’t offer candles in the room anymore since I have found them left burning in the room when guests have left for their adventures.
  • I have found space heaters left on with no guests around and I will go in and turn them off since they can cause a house fire easily.
  • I have had to force my way into a room to prevent a guest from sneaking in other people in the middle of the night. Airbnb Hell: The Worst Guest I’ve Had To Date.

 

Since I have two rooms in my home, whenever a house rule has been broken, each guest likes to blame it on the other.  I have only had one person own up to their behavior.

I would have a space that locks for guests if and only if it was a separate space that only they occupied so that if anything happened they would be forced to take accountability.  I would also have a security deposit.

So the takeaway from this information is that if you want a door that locks, think about getting the entire place.  If you find yourself needing a private room because cost is a factor, then ask the host before you book if the door to the room locks.  I mean if you care so much then take the time to get the information you need to ensure you are comfortable instead of showing up, being disappointed/concerned and then leaving a bad review.

Stay safe out there!  and Lock the front door!  🙂

 

 

Airbnb Observation: I’ve decided if you do not like these signs then you do not like communication.

I have noticed that people either love or hate the signs around the house.

There have been many negative references to them in the reviews guests leave after they stay. There have also been some positive ones.

I think the people who have strong negative reactions to them are the people who are challenged to act accordingly.

The people who have said something positive about them have said they found them helpful. They found it easier to navigate an unfamiliar space.

These signs are up for good communication purposes. They have developed over time. Some are meant to be helpful, some are informative and some are in response to people not doing the things they agree to do by staying in one of my Airbnb rooms (House Rules reminders). Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

I think they allow guests to be independent. No Micro Managing necessary.

I also receive the unintended benefit of seeing what kind of people I am dealing with in my home. Their response to the signs shows me who they are. Most people have proven respectful.

During the week it can be challenging to greet guests. Things go better when I can greet, give a tour of the house and point out specific areas missed from guests not reading the listing 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

When I am not able to be there, I tell them to keep a look out for all the signs 🙂

How do you feel about things being labeled? Did you have a positive or negative reaction to reading the signs? Can you appreciate the hosts perspective?

Airbnb: No Good Deed Goes Unpunshined

When I moved into the house, I inherited everything that came with it. The slow filling flapper less system toilet. The creaky wood floors, the ill wired electrical system, the too tiny pipes for the water pressure, etc.

In the bathroom there is an old claw tub with one of those shower curtains that goes all the way around.  It hangs from the ceiling by the shower head and into the wall on the opposite side.  The wall isn’t solid and the screws have worn and the whole system is wobbly.  I have been hard pressed for an aesthetically pleasing fix. 20180502_064317.jpg

My guest this week mentioned he has the same claw tub at home.  He said that he has the same issue and he found a way to make it more stable.  He asked if I had a tape measure however it was late, I was ready for bed and said we could talk about it the next day.

In the morning on my way out the door, I reiterated that I would like to hear about this solution he has enacted before bed that day since he would only be around for another night.  Turns out, I did not see him.  I was in bed before he came home.

The following day I came home from work and was reading a book on the couch in the living room when he arrived.  He had come home earlier than the previous nights. He surprised me with bringing the things to MacGyver the shower.  What a nice gesture! Not many guests go out of their way to do something nice therefore  my heart-strings were being tugged on big time.

How much do I owe you? $15 he says. Hmmm- I don’t have that right now. I wanted to hear about how you fixed it.  I am not sure I would do the same thing. Even if I liked his idea, I wasn’t prepared to fix it before taking care of my tax bill to the IRS AND I was only willing to pay $3-5 to fix it.

He purchased unnecessary parts.  He didn’t measure the length from the curtain rod to the ceiling and bought 4 pieces of chain that were too long, a package of hooks and four metal rings.  I already had a hook for the ceiling and an extra ring for the curtain rod.  The only thing I would have needed is a proper fitting chain.  I am pretty sure that would have cost no more than $320180502_064242.jpg

So now here I am between a rock and a hard place because a guest was kind enough to take action and do a nice deed. It would have been nice if I was in a position to give him the full amount however I would be doing a disservice to myself by doing so.  I wasn’t going to hand over $15 that I didn’t have when all I really wanted to do was honor him in hearing his solution. I ended up telling him I didn’t have the money and I didn’t like how the solution “looked” so I would use one ring and one chain.  He understood and gifted it to me.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Would you have reimbursed him the $15?

 

 

 

 

 

Airbnb: The Downside to Hosting

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People Lie.

People use your stuff without asking. Airbnb: What is the reason guests use host’s personal things without asking?

People are loud. Loud talkers. Loud TV watchers. Loud walkers.

People keep erratic schedules. Which type of Airbnb is right for you? Shared Room or Private Room or Entire Place.

People are dishonest and try to sneak in other people.  Airbnb Hell: The Worst Guest I’ve Had To Date.

People have left my property unsecured aka: not locking the front door when leaving the house, giving anyone the ability to walk in at anytime while I am at work and can’t do anything about it. Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you lie about reading the house rules, show up and violate them, then your stay with me will come to an end.

