I wonder if they did a photo shoot we have had guests try to sneak in photo shoots and they rearrange things a lot when they do. We have it in our house rules now no photo shoots.
Noticed the storage baskets on the upper shelves in the suite’s closet were rearranged. Sometimes that happens, put it down to curiosity. But this time the guests took out new shampoo and soap and opened them even though the large bottles in the shower were still half full. I also have small hotel size items out for anyone squeamish about the communal bottles, so who knows what they were thinking. Maybe they liked one brand over another as I buy whatever’s on sale.
When I first set up, I thought of getting a locking box for supplies but a padlock looks kind of unfriendly. This is the first time anyone opened new things. Also I have the occasional guest who makes use of the cleaning supplies – don’t want to discourage that! So I’ll make no changes, but it is a weird feeling when guests rummage through everything.
3 Likes
Locked closets or storage units are common in rentals and I wouldn’t hesitate to padlock it. How rude of your guests. I think they feel that if they see an open closet it’s fair game. Were they raised in a barn? Just no respect.
I have not been seeing them as often as I used to, I toss them in the trash when I do.
RR
1 Like
@RiverRock - just curious - would you throw a Koran in the trash, too?
5 Likes
It’s strange when people rifle through stuff. Both bedrooms in our cottage have shelves with extra sets of sheets, pillows and blankets on them. I used to keep all the backup sheets there, but after a number of guests went through every nicely folded set and unfolded them, putting them back in a messy heap (I mean, why?) I just keep one set where guests can find them. Then there was the guest who left the bottle of bleach on the counter with a note on it that said, “THIS IS POISON.” I had stored it at the back of a high shelf above the washer/dryer. When I went to put it back, I saw that they had poured it out! Weird.
I couldn’t do that. I would just gather them up and drop off at the nearest church.
1 Like
“I toss them in the trash when I do.”
I would be appalled if anyone tossed out a book from my unit regardless of the title.
5 Likes
My Baptist relatives told me to throw away any Book of Mormon I found in hotels in my travels. LOL.
2 Likes
I hope you are joking about throwing away a Bible that didn’t belong to you. I have one in my condo for my convenience. If some one else wants to read it ok. I’m not holding it to any one’s face forcing them to read it and I am not preaching to them or otherwise infringing on their beliefs. I don’t have religious sayings on the walls.
I would be seriously pissed if any one threw away any of my books while in my condo especially one that reflects my core values.
I would have that same respect for some one’s Koran or “How to be a Good Atheist” book while in someone else’s home.
I believe you’ve touched a nerve.
7 Likes
I’m so sorry. I was raised for a while in the Baptist church. Some churches can be very intolerant which is why I embrace the Espiscopal Church which tends to be inclusive & tolerant.
I happily Amen-ned my way through Rev Michael Curry’s Royal Wedding sermon.
1 Like
I just threw out a Bill Cosby book I found amongst those in the bookshelves (left by the previous owner). I guess I wouldn’t be a good juror.
7 Likes
They were awful. Just what you’d expect from folks descended from those who split from the Baptist Church because they were pro slavery.
1 Like
I wouldn’t throw away books that belong to someone else but I’ve thrown away books including Bibles that were mine.
1 Like
I honestly cannot recall ever throwing away a hard-bound book. I always donated them to the school drives or charities (just my upbringing and respect for books, I guess). I admit to having tossed some paperbacks in my life (and I won’t divulge why)… 
But for some reason, I had no hesitation with the Cosby book and tossed it with vigor.
5 Likes
On a slightly different tack, I think, at least in Europe, there is a latent horror surrounding book burning, stemming from Nazi Germany doing so, so vividly. But I have burned a book in my time, ceremoniously (I just wrote cremoniously…), by the Marquis de Sade. I enjoyed every minute of doing so!
2 Likes
Ugh. I just had a guest checkout that did stuff like this as well. He was one of my first to book, so he ended up with a crazy deal for his stay. The place was a mess. It’s a small bachelor, so it’s not like it takes forever to rearrange, but there were so many disrespectful things. The most annoying was he started 8 rolls of toilet paper. There were 8 rolls all over the bathroom, all started and partially used. Why? There is white stuff settled at the bottom of the mouth wash. I’m not going to ask questions about that one… (thrown out). My tea and coffee station was a disaster. Like he picked through and tossed it around. So weird. All these little things end up costing extra and just feel so disrespectful. I met him. He seemed nice. Said he was happy. Liked the place. No complaints from other units. I don’t know. I want to comment that the place was left messy and there were some dissrespectful things, but it feels weird. I’m new to this and it feels uncomfortable. Or am I being dramatic and maybe should just brush it off.
It’s so hard when you are starting out, not to wonder if you’re being melodramatic when someone makes you feel disrespected and uncomfortable, and equally hard when you are working hard to achieve positive reviews. As my husband put it succinctly, after a couple of months of hosting, “when we were whoring for reviews”. My rule of thumb, after a year, is to listen to how someone has made you feel, and why, then try to put emotions aside and review the facts; then judge.
Partially using eight loo rolls is both weird and disrespectful, let alone your drinks station being left in a mess. If he told you that he was happy etc, this is one case where I would definitely leave your review to the very last minute, 14 days after he checks-out; you can see a count down on your dashboard. Or you can do it if you receive notification that he has left you one already. I would simply say something along the lines of " XXX disrespected amenities l leave for guests and left a mess behind him on departure." As hosts here always remind us, reviews are for hosts, not guests, and I wouldn’t want this person staying with me.
2 Likes
Please leave an honest review. Would you host him again? No? Then thumbs down. Don’t worry about “he seemed nice” or how happy he was. It’s not Miss Congeniality or a mental health clinic.
He has some kind of issue. Who knows what it is? Above our pay grade. I like to leave a new roll for guests or at least a roll that looks full. I take the half used rolls and use them in my part of the house. It think a new roll signals “this loo paper hasn’t been touched with 
stained hands.” It would annoy the crap out of me (pun intended) to find 8 rolls partially used by one person, especially if they got a deal.
I just cancelled a guest who had instant booked with 19 reviews. Only 12 of the hosts recommended her and over half said the left the place and mess and/or asked for early/late check in. She apparently has the quirk of using an inordinate amount of TP and paper towels. More than one review said there was TP all over the floor.
3 Likes
I have seen hotels turn over the corners of the roll. It is symbolic but I think it is acceptable. If it is more than half gone I will take it but mostly full I will leave it and turn over the corners into a triangle.
3 Likes