Many Airbnb Hosts Market Their Homes to Wedding Parties. Here’s Why We Don’t.
By: Brad Greiner, CEO of Open Air Homes and OpenAiRE Brokerage
October 19, 2022
At Open Air Homes, we field several inquiries to book our homes daily. Over the years, we’ve grown with the short-term rental industry, gained experience, and naturally picked up the ability to vet potential guests and spot red flags in seconds.
One inquiry that almost always makes us wary? Bachelor and bachelorette parties.
Hear us out – we love celebrating our friends! There’s nothing better than coming together to honor loved ones’ milestones, and we’re not big on getting in the way of anyone’s fun.
However, we need to discuss the types of homes that these groups ought to book, and homes that should steer clear.
The majority of our homes are in tranquil communities with long-term homeowners and renters. Our rentals are often next to families and individuals who love quiet time, and it’s our job to value members of the community as shareholders with relevant points of view and opinions.
Related: Read our Good Neighbor Pledge here.
How Do I Decide Whether to Allow Wedding Parties to Book my Airbnb?
As the host of a vacation rental property, deciding whether to allow bachelor and bachelorette parties is your own.
Consider these three things when deciding whether to host revelers in your short-term rental property.
1. Location, location, location
Think about the area your home is in. Do families make up the majority of residents? Is it near an elementary school? If so, you may consider pivoting to another group of renters, like families, retirees, or remote workers.
On the other hand, what if it’s in a bustling area that has bars and clubs within walking distance? If the home is in a busy neighborhood known for nightlife and a younger crowd, it makes sense for hosts to take advantage of that fact and profit mainly off of partiers.
2. Community impact matters
Be mindful of your neighbors. Do they want partygoers tumbling into the street every weekend? Will it change the community, and are they open to change? Airbnbs and the short-term rental industry get a bad rap, and for good reason.
While vacation rentals are far from a new concept, market saturation impacts housing and communities on a large scale. We take a “leave no trace” approach; it’s important that our rentals enrich lives with virtually no ripple effect on those nearby.
3. Maintenance and incidentals
It may seem like a fun and carefree gig, but maintaining a party house comes with just as much responsibility as any other home. Cleanup, repairs, and safety are all huge factors that come into play. A wild enough party can cause months’ worth of wear and tear! This forces hosts to remove it from booking platforms, losing revenue and canceling on other guests. Cancelations should be avoided at all costs, as they provide a negative customer experience and reflect badly on hosts.
At Open Air Homes, we make every effort to maintain our homes in communities with working professionals and families. Multi-generational families are in bed by 10:00 p.m., and working professionals need a quiet and comfortable place to rest when in town for work.
Where Should Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties Go?
Party Airbnbs can destroy the fabric of communities every weekend and cause severe rifts between hosts and residents. Even if the person booking the home is well-intentioned, there will always be individuals who do not respect the rules you’ve laid out.
So, where should bachelor and bachelorette parties go?
Hotels. Or secluded, self-contained homes on very large properties with no adjacent neighbors.
Related: How to Maintain a Vacation Rental While Being Mindful of Community
Hotels for Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties
Hotels typically have the resources to accommodate large parties. Staff, security, and space are all things that large corporate entities can consistently maintain.
Hotels like the Ace in Palm Springs or the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas specifically cater to revelers. They lead with bars, pool parties, and DJs.
Frankly, our homes do not.
Related: Hotels are not the Enemy of Short-Term Rentals. Bad Hosts Are.
Open Air Homes’ Commitment to Protecting Communities
At Open Air Homes, we’d love for short-term rentals that are good neighbors to become the norm. We emphasize good faith efforts to protect communities and neighbors and intend to change the industry from within.
At this pivotal moment in the short-term rental sector, we’re turning our sights inward to think about our impact, and to change negative perceptions of our industry. While we understand that we may not always get it right, we are determined to head in a more positive direction.
We partner with hosts who wish to address the problems facing our industry head-on and forge a better future for us all.
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