People have burned holes in duvet covers- I even found poop once on one ( they flipped it over so it was a surprise when I pulled the covers back).Unknown

People do not read the listing and then access areas not available to them forcing me to lock them up and label everything. Then some people complain about the labels. Airbnb Observation: I’ve decided if you do not like these signs then you do not like communication.

People don’t read the labels and throw the trash in the recyling. People recycle things that aren’t recyclable.

People create more work for me by not acting with mindfulness and awareness.

People are unwilling to help themselves.

People say they read the rules and then show up and don’t abide by them.  Then when it’s time to be accountable they cancel the reservation and decline the request for payment. Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

People show up with more people than in their reservation. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

People plan poorly. They don’t have time to clean up after themselves. They pack at 3:00 a.m. right before their flight. They wake up 10 minutes before check out time and barely have enough time to brush their teeth.

People don’t respect the check out time and require being rushed out. Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!

People think they can pay their way out of things. The “Hotel Mindset” won’t serve you well when using Airbnb.

People are allowed to leave a review even if they cancel their reservation. Let’s take a side bet on how many of those are going to be positive. Airbnb: Guests who cancel their reservation can still leave a review. How is that reasonable?

I still host because the good outweighs the bad and I can do anything for 24 hours. Just keep swimming, I tell myself as I wait for the jerks to leave and the sweet respectful guests to arrive.

 

 

 

 

Airbnb: Repeat Guests are the Best !!!!!!!

I consider it one of the utmost compliments when people choose to return to my place considering all the options out there.

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Whether or not the trip was the best (for me) the first time around. It will be great the second. Guests are already familiar with the vibe of the house and the way things flow.  They require less managing 🙂

We have gotten past that initial meeting and “stranger” level of conversation. We will get to learn a little more about each other (depending on the length of the stay and schedules aligning.)

Chances are subsequent visits will include food. I’ve been known to make Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Lemon Pound cake, Smoothies, Strawberry Aqua Fresca, French Toast, Breakfast Tacos and/ or extra of whatever I am making.

I have had 7 repeat guests. 4 of them stayed twice and 3 of them have stayed multiple times. 1 guest has stayed five times with me. I love it !!!!!!!

One of the repeat guests moved here (yeah- we’re friends now and hang out from time to time). I met another repeat guest out for drinks when she was in town visiting friends, I have received fresh duck eggs from an organic farm. One girl even told me about a work opportunity… My current job! Another former guest tries to get me to go out with him constantly however I am not interested. That part is tricky….. I make sure all guests feel welcomed and liked when they are in my home. It just puts me in an awkward position, when they invite me out and I don’t want to go.

I am no stranger to awkward positions and if that’s all I encounter to get guests to come back.  Bring it on!

I look forward to seeing you again. It’s a small world.  They need to change that saying – six degrees of separation to four.

 

Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you lie about reading the house rules, show up and violate them, then your stay with me will come to an end.

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Another One Bites the Dust

Just in case you haven’t noticed by now, when I want to share a lesson based on real life experiences with people, I name the guests  “John” for the sake of anonymity.

So, I had a guest named “John” this week that was to stay for 2 nights. He used Instant book to make his reservation on 3.25.18 to arrive 4.23.18 When you get a new reservation, you get a message from the guest saying whatever they decide to say. I have 3 specific questions that I hope the answers will be included in their message.  Some people see them and include the answers, most people don’t.

Johns message didn’t contain any information except that he was traveling alone for two days. I responded within a couple of minutes, asking for the information I needed – check in time and confirmation the house rules have been read. I sent three messages asking. Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

I didn’t get a response until 9:30p.m. the day before his trip. He didn’t answer any of the questions in my emails and argued language used instead of providing information. He clearly didn’t read the details of the listing and did not know about the check in time. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

We finally make arrangements for him to Self Check In since I will be at work when he arrives.  I ask all guests to send a message letting me know they have made it in okay. 3 Top Things Airbnb Hosts Should Do

He made it.

and now the chaos will begin………..

Thank goodness my other guests were home.  They had been staying with me for the last five nights with no problems.  I had prepared them for the new guest coming since there were so many red flags.

When I arrived home in the evening, I found my biggest pet peeve happening in the bathroom.

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The sign says – Please put all the toilet seats down. Thank you! It’s my biggest pet peeve

Then I went upstairs to check in with the other guests who mentioned he was stomping all over the place. Loud when home, went into his room, watched TV at a loud volume for a while and then took off.  When he left the house, he slammed the door so many times, they wondered what was going on down there.  When it became apparent he left, they went downstairs to find the front door not shut or locked.

I immediately sent him a message letting him know that I can’t express enough how unsettling it is to be at work where I can’t do anything about the fact that my property has been left unsecured giving anyone the ability to walk in. I mentioned I sent a request for money and he needed to take care of the penalty fee right away or stay somewhere else.  I also mentioned the above bathroom situation .

I was met with ……..

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Before he came home to talk about it, he sent a message saying – I could not unlock the door, can you check it for me? No, clearly it works since you let yourself in with it. 

He came home wearing shoes and only took them off when I prompted it. This is breaking house rules and probably the reason the stomping around was so loud earlier but I can’t prove it to fine him. 

