And if it’s the flat rate boxes the weight isn’t needed. Save the packing materials from your Amazon shipments too to reuse.
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I agree with this. It is a shame that one careless act just happened to be followed by another careless act. At least I hope it was careless and the cleaner didn’t realize it was an expensive toothbrush.
KIKC - do you know if the guest also left the charge stand? Or was it just the toothbrush? If it was the charger stand too, then the cleaner clearly should not have thrown it away. I agree with Suite Retreat to see if the cleaner will reimburse at least partial the cost. But if it was only the toothbrush then I think the cleaner just tossed it thinking it was purposely left behind to throw away.
Yana - what gets me is over and over again guests don’t do a final walk through to see if they left anything behind. I do have on my departure checklist to double check dresser drawers, etc. I haven’t had guest leave anything in a very long time. But for a while guests were constantly leaving things behind. And often times these guests are even checking out an hour or so before check out time. I wish they would allocate 5 minutes into their time to just walk through the premises after everything is loaded in the car. It’s so silly to me to wait to get home and then start emailing to see if cleaners found something. When we were kids my mom always, always went back into the hotel one final time (after everyone was in the car) and she rechecked the hotel, looked under the bed, etc.
What if the cleaner stole it instead of threw it away?
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I am inclined to think if the charger was there, then the cleaner did take it home. But if no charger…then she thought someone left a ratty toothbrush.
This is a list of a comparison someone did of 2016 Sonicare toothbrush models. Notice the wide range of price:
DiamondClean - Models: HX9372/04 ($220), HX9362/68 ($220), HX9352/04 ($220), HX9332/05 ($220)
FlexCare Platinum - Models: HX9172/15 ($200), HX9112/13 ($180), HX9112/12 ($180), HX9110/02 ($180)
FlexCare+ (plus) - Models: HX6921/04 ($150), HX6921/02 ($150)
HealthyWhite - Models: HX8918/10 ($130), HX6731/02 ($120)
HealthyWhite+ - Models: HX8911/02 ($120), HX8918/10 ($130)
Sonicare 3 series gum health - Model: HX6631/02 ($90)
Sonicare 2 series plaque control - Models: HX6211/07 ($70), HX6211/28 ($70), HX6211/04 ($70)
Sonicare for Kids - Model: HX6321/02 ($50)
Essence+ - Model: HX3211/17 ($40)
Essence - Models: HX5610/04 ($115), HX5611/01 ($40)
PowerUp - Models: HX3631/06 ($15), HX3631/07 ($15)
Isn’t the cleaning company licensed and insured? In that case, won’t they pay?
I know that not everyone can do this but I check the rental the minute the guests check out for this very reason. If anything is left behind, I can text the guest before they get to the end of the street.
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I know but i left few pieces of clothes because they just fell behind bed or under a chair. I left my favorite jacket and could not even remember in which hotel. My daughter once in London lost her 600$ retainer and they mailed us, i explained to them the cost of it.
I did not know all of these. I never mail anything anymore, so i dont really need envelopes. For me it was a whole ordeal
OK, thanks for the lively debate and all the different viewpoints.
This is the best cleaning company I have used. Very rarely a problem. Going forward we are going to nail down the “left behind item” protocol and also add the disclaimer to the house rules.
At this point I am leaning towards telling her the truth and apologizing and see how she reacts.
I have a Sonicare Healthy White. I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% coupon and a rebate. (I never go into BB&B without a few coupons. You can use one for every item you buy and they honor them even if they are expired.)
I doubt it was on the charger. When I travel for a few days I do not bring the charger. So the girl probably thought it was a $5 Walmart spinner brush. That said, on departure day, I dry it off and put it in my toiletry bag as soon as I’m done using it.
I’m not going to lie to her but I don’t think this is all on me. If she goes for full reimbursement I will offer no more than half or a nominal amount - up to $50, and I will try to split that with the cleaner.
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Any idea if it is much less costly to just replace the brush and not the charger? just wondering what kind of money this was worth. Did the guest at least offer to pay for cost to ship if you were to find it?
