I know what you mean. I had a potential guest ask me recently if our apartment was going to be redecorated before their proposed stay during the summer. Er… no… If they want somewhere that’s freshly decorated then look for somewhere else!
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I’m not sure I would give them this openIng. Why call attention to it?
Not that I think you should but I was able to upgrade to stainless steel affordably just by watching the sales at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I mean in my main house, not in the guest apartment. 
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This past December I updated all appliances except the refrigerator (it was much newer than other appliances) thanks to a super sale at Home Depot
I mentioned renovations in my guest book because in the beginning the condo was seriously outdated. I thought by including guests in the “ride” I would avoid negative comments and I encourage them to “come back next year and see the improvements”. Most guests good naturedly join in and my repeat guests comment on how they like the upgrades since their last stay. I’ve only had 1 who made “outdated” comments. Plus the pictures show exactly what is there.
Well done, Anne3176,I hope you sent that to the guest!
We’ve only just started with Air bnb last year and have yet to have any nasty or even poor reviews. I’ll be sure to share them if I get any!
Do you find it’s usually other hosts who make suggestions?
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I had a guest suggest that I keep the pool heated just in case they decide to use it. (Home share, $50 per day to heat, my dime)
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Not to be political… but we might all want to consider upgrading on things that will soon be subject to tariffs. Washing machines were specifically named. I got my new one! Only 399 and it’s wayyyy better than I had before!!,
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I had a couple suggest I put in central air conditioning. I live in Southern California, few homes near the water have ac…especially ones built before the 90s. Sure, let me just spend >$10K to put in all the ductwork for that…
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My National trust listed 130 year old home that is 95% original condition needs to be completely refurbished because it is “so old” and ducted air conditioning installed!
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I had a guest once who said this. (We are mid-century modern). So I politely gave him a design lecture and told him that it was ‘retro’ and a ‘design classic’. Luckily many years ago our building was featured in a design magazine so I told him about that.
A couple of days later I heard him on the phone telling someone ‘we are staying at a wonderful retro mid-century-modern design classic building’.
The emperor’s new clothes… 
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I have always had an interest in buildings, and I guess this has rubbed off a little on my daughters. When my youngest was doing her nursing training someone asked for directions to another part of the hospital. Our local hospital has grown over the 100 years it has been there. She gave directions that included the style of the base boards and the walls and floor on turning left or right and was amazed that the other student had no clue what she was talking about.
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oh yes ,really
city folks not used to an area without bright streetlights
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that may be a low estimate…but I appreciate your empathy
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Do you have old photos of it? I was getting complaints that my house is “old” but on the Council website I found a photo of it which was taken in 1878, and now guests seem impressed by it.
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guest suggested that I don’t advertise a garage for parking, if I’m going to subsequently give it up ‘begrudgingly’.
(if a guest has a car, I have to find alternative parking. If they don’t have a car, I save a lot of parking fees! He wanted to store 15 boxes in his room, two storeys up, he was in between moving homes. Rather than him carry it all upstairs, then back downstairs 2 days later, I offered the space under the stairs, ground floor. “Can I put it all in the garage?”
“naah”, I said, “it’ll be fine under the stairs”
Later his parents turned up with his boxes, “shall we put it in the garage?”
“no” I answered, “it’ll all fit under the stairs, plus if you put it in the garage, I’ll have to go and park somewhere.”
It turns out his parents had booked a hotel, I quickly googled it, and found it had no parking, so I offered the garage to his parents WHO WEREN’T EVEN STAYING WITH ME, and I was still docked a star because begrudging)
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For some people you bend over backwards and it’s never good enough.
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Worst suggestions are when people suggest something we already have, but the guest didn’t read our instructions. More blankets! Iron and Ironing board! More options for pillows! If they’d read the Welcome Sheet they’d have known that all those things are in the closet in the room.
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Been there. Do favors and it’s not good enough so the only solution is never do favors.
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Sometimes, even when you do a good deed, the attitude belies the act.
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My favourite guest comment of all time: “The only place to get away from the family members and pets was our bedroom and we couldn’t access the kitchen”. Not sure what they expected when they booked to stay in a bedroom with no kitchen access in a house with me, my son and our dog?
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