This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
You shouldn’t do anything you don’t want to do. There’s no obligation for this kind of thing. You might should say no and have her canceled if you want to. I support your choice either way because this clearly falls under personal choice and doesn’t have anything to do with being a good host or not.
But no matter what, don’t do the rose petals, not only will they stain everything and get ground into your rugs but they are also stupid and trashy. And more importantly it tells me that your guests are about 19 years old, on the brink of breaking up and have poor taste in literature.
This would all be a hard no from me. Not because I couldn’t - but because it literally isn’t what we do. Too many considerations for something like that. If they want something like that - you stay in a hotel. a very very expensive hotel who is happy to itemize every little of one of those things - and I assure you $50 won’t cut it.
Two major things to be concerned about - she’ll decorate with rose petals and stain your belongings, and she’ll want in early to decorate.
Unfortunately, you are on a bit of a bind now as you told her she could decorate. You might get her to cancel by telling her the fee for damages from rose petals or any other decorations (be sure to include glitter) is $xxx (high!) and she can’t check in early or have someone come to your place early to get things ready.
Plating someone else’s food is the thing that worries me – and I’m a chef!
When I cook for someone I plate it when it is properly cooked, moments before it is placed in front of my diner/guest.
YOU have no control over the raw food freshness, whether it is correctly or incorrectly cooked, whether it has been maintained at the correct temperature over time (I’m not heating your food in my oven/warming drawer), etc. All of which could lead to someone becoming sick.
And if “special fella” gets sick, who is Guest gonna blame? Not herself – she lovingly prepared it. YOU must not have properly stored it, heated it, or left out too long… anything that can be your fault not hers.
Okay, speaking as someone who caved to something like this on Valentine’s weekend, I would say to say no.
I set out the provided flowers and notes and sprinkled the rose petals after carrying it all down a kilometre-long trail. Two trips. Timed it to keep the flowers from freezing.
No thanks for this, no review from the guest, and everything left dirtier and messier than usual, including ground-in rose petals on the bedding. (Oxi-clean worked.)
You’ll say I was a chump, but it was doable and l did it. Also, I was making out like a bandit, having upped my price to a historic high after a cancellation. So I’ll amend that “say no” to “say no if you are not making enough to mollify yourself”.
Yes, the rose petals! Only experienced them once, actually on my honeymoon in a previous life. Omg, it looked like a crime scene the next morning! Fortunately there was enough champagne during the moment, we had no clue. It was embarrassing, & I hung my head in shame when I saw the housekeepers. No rose petals at this old schoolhouse!
Why didn’t she ask before booking? Then you could have negotiated a fair price and some ground rules. This smacks of “it’s better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission” which I think is a brilliant tactic but not when used on me.
I recently upped my price to a historic high after a cancellation and got my worse review ever. I guess some people don’t appreciate being first to reach that price point.
That explains why she thought you were a friend she could ask a favour of, rather than a host. It’s all those “Made by Hosts” ads Airbnb have on tv including one where you provide the guest with a supersize welcome basket of goodies for free. Imagine how disappointed my guests are when they arrive and all these see is a card with the wifi password.
As you say, glowing reviews. Also guests who become repeat guests, like the honeymooners who return every anniversary. Also happy guests who refer the host to their family, co-workers and friends.
Maybe it’s easier for me because both rentals get fresh flowers at every turnover, bottle of wine (easy to switch to fizz for celebrations), arrival fruit and snacks and a breakfast basket for their first morning.
The rentals both have menus from restaurants that deliver (proper restaurants, not just pizza) so the guests can plan their romantic meals.
I’ve never done decorations of any kind though. The nearest is that at Christmas I put a Santa hat on the corner of the bedhead. Also the rentals both have battery- and remote-operated candles.
You’re making it hard for the rest of us! I leave a tub of margarine and some vegemite for my guests. Have you seen the Airbnb tv ads where the host leaves a supersized basket of goodies which tbh the guest really paid for? Is that your place Jaquo?
I love that some of the answers here are to go for it. I work full time and Airbnb my house to pay the mortgage. I would be nice about it, but ain’t nobody here got time for that!!
That said, we are all different, and have different ways of doing things, different demands on our time, etc. Do what you feel is right. Just let them know they really shoudn’t expect much from any other Airbnb host.
In reading the request, I did not get the sense that the guest felt entitled, just that she wanted everything set up so that it would be a surprise when they walked in. I think it’s very possible to just state that any of the extras you have to do would require additional fees, but that you’d be happy to. Or, that your job and time don’t allow for it. I simply don’t see anything negative in the request. I’m not sure why some people get so angry. Except that we’re all a bit angry right under the surface these days.
