FAQ
General Questions
At Ahimsabnb, we emphasize a vegan and vegetarian lifestyle, setting us apart from other platforms. This focus caters to the practical needs of vegan and vegetarian travelers and hosts. As a guest, you'll have access to insider knowledge about local markets, restaurants, and attractions. You can also search for listings with vegan or vegetarian kitchens. As a host, you can list your space as vegan or vegetarian, knowing that your kitchen and home will remain as you prefer.
Absolutely! We welcome everyone who is curious about the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle to use Ahimsabnb. However, all guests are required to keep their accommodations meat-free at all times, in accordance with the house rules of the accommodation.
We carefully screen all accommodations on Ahimsabnb to ensure hosts are vegetarian or vegan. While there is no foolproof method to guarantee someone's lifestyle choices, we rely on a combination of profiles, reviews, and initial dialogues with hosts to create a trustworthy community. We reserve the right to terminate accounts found to misrepresent themselves.
All members can verify their identities by uploading a profile photo and a government-issued ID. Verifying your ID strengthens your profile and helps establish trust with other members. To submit your ID for verification, log in to your account, go to Edit Profile, and select Verification.
To delete your account, simply send an email to hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we will take care of it promptly. Alternatively, you can make your profile private by going to Edit My Profile > Account Privacy.
Your profile is crucial for communication within the community and with potential hosts or guests. Make sure to include a picture of yourself to add a personal touch. Fill out the "About you" section to share more about yourself and enhance your profile. Consider adding verifications, such as having your ID verified, to build trust with other members.
Host Questions
Getting started as a host is easy. Register for an account, complete your profile, and add your listing.
For vegetarian listings, accommodations must be free of all meat, fish, and eggs throughout the guest's stay. For vegan listings, accommodations must be free of all animal-based food products throughout the guest's stay. Vegan or vegetarian-friendly listings should provide facilities and ingredients to accommodate the guest's lifestyle.
If your kitchen has been used to cook meat, it is highly recommended to have separate vegan-only cookware. While it may be challenging to maintain a vegan or vegetarian environment at all times, we encourage hosts to join Ahimsabnb and receive support from the community.
Photos play a crucial role in attracting potential guests. Include pictures of where guests will eat and sleep, ensuring they can visualize their stay. Keep your space tidy, use adequate lighting, and capture unique features that set your place apart. Don't forget to showcase your neighborhood and nearby attractions.
Creating a listing is free. As a host, you are responsible for accepting payment from guests. If you prefer Ahimsabnb to process the payment, a 4% service fee will be deducted for transferring online payments securely to you.
To list your home on Ahimsabnb, you and everyone in your home should have an understanding of the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle to properly accommodate guests.
You can list various types of accommodations on Ahimsabnb, including entire houses, private rooms, shared living spaces with a couch, tents, vegan and vegetarian work exchanges, B&Bs, boutique hotels, retreats, and more. You can also add experiences, retreats, and products/services.
Yes, for each bookable space, you must create a separate listing to ensure accurate pricing, availability, information, and reviews.
To list multiple rooms in the same property, create a separate listing for each room.
Guests can pay you directly or through Ahimsabnb. For payment-related questions, please email us at hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we'll assist you.
If Ahimsabnb processes the booking payments for you, we initiate the payout on the day of check-out. The funds may take a few additional days to reflect in your account, depending on your preferred payment method.
You can consider various factors when pricing your accommodation, such as helping fellow vegans/vegetarians, considering your expenses, and comparing prices with other listings in your area.
Hosts can choose from three cancellation policies: Flexible, Moderate, and Strict. Depending on the policy and timing of the cancellation, Ahimsabnb will handle the refund process accordingly. If you accept direct payments, you must abide by your own cancellation policy.
Cancellation should be avoided but, if necessary, follow these steps:
A. Go to the "Host" section on the platform. B. Select "Requests." C. Click on the "Cancel" link for the confirmed booking. D. Leave a message for the guest and confirm the cancellation.
Note: Frequent cancellations may result in a suspension of your hosting privileges.
Yes, you can require a security deposit for potential damages caused by guests. Specify the amount when creating your listing. Report any damages to the Ahimsabnb team within 7 days after the guest's check-out date by emailing hello@ahimsabnb.com
While we haven't encountered any damage reports or complaints thus far, we understand that unforeseen incidents can happen. However, at this time, Ahimsabnb does not offer insurance for hosts. We made this decision to avoid following the unethical practices of other home-sharing platforms that provide limited coverage for hosts. We recommend exploring insurance options from specialized short-term rental insurance companies like InsuraGuest, Obie, CBIZ, and Proper, even if you are also hosting on Airbnb.