He asked me to show him where the rules were. Then you lied when you said you read them in the confirmation message I pushed for. 

He never once was apologetic and tried to switch the conversation to why there wasn’t a lock on the bedroom door. Nothing to do with the issue at hand. 

He had only used Airbnb 4 times and this was his 2nd review.  I wish I would have seen it before his trip.  I would not have let him come.

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I did not see this review before he came or I would have cancelled his reservation.

Since he wasn’t giving me anything to work with, made no reference to adjusting his behavior. He didn’t acknowledge the bathroom situation nor did he seem to care. I took the key back, informed him he couldn’t stay and called Airbnb in front of him to document the situation.  He gathered his things and made his way out.

 

 

 

 

Airbnb: Guests who cancel their reservation can still leave a review. How is that reasonable?

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Life isn’t fair

Airbnb Policy

“As of 01 June 2017, to comply with local laws, we now allow reviews for trips cancelled on or after the day of check in. “

If a guest is cancelling their trip after they checked in then chances are it isn’t going well. One time I had a guest make a reservation for 1 person and then in his messaging kept saying we. We means more than one person so when I reached out for clarification and to mention the reservation needed updating to reflect the actual situation, he wrote back saying he couldn’t afford it. He cancelled. (and for the first time ever I gave someone a 100% refund.) Lately though, I have had people check in, then break the house rules and when the penalty fines have been imposed they just cancel and leave. What kind of review do you think is coming my way from them? Guest messes up, doesn’t want to deal with the consequences. Do you think anyone will ever say they were the problem? (that’s a rhetorical question since we all know the answer is NO)

After a guest has finished their trip or cancelled after checking in, they get 14 days to leave a review.
They have the ability to give 1 to 5 stars in categories like:

5-star

  • Accuracy
  • Check In process
  • Cleanliness
  • Communication
  • Location
  • Value

How is it possible for someone to judge you on these things when they didn’t actually stay in the residence? Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.

I have a strict cancellation policy. Straight from the Airbnb website….

Cancellation Policy: Strict. Cancel up to 30 days before your trip and get a full refund. Cancel within 30 days of the trip and get a 50% refund of the total nightly rate, as well as a full refund of fees.

Forced policy upon hosts by Airbnb -“We’re adding a 48-hour grace period to the Strict policy to encourage bookings
Starting May 1, guests will receive a full refund if they cancel within 48 hours of booking a reservation with a Strict cancellation policy—as long as their check-in date is at least 14 days away. This gives guests the confidence to book, but still guarantees you’ll have at least 2 weeks to get another booking in the rare event that they cancel.”
 

If your listing falls below a 4.6 star rating then Airbnb will send you messages threatening to deactivate your listing. They threaten you by saying they will not showing your listing in people’s searches.

If they continue to implement rules like this, they are going to lose good hosts. Only Entire Place’s will be the option since sharing space has become easy for guests to manipulate to their advantage.

Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

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I have instant book which means anyone can book the room without prior communication with me (the host).  I am willing to accept anyone at any time as long as they pass the Airbnb requirements.  In order to feel comfortable doing that,  I need guests to do certain things while in my home. That’s how the custom house rules were born.  Since there are fees attached, I require each guest to acknowledge that they have read the house rules.  When a reservation comes in, I let them know I am happy to host, I ask what time will they be checking in and I quote ” When you have a moment, please confirm you have read the house rules since they are really important to me and there are penalty fees attached to breaking them. Thank you”

 

Airbnb’s Rules you must pick an answer to:
No smoking
Not suitable for pets
No parties or events
Not safe or suitable for children (0-12 years) – Weed is legal in Portland and smoked in the house A LOT
Check-in time is 3PM – 10PM
Check out by 9AM

Custom Rules created by me- I put my reasoning in Italics, these words are not included in the listing.

**THERE ARE PENALTY FEES FOR NOT FOLLOWING THESE RULES
$50 each time you do not lock the front/back door properly
$20 for wearing shoes in the house
$10 for every time you leave lights on your not actively using
$5 to replace lost house key

– Turn off Lights, Fan/Heater and Lock the Front Door Every Time You Leave Please (even if we are home so we may continue about our day)
-Turn off all lights you are currently not using, it’s a waste of precious resources. If you don’t turn them off then you can pay for the cost of that.  You are not at a hotel and I am not a big business.
-No guests without prior permission
– Keep toilet seat down, put down after use (my personal pet peeve) & ( it’s bad feng shui)
– Please pull shower curtain back after use, it gets moldy faster when it can’t dry not to mention my $100 shower curtain statement piece is aesthetically pleasing to look at
– No shoes in the house. Your shoes have stepped on everything gross on the ground, I don’t want it tracked into the house, especially in the kitchen where I am constantly making things to eat. My floors are very clean!
– Smoking Cigarettes in the Backyard Only- Careful of the slippery backyard stairs and there is an Ashtray for your use (ASK if you need it)
– 420 friendly house- for you too since smoking in public is illegal
– Bike storage is in the backyard not in the house, there is a covered area on the back porch and a lock on the gate

5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

The “Hotel Mindset” won’t serve you well when using Airbnb.

