How to Seamlessly Accommodate Airbnb Early Check-In

Your guest has just landed at the airport after a long flight, it’s 1 pm and they’re tired and hungry. All they want to do is hop in a cab and get to their vacation rental ASAP.

Official check-in time is at 4 pm but offering an early check-in will put a smile on their face, and we all know that happy guests equal rave reviews.

Hosts often worry offering Airbnb early check-in will be a logistical headache, but it doesn’t have to be. By streamlining operations, you can seamlessly accommodate early check-in and enhance guest satisfaction. Want to find out how? Then read on…

Why guests love an Airbnb early check-in

There are some things Airbnb guests expect as standard from a rental, such as cleanliness, good facilities, great host communication, and an easy check-in process. Visitors also love thoughtful extras e.g. a welcoming bottle of wine, discount vouchers for nearby attractions, and Airbnb early check-in.

As a host, you can offer early Airbnb check-in time as standard or just when guests ask. Either way, guests will appreciate this convenient option.

Offering Airbnb early check-in demonstrates your willingness to be helpful and provides more flexibility. By agreeing to their booking request, you’re saying “I’m friendly and welcoming and I care about guests.” Straight off the bat, your guests will feel they are getting a good deal. Early check-in is a nice extra, hosts are gifting their visitors time, so they enjoy their stay for longer.

Airbnb early check-in makes life easier for your guest. There’s no stress about timing their journey down to the last minute or finding somewhere to go if they arrive early, before their official Airbnb check-in time. Lugging suitcases or herding restless children into one of the nearby cafes is a pain after a long journey, as is waiting around.

Guests will appreciate an earlier check-in to accommodate their early arrival. If they can check-in early Airbnb guests can drop their luggage at the property, and freshen up before they kick off their travel plans. An early check can be great for business travelers too, especially if they have work to do.

Why Airbnb early check-in is good for business

Offering notable extras such as Airbnb early check-in will help impress your clients. Satisfied guests are more likely to leave positive feedback and all property managers and hosts know that good reviews are critical to success. Great reviews help you to gain and maintain Airbnb Superhost status.

Super host status results in your rentals appearing higher in the searches, and the more views you get the better. Positive reviews and a high ranking in searches will prompt potential guests to trust you, and trust is key to securing frequent and consistent bookings.

If your guests have had an amazing time, they are more likely to come back for more, and repeat bookings are a great way to boost your profits. As a bonus a second or third interaction is always easier, the guests already know you and your rental and you have a good idea of their needs and tastes.

How to keep Airbnb early check-in simple and easy

Airbnb early check-in may be good for your guests but as an Airbnb host, you don’t need any complications or extra stress. Thankfully you can avoid tricky logistical issues associated with early arrivals by simplifying and automating your procedures. This will also help you to save time, money, and your sanity.

Let’s check out what you can do to make your life easier when dealing with early check-ins.

·       Keep track of your property booking calendar

If you want to offer Airbnb early check-in you need to keep a close eye on your booking calendar, especially if you’re juggling multiple properties. Vacation rental software can help streamline operations, so you can view bookings at a glance, and co-ordinate house-keeping.

You can track changes, cancellations, and last-minute bookings, which will help you to decide in advance whether you accommodate guests requesting early check-in.

·       Manage your cleaning crew and set an effective schedule

Allowing Airbnb early check-in will be a challenge if you don’t have a robust and effective cleaning crew and schedule. Guests expect a clean and tidy rental, and they won’t enjoy happy travels if the place isn’t ready.

Vacation rental software can help with that, allowing you to set cleaning schedules based on check in times and check-out times.  By automating your operations, you can get the green light when the previous guests leave and make preparations for your next guests.

You can communicate with your team, advising them that guests will be arriving early. You can also provide cleaning checklists and check on progress, so you can determine when the rental is ready for your next guests.

·       Self-check-in is your friend

Airbnb early check-in may be convenient for guests, but it can be inconvenient for hosts, especially when they have other commitments.

Rather than rushing around to accommodate guests requesting an early check-in, stressing about their arrival time, or waiting around when visitors arrive late, you could opt for self-check-in with keyless entry.

Self-check-ins are more convenient for all involved. Your guests won’t be left hanging around and if you’ve agreed to an Airbnb early check-in you can allow access to your guests by providing the entry code.

What’s your Airbnb early check-in policy?