Creating positive experiences and showing respect are central to the Ahimsabnb community. To be an excellent host, please refer to our "Be Ahimsa" page for a short list of considerations and guidelines.
Absolutely! The Ahimsabnb team is always here to assist you. You can reach out to us in the following ways:
A. Chat with us: Click the green circle at the bottom right of the screen to chat with one of our team members. If we're not available, you can still submit your message, and we'll respond as soon as possible.
B. Email us: Send your inquiries to hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours or sooner.
C. Call us: If you need immediate assistance while hosting or traveling, you can contact us at +1 (424) 535-1602. For non-urgent matters, please email us so that our phone lines remain available.
A. As a host, you have the choice to accept or decline booking requests. Only host when you feel completely comfortable and the timing works for you.
B. While travelers are encouraged to have detailed profiles, you may receive inquiries from new users who haven't fully completed their profiles. In such cases, you can use our messaging system to ask them questions and request profile completion.
C. Reviews are the heart of the community. They help build trust and make decisions easier. Read reviews of potential guests, and decide whether you're willing to host guests with no reviews. Since Ahimsabnb is still growing, you may be the first to leave a review for someone!
D. Remember, we are all connected by our shared vegetarian and vegan lifestyle, which creates an immediate bond. This commonality can help you feel more at ease as a host.
Tax regulations vary across countries, states, and localities. Familiarize yourself with the relevant tax obligations for your location and situation. Several services can assist you in streamlining the tax process, making hosting less of a hassle.
Yes! Go to the "Host" section at the top of your screen, select "Listings," and choose the listing you want to disable. Click the "X" button to set your listing to "Pending." This action will remove your listing from search results while keeping it saved for later.
To permanently delete a listing, go to "Listings" and click on the Recycle Bin icon next to your listing. You will then have the option to delete your listing from the site.
To learn more about travelers before confirming bookings, check their profiles. Profiles provide personal information about their lifestyle, hobbies, interests, and more. You can also read reviews from previous hosts to get an idea of their behavior. If a profile is lacking information, you can message the guest directly to ask questions before confirming the booking.
To communicate with confirmed and potential guests, go to Messages on Ahimsabnb. All communication should take place within the platform. Once a booking is complete, both the host and guest will receive a confirmation email with contact information to facilitate direct communication.
As a host, you have 48 hours to approve or decline a booking request before it expires. If you couldn't respond in time but still want to approve the trip, you can ask the guest to submit another booking request by sending a quick message through the site.
Absolutely! Many families with children are excellent hosts. Guests traveling with families will appreciate your local knowledge and family-friendly attractions. However, it's essential to communicate with guests and inform them about any potential noise or other relevant considerations. Being honest and upfront about your accommodations avoids problems during their stay.
Users on Ahimsabnb can see your first name and the general location of your accommodation. Once a booking is confirmed, guests receive a confirmation email with the exact location, your phone number, and email address for last-minute questions and coordination.
Certainly! Many guests enjoy staying with hosts who have pets as it creates a more comfortable and homey environment. Make sure to include this information on your listing and profile, so guests with allergies can make an informed decision. Disclosing this information is important for guests to plan accordingly.
You can absolutely host on Ahimsabnb while hosting on other platforms like Airbnb. In fact, we make it easy for hosts by allowing calendar syncing. Additionally, Airbnb hosts can upload their listing's reviews to Ahimsabnb for everyone to see their excellent guest experiences.
After publishing your listing, you can sync your calendar with other home-sharing platforms. Check out our Calendar Sync page for simple steps to set it up.
Guest Questions
A. Create an account - Simply click "Sign in" on the Ahimsabnb website.
B. Verify your email address - After signing up, you'll receive an email from us. Click the button in the email to verify your address.
C. Complete your profile - Your profile is essential for communication within the community and with future hosts. Take your time to fill it out. To edit your profile, click on the picture at the top right of Ahimsabnb.com, and select "Edit Profile." For tips on creating a great profile, see #6 under General Questions.
Follow these 6 easy steps to travel using Ahimsabnb. Email us at hello@ahimsabnb.com for additional questions.
While using the platform, you'll need to respect the lifestyle and restrictions set by the host while inside the rental space.
Using Ahimsabnb is completely free!
Guests make payments online through Ahimsabnb.com at the time of booking. Alternatively, hosts can choose to receive direct payments. Ahimsabnb holds the payments until check-out time to ensure a smooth accommodation experience. On the day of departure, Ahimsabnb pays the host.
