Airbnb - Only for short stays?

[Gary2604]

I see that a few posters here seem to list on Airbnb. The site is clearly setup for short term stays but wonder if anybody uses it for the normal week long holiday let booking? If so how do you configure the listing? seems no way to lock minimum number of nights and starting day? Thanks

[Hells Bells]

You can set custom weekly prices. I can't log in at the moment to check out how to do it, but I have them set for my own property.

[Gary2604]

You can set custom weekly prices. I can't log in at the moment to check out how to do it, but I have them set for my own property.

Thanks Helen, I can only see that you can set discounts for week long stays....but dont see that you can set one week as minimum stay.

[kevsboredagain]

People also use it for longer stays. I've had a few 1 week bookings and my next one is 2 weeks. I don't think I've had an enquiry for a short stay yet but would simply reject it if in peak season. I separate out my cleaning charge which makes short stays less attractive.

[Hells Bells]

`To set minimum stays, go to Availability settings option on the Calendar page. (top right) . You can set maximum and minimum stays, and just underneath that is an option 'other requirements' which allows you to set alternative stays such as full weeks at certain (or all periods), and also whether guests must check in on a particular day.
Then under pricing, there's an option under long term pricing to set custom weekly rates.

[kevsboredagain]

`To set minimum stays, go to Availability settings option on the Calendar page. (top right) . You can set maximum and minimum stays, and just underneath that is an option 'other requirements' which allows you to set alternative stays such as full weeks at certain (or all periods), and also whether guests must check in on a particular day.
Then under pricing, there's an option under long term pricing to set custom weekly rates.

Thanks Helen. I couldn't find it! Mine is set to 5 days minimum.

[Gary2604]

`To set minimum stays, go to Availability settings option on the Calendar page. (top right) . You can set maximum and minimum stays, and just underneath that is an option 'other requirements' which allows you to set alternative stays such as full weeks at certain (or all periods), and also whether guests must check in on a particular day.
Then under pricing, there's an option under long term pricing to set custom weekly rates.

Thanks Helen....indeed when you know how its easy!
What I can't get my head around is the custom weekly rates. When I select that I get a list of week periods but they are not Sat to Sat as I set in the calendar options. Seems just to be 7 day periods from todays date. Should I just enter in the seasonal prices as best I can although I don't know what happens when there is a season price change and the actual Sat to Sat week falls across to pricing bands ! Maybe over thinking this!

[Gary2604]

Another question of Airbnb. The standard cancellation polices go up to strict ....which are not very strict allowing guests to cancel 7 days before for a 50% refund. They do offer 'super strict' terms but these are indicated as applied 'on request only'. Assume you need to contact Airbnb about these....does anybody else use?

[e-richard]

Gary, you are asking a lot of very sensible and searching questions. Essar will probably come along and put it much better than I can, but what we have definitely learned about airBnb is that it is a very different proposition from what we, rental owners were used to and we have to adapt.

AirBnb has a very sexy reputation and is the darling of Wall street and Silicon Valley. Consequently it gets some great PR, and if you want to use them, then its YOU who has to change your mindset and think in their way of doing things. If you do and can, then I believe you may get a few more bookings with horrendous cancellation principles.

I, personally, have been unable to get my head around selling a beachfront villa by the week for the whole property using city break short stay mentality. So after 2.5 years of listing and getting exactly 1 booking and 1 enquiry I have not even bothered to tidy up the pricing and min stays. Just left it for AB to run in their own way ----- and fail ! With an iCal feed keeping the calendar up to date, it takes negligible effort and zero cost on the off chance of an extra week's rental every now and then, and its easy to reject duff enquiries.

[charles cawley]

I, too, am no fan of AirBnB.

They appear to think that it is possible to advertise rivals out of the market by sheer financial muscle. When their brand, as they see it, becomes a gatekeeper it will be time to milk guests and owners at will.

This killing off the competition model is all the rage in US business colleges and is supposed to be the wisdom of a long dead (over 2000 years) Chinese general. The key seems to be not to win by providing the best product at the best prices but to engage in a war with competitors to eliminate them in a two stage process. Once a monopoly is established, then it's print your own money time and charge what you like.