I did have on my departure to also check under beds before leaving. I removed that part when one time I looked under the bed and didn’t want anyone else to see it…lol. The king bed has a very heavy frame that goes to the floor and you can’t just sweep under it. But it does have an opening that no one should be looking through…ha!
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Have not gotten that far yet. Anyone know if something purchased with certain credit cards has protection against loss?
I don’t think it’s your responsibility, nor your cleaners, to replace the toothbrush. We have mailed back items that guests left behind on several occasions, but we consider it a favor, not our responsibility. I wouldn’t pay to replace an item that was left behind if it was accidentally thrown away, damaged, whatever. Imagine if it was a different business. If you left your cell phone in a restaurant, would you expect to have it mailed back to you? If the cleaning crew accidentally threw it away would you expect the restaurant owners to pay for a replacement?
In my many years of working in an office, I have heard many accusations against cleaners all of which proved to be false. I think it is thinly disguised bigotry to say that the cleaning crew probably kept the toothbrush and said that they accidentally threw it away. I would assume that a left behind toothbrush was trash, and most sane people will not use a stranger’s toothbrush. Yes, I know that Sonicare toothbrushes are expensive; my husband uses one.
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No way…
Look, I’m not trying to argue with you but when you request a pickup from the post office they ask the approximate weight that’s it, stop contradicting me, I’ve done this for a hundred years, ok so at least 6!
And it doesn’t matter if it’s flat rate, first class or?
Scroll down for the weight estimate:
https://tools.usps.com/go/ScheduleAPickupAction!input.action
I don’t know if you are addressing me but just to make clear…I don’t think the cleaner stole it, I was just wondering if posters would have a different view if they thought it was.
Does anyone have any concern about the review? I’m imagining two contrasting reviews: “I left my Sonicare and when I contacted the host about it, they said the cleaning service threw it away and refused to reimburse me.”
“This host was fantastic. When I Ieft my Sonicare the cleaning service threw it away but the host offered to replace it.”
I guess go many of you have been backstabbed by guests that you can’t imagine the second review. I’ve had so many great guests I can’t imagine anything but the first review.
It wasn’t clear to me that you didn’t think the cleaner stole the toothbrush, then someone else said that if the base were left it was probably theft.
It’s possible that you would get a positive review for sending back a Sonicare and/or for buying a new one. For the record, the guests to whom we’ve mailed back their belongings didn’t thank us and didn’t leave particularly great reviews. When I do something extraordinary for a guest I ask them not to mention it in the review. I don’t want a new guest to expect that I will go as far above and beyond as I do for the best guests. Examples are: driving them places, purchasing foods to suit their particular diet or remind them of home, mailing packages to them, allowing small parties, etc.
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Yes, I think if the entire charger was left with the toothbrush…I would be inclined to think someone stole it versus throwing it in the trash. I completely understand throwing just the toothbrush away. But I would find it difficult to believe that anybody would throw the entire thing away. Wouldn’t someone just have to purchase the replacement end and it would be sanitary for them to use? I don’t know for sure since I don’t have one. If it’s not sanitary at all…then no, there would be no reason to steal it.
It’s nothing against cleaners in general, but many owners who have crews have burned over and over again from cleaners stealing small items, toiletries, supplies, etc. They just happen to be in a business where many offsite owners will not be on site to witness anything for many, many months. I have heard so many stories of cleaners switching out the expensive towels/linens…taking them home to their families, and leaving guests their cheaper items.
Anyone who has access to inventory should be considered when items go missing. Office employees are notorious for taking home things from the supply cabinet. Restaurant staff is notorious for giving away free food, alchololic beverages to co-workers when they are technically supposed to pay for it. I have worked with people who stole racks of ribs and steaks out the back kitchen door. It’s really not just a thing about cleaners.
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I stayed in one hotel where cleaners and other employees were obviously taking home toiletries. It was in Budapest. The hotel sucked, the only good part about it was lobby. Beds were horrible and it neded maintanence. And…there were no toiletries though it was a 4 star hotel. I was so surprise when in amorning i wanted to wash my hair and there absolutely nothing there.SO, i went and bought everything. ANd then left review that there was not a single toiletry in a room. Owner sounded shocked when he answered. He said, there should be plenty, and if i need more i could ask at the reception.