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Airbnb is not a hotel.  You are staying in someone’s home and unless you have rented out the entire place then there will be other people to take into consideration.  Each place works differently and most boundaries have been expressed through the details of the listing and House Rules.

Which type of Airbnb is right for you? Shared Room or Private Room or Entire Place.
5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do  
Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!
Staying at an Airbnb? Don’t Make the Bed When Checking Out.

When you stay at a three star or better hotel; It’s going to cost more, the door probably automatically locks when you leave the room, you can wear your shoes inside if ya like, you do not have to clean up after yourself, no one cares if you leave the lights on all night while you’re out having fun (well, Mother Nature cares), you can bring people back to the room without informing anyone, you can ask for a late check out, there is unlimited hot water, Valet Parking, an ice machine,  a concierge desk  to answer all the questions your little heart desires, and if you make any mistakes- you can just get charged for them.

Let us consider some differences and similarities.

                                                                                 Hotel               vs.              Airbnb 

Check In Time-                                                 anytime after 3                  Check Listing

Checking In Early-                                           not likely                            possible

Checking Out Late-                                          if room not booked        depends on Host

  • Most hotels don’t let you check out later than a late check out, and if they do, it’s because your paying for another entire day.
    Checking out late is only possible in my listings on the weekends.

Lock the door-                                                   auto lock                           YOU lock the door

Wear Shoes Inside-                                          wear them                        Host preference

Leave Lights On (waste of energy)             no one to notice                Costs $ to the host

Autonomous Guests                                          Allowed                           Prior permission

Don’t Make Bed                                             not necessary                       not necessary

Unlimited Hot Water for Showers                    yes                                          no

Guaranteed Parking                                           Valet                           maybe, most likely

Concierge                                                               yes                             host time permitting

Fees for Amenities                               everything costs extra                 included

No Smoking                                                    $250 fine                                maybe/ outside

Smoking Marijuana                                          no                                         where legal

Pool/Hot Tub                                                most likely                             if you’re lucky

Bar                                                                  yes, cost $                              friendly host ?

Continental Breakfast                                included                                   don’t expect it

Airbnb Lesson for the week: When asking for already provided information – expect to be pointed in that direction.

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Time is money.

There is only so much time in a day.

and yet, if we want to get philosophical then time doesn’t even exist since the time is always now.

Repeating myself is not an efficient use of my time.

I have taken the time to provide a lot of information in my listings.

Provided Information includes; Check In time, Check Out time, Amenities provided, Spaces Guests are allowed to access, House Rules, Self Check In instructions including photos, How many guests the space can hold, Bed Type, If the bathroom is shared, Host interaction with guests, Other things to note, Description of the space, Directions from the airport using public transportation, Parking information, Cancellation policy, pictures of the entire space including room, Internet Network name and Internet password.

I am perplexed with the notion that guests do not prioritize knowing the details of someone’s home you are about to enter. I understand traveling can be stressful.  There are a lot of moving parts which means there is a lot of information to keep up with.  It doesn’t change the fact that the experience you signed up for is different than checking into a hotel.  More is required from you. If you would like to ensure a positive experience for yourself, then familiarize yourself with the rules of the game. 5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

Please and Thank you.

 

1st time to Airbnb- Here is your to do checklist.

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  1. Decide which type of option is best for you: Shared Room or Private Room or the Entire Place. Which type of Airbnb is right for you? Shared Room or Private Room or Entire Place.
  2. Make yourself aware of Check In times, Check Out times, Amenities provided and House Rules. Look to see if Self Check In is an option- this will make life easier.  Lots of details are included with each listing however certain aspects affect you more than others. Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!
  3.  Verify the Location works for you: Ask the host how far their place is from the places you want to go, in case the area shown to you on Airbnb isn’t specific enough for your needs.   Location helps maximize your time exploring. Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.
  4. Make sure the number of people staying in the room matches the number of people in the reservation.  What could be a minor oversight on your part has the potential to be misconstrued on the hosts part.
  5. Book the room: either there will be an instant book option or you will have to reach out to the host.  Be sure to include any requested information.
  6. Communicate with your host to figure out how you will get in: Self Check In is the easiest and allows for self-sufficiency otherwise there could be someone there to greet you.Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you don’t know- ask.
  7. Enjoy your adventure! The “Hotel Mindset” won’t serve you well when using Airbnb.
  8. Airbnb Lesson for the week: When asking for already provided information – expect to be pointed in that direction.

Continue reading “1st time to Airbnb- Here is your to do checklist.” →

Airbnb Lesson for the week: Never communicate outside of Airbnb

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People have different ways they prefer to communicate and I can appreciate that.

Personally my preferred mode changes with how well we know each other: If we do know each other then I like to Skype or talk on the phone, next would be texting and then emailing. If we don’t know each other then it I prefer email or text.

Maybe it’s just me but I have found it can be challenging to relay emotion through the written word whether you know the person you are communicating with or not. Especially if  you don’t want to add a superfluous amount of emojis.

When you are using the services provided by Airbnb whether it be as a host or a guest, it is recommended by Airbnb to never communicate outside of their program. It states it right on their website.  I’ve included a snap shot of it for the picture in this post 🙂

As a host, documenting all the communication that happens between you and the guest is imperative.  If you find yourself in the position of needing support from Airbnb, it only helps your cause to have followed their guidelines.

