That sounds fairly true. Although I could imagine it being an attraction for a honeymooning couple who see it as romantic. And I enjoyed one all by myself once at a friend’s cabin, soaking in there with a view of the ocean on a cold night. But it’s not something I’d ever filter for as a guest, and I’m actually a bit wary of them harboring bacteria if I don’t know the person who owns it and that they keep it clean.
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Thank everyone so much for your wisdom and insight. It has given me some very concrete ideas that WILL be implemented. There are several commmonalities in the advice provided from each of you - neighbors as THE key relationship/ early intervention/ limiting amenities that have proven to be problematic. I spent the day looking for some smart automation to turn to hot tub off at a certain time. I have also found some information on non recording noise monitors that can alert me and give an objective information regarding guest noise (easier to argue you “its quiet hours, and are putting out 90 decibels and the max is 65” as opposed to “you are being too loud”
So a couple questions. One, anyone with experience with noise monitoring devices and practical advice. Second, any advice on how to clearly write house rules with actionable and enforceable consequences for noise. Also, how quickly do you escalate from my monitor reads you as being out of compliance to you have broken the rules and I have contacted Air BNB to cancel the remainder of your time. Have any of you had experience with upset quests being told to quiet down and potential conflict with reviews/ conflict with air BNB.
thanks, I have learned an incredible amount in the ten minutes of reading your responses,
Thanks John, appreciated. I am so glad that you responded to this thread. I have seen your posts elsewhere and I appreciated your direct and clear perspective in them. I am trying to better understand the limitations from ABNB (seems there are none), ways that I need to clearly state the house rules so that they are enforceable and actionable, and the steps of escalation. Rest assured, my noise issues have just recently become an issue and I intend to nip it in the bud before instilling any further community ill will. I want to implement a watertight process from when the guest first books to the point of them now causing problems. I dont want to be making empty threats or accidently do something that actually puts me in jeopardy.
Do you know how ABNB typically approach a situation where the host must cancel the remainder of the trip. I will read the other’s notes, and look forward to any additional insights you may have
excellent ideas, thanks
My suspicion as well.
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Exactly, it’s a big liability and my insurance would not cover it. In addition, the township would also require it being fenced in.
“If it’s loud enough to be heard outside the apartment, it’s too loud”. Simple as that.
Over the years, I have many times had to mention to guests that they are too loud for our quiet little community. I specifically tell guests during the house tour that they must be quiet because the neighbours are very near and because we pride ourselves on our quiet location.
Only once have I had to deal with get rid of noisy guests (not partying, there were only two of them) but being loud and taking flash photographs at 3 am.
Why would I rely on Airbnb to cancel the stay? If I call the Airbnb help line in NYC or wherever it is at three in the morning they are hardly likely to be able to help. It’s up to me to go and quieten the guests, not the advertising platform I used.
Ninety nine times out of a hundred when I’ve confronted guests for various misbehaviours they have apologised and the misdemeanour hasn’t been repeated. To me, that’s better than getting stroppy and throwing them out.
As far as I can remember none of these people left a bad review. There’s nothing wrong in letting people know that they are behaving incorrectly - they do know after all. (I think the 3 am couple didn’t leave a review at all).
Ideally, hosts need to stop worrying about reviews and be firm with their guests and deal with situations in a friendly way as soon as they occur. This is what the OP’s manager should be doing - that’s what she’s there for.
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Exactly. The only real “situation” I ever had to deal with was a female guest who arrived, then went off to town, and came back at 3AM with some guy, drunk and noisy, showering together, laughing loudly, headboard banging against the wall scenario.
I opted not to make a scene at 3AM, and when I got up in the morning and found them already out (she had 4 more days on her booking), I immediately sent her a text saying that what she had done wasn’t cool. She texted back, apologizing, offering some lame excuse like “It just spontaneously happened, love and all”, said she’d like him to stay with her and would pay more. I said that wouldn’t be possible, but if she wanted to invite him over during the day and introduce him to me and hang out a bit in her room, that would be acceptable.
She said okay, it never happened again, nor did she ever bring him around. We got along fine for the rest of her stay, and her last morning here, when we were both in the kitchen, she said “You know, I think you and I are a lot alike”.