Before you rush in and open your doors early to every guest, you’ll need to establish an Airbnb early check-in policy. Your policy should be clear and concise, so there’s no confusion.

There are a few things you’ll need to think about such as, will you offer the option of early guest checking to everyone who books? Or will early booking be for just the guests requesting an early check?

You’ll also need to consider timings; can you accommodate guests making same-day requests for early check-in or do you need notice? Guests may request arrival before official check-in due to something unexpected e.g. if the traffic is light or their transport time changed.

If you feel dealing with last-minute requests will be too problematic, you can set boundaries. For instance, some hosts set a standard check-in time, adding the rule that early check-in requests must be made at least 48 hours before arrival.

To charge or not to charge for Airbnb early check-in

Another consideration is whether you will offer Airbnb early check-in for free or charge guests for the privilege. This is a tricky one, on the one hand, you could charge an additional fee and make some easy extra cash. On the other hand, you can offer early Airbnb check-in as a complimentary service and make sure your guests have the best possible start to their stay.

If there are going to be costs associated with offering Airbnb early check-in e.g. hiring additional cleaners for expedited cleaning, it makes sense to charge a fee so you’re not out of pocket. If you decide to charge guests for early check-in, you’ll need to communicate this from the off.

How much will you charge, and will this be a set amount or a fee per hour? You’ll also need to decide how guests will pay. Fees could be paid with the rental free, but this won’t be possible for last-minute requests.

For maximum brownie points, offering guests Airbnb early check-in for free is the way to go. If you’re confident you can make it work on most occasions you could advertise “early check-in available” as a bonus feature on your listing.

Again, you MUST check you can accommodate this before you make the offer or accept an early check-in request. A disappointed guest won’t be quick to provide positive feedback on your hosting skills.

If your vacation rental is free and ready before the official check-in time an offer of early check-in will be appreciated, even if the guest doesn’t take you up on it. It’s a simple way to go that extra mile for no extra effort. If they’ve made the request it doesn’t hurt to check. Take a look at the bookings, and see if there’s wiggle room to get the cleaning crew in earlier.

You might prefer a policy that allows you to pick and choose who you can accommodate, and only allow early check-in due to extenuating circumstances. For instance, a couple of wedding guests might hire your pad for the night. The wedding is in a nearby church at 3.30 pm and they would like to drop off bags and freshen up.

However, your check-in time is 3 pm and is too tight. In this situation, you might suggest your guests arrive at 2 pm as a gesture of goodwill.

Will I be penalized if I can’t offer Airbnb early check-in every time?

Not all hosts offer  Airbnb early check-in. For some, it can prove too tricky due to balancing other bookings or cleaning constraints. Airbnb hosting can be challenging,

So don’t overcomplicate things – only accept the request if you can accommodate it. If in doubt don’t offer or accept to avoid any upset if things don’t work out.

If you decide early check-in won’t work for you at all that’s fine. It’s your vacation rental and you have to do what’s right for you. You might get one or two guests who are put off by this, but it’s better to be upfront from the start. Communicate your “no early check-in” clearly and don’t tease potential guests by saying you might consider it, or confuse the situation by offering some the option but not others.

The importance of clear communication and check-in instructions

When you send a booking confirmation you can take the opportunity to confirm house rules, including rental check-in instructions, check-out times. This should help guests to organize their travel arrangements in advance so send these details to your guests as soon as you can.

If you plan on offering early check-in or late check out it’s good to say so early on so your guests can make the most of your offer. The option of an Airbnb early check-in with the booking confirmation will give a positive impression and help you to form a relationship with your guest. Your visitor is less likely to cancel or be difficult to deal with if you impress them from the off.

To make communication easier you can invest in vacation rental software to automate your messages. You can create templates and schedule messages for those important dates, such as check-in and check-out, which will save time. Using rental software can also help ensure you stay on top of any communication – so you don’t accidentally miss a message or forget to reply to something important.

Make Airbnb early check-in work for you and your guests

Enhance guest satisfaction and make a good first impression by offering seamless Airbnb early check-in. Streamline operations and automate your systems using iGMS vacation rental software to keep track of bookings, communicate with guests, and organize maintenance.

About the Author

A writer for over a decade, Emma Miles is a UK-based freelancer with an interest in travel, tourism, and cultural events. When she’s not creating content you’ll find her spending time with family, walking her crazy Border Collie, or savoring a glass of red.