Conversations that happen between two people are considered hearsay by law. If you can’t prove it then you don’t have a leg to stand on.

Yes, of course there is going to be interactions between you and your guests that don’t get documented because they happen in person.  You can’t record every word ever said.  You just have to hope that nothing goes awry or it will be hard to have that verbal communication included.

Frequently guests include their emails and phone numbers during their initial communications as a way to get ahold of them “if I have any questions”.  They also  include the emails and phone numbers of their guests.

I always respond with ” I prefer to speak through Airbnb since it is a liability issue for me”

Most people are understanding! As you can imagine not everyone gets it.

Listen up world.  Listen up future Airbnb guests. Once the texting lines of communication happen, people tend to stay in that lane. Regardless, I won’t be calling you, texting you, emailing you or communicating with you in any other way besides through Airbnb. Not with the person who made the reservation and not with the other guests.  It makes no difference to me if they are your partner, spouse, best friend or a family member.

I recently had a guest who cancelled last-minute because I refused to let him text me the day of his arrival time.

After we said our hello’s, I asked for his check in time and confirmation the house rules have been read. He replied with a time frame and confirmation of the rules.  Then he said that he would be driving down and could give me an ETA while on the road.  He provided a phone number (which was blocked by Airbnb). There is usually a number attached to the profile anyways.  If that isn’t the correct one then people need to be responsible and update their profile.

As you know by now,  I replied with my ” I prefer to speak through Airbnb since it is a liability issue for me” to which he responded Okay but I won’t be able to contact you through Airbnb please expect a phone call. I asked what the reason was he couldn’t use Airbnb to which he replied he would be driving and only had his cell phone. What’s the problem with calling you?  ( He DOESN’T get it)

My message: “Like I said before speaking outside of Airbnb creates a liability issue for me. I prefer to only use Airbnb. You can download the app for your phone and we can continue to speak through Airbnb. Thank you for understanding. ” I also included the photo that is in this blog to show the exact language on the Airbnb website.

His Message: “The host is unwilling to allow me to contact her by phone to arrange entry on the date of my reservation, and I will not have internet access. This is ridiculous and I expect a full refund.” Full refund for cancelling the day before because you don’t want to follow the rules?! I don’t think so.

He did cancel his reservation and proceeded to keep sending me vent session messages.

The first one: “Nope, you fail as a host, please cancel my reservation. I have no time to deal with someone who is unable or unwilling to use a simple telephone. I run three rental properties myself, I know all about customer service and this is ridiculous. I need to be able to contact you to arrange entry into the house. Cancel my reservation.” Hosts are penalized for canceling reservations. There are fees for cancelling that can range from $50-$100 so nope I won’t be the one to cancel a reservation. If a guest wants to cancel – they can initiate it. What does running 3 properties have to do with the rules for hosts set by Airbnb??

The second one: “I have used Airbnb many times and this have never been an issue. There is absolutely no reason why I should not be able to contact you via phone on the day of my arrival. This is completely unprofessional, please refund my entire amount. I was simply trying to arrange contact with you so that I can be sure to find and get into the room that I had reserved. I can’t believe this would be an issue, it is ridiculous.”  It makes no difference to me if he has spoken with other hosts over the phone and it hasn’t been a problem for him in the past.
Every place works different. Every host has a right to set up their situation that works for them. Just because other people have chosen to disregard the language on the Airbnb site doesn’t mean I have to.

He made a request for the full refund.  I declined.

The next day I received a message from an Airbnb case manager. I have a strict cancellation policy.  You get 50% back.  The guest wanted back part of that 50% and she was hoping I would reconsider. She claimed the guest said he was uncomfortable with my language so she was going to mediate this!

I am so happy that all our communication was documented!!! I explained my position which included my response to his second message along with this –

He mentioned he would only have his cell phone and wouldn’t be able to contact me any other way. Does his cell phone have the Navigation feature on it, like 99% of people do? Then he has access to the internet. He can download the app or access the internet and go the long way to get to the Airbnb website.

I have Self Check In. We could have made arrangements for him to utilize this option. This way he has access to the space when arriving with no need to communicate via cell phone, unless he is going to say he wouldn’t be able to access this information from his phone. Then I would counter with that he could prepare himself with the available information while he had access to Airbnb.

I plan to be home to greet guests when I can. I work during the week which makes it challenging however he was arriving on Saturday- the weekend, which meant I could plan for his arrival time. I told him in one of those earlier messages his time frame would be fine.

It is frustrating for guests not to take responsibility for themselves when they have been given the information necessary to be self sufficient or to be flexible and respectful of the hosts preferred communication method (which has been set by Airbnb).

I do my best to be flexible with guests. The one area I will not be flexible with is the area that can create a liability issue for me.

I won. He did not get a refund and he was reminded of the communication rules set forth by Airbnb.

Thank you Airbnb.

Airbnb: What is the reason guests use host’s personal things without asking?

