Every host faces special requests: early check-in, late checkout, exceptions to house rules. How you handle these requests impacts guest satisfaction and your reviews.
Guiding Principles
- Operational impact: Does this disrupt your systems?
- Fairness: Would you grant this to all guests?
- Reciprocity: Will saying yes create goodwill?
Early Check-In Requests
When to Say Yes
- No same-day checkout (property is already clean)
- Cleaner can accommodate earlier timing
- Guest has a compelling reason
When to Say No
- Same-day turnover with tight timing
- Would require rushing cleaning
How to Handle
When you can accommodate:
"Great news! The property will be ready early. Feel free to check in anytime after [time]!"
When you can't:
"I wish I could! We have a same-day turnover, so the cleaning team needs until 4pm. There's a great coffee shop nearby to wait out the last hour!"
The Art of the Kind No
- Acknowledge: Show you understood their request
- Explain briefly: Give a reason
- Offer alternative: Help solve their underlying problem
- Express goodwill: Show you wish you could help
Conclusion
How you handle requests often matters more than the answer itself.
