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[Smilez]

I got a request for a 30 day booking for January 2026, but the person asked if she could come visit the house this weekend to decide if she wants to book.
I told her that I can send/post more detailed photos, but I’m not giving a tour. They then asked for my address so she could “drive by.” I told her the general area but nothing more. I asked if she wanted me to approve her booking, but she said she needs to see the whole house in person before agreeing to book.
Should I deny this request and be done with it, or try to work with her? Is a 30 day stay worth the money?

[ChrisFromTheOC]

We get plenty of bookings for the usual business traveler staying for a weekend or a week. Because of that, we dont even need to spend time entertaining these type of inquiries and we reply with a "sorry unable to accomdate" message and leave it at that.

[stevens390]

I would think a virtual tour would more than suffice and would be a good option you could offer to guests asking for this, especially since airbnb now offers the option to send videos. If that still isnt enough for a potential guest I think there are some red flags...even if not a full on scam, likely a very needy guest.

[the810]

Yep, I’ve done it a few times for stays 28 days and longer. It makes sense for long stays so the guest knows exactly what they are getting. If I was staying somewhere for 2 or 3 months I would want to check it out if it was possible.

[jackBnimble]

I get that for longer stays guests may want to see it in person first, however I firmly believe if your photos are accurate representing your place I'd be inclined to decline with a friendly response that our pictures accurately represent the place and to read reviews. It's always fussy people I’d rather not deal with in my experience that want an inspection etc but hey, you could be luckier than me.

[findyourzen]

One of my favorite guests ever requested an in person tour for our backyard ADU. They were booking a stay for 3 months and wanted to be sure they’d be comfortable. I declined the request as I'm of the same mindset of the others on this forum but I’m glad that didn’t deter them.

[nflation]

I'd be hesitant. Is it someone local? if so, I'd inquire as to why they want the rental. If I got some ID prior to meeting them, I'd feel more comfortable. Definitely do not meet them there alone.
AirBnB makes it difficult for hosts to contact guests unless they have a paid booking. You'd need to go off platform, which AirBnB frowns upon.
The last time I had this request it was because the guest wanted to rent outside of the platform, which I wasn't comfortable with .. it was for a 3 week long stay and I didn't want to take the risk.

[yosarzk]

I've had this request, but I always say no.
• they now have the exact address
• you're not covered by airbnb insurance policy if something happens
I usually ask if they would like additional pictures of a certain area / videos, etc.
After I suggested VERY POLITELY, alternative ways of viewing the apartment before commitment (which I understand for long-term stays), the guest just stopped responding.
I'm sure there are people with good intentions, but given that I would be living in the house as well, it was a safety concern.