Laundry Question

Hey all we took a (very refreshing) break from hosting and now we are back. Thanks for reading this.

Here’s the situation: we have a separate guest suite and the laundry room is in a separate room on the guest’s level. Our listing says the laundry is not available. It is our personal preference that guests not use our laundry facilities and I’d like to keep it that way. However, we will make reasonable exceptions (the under promising/over delivering concept!). There is a sign in the guests suite and on the washing machine that says 1 load per week available for stays of 4 nights or more as a courtesy.

Our current guests (3 people) booked 18 nights so they are certainly an exception. 2/3 of the guests are non-English speakers. I provided supplies for 4 loads of laundry (which I thought was reasonable for 3 people). They have used up 4 loads already and we have 2 more weeks with them. We are a family of 4 and do 2 loads of laundry per week…

I would like to politely tell them that we have extended the courtesy of 4 loads and would prefer any remaining laundry to be done at the local laundromat 5 minutes away.

On a side note, I’m probably going to install a door for the laundry room and update all the in-suite info in English, French, Spanish and Mandarin :slight_smile:

How would you word the message?

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Simply copy and paste the wording in your listing that restricts the laundry use.

Hi Guest,

I hope that you’re having a great time. I just wanted to remind you what it says in our listing about laundry [paste listing here]. Thanks so much. Host.

Easy peasy :slight_smile:

Raise your rates by a few dollars a night and allow laundry use. I believe you will come out ahead. If people are staying that long they will want laundry. higher rates may be able to easily cover the extra costs.

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I’d take this sign out and include the address of the nearby laundromat instead. You can always make an exception on a case by case basis. Or as Brandt says raise the priced and let people do as much laundry as they want.

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It’ll be tough to raise rates because competition in my market is ridiculous. Plus we don’t want to offer laundry anyway…

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wow that is easy peasy! thanks!

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if that’s not clear, I don’t know what is! Thanks :slight_smile:

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It sure doesn’t sound like the room is actually separate. If you really don’t want guests to use the laundry, then get to work on installing a locking door to the laundry room, or at least try a rope across the entryway with a sign on it saying “No guest access.”

You could also take cash on arrival for laundry room access, but I think @Brandt 's advice of raising your rates to cover laundry use is really the best option since then you save all the trouble and you can add it as an amenity.

Also, I hope that your machines are really quiet as guests could be annoyed at having to listen to your laundry machines in their area doing your laundry when they don’t have access.

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sorry my bad, I meant to say the laundry room is across the hallway on the lower level but it doesn’t have a door. The guest suite has a door.

Then why make exceptions at all? What is the particular objection? Is it the cost of the soap? Why can’t you tell them to buy their own? Is it the cost of electricity? Can you just say for longer stays laundry is available for X amount, and just handle it in the resolution center? Or just forbid it no matter what, so you don’t feel like your boundaries are always being pushed, because if you make exceptions everything gets more complicated.

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Get that locked door installed to the laundry room before the next guest arrives. Let these folks go – just ask them to buy their own detergent.

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When I put together my guest suite, a washer and dryer were part of the program. Even people who are on just a five days trip appreciate and want laundry facilities. What are they supposed to do with a week of dirty laundry?

But you say you don’t want to offer laundry privileges, then don’t. None, no perks, no teasing. Lock it up and as others suggested, point them to the dreaded laundromat.

I know when we travel one of the highlights is spending a hour or two in a humid place, plunking in quarters and waiting for it to be over. :slight_smile:

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Laundromat. …

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Get coin operated machines!

RR

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That’s what we have. Works like a charm :slight_smile:

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SQUIRREL moment—in past few months, 3 work travel trips flights cancelled due to weather and next available flights were the next day.

I try to pack one extra change of clothes but that is not always possible when restricted to carry-on luggage only.

As a person who uses 3 towels, drinks coffee in my room, when tired and grouchy will eat my carry out (or room service) meal in my room, and when necessary will wash clothes in the bathroom sink, I tend to stay in hotels. However I’ve discovered the joy and value of the hotel offering coin operated washers & dryers.

I think when I travel having access to a washer & dryer may now become a decision point when selecting my accommodations. I may not use it but access is important as is availability of clothes detergent & fabric softener. It ok if there is a fee.

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Where is the circut breaker located? Is the washer and dryer on the same circuit breaker. People will not read the signs nor would they care. If they have laundry, they will do it regardless of your house rules and hope not to get caught or simply apologize and play dumb. Since there is no door there, then just pull the circuit breaker. This way they cannot use unless you approved.

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As I suggested, that’s the fun part of traveling. Doing laundry in a laundromat. lol

I’m doing what I can to provide a nicer experience and that includes on-site laundry facilities.

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Unfortunately, you’ve no way to know how many loads a guest wants to do. I had a guest once who wanted to use the machine every day for single articles of clothing. There’s no way I’ve got time to police something like that so I simply tell anyone who asks that the reason laundry-use is not offered in my amenities is that my washing machine is old and has a tendency to break down, trapping clothes inside until a repair can be arranged. Then I ask them if they’d like the details of the local Laundrette - job’s a good-‘un ;)!

When looking for accommodations my default filters are washer and WiFi. How are people booking without knowing there is no onsite laundry facilities?