‘This guy has no manners’: My Airbnb guest requested I buy bacon and beer. The $30 bill remains unpaid. Do I insist?
Short answer: Yes—once, politely and through Airbnb’s Resolution Center. If the guest still refuses or ignores it after Airbnb mediates, let it go, leave a factual review, and tighten your policies so it doesn’t happen again.
Here’s how to think about it and what to do.
Where the line is for hosts
– Hospitality isn’t the same as concierge service. Stocking basics like coffee, tea, salt, oil, or a welcome snack is common. Buying specific items—especially alcohol—is an extra that should be prepaid or clearly billed.
– You’re never obligated to front money for guest requests. When you do, it should be with a clear agreement and proof of cost.
The money question: How to request it properly
You want the paper trail on Airbnb so support can step in and so you’re protected if there’s a dispute.
– Use Airbnb’s Resolution Center. Open the reservation, select Send or request money, choose Extra services, and upload a photo of the receipt. Keep your note neutral and factual.
– Sample message to include: “As requested, I purchased bacon and beer for your stay. The total was $29.78 (receipt attached). I’ve sent a reimbursement request through Airbnb. Thanks for taking care of that today.”
– If the guest ignores it for 72 hours, Airbnb will allow you to involve support. Ask Airbnb to mediate. They may try to charge the guest’s payment method on file.
– If Airbnb can’t collect after mediation, decide if it’s worth further energy. For $30, it often isn’t. The lesson (and an updated policy) is your real recovery.
Should you insist?
– Insist once, professionally, within the platform. That’s not confrontational; it’s standard procedure.
– After one in-app reminder and a Resolution Center request, stop chasing. Any more than that usually costs you peace of mind and time you won’t recoup.
– Consider the bigger picture: Hosts who set clear boundaries and keep everything in-app tend to have fewer headaches and better outcomes in disputes.
How to word your review (and avoid a retaliation spiral)
Airbnb’s reviews are blind for 14 days—neither party sees the other’s review until both submit or the window closes. Keep yours factual and avoid insults; that protects you and helps future hosts.
– Public review example: “X communicated arrival times well. During the stay, they asked me to purchase groceries (bacon and beer) with the understanding they’d reimburse me, but payment wasn’t made despite reminders and a Resolution Center request. Future hosts may want to require prepayment for extras.”
– Private feedback example: “For future stays, please reimburse promptly when hosts make purchases on your behalf.”
– Star ratings: Use your judgment, but many hosts would reflect this under Cleanliness/Communication/Observance of House Rules as appropriate.
A note on alcohol
– Think twice before buying alcohol for guests. Depending on your location, there may be age-verification or social-host liability issues. If you ever agree, require prepayment and verify legal age. It’s okay to simply say, “I don’t purchase alcohol for guests.”
If the guest is still in-house
– Keep it calm and in-app. “Just a heads-up that I submitted the reimbursement request through Airbnb. Would you mind taking care of it today?” Avoid threats or heated exchanges; you want the record to show you were reasonable and professional.
– Do not withhold access or services the reservation includes. If tension rises, stop doing extras and refer to house rules.
Prevent it next time: Boundaries and systems
– Clarify what’s included. In your listing and house manual, list exactly what you stock (e.g., “starter coffee/tea, sugar, salt, cooking oil”) and what you don’t (e.g., “We don’t provide alcohol or custom groceries unless prepaid”).
– Offer a paid pre-stock option with prepayment only. Spell out a minimum lead time (e.g., 48 hours), a service fee if you want one, and that all payments are through Airbnb’s Request Money before you shop.
– Keep everything in-app. If a guest messages a list, reply in the Airbnb thread, quote the estimated total, and say, “Happy to do it once I send a Request Money and it’s paid.”
– Set a personal rule: No prepayment, no purchase—especially for perishables or alcohol.
– Consider alternatives. Suggest grocery delivery services to the listing, which remove you from the transaction entirely.
Polite scripts you can copy
– Prepayment policy: “I’m glad to help pre-stock basics. I’ll send a Request Money for the estimate; once it’s paid, I’ll shop and upload the receipt. Any difference will be adjusted through Airbnb.”
– Declining alcohol: “I don’t purchase alcohol for guests, but there are nearby stores and delivery options. Happy to share recommendations.”
– Final nudge on the unpaid bill: “Quick reminder that the $29.78 reimbursement request is in the Airbnb app with the receipt attached. If you could take care of it today, I’d appreciate it.”
Bottom line
– You were generous to pick up bacon and beer; reimbursement is reasonable to expect.
– Make one clean, documented attempt via the Resolution Center. If the guest won’t pay and Airbnb can’t collect, consider it a $30 tuition fee in Host School 101.
– Leave a factual review to help the next host, and tighten your listing and prepayment policies so you never have to chase a small bill again.