I have been hosting Airbnb for almost two years now.  Having dealt with 300+ people I have learned that when you don’t want guests to use your personal things then you have to remove them as an option.  Seriously, they can’t be accessible.  Guests can’t always be trusted to ask if they need something additional than what’s provided.  More than 50% of people do not read the details provided in the listing.  It is surprising that I haven’t had more issues because of the lack of reading.  Equally frustrating are the people who rather ask for forgiveness than permission.  Little do they know, I would be more than happy to share (if asked).

The bathroom and the kitchen are the places were guests seem to get into my stuff the most.

Bathroom: I have a dedicated shelf for guests with a chalkboard sign I write their name on.  There is a shower caddy in the shower area with communal soap and shampoo’s various guests have left behind. It states in the listing which amenities are provided and I provide q-tips, cotton balls, hairdryer, soap, toilet paper, and towels.  I used to keep a personal shower caddy in the bathroom that was hidden. The shower I have is the kind that has the curtains that go all the way around it. Well, mine go almost all the way around.  There is a 5 inch gap that is perfect for the communal shower caddy to be visible.  You had to pull one of the shower curtains back to reveal my personal caddy.  I use expensive products since it’s just me I’m providing for. Even though my caddy was hidden, products were still getting used. It became such an issue that I removed all my items, including the caddy and switched to a college dorm room shower bucket. Now I bring down the bucket when I use the bathroom. Whether its to wash my face, brush my teeth or take a shower.  I’m in my 40’s feeling like I’m in my 20’s. Thanks peeps!

Kitchen: I have a dedicated shelf for guests that has a laminated sign above it “Guest Shelf- Help yourself” The shelf contains 2 large plates, 2 small plates, 2 bowls, 4 mason jars, 3 coffee/tea mugs, French press, Stump town already ground breakfast coffee, sugar, a big glass jar with a variety of teas, and a honey bear. Guests are welcome to use the paper towels that are out and silverware which is found in the middle drawer. Fridge space is available for leftovers. There is a toaster oven to heat food up.  Pretty much everything else is mine and not up for grabs. I have come home to find pans/kitchen utencils that were used from breakfast being made. I have come downstairs to find people using my dedicated tea mug that lives in a wooden box along with my personal tea selection and honey above the stove. Not in the same room as the guest shelf.  Guests have even gone into my shelves labeled private property and gotten Tupperware for their left overs.

When I am home to greet new guests, I give them a tour of the entire place.  We start with their room and then go downstairs to the bathroom.  We move over to the kitchen where the guest shelf is and I point to it and say. “If you’re at home and would like to have some water, maybe coffee or tea in the morning, please feel free to help yourself to anything on this shelf without asking” Which is why I am surprised to find them using my personal kitchen items.

Where is the disconnect in communication?  Are people just not remembering what they heard?  What are the reasons guests use hosts personal items without asking?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airbnb Hell: The Worst Guest I’ve Had To Date.

Police Car

If I were to write every detail and every word said, I could write a short novel so let’s just say there was a lack of respect and disregard for communication from the beginning.  This guest was to stay for 7 nights and it was his second night at the house.  Let’s call him “John” .  John was sneaking in another guest at 2:30 a.m.  I happen to be awake since I had just used the restroom a few minutes earlier.  I was hunkering down in the basement for a month. I rented my room to a short-term roommate since I had been unemployed for too long and it was time to get creative.  It is amazing how you can tell how many people are coming in the door and up the stairs by the rhythm of the steps and noise feet make on hardwood floors.

I have developed spidy senses since starting to run an Airbnb.  You know, the kind you get when you have children.  I made my way up the basement stairs into the living room before they could make it upstairs to the bedroom entirely.  I asked John if he had another person with him.  He said yes.  There is an additional fee per night for an additional person. Having people over that are not part of the reservation requires prior permission.  When you have a home, you are responsible for everyone under the roof.  There are liability issues at play not to mention it looks shady.

After hearing confirmation there was another person, I walked away.  I began to feel upset, disrespected, taken advantage of – all the negative feelings welled up.  I immediately went upstairs, knocked on the door and told them the guest couldn’t stay. They were both very drunk and didn’t seem to think I was being serious. The girl John brought back to the house began to walk towards me to introduce herself and shake my hand.  I mentioned again that she wasn’t welcome to stay.

Girl with slurred speech:  How will I get home?

John: Can’t we just talk about this? I mean I am sure we can come to an agreement.

Me:  We are past talking about this. She can Uber or take a taxi.

Girl: Who is going to pay for that?

Me: John is going to pay for it and you have 5 minutes to figure it out.  (Meanwhile, I called the taxi)

I could tell by the level of intoxication that it wasn’t going to go well. It is very challenging to speak logically to drunk people. Drunk people tend to repeat themselves over and over. It’s exhausting.

When the taxi arrived, I went upstairs to inform them it was time for the girl to go. I knocked on the door before proceeding to open it only to be met with John using his body to block the door so I couldn’t get in. This kid is 6 2′ , tall and skinny but still bigger than me! I had to push the hardest I could several times to make my way past him. There was no movement towards the unauthorized guest leaving.  After more round and round conversation, I saw the house key on the dresser, I put it in my pocket, went downstairs to call  the police’s non emergency number  and Airbnb for assistance/direction.