AirBnB appeals to US money people because they think this is a clever strategy. They believe it will take to 2020 before this arrogant, wannabe mega brand gatekeeper will make any profit.

The lack of sophistication is quite staggering. The holiday market is strongly segmented into different niches from BnB, hotels, commercial and leisure, through to dozens of different niches in self catering. Each has its own foibles and susceptibilities and each needs special treatment.

AirBnB utterly fails to understand this from its 'one size fits all' attitude to booking systems through to the idea that one brand will be attractive to all holiday brands. In their world, a Hoseasons Lodge guest is exactly the same as a visitor to a Pousada, a business traveller using a Travelodge or to a £1,000 a weekend luxury hotel in Venice.

I cannot say I am unhappy with the arrogant, primitive amateurism of AirBnB. If they got it right, they could be a real danger. However, getting it right could mean the 'smart money' would go elsewhere.

[Gary2604]

Charles - yes you are correct....their site is or rather was originally designed for the B&B short stays or backpackers looking for cheap accommodation. Clearly all the hoo-ha they have generated has lead us holiday home owners to try and shoe horn our business model into their B&B mentality!

I have seen many negative comments on here about airbnb with regards lack of any inquiries/bookings yet when I look at competitors in my area I see a few with reasonably good feed back on airbnb so it does seem some find it works. One in particular I looked at was using their instant booking scheme so maybe that's the secret?

I have entered into correspondence with them regarding cancellation policy. At present they are saying that their 'very strict' cancellations are applied to prestige properties at US$10,000 per night ........ yes not joking or to those that have good feedback/performance or where a property is very seasonal. The very seasonal part I am questioning as most would surely fall under that banner! I don't hold out much hope.

I would be interested to hear if others using Airbnb just accept the strict cancelation policy which is only 7 days?

[charles cawley]

They expect to make the market obedient to their money making schemes. There is an element of hubris.

AirBnB is caught between a rock and a hard place. They want to give the impression of a thrusting new innovative service based on the new selling and marketing medium of the internet and all its wonders. But to do this, they cannot afford to behave like boring old Wyndham Worldwide and other operators who have long understood and served the many niches with different brands and, often, different ways of operating. If they were to do this, greedy investors would not see the bonanza of a gatekeeper monopoly.

AirBnB cannot afford to act in an economically sensible fashion by appealing to different brands because, then, it would just become another holiday booking service. The greedy money would take flight and those investors hoping to sell on an enormous pup to pension fund managers etc: would lose out.

The future of AirBnB rests on the manipulation of US business ideology that killing off competition and exploiting a monopoly position is a good plan and, in this case, it only needs a vast sum of money to become master of the markets to the extent you can tell them how to behave.

This seems to mirror the hubris of the old Soviet Union where they, too, thought they could order demand and supply at will. It is quite nasty as well.

[kevsboredagain]

I would be interested to hear if others using Airbnb just accept the strict cancelation policy which is only 7 days?

Wow, I hadn't noticed that had actually changed. It's 50% refund up to 1 week before. It's a bit worrying as I've a peak season, 2 week Airbnb booking coming up in a few weeks and the person has not responded to me sending directions.

If that ever happens, I will be removing my advert.

[Essar]

Besides the 5 levels of cancellation policy that AB have as standard, they also have 2 others that are "by invitation only" - these are much more akin to those used by holiday rental owners themselves.

You need to request ask AB for different terms and they may then offer you the options.

For some reason only known to AB and then only one person who probably sits in a corner in a big overcoat and only comes out at night - that all weeks for holidays run from Monday to Monday.
I usesis my Saturday to Saturday weekly rates for the 2-days before the oneis used by AB.

I have never had a weeks enquiry never mind a booking - all short breaks of 3 or 4-nights. My rejection rate is now 67% for AB - I just can't seem to be able to get my head round having 6 "sensible", "quite", "teetotal", "clean", "tidy", "well behaved" 18-year olds sharing a family house in a quite residential area near the river!

[kevsboredagain]

Besides the 5 levels of cancellation policy that AB have as standard, they also have 2 others that are "by invitation only" - these are much more akin to those used by holiday rental owners themselves.

5? I just looked last night and it's now 3:

1 day full refund
5 day full refund
7 day 50% refund

The others, as you say as by invitation only but certainly weren't when I created my advert.