Guests complain because I don't serve breakfast - Not a true Airbnb they say

Oh BROTHER! …

LOL…but in my case I would not have had a muffin available. Not at that price point. She can go to starbux and buy her own damn $4 muffin!

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Fully agree! No Muffins for you!

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I’m a budget place and offer a basic self-serve breakfast. Some cereals, bread, some fruit, tea & coffee obviously. I’m getting a bit pissed off with it all now, though. Half the time guests don’t take any of it, other times they eat the entire lot in two days. It evens out in the end, financially, and it’s not a bit deal really. But right now I have a guest who has bought all the things that I offer and my small kitchen is getting very full. Why? Just why?? Maybe she doesn’t like to use milk from the same carton somebody else has used or pour out cereal from an opened box. Well, fine. Waste your money, my dear. I don’t know why this is pissing me off so much! A bit of host fatigue, perhaps…

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Some kind gestures are not worth it, when people make it so.

why not approach the owner show him your listing and your voucher plan maybe he could shore up a buy some get some free for the referrals on vouchers

I know exactly what you mean. Hosting is fine in general, but dealing with dozens of strange people, all of them living in my own home, can get tiring at times.

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Perhaps you are right. Trouble is, I tried to raise prices and it didn’t work. Bookings simply stopped coming when I raised from €29 to €39 a night. I guess mine is a one star place, and I like it that way. However, even one star places should serve a very basic breakfast, imho.

I had these guests checking in today, and I asked them if they want breakfast tomorrow morning. They said, no thank you. Then, they proceeded asking for a refund because they are not going to have breakfast. Of course, I refused. I offer breakfast to all guests, but I am not giving a rebate to anyone who is not taking breakfast. Good grief.

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Oh my gosh, how nervy of them. I just ask ‘what time do you want breakfast’? People at my place like the breakfast a lot, and it’s fun for me.

But yeah, having strangers in-and-out - is tiring. Great, but tiring. I love learning about new cultures. One thing I think I’ve learned is that there are strangers from India - just friends not yet met. I’ve had three groups and all of them have been very open, interesting, friendly, and warm. I’m enjoying that a lot. The most difficult for me is if there’s a language barrier or the people just aren’t interested. I had a group from Kyrgyzstan. Very cool because I didn’t know where it even was so had to look it up, but only the son spoke English and he had absolutely no discernible personality!!! But I know more about the world than I did before they came, and if possible, I WILL visit his parents because they seemed totally cool - just not English speakers.

I hope that, at some point, I can get my price to the point where I can take more breaks between guests. But right now I have to earn back my investment, so I’m taking all comers. When I do end up with a night or two between bookings then I block it off so we have a break.

I find every group so different. I’ll never forget the woman from northern Michigan who just was so excited to share their pickled bologna with us - a snack I’d never heard of - and it was delicious.

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:disappointed:I have just had the same thing happen. My profile CLEARLY states I do not offer breakfast, but that I have a wide selection of teas, coffees, cereals, milk, etc. for guests to help themselves to. Now a guest has complained that I did not provide breakfast. What got me was this - I clearly state this in my profile, and before any guest visits, I send then a welcome flyer with hints, tips, etc. Again, clearly states what I do offer. When I asked them had they got my flyer, I was told ‘oh we don’t read those things’. So THEY give me a poor review due to THEIR ignorance and stupidity? I have a 5 star rating with NEVER any complaints, and I think there should be some type of ‘appeal and review of reviews’ that are blatantly wrong. Very annoying and unfair.

Sorry - but is incorrect. Bed & Breakfast is - B&B. Believe me I know as my best friend runs a very successful B&B.

Have them in Australia - are FANTASTIC!! Savings huge… Been here around 8-10 years, and once you start there, you re hooked. :boom:

It’s so unfair and I think you can go back to them and explain that they should keep this in mind for future stays when reviewing other hosts. I think a little re-education never hurts.
Airbnb won’t change the stars they gave you, but if it’s your first ever, it will barely register on your overall total.

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Did you reply? I agree it’s unfair but oh so typical to crack you on things not promised the listing or otherwise disclosed. Wrong. I feel we should be able to purge at least one bad review for every 50 good we get. I’ve also been whacked on location and distance from town when I clearly state a million ways this fact.

I think this is a great idea for a perk to hosts. Do you mind if I bring it to the discussions about location taking place in airbnb community?

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Was this guest staying in the same home as you? Was he shown the kitchen area where his breakfast supplies were, or was it only mentioned in the flyer?

This job is very much like babysitting. Guests don’t want to bothered with reading anything; they don’t want to be bothered with a bunch of rules. Yet, if they don’t read the listing and materials sent to them, then they are upset and disappointed and start crying.

Hosts have to baby guests and make sure they understand every little detail in order to try to prevent unfair comments showing up in reviews. Sad.

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When you really sit down and think about it, AirBnB’s review system is a sincere attempt to keep everyone on their toes, no doubt. On the other hand, it is a ~very risque~ system, with few safeguards.

Imagine a guest, a total stranger, can post anything they wish and it becomes a permanent record on your listing, which everyone can see. A hosts review of the guest doesn’t compare in impact; heck they may not even use AirBnB again. Yes true, a bad review is quickly watered down with positive ones, IF one gets many of them in succession, but suppose one doesn’t?

What is the alternative? Good question. The ability to remove 1/50 like @kona is suggesting does make sense. One must account for the occasional irrational lunatic walking among us pretenting to be normal. I would make it 1/25, because it may take a long time to achieve 50 reviews for some people, especially if #6 happens to be from the lunatic one.

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Yeah - I def. go for 25. I have over 60 review for the rental - but only 25 of them are on Airbnb. The rest are spread out on VRBO, flipkey, and booking.com. I think Air should either omit the unfair comments, or force guest to edit that part out. If it’s an amenity that is clearly not advertised, then there shouldn’t be an issue with omitting that part of the review.

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To cabinhost - Answer - yes, I am in the house.
I give them a walk through of the kitchen, SHOWING where crockery/cutlery are. How to use coffee machine. What is available in fridge, and cupboards for their use. As I said, they sat with me in the evening, chatting and having a glass of wine. I asked were they right for the morning, and what time they anticipated getting away. NOT once did they mention anything about breakfast.

It is CLEARLY stated in my profile that I do not supply breakfast. In fact, in a number of places. I cannot be held responsible for their ignorance, stupidity and insolence in not bothering to read what they are booking. When they book, they accept MY terms, not what they think they are getting.
Now my perfect record has been tarnished, totally unfairly. Ironically enough, I have new guests staying at the moment, and they complimented me on my excellent and thorough listing.
Airbnb should offer some type of ‘review appeal’ system - like Ebay. If a host clearly states that breakfast is not supplied, and the guest leaves a review complaining that breakfast was not supplied, then that review should be allowed to be deleted.

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Aldi is the parent company of Trader Joe’s’. We have one close by in The Bronx. It’s really good value and quality.