The police asked for a description of her so I went back into the room only to find her hiding under the covers of the bed 85% passed out. I pulled back the covers and relayed details:  brown hair shoulder length, caucasian , female about 25 years old, wearing jeans and an orange t-shirt. As I sat on the phone describing her, John was in the background saying over and over “Can’t we just talk about this? ” For the 1,000th time- No Dude. What don’t you understand here?  Which part is confusing?

Next phone call to Airbnb took about 15 minutes to get to someone who could actually help when the police arrived.  I hung up with Airbnb to talk to the police who ended up saying there wasn’t much they could do. They can’t show up and put people on the street just because it’s asked. John had a right to be there.  Reluctantly and towards the end of the conversation they mentioned they could ask them to leave as a courtesy. Yes, Please! Thank you! The presence of the police brought the reality of the situation down upon John and the girl.  They gathered their things and were escorted out.

In the morning I called Airbnb, I was assigned a case manager who had already noted that John sent an email to them saying “She kicked us out”. This guy was in for a surprise.  I learned that there is a special department at Airbnb for these situations.  They want you stay on the phone with them when the police arrive so they can give you the language that will allow the police to take more action.

In the end – he was violating the terms of the agreement which gives me the right to not have him stay and keep his money. Which I did along with a break for the next five days.

 

Crazy- Right?!

 

Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!

Clock set at 9a.m.

I am not sure when 9:00a.m meant anything other than 9:00a.m.
To me- 9:00a.m is not the same as 9:05a.m. or 9:12a.m. or 9:30a.m.

Checking out means- you have all your belongs ready to go, you are ready to go, you are walking out the door and turning in your key no later then the time listed.

  • Hosts have lives outside of Airbnb.

Boundries have been established with the details in the listing. As a host,  I schedule my life around those times. If I have an important appointment to make, I make it for after 9:00a.m. since that’s when guests are supposed to be checked out.  A 9:30a.m. appointment is common for me.

During the week, I have to get to work.
There are times where being late is not an option which is one of the reasons guest can be rushed out.

You are not at a hotel. There isn’t a late check out fee to pay.  Guests being late affects hosts. It is not okay for guests to think their needs are more important than their hosts.  Plan accordingly.  The “Hotel Mindset” won’t serve you well when using Airbnb.

Every place works different since every person is different- with different lives that they are working the Airbnb hosting into.

  • People are used to “the customer is always right”

Big businesses have the ability to go out of their way for their customers to be happy no matter the cost because they are profitable business’s that employ people to work there to satisfy their customer’s needs.

I am an individual and You are in my home.

If the Check In times or Check Out times, Location, Amenities provided, House Rules do not work for you.  That’s okay.  Pick a different place.

Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you don’t know- ask.

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Scenario:  Host wakes up to find an unsecured bicycle on the front porch.  In that moment there are 2 guests staying at the house.  The host asks the first guest she sees if they know who’s it is – she lucks out – it’s his. Host immediately brings bike inside and proceeds to inquire….

Host:  Why it is not being kept in the backyard?

Guest:  Oh, I didn’t know

Host: Well like it states in the listing bike storage is out back.

Guest: I didn’t know how to get back there.

Host:  You could have brought it through the kitchen as she motions for the door that leads out back.  Or you could have asked for the code to the lock for the back gate.

***Guest makes no mention before or during his stay he has a bike***

Can you imagine it if it had been stolen?

I can see the 1 star review now- This house is in a bad location, don’t stay here unless you want your things to go missing.  Host didn’t provide a place for me to securely put my bike and I was looking forward to riding my bike around Portland.  It is the #1 city to ride your bike in America.

All of it could have been prevented if the details of the listing were read as well as communicating with the host.

#1 Lesson- if you don’t know….ask!
#1a Lesson- Read the details of the listing and communicate with your host.

Airbnb: Location the category that isn’t fair to hosts for guests to grade.

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Guests who aren’t familiar with the city aren’t the best judges to rate the location of their Airbnb. It is not the host’s fault when guests pick poorly. I mean, seriously, how are guests whom have never been to a city supposed to know if your spot is good or not?

When a guests picks their Airbnb and it turns out not to be as close as they thought for where they needed to go, they should realize they needed to do more research. Airbnb gives a radius of where your spot will be located.  It is a pretty small circle. Chances are good that you can find a business on the map, grab the address and use it as a reference point for mapping.  Guests can always ask their hosts how close the Airbnb is to “x” location if they need to know specifics.

I live in the Inner NE part of Portland. It is close to many restaurants, music venues, the convention center and public transportation. Technically I am located 2 miles from downtown.  Downtown Portland is on the west side of the Willamette River.  You have to use one of the many bridges to cross over the river.  For some reason this makes people feel it is super far.

One guest got his convention centers wrong therefore he had to commute a bit farther than he thought.  He could have picked a closer spot – I agree.  This does not mean that my spot is in a bad location.

My Advice: Do More Research! Research Research Research – it only makes your travels nicer.

Which type of Airbnb is right for you? Shared Room or Private Room or Entire Place.

