Everything you need to know about Check in and Check out times
One of your important responsibilities as an Airbnb host is managing check-in and check-out times. You want to make sure that you are accommodating your guests as much as possible, while also ensuring that you are able to get the most out of your Airbnb without over-working your cleaners. In this blog post, we will discuss what you need to know about check-in and check-out times for vacation rentals.
Check-in and check-out timings: why do they matter?
Check-in and check-out times are the hours during which guests are allowed to arrive at and depart from your Airbnb property. They are important for hosts because they help to ensure that guests have a smooth and enjoyable experience, while also allowing you to prepare your property for the next set of guests.
In general, check-in times are from 3 pm onwards, and check-out times are by 11 am or earlier. However, these times may vary depending on your location and the type of property you have. If you’re renting the spare room in your house and you know the cleaning process only takes 30 minutes to complete the turnover you can be more flexible about this timing. In contrast, if your home has five bedrooms and multiple levels it may take your cleaning team many extra hours to clean and prepare your house for your next Airbnb guests.
Make plans for your guests’ requests for early check in and late check out time
You should also keep in mind that some guests may have early or late flights, so it is important to be flexible where possible. If you are unable to accommodate early check-ins, you should make this clear in your listing description so that guests can plan their trip accordingly.
Overall, the most important thing is to communicate with your guests and make sure that they are aware of your policies. By doing so, you can avoid any potential problems or misunderstandings.
How do you manage check-in and check-out times for your guests?
This can be a difficult task, especially if you have multiple guests coming and going at different times.
Don’t schedule check-in and check-out times in advance:
This may seem like a good idea, but it can actually lead to more problems than it solves. If you schedule check-in and check-out times in advance, you run the risk of guests forgetting or misunderstanding their schedules. Instead, wait until the day of arrival/departure, as most hotels do, to communicate timing with them. I always want my guests to have an awesome experience and give guests access to my vacation rental as soon as possible but the worst thing you can do is let guests check out late, have someone in your cleaning company get a flat tire, and you’ve already pre-authorized your next guest to arrive early.
Communicate with your guests:
Let your guests know in advance what the check-in and check-out times are. This way, they can plan their arrival and departure accordingly. We send reminder messages the night before departure reminding our Airbnb guests our check out timing and proceedures. We also remind them they are able to self check in with our locks.
Assume your guests are amazing and friendly people because they are!
Sure your guests are stressed when they arrive from a long day of travel. They’ve asked a million questions about their check in time, reminded you local time is different from where they’ve traveled from. You’ve resisted the urge to charge them an extra fee or ask them to stop asking questions if they would like their rental available anytime this year, and then some snafu occurs that’s going to prevent them from early check in. Just reach out to them and be honest. You’d be amazed at how understanding your guests become of you’re honest and level with them. Don’t tell them a gross story, just let them know whatever is causing the delay and apologize. Offer to buy donuts, that’s my go-to and people generally love it.
Be flexible:
If possible, try to be flexible with your guests’ schedules. We have fixed check in and check out timing. However, we always take advantage of the opportunity to surprise our guests with greater flexibility. Even if we know a guest isn’t arriving until the evening we let them know their place is available early so they feel like we’re already going above-and-beyond for them. It’s also possible to charge a small fee, and it’s really as easy as saying:
“we do our absolute best to accommodate guests who need to check in early, we charge a small early check in fee which is passed directly to our cleaners.”
Have a backup plan:
In case of emergencies or unforeseen circumstances, it’s always good to have a backup plan (wisdom for adulting right??). There are certain that are predictable like a messy house or something that needs to be replaced so we make an effort to have spares for our cleaners. We know American guests put electric tea kettles on our gas burners and melt them every-so-often so we have a spare kettle in the supplies closet. It’s annoying but it happens. If your Airbnb rental is in a place with extreme temperatures cultivate a really great relationship with your heating and air conditioning company. You know those things are going to act up and you really need contractors to show up quickly for a service call.
Check-in and late departures can be a tricky thing to manage as an Airbnb host. By following these tips, you can make the process a whole lot easier for both you and your guests.
Tips for managing check-in and check-out time
As an Airbnb host, you will want to be as accommodating as possible to your guests. However, you also need to take into account your own schedule and the amount of time you have to prepare your rental property for each guest.
When setting timing, it is important to be realistic about the amount of time you need to prepare your rental property. If you have other commitments during the day, or if your cleaners are on tight schedules, you will need to factor in that time as well.
You should also consider what other Airbnb hosts in your area do with their vacation rentals. Guests may be looking for a specific time frame that works with their travel plans. By aligning your check-in and check-out times with other hosts in your area, you can make it easier for guests to find a rental that meets their needs.
Finally, keep in mind that you can always adjust your check-in and check-out times based on the needs of each individual guest. We don’t recommend making those public official changes to your listing but rather an opportunity to delight your guests in the case-by-case situation.
Case studies: how to manage check in/out times as an Airbnb host
Let’s take a look at a real-life examples of how I manage check in and check out times as an Airbnb host.
I’m an Airbnb host in Durham North Carolina and on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and we are able to make very different decisions for check-in and out timing. In Durham, supplies and cleaning help is much easier to find and manage than on the barrier islands. If our cleaners run out of something or something needs to be repaired there are tons of people we can call and stores we can visit to rememedy the situation quickly. On the Outer Banks if something is broken we know it will take at least 2 hours to run to any store to replace it. That means we are almost never able to accommodate changes to our check-in and check-out schedule for guests. In Durham, it’s about 50% of the time we can make accommodations.
Saying no to requests for early check-in or late checkout
There will be times when you won’t be able to accommodate a guest’s request for an early check-in or late checkout. In these cases, it’s important to be clear and upfront with your guests.
If you can’t accommodate a request, let your guests know as soon as possible so they can make alternative arrangements. It’s always better to communicate early and avoid any potential misunderstandings or disappointment down the road.
As an Airbnb host, you have the final say on what time your guests can check in and check out. By being clear and upfront with your guests, you can help avoid any potential issues.
In conclusion
As an Airbnb host, it’s important to be clear about your property’s check-in and check-out times.
You can also be flexible with your check-in and check-out times based on the needs of each individual guest.
If you need to make an exception to the check-in or check-out time, please contact your guests in advance to let them know. By doing so, you can help avoid any potential misunderstandings or inconvenience for both parties involved.
It might just be my luck, but almost every single time I’ve changed my check in time for a specific advanced reservation there has been a problem that has created a timing crisis. I wait until I’m 95% sure before making changes.
Really internalize the phrase “we will do our absolute best, and we’ll let you know as soon as we can confirm it.”
Happy hosting friends!
