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!
“Only one bedside lamp in the main bedroom and the other one only seemed controllable from the door, which necessitates getting out of bed to switch off the light - the plant on the chair in the main bedroom meant it could not be used - on your info sheet sub-divide the sections into headings so it is easy to find what you are looking for - if you are unable to meet your guests on arrival, perhaps just a quick e-mail the next day to see if the guests are settled in okay…it is a nice discreet courtesy touch.”
This woman was very nice, but I wasn’t sure what to think of this. The second lamp, furthest from the door, is one that’s linked to the door light switch. I keep the lamp turned on and use the switch to control it. The plant on the chair is a small one and a window ledge is right there, where many guests have put it there so they can use the chair. (It’s on the chair because it looks great there.) The info sheet is just one sheet–I keep it short on purpose because I don’t want to overwhelm guests, and I explain things concisely and clearly. I often do check in with guests, but since she was a bnb owner herself, didn’t think it was necessary.
The thing is, I didn’t see this initially, but then, on a bad day (not a lot of bookings, worried about the coming months, etc.) I went through my reviews, which are all good, to cheer myself up. Found this and felt bad again. My mood is not the woman’s fault, but a list of improvements isn’t always welcome. Her bnb is in a highly popular area that is booked pretty much all year round, so business is always good for her. Ah well. I know now that I will not do something like this to any hosts.
Before I read the part about the woman being a BNB owner I knew she just had to be - no one asks someone to improve upon a one page sheet of info and create sub-headings (unless prompted). I think she truly thought she was being helpful…meaning this is the way she would do things - which doesn’t mean it is the right way. And some guests truly don’t understand the reasoning of why you have things set up a certain way.
I have had a couple of guests rearrange some things on the kitchen counter. I don’t know if this was for their own preferences or if it was to let me know this is the way they would have arranged things on the counter.
Oh no… You mean publicly? Well, I think future guests will read it for exactly what it is–a review by some crotchety old pair who should just stay home in their rockers crocheting pot holders or go to stay at the Days Inn. Really sorry though. I’m wary of the older set now. And I used to not be… but I hate the hand wringing.
Reeny, I am all for feedback, how otherwise we will know what we are missing or doing wrong.
Feedbacks that are supported by facts and are in a form of useful advice or sharing experiences are always welcomed by me. I agree with a note that a host needs to follow up after guests arrive, but the last frase she used does sound condescending to me.
My guest not only left public review consisting of 7 things that went wrong , he also put really low score in almost every category but cleanliness. He did not notice wifi right in front of him, and also wrote about it that another guest had to show him. He asked me few min. he arrived about wifi, I texted back to him that’s it’s on a nightstand, yet he still could not locate it and then wrote about the whole ordeal. Then he mentioned me not answering his email after he left when he thought he forgot something. I never got his email, so didn’t he mine about which room to go to.
This is not what I call constructive criticism. There is nothing here I can change to improve. Wifi info was there, mirror in a room was a total nonesense as there is a full length mirror in private bathroom. , hairdryer that was not even listed that he never asked for. Lost emails that no one ever received. The only remark about lamp on a table I agree with and already put one there.
He even put 2 for value. It was just one mean guest, thankfully it’s my second mean guests out of 70.
I can honestly say that in six years on Air and hundreds of guests, I’ve only had less than five “mean” ones. It happens and is a rarity. No way to see it coming either.
I hear you… My mood has still been down about guests since the shampoo-stealing Canadian witch and her just plain cruel and mean flogging. Yes it was on private feedback, but had I known she’d be so evil, I never would have accepted her lousy reservation. And I’d still have my bottle of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo!!!
Yana, you definitely got it worse than I did. I just posted because we’re talking about it and I didn’t expect this from this woman. Her daughter was ill and since I didn’t have guests coming, I offered to let her stay for free for one night. She didn’t, but it still bugged me a bit. It felt nitpicking, but I get that it’s definitely not the worst than can happen.
What!!! You offered her a free night out of the goodness of your heart and she still bagged you in a review?!! People are lousy, mean, petty, nasty jerks. They just are. Makes you want to close up shop!!!
It was in a private message, but it still rankled. I wouldn’t dream of telling an experienced host these things, and I’ve been hosting for long enough that I qualify as experienced.
