Hi @Jessica1and@Madelyn0
This is really interesting, as I believe this is the first time guests and hosts have been able to participate together in groups on Airbnb, and it's the first time that guests have had their own groups where they can discuss matters from a guest perspective. I am hoping that having this available for all, will be a vehicle to help foster a lot of dialogue between guests and hosts, so each group can understand the other's perspective better. (Many hosts have also been guests, but not all have been).
There actually isn't any standard check in procedure that applies to hosts across the board . There are some universals, but there can also be variation among hosts as to how they prefer to handle this.
Each host is expected to either designate a certain check in time or check in "window" , or state that check-in time is flexible. THis is part of what hosts are required to do when they set up a listing. If a host has check in time/window and/or check in requirements, they should state these on their listing description (which you can read before booking) or on their house manual ,which you can read after booking. When a check in time is stated on the host's listing (Airbnb requires that all hosts either set a time, or they get the Airbnb "de facto " time of 3pm for check in) that means guests can arrive at that hour or later. It doesn't mean that guests have to arrive at exactly that hour . Any hosts who have requirements/limitations regarding check in, should state that clearly on their listing description, so that guests can read this before booking, and have the opportunity to choose another listing to stay at if any given hosts' check in requirements don't work for them. For instance, some hosts only allow guests to arrive during a certain window, say, 3pm to 9pm. A guest cannot arrive at 8am or at midnight, in that situation. Other hosts are flexible, and allow guests to arrive at any time after the stated check in hour, except perhaps not too late, because the host may not be able to stay up late at night waiting. Guests wanting to arrive later than say 9 or 10pm at night, should ask host in advance if this is okay, rather than assume it will be okay.
As to whether hosts will meet in person or leave a key or have a code lock on the door -- and guests wanting to know what the process will look like - I think the difficulty for hosts with having a set check in process that they can communicate in advance, is that it may not be possible to apply the same check in process for all guests. Some guests arrive when the host is not home, but at work, and host cannot leave work to meet that guest, particularly if the guest cannot state with absolute certainty that they will arrive at a certain hour.So a lock box or code entry and guest self checkin may be needed in that case. Some guests arrive at a time when host is normally home, so personal check in is available. Others arrive on a day or time when host is at an event, or out to dinner. Exact check in procedures may not be able to be specified in advance if host doesn't yet know what they will be doing that day.
What I do, is ask guests when they will be arriving, and allow guests to arrive at any hour after the specified check in hour. I prefer that guests arrive before 10pm, but if that is not possible, I will allow them to arrive at any hour as long as they can come in quietly into the house, not disrupting me or my neighbors. Often the guest does not know the hour they will arrive, until closer to the arrival date. Depending on the time they want to come, I say that I will either be there to meet them, or leave a key in a lockbox for them. Then, I say I will show them around the house either right when they arrive, if I am there then, or later, when I come back home.
Hosts vary as to how much they will either be flexible and work to accomodate guests's needs vis a vis check in time, or are unable to be as flexible and require guests to fit into their time window and their schedule. THis is something that guests may want to ask hosts about in advance, even before booking if needed, particularly if this is important for the guest to know --- eg, I am coming on a bus from the airport with heavy luggage, I need to be able to go right to the listing and get in, I cannot wait elsewhere for several hours. New hosts often express confusion about what they are "allowed" to ask of guests, as they can feel like it is impolite to ask the questions that hosts really need to ask to screen guests and make sure they are getting a guest they will be comfortable with, and guests may not ask all the questions that they need to ask to make sure that they are getting a booking at a listing and with a host which will work for them and where they will feel comfortable.
From a host's perspective, these are some of the common frustrations: (1) Guests do not arrive at the time they say they will arrive (even when this delay is not owing to flight delay or anything out of their control) or guests do not update hosts on delayed arrival time. THis can result in host waiting a long time for the guest and unable to attend to other business because they need to be there when guest arrives. (Some hosts have left work to meet guest and planned to return to work in 1 hour, only to find guest does not arrive at that time, but comes 6 hours later) (2) Guest asks to check in early, sometimes very much earlier (eg, when check in time is 2pm, guest asks if they can arrive at 8am). Guest may insist on this and be upset if host doesn't allow it, but really, if the guest wants to check in that early, they should book to arrive the day prior, so that they then are paying for the space from the day prior starting at 2pm and so arriving at 8am is actually late, not early. (However, even if they pay to arrive a day earlier, host may have limitations as to when they are physically able to do check in of the guest) .
