u/Cool-Explorer-8510

Last week we had situation that went beyond the usual difficult guest.

Started as uncomfortable behavior, then escalated into repeated harassment and eventually physical contact. At that point, it stopped being a hosting issue and became a safety issue. Police were involved and a report was filed.

I also reported it to Airbnb. They followed up later, but realistically there wasn’t much they could do from their side.

It made something pretty clear, most guests are fine, but when something serious happens, the platform isn’t really equipped to handle it in real time, that’s where your own boundaries and local support matter more than anything.

Any host, especially around prevention and handling situations that go beyond normal disputes?

There was an incident tied to the unit (party, police involved) right before a new stay. The incoming guests weren’t directly involved, but the situation forced a quick decision on the property side.

Communication ended up being rushed, and they had to come back earlier than planned to collect their things. By the time they returned, turnover was already in motion for the next booking.

From an ops perspective, this is one of those edge cases where timing, communication, and accountability don’t line up cleanly.

Wonder how others handle situations where something happens around a stay, but not clearly caused by the current guest.

Ran into this a few times, booking looks fine, then more people show up at check-in than what was reserved. Early on, we let it slide once or twice. It always created more issues later.

Now we treat it as a policy moment, not a negotiation. If extra guests show up, we address it immediately, either update the booking with additional charges or stop it there if it exceeds limits.

As long as it’s clearly stated in the listing, Airbnb tends to back it. The key is handling it upfront, not after they’ve settled in.

Came across a situation that stuck with me because it highlights a blind spot in how people think about short-term rentals.

Most stays go fine, and reviews tend to reflect that. But in this case, things shifted outside the platform, casual conversation, shared plans, meeting again after the stay, and that’s where it broke. What stands out isn’t just the incident itself, but how little the platform can do once things move beyond the booking. Reviews, profiles, all of that works within the system, not outside of it.

It’s a reminder that platforms manage transactions, not personal safety.

For anyone traveling solo, especially in unfamiliar places, keeping boundaries around communication and interactions matters more than ratings or reviews.

Had a recent guest raise concerns about cleanliness in shared areas (mainly kitchenette/dining) and also mentioned reacting badly to pets on the property.

Then it escalated said they were coughing a lot, worried it might be something serious, even mentioned going to the hospital. Instead, they checked out and booked a nearby hotel. A couple days later, they said symptoms were gone and implied it was caused by the stay.

Yes, the unit was cleaned to standard and nothing flagged before or after, but it turned into a pretty subjective situation. Feels like one of those cases where environment and perception combine, and it’s hard to prove anything either way.

At 1–2 units, turnovers are manageable.

Around 3–4, small issues start stacking, late cleans, missed details, timing overlaps.

Nothing dramatic, just enough to create friction. That’s when it stopped being cleaning and became a system problem.

Had a guest check out recently and everything looked fine at first glance. No obvious damage, nothing flagged during turnover.

Then the next guest checked in and messaged within an hour saying there was a weird smell in the kitchen, the sink was draining slowly, and the dishwasher wasn’t working.

After looking into it, it turned out the previous guest had been pouring grease and food scraps down the sink and even ran the dishwasher like that. The pipes were partially clogged, not enough to catch right away, but enough to cause issues once the next stay started.

From there it escalated pretty quickly. Had to bring in a plumber, issue a partial refund to the current guest, and now it’s turned into a back-and-forth trying to prove the last guest caused it… which they’re denying.

Feels like one of those situations that doesn’t show up immediately but ends up costing more once it does.

Do you treat it as normal wear or push it as damage? And how are you catching these kinds of issues before the next guest walks in?

Curious where people drew the line on this.

Spreadsheets tend to work well in the beginning, simple tracking, basic reporting, nothing too complex. But over time, things start to slip. You end up duplicating entries, missing updates, and spending more time maintaining the sheet than actually using it.

From an operations side, it’s rarely a clean switch. It’s more of a slow buildup of friction that eventually becomes noticeable.

I’ve seen setups stretch spreadsheets further than expected, but also seen them quietly limit growth without it being obvious at first.

For those who’ve scaled a bit, when did spreadsheets stop working for you? And what was the first thing that started breaking?

What worked better was setting a simple structure:

• base rate from comps (not gut feel)
• smaller seasonal blocks instead of just high/low
• rules for gap nights
• dynamic pricing within a floor/ceiling

Now I just review monthly instead of constantly adjusting.

You don’t hit the perfect rate every night, but the system runs without needing attention.

Been reviewing feedback across a few units, and the pattern isn’t what you’d expect.

Guests will skip over big features and highlight small things, coffee quality, how clear check-in was, how easy everything felt.

Seems like consistency and ease show up more in reviews than upgrades.

This used to be the most reactive part of running units.

What helped was just putting a simple flow in place:

• Booking confirmed; quick welcome + key info
• 3 days out; check-in details + a few local tips
• Day of arrival; short “you’re good to go” message
• Mid-stay (if longer); quick check-in to catch issues early
• Day before checkout; reminder so nothing gets missed
• After; thank you + review request

All of it’s pre-written and automated. I only jump in if something actually needs a real response.

Guests still feel taken care of, but it’s not constant back-and-forth.

Been thinking about this from an ops side.

Automation handles most of the workload,check-in info, reminders, reviews, and keeps things consistent at scale. Hard to run multiple units without it.

But some of the strongest reviews we’ve seen come from moments where the response was actually personal and timely, not templated.

Feels like the line isn’t either/or, but where you apply each. How others are balancing it, fully automated vs layered with manual touchpoints?

I built a free HOA management tool after watching my neighbor's board melt down over Excel — looking for a few more beta testers. Happy to share more information, can also visit hoahq.io

I used to optimize hard for weekends and basically ignore the rest of the week.

On paper it looked fine. In reality, it killed midweek occupancy and broke longer stays.

What changed:

• stopped pricing nights in isolation
• started looking at 5–7 day windows
• adjusted minimum stays based on lead time, not just season

Nothing dramatic, but it fixed the gaps.

Calendar filled in a lot faster once pricing matched how guests actually book.

Hey, maybe a silly question, but how fast are hosts actually responding? I feel like if I don’t answer within minutes, I’m messing up—but it’s pretty draining. Do guests really expect instant replies all the time, or is there a more normal pace?

Support will usually respond in 1–3 days.

But a response isn’t the same as a resolution.

You get a message, then another handoff, then you’re back waiting. Calling sometimes helps, sometimes just resets the loop.

At this point it feels less like delay and more like how the system is built.

Is anyone are seeing the same, fast replies, slow outcomes?

Hello everyone!!

I need help with picking a PMS system that will connect booking, Expedia, and airbnb all together. I’ve heard about Opera but it’s too expensive and serious. I have a small hotel In Montenegro but I’m based in UAE so I need a system that is not too expensive and not too complex. I don’t if it’s possible but it would be nice if the system also has like a crm system built in too.

I’m sorry if I sound stupid, I don’t even know what it really is. I just want something that will make my life easier and not use excel to monitor everything and block off dates in each website everything I receive a booking

Thank you in advance.