C[quote=“Reeny, post:30, topic:2644, full:true”]
It was in a private message, but it still rankled. I wouldn’t dream of telling an experienced host these things, and I’ve been hosting for long enough that I qualify as experienced
[/quote]
Reeny, I’m still rankled by what the Canadian Cow hit me with in private feedback. It was an utter unleashing of a super abusive, cruel and wholly unnecessary tirade, some of it totally untrue, with absolutely zero empathy for how it would make me feel. She wanted it to be personal and make me doubt myself. If I had known she would be that wicked I never would have let her set foot on my property, let alone four days in my home. This was the witch who actually came upstairs and demanded I remove all the wind chimes from my entire home upstairs, not even part of her rental. And of course stole supplies from the room. I’m kicking myself now that I said in their review that they were nice guests and interesting to talk to. But not that they were clean or left the room in good condition. In private feedback, I mentioned the stolen items and that the room was not left in good order.
I actually went so far as to sage the place afterward and use prayer crystals to get rid of her nasty vibes.
In future, I’m going to say something like “They were okay”. It’s not nasty, but it’s obvious enough that I think other hosts will pick up on the implied criticism. Or perhaps something like, “I’d rather not say.” Again, not nasty, but gets the point across to other hosts without being especially witchy.
Ms. Alberta witch wrote : “K made us feel welcome,” and then proceeded to flog me radically in the private feedback. She now counts as my second worst guest ever. :(((
i have a similar guest right now who has bahavioural issues she is a classic nacassist bully - and has spent the last 7 weeks shouting at me demening etc etc like refusing to listen to me - moves things around how she wants them in the kitchen is the start of the day along with a 3 hour stint in there doing i have no idea what -
i am thinking of fixing certain things down fast to stop them being shifted around
i work from home hense doing airbnb to start with
i would say you dont want these kind of people to stay long term let alone a week
ask more questions to start with is a good rule - if you are not sure send them a questionaire
it was an error of judgement this guest - took my eye of the ball - never since i started in 2011 have i felt so helpless and not like i am living in my own home but a servant to some monster
Oh my gosh Antonia - how much longer till your guest leaves? It’s really getting old reading about all these Airbnb guests not realizing they are GUESTS in someone’s home. Airbnb really needs to get with it and pound it into their heads that the shared space is just for them to use and not take over. But these guests seem to think the space is theirs.
happy to say 4 nights more - worse flat share ever!!! never having this age group again - I am very careful I tell people upfront before they book what to expect and if this is not what they are looking for then to look are properties with x y z = most are happy for the advice the odd one complains or whines which tells me alot - I am very clear about the kind of guest that is going to work well in this room as its for longer term booking for people working or studying doing courses etc not for holidays the rate is the same as you would pay for a long term flat share in this area with bills and taxes included - but a flat share does mean they have to fend for themselves so making me do thier laundry is a bit of a no no…I wont go on… cause it was my fault to say yes to her in the first place-
You poor thing, what a nightmare. You should probably open a case with Air if you haven’t already. This is totally unacceptable behavior from a guest and you should not have had to put up with it. Keep us posted!
generally it can be anyone that behaves badly - but most of the guests that stay here are 20-35
I prefer to have my own age group staying now - I have had 3 bad in 4 years 2 were single mothers travelling with teenagers 1 were friends my age one great one appauling good cop bad cop thing - and this current one who is 49 I think as a rule high maintanence people should stick to hotels and not be part of airbnb community as its not really what airbnb is about.
I do think that airbnb should have a questionaire phys profiling you know like a dating site - so that it filters guests with similar like to hosts.
C[quote=“Antonia_Clare_Grant, post:39, topic:2644, full:true”]
generally it can be anyone that behaves badly - but most of the guests that stay here are 20-35I prefer to have my own age group staying now - I have had 3 bad in 4 years 2 were single mothers travelling with teenagers 1 were friends my age one great one appauling good cop bad cop thing - and this current one who is 49 I think as a rule high maintanence people should stick to hotels and not be part of airbnb community as its not really what airbnb is about.I do think that airbnb should have a questionaire phys profiling you know like a dating site - so that it filters guests with similar like to hosts.
[/quote]
Antonia, if you haven’t already, read the thread I started about describing the type of guest you want to host. After the partying guest from hell stayed, I wrote my description along the lines of " I’m only interested hosting courteous, quiet and respectful guests, as this is an extremely quiet neighborhood."
Recently, after I hosted the second worst guest ever, I added: “if you are fussy or fancy, it may not be a good fit. No granite or travertine here. :)”
The funny thing is, people think of themselves as easygoing when they really are not.
I really would rather not have them stay if they are expecting the ritz Carleton for motel 6 prices.
