I spent the day setting up my five units to appear as 5 separate listings on Air. I've accepted that a significant number of travelers these days are looking for lodging first on Air, where they see the accommodations as nicer and cheaper, with more amenities, rather than looking first at hotels, where they are nickle and dimed for smaller, more expensive rooms.
So, for those folks looking at hotels, where I show up way down the list, if at all, I now show up as 5 of the 6 Air properties listed in my little town. And I know a lot of people search on Air by pulling up the town map, which shows where Air lodgings are located around the town. When they zero in on downtown, my 5 are the only ones there.
I don't know if this is going to make much difference, but business is slow this week and I'm willing to play the Air game a while to find out! You've gotta take those reservations where you can find them..
We've done the same thing with our 9 rooms and suites. We try and saturate our town's listings, but with 300 listings in our little town of 1,000, it's tough to stand out.
Be aware that Air's algorithm ranks on a number of factors, the strongest being the number of bookings. So if you're the most-rented unit in town, you're going to be near the top.
Be aware you'll get a different customer with Air. They're used to trying to play the system. So they'll tell you they have 2 and then show up with 5. They'll be messier. Some more destructive. They'll be asking you for favors (early check-in, late check-out, bringing a dog even though your listing says no dogs). Get used to saying "no."
All in all, it's better to be there than not be there. We've covered a few newbie AirBnB users into loyal REAL BnB users.
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I'm completely lost in all the local listings on Air... but that's not really here or there. I mean there are thousands (and about 90% are illegal, but they government doesn't seem to be doing it's work at all.)
The abuse is phenomenal. All the people that used to TRY to abuse B&B owners have definitely found a new home. Difference is, they look for entire apartments where they don't have to meet the owner. What I'm under is Private Room and B&B and they don't look at those for abuse... they want one with no owner around.
In my case... they can't get away with it. They get a confirmation from me which says maximum occupancy. They don't know when they will meet me , but they will... and it's going to be really hard to hide that. Especially when I get to review YOU for the future.
Those that find me there, find me there. Air keeps on promising to fix the B&B category... but it's still not fixed.
Incidentally, pricing is another thing. Here, they lost a court case and they have to do all-in pricing. They just got sued national, so everyone here is seeing all-in pricing with the fees no longer hidden. But if you have a US IP, they still hide prices and fees.
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Generic said:
But if you have a US IP, they still hide prices and fees.
Are you talking about hiding fees they charge the inn? Or the guest?
On the guest side, all the prices and fees are itemized here. This is what the guest sees when they have put in their dates and are ready to book a 2-night stay in one of my $109 rooms:
$109 x 2 nights = $218
Cleaning fee = $50
Service fee = $35
Occupancy taxes and fees = $58
Total = $361
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No, by law, in my jurisdiction, the law stipulates that you can't hide any of the end fees. You must be upfront about all costs. So the total will include all taxes, Air's fees, etc. Nothing hidden. When you are NOT in this jurisdiction, they can.... and do. Here's an example (I switched both to USD$ to make the amounts the same...)
When doing a search...
My normal IP (hiding fees illegal)....
16 to 20 March, 2 people.
Cabin A $134/night, $536 total.
Cabin B $164/night, $655 total.
Cabin C $162/night, $647 total.
USA IP (hiding fees legal)
Cabin A $95/night $463 total.
Cabin B $109/night, $549 total
Cabin C $105/night, $542 total
When I click in, I get Cabin B's $655. But until I do, I get the $109/night, $549 total.
Air was doing the same thing in the rest of the country, but a few weeks ago was listed in a class action in the entire country and now.... the whole country has clear pricing instead of the hidden pricing.
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