Early arrival fee?

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Sam V
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Early arrival fee?

Post by Sam V »

Just handling an Airbnb enquiry and they want to arrive 8:30/9 am. Check in is usually 4pm. Do you think it's fair to change a little extra?
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

My start point for that would be that it’s an extra night’s charge. Seems fair.
Pirou
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Post by Pirou »

It's true that in effect it is an extra night because no one can stay in the room or property on the night before but I usually reason that if its a stay of only a few nights (say 1-4 or 5 nights and I was not likely to get a booking for the previous night) I'd charge half the extra night's fee. But if they were booked in for a week or more I'd probably just say yes with no charge. There are provisos though - number of people (the more people, the more electricity and water they are likely to use) the month (peak season or not) and I probably wouldn't confirm until close to the date.

I do get this request occasionally because the overnight ferry from Portsmouth gets in about 7am and sometimes people ask to come straight from the boat to the cottage meaning they'll arrive about 9-9.30 am. I won't confirm till about a week beforehand but if they are only staying for a long weekend I charge them a half day's fee. When i tell them I don't apologise at all I just say matter-of-factly that we can sometimes accommodate an early arrival and the fee for this is a reduction of 50% on a full night fee of XXX.
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Post by Marks »

greenbarn wrote:My start point for that would be that it’s an extra night’s charge. Seems fair.
+1

I get this a lot with flights landing at Alicante around 09.00 and late departures with flights leaving up to midnight. I will always charge the extra night either end provided it does not leave me with a gap that I think I won't be able to sell.
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e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

If they are arriving at 08:30 then obviously the previous booking will have to be 1 night shorter.

Does this help explain how much to charge ?
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Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

I decided to charge an extra £25 cash. He's happy with that. In future I'll probably go for a kale day if available, they arrive Monday so a bit last minute and nice to be building my cottage bookings.
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gardenboy
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Post by gardenboy »

Yes i always charge too. Some guests look at the availabiloty calendar and ask if they stay late or arrive early. I just say yes but it will be half a days rental.
ianthy
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Post by ianthy »

Same as Garden boy - I charge half a day for early check in. We have an apt in Dubai and flights into the UAE tend to be early hours of the morning or late at night. We would loose too much revenue if we did not charge.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

2 observations.
Charging extra is getting the Ryanair syndrom. Every increasing hidden fees.
Plus if you feel your competition are hotels. Have you heard of them charging? They will guard luggage if asked.
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Post by Hells Bells »

Not always possible for a holiday rental to 'guard luggage'. I have been charged by a hotel for a late check out, and have only been able to leave in my luggage in the morning of check-in but not myself.
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Post by Ecosse »

casasantoestevo wrote: Charging extra is getting the Ryanair syndrom. Every increasing hidden fees.
I can't see how this could be considered a hidden fee, surely it's a fee for a service provided outwith the agreed times of the contract? To use the airline analogy, no airline, Ryanair, British Airways, KLM etc. would allow a customer who'd booked a flight at, e.g. 4pm to board an earlier flight free of charge... it's the same principle here.
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Post by COYS »

Ecosse wrote:
casasantoestevo wrote: Charging extra is getting the Ryanair syndrom. Every increasing hidden fees.
I can't see how this could be considered a hidden fee, surely it's a fee for a service provided outwith the agreed times of the contract? To use the airline analogy, no airline, Ryanair, British Airways, KLM etc. would allow a customer who'd booked a flight at, e.g. 4pm to board an earlier flight free of charge... it's the same principle here.
+1
Early or 'surprise' arrivals nearly always mean the preparation gets done in a mad rush & that's never a good thing either.
You'd not be able to pick up a hire car a few hours early free of charge so I see no reason why you'd expect that from your accommodation provider either. Same with late departures.
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la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

I don't charge for an early arrival of a few hours that I can accommodate without extra cost, but 8.30am is before the departure time of previous guests so charging for an extra night is fair.
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Lets Go To Puglia
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Post by Lets Go To Puglia »

I really don't get this .... mamy flights arrive here around 10:30 in the morning. If we have no guests leaving that day we give guests access as soon as they arrive. If we do have guests leaving we tell the new arrivals that we will try to have everything ready by 2pm instead of the normal 4pm. We give them plenty of information of where they can pass a couple of hours pleasantly. It's called customer service and costs us very little extra.

Guests that arrive early also tend to leave very early on departure day .... it all evens out.
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Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

I’ve just had similar request at the opposite end. Guests wanting a late departure about 1:30pm, our check out is 10am. This is in October which usually gets booked out and I still have a full week available from their departure day. I’ve explained they can either go to a local bar with pool and luggage storage, also has a minibus service, or they pay an extra night as I also cannot guarantee I won’t get booked up from that day. She’s replied in the past they’re only been charged €50 for a late check out.
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