It seems like some hosts are afraid to just be straightforward with guests- as long as you stay polite, non-emotional, non-blaming and matter-of-fact, most people aren’t really out to purposefully behave objectionably.
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I have a friend who laughs loud and talks loud. I have often wondered how to let her know without offending her.
So true. They might not be behaving in exactly the way we want them to, they might be weirdoes, but whatever they are, 99.9% of people want to behave well and be highly thought-of.
There’s nothing wrong with acting like a mother or grandmother to them - firm but pleasant. (Or maybe schoolteacher or favourite aunt if you’re a lot younger than me). I act like an old fusspot. They might think that I’m a bit odd and eccentric (
) but it works.
With my guest and her loud laugh, I considered telling her that the person in the next-door apartment was ill in bed or something similar.
Sometimes during the house tour, if I realise that guests have loud voices I go into an over-the-top granny mode and say something like “this is a lovely quiet place so whilst you’re here I’d like you to help me out and be as quiet as a leetle mouse”.
A bit cringe-worthy but it works.
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We have the Minut (Minut monitor)
Alerts you when the the noise level is higher than the threshold, and also monitors motion, temperature and humidity. We put it on the top of the cabinets behind the crown molding.
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My grandpa was like that, especially when he was excited or telling some story. Everyone was always saying “Joe-, your voice”.
Some people just have voices that carry. If you mention it, they might try to speak more quietly, but I think their voice box is just constructed in a way that means their voice projects more than others, even when they are speaking in what, for them, is a normal tone. My neighbor across the street has a voice like that, too. I know she’s not yelling, but if she’s standing in the yard talking on the phone, I can hear the whole conversation.
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Hello Pete and welcome to this forum
Would you still get bookings without the hot tub? Could you make it unavailable for good?
I’d be worried about liability if someone hurts themselves getting out, or worse, gets woozy in the water and drowns.
If you must have the hot tub to maintain your bookings, a big friendly sign “we love our neighbours - lights out at 10pm” (and the same note in your house rules) might help.
And a timer on the electric supply to the hot tub 
~Anita
You all are wonderful, thanks for input. Ha, I feel like a better host already!! You all have addressed much of my concern with a) not having done this before b) a good bit of fear of the bad review c) feeling really pulled in my responsibilities as a host and as a neighbor. d) fear of not getting bookings. I have implemented some changes, am working to make the house rules more specific. Am looking at home automation products to turn tub off, and other interventions to stiffle noise. I have used self check in, and will likely have to use still, but will make a point of trying to meet as many of the quests at check in as possible. Will keep tub for now, but will have a short leash on its use and my growing conviction that it is simply not worth all its troubles.
Thanks for all your time and ideas!!
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I stayed in an Airbnb with a hot tub - there were a huge number of rules that I had to agree to before I went (actually, quite off-putting) but one of the rules was no hot tubbing after 10pm. This was really acceptable to me. One of the other things I had to accept was that the host might come and clean the hot tub during the hours I might be in it. This seemed unnecesary but in the event they didn’t.
Also many people get louder as they get older because their hearing is declining. I have a friend like that now. Only 57 but I swear she’s getting louder. These are the same ladies that wear too much perfume because they can’t smell.
That would be me, as a dumb kid in the Navy I only wore hearing protection when I was being watched/told to.
I am too young for hearing aids at 55, my kids know to look at me when they talk, not be behind me or to my left…
It is what it is
RR
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One of my ex-boyfriends had a loud voice, even worse when he’d had a few drinks. In his case, it was because when he was in school in the UK, he had to pick a sport to participate in, but he hated sports, especially those that involved physical contact (he was a big wimp about getting hurt). So he chose rowing and was the coxswain. He was taught to project his voice. Row! Row!
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Sorry, could you say that again, I didn’t quite catch it…
Vanity. I’m in the same boat, just different ear.
JF
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I have a friend my age who had hearing aids from about 50 on and then a few years ago she got a cochlear implant. I guess you mean you are too young in teams of vanity like John said but aren’t there basically invisible ones now? In any case I know no one wants a cochlear implant either but both people I’ve known that had one called them a “miracle.”