A. Find a place you want to book and select the "Request to book" button on the listing page.
B. Enter your trip details and a personal message, providing as much information as possible. Submit your booking request.
C. The host has 48 hours to respond. If there's no response, contact our team for assistance.
D. If your request is approved, you will receive an email invite to complete the booking. Click the payment link in the email or go to Messages > Traveling on Ahimsabnb.com. Proceed to checkout and enter your payment information. Once submitted, your reservation will be confirmed, and the itinerary and host contact information will be emailed to you. Alternatively, you can arrange payment and details directly with the host.
A booking request doesn't confirm a reservation but asks the host to approve or reject your request. Once approved, you can complete the booking.
If the host hasn't seen our email notifications, please email us at hello@ahimsabnb.com. We'll try to connect with the host on your behalf.
Yes, you can send as many as you like. If multiple hosts approve your request, choose your top choice. You have 24 hours from approval to submit payment and complete the booking. After 24 hours, the reservation expires, and you'll need to resend the booking request.
Once a host approves your request, you'll be invited to book through Ahimsabnb.com. Follow the instructions in the email or go to Messages > Traveling to complete the booking. Proceed to checkout, pay the host, and finalize your booking within 24 hours before the invitation expires.
If your booking request was approved but you couldn't complete the booking within the provided 48-hour time period, you'll need to send another booking request. Once the host confirms the availability, you'll receive a new invitation to book and have another 48 hours to complete the reservation.
A host has 48 hours to approve or reject your booking request. If there's no response, your request may expire. To follow up, send a message to the host through Messages > Traveling. If the host is unresponsive and it's your top choice, contact us at hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we'll assist in reaching out to the host.
A. Complete your profile - Let your personality shine through! Since there's no in-person meeting, a well-filled profile helps hosts get to know you. Edit your profile by clicking on your circular picture at the top right of Ahimsabnb.com and selecting "Edit Profile."
B. Add a profile picture - Hosts feel more comfortable when they can see your face. To add a picture, click on the circular picture at the top right of Ahimsabnb.com, select "Edit Profile," and then choose "Profile Photo" on the left.
C. Add verifications - Verifying your ID builds trust and makes hosts more comfortable. To add verifications, click on the circular picture at the top right of Ahimsabnb.com, select "Edit Profile," and then choose "Verification" on the left.
After receiving approval, you can complete the booking and reserve the accommodation for your trip. Click the "Book Now" button in the email we send you or go to Messages on Ahimsabnb.com and select the relevant thread. Click "Continue to checkout" to pay the host and confirm your reservation.
To message a host and inquire about availability or ask questions about the accommodation, click the "Send Message" button on the listing page.
After paying for the accommodation and completing the reservation, you can connect with the host through either of these ways: 1) Continue exchanging messages through Ahimsabnb platform by going to Messages and selecting the relevant thread, or 2) Use the host's email and/or phone number provided in the reservation confirmation email. Host contact information can also be found on their profile.
To cancel a reservation, log into Ahimsabnb.com, go to "Requests" at the top of the platform, find the upcoming trip you want to cancel, and select "Cancel." Confirm the cancellation and provide a message explaining your situation to the host. The refund amount depends on the host's cancellation policy, indicated in the accommodation's listing page under the Cancellation section.
Host cancellations are rare but if it happens, you'll be immediately notified and refunded the total amount of your trip, including additional fees. We'll also assist in finding another Ahimsabnb accommodation in the area. If a host cancels after your arrival, you'll be refunded for the nights not stayed. Hosts face consequences, including the revocation of hosting privileges, for recurring cancellations.
To be the best guest, remember the importance of great experiences and respect within the Ahimsabnb community. Here are a few things to keep in mind when staying with someone.
Your personal information, except for your first name, will not be shared with anyone on the Ahimsabnb platform. You can choose what information to share with others or keep private.
Message the host to ensure the accommodation is suitable for kids. You can also check the House Rules section on the listing page for more information.
Bringing pets depends on the host's policies. Check the House Rules for information on bringing pets. It's best to confirm with the host before booking.
Enjoy the diversity and flexibility of experiences on Ahimsabnb. You can rent various types of accommodations based on your preferences. Express your concerns before booking, and hosts understand that privacy preferences vary among guests.
Although rare, if you encounter an issue, remember the importance of honest reviews for the community. Email us at hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we'll contact the host. If the issue remains unresolved, you may cancel your reservation for a partial refund according to the host's cancellation policy.
To maintain trust within the community, only one account is allowed.
Have more questions? Email us at hello@ahimsabnb.com, and we'll respond as soon as possible!