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Shared Room: Cost $

The Shared Room experience is the least expensive option. It comes with the least amount of privacy of all the choices. I have heard from several guests it is like staying in a hostel. There is probably a bunk bed involved and many people to share the bathroom with. In order for you to enjoy this type of room, I think you would have to be traveling alone. You like being social , like a high amount of communication and/or don’t plan on being in the room much.

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Private Room: Cost $$

The Private Room experience comes with more privacy for sure. The room may or may not lock. The residence is most likely shared with the host. Other guests are common but they have their own rooms. Communication is still important there’s just less people to do it with. This option is suited for people on a budget, traveling alone, with a friend or with a significant other ( although having sex could prove challenging).

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Entire Place: Cost $$$

The Entire Place experience costs the most and comes with the most privacy. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was always a security deposit and higher cleaning fee. You only have to communicate with the host. There won’t be anyone to notice if you left the lights on. You can walk around naked. Stress free sex with your partner, etc.
Best suited for guests who are traveling with more than just yourself, guests who keep late hours or erratic schedules. Guests who don’t want to interact with other people. Guests who plan to be at home a lot.

1st time to Airbnb- Here is your to do checklist.

Staying at an Airbnb? Don’t Make the Bed When Checking Out.

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I see your heart.  I appreciate the intention. You want to be nice, helpful, courteous.  Don’t Make the Bed on your way out.

Let me shift your perspective by explaining….

Every guest gets clean sheets and pillow cases for the bed they sleep in.  I wash the blankets and duvet covers as necessary.  I like a fresh bed and I think most people do too.  What you think is a nice deed actually creates more work for you and for me. When you make the bed, I just have to tear it apart when you depart to put on freshies for the next guest.

The polite thing to do is….

 Remove the sheets and pillow cases. Put in a pile along with any towels used.

or feel free to do nothing….

That’s right, just walk away. Like you do at the hotel.  One of the “hotel mindset” behaviors that can be carried over to Airbnb.

The “Hotel Mindset” won’t serve you well when using Airbnb.

Thanks for considering this point of view.

 

5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

3 Top Things Airbnb Hosts Should Do

 

  1. Offer Self Check In: Having a lockbox will make your hosting life easier as well as set your guests up for success. It can help alleviate the frustration that comes along with the lack of communication from guests.  People are not always the best at communicating their plans or when their plans change.  Often people who say they will be checking in at 5:00p.m come over at 5:15p.m./ 5:30p.m. or later. Having a lockbox gives you the freedom to carry on with your life and not get held up by guests.  This will also ensure guests have a smooth check in process since they can be  self-sufficient.
  2. Personalize Something: Each guest should have something with their name on it while they stay.  Making dedicated bathroom space or writing a welcoming note are two examples that are easy to do.  I write their name on a chalkboard sign that hangs on their door as well as in the bathroom with the dedicated shelf idea. It makes them feel welcome in your space which means their comfort level increases.  I think it helps guests have a nice experience by making them feel comfortable to be there from the start.
  3. Be Proactive in Communication: Certain aspects of hosting affect you more than others. It is important to take action to get the needed information from people.  Asking about their check in time and check out time will help facilitate the process. Utilize the lockbox.  I like to get confirmation the house rules have been read since they are important to me.  Realize this all could change. Guests don’t typically  update plans ( some do ). I would say at least 65% of my guests have not been familiar with either the check in time or the check out time.   Plan your day with the check out time and if it happens earlier then bonus time for you 🙂

5 Top Things Airbnb Guests Should Do

  1.  Read the Listing:   Every place works different so it is important to be aware of Check In times, Check Out times, Amenities, Places you can access, and House Rules. These specific details affect you the most.  No one likes to be rushed out.  It is not fun for hosts to do the rushing. You can pack better if you know there will be towels, linens, soap, and a hair dryer at your spot.Airbnb: Respect the Check Out Time!
  2. Communicate your action plan & any changes to that plan:  Hosts like to know when strangers (I mean guests) will be arriving to their home, especially in a shared situation.  If you require flexibility in your plans, look for hosts who have Self Check In. As long as you plan to arrive after the Official Check In time, it should not be an issue.  Communication can save both parties potential negative feelings. Airbnb Lesson for the Week: Bad Communication will get you nowhere.
  3. Show up with the # of people in your reservation:  Transparency is important.  Hosts like to know who is in their home, it is a liability issue.  I have had guests sneak in other people, these situations tend not to end well.  What could be an innocent oversight on a guests part can be easily misinterpreted from a hosts point of view. It does not look good.
  4. Don’t Assume:  that you understand why things flow the way they do in someone’s home.  I have posted signs around the house for friendly reminders and good communication purposes.  It is quite frustrating for people not to realize systems develop for a reason. Those signs were in response to too many guests not behaving in previously agreed ways.
  5. RESPECT the House Rules: Technically you agree to be bound by these rules when you book a reservation whether you are aware of them are not.  Some hosts have penalty fees for breaking the rules.  I have found many people say they have read the rules. They say they agree with them. They understand them.  Then they show up and do not follow them.  Actions speak louder than words people.

Airbnb: These are my House Rules. Do you think they are reasonable?

Airbnb Lesson for the week: If you lie about reading the house rules, show up and violate them, then your stay with me will come to an end.