I have hosted many guests and recently a guest expressed his frustration that my apartment does not have a basic toaster, teapot and salt and paper shaker. Given that the guest made a reservation for 8 nights, I purchased those items immediately and stocked up the unit.
My question is should a host always go above and beyond for the guests even if their amenities do not include the requested items? I don’t stock more than 2 coffee cups and the guest was upset that they have to wash those everytime they want to drink tea or coffee. Thoughts?
If the guest expects to have a fresh clean cup every time with no effort on their part I’d say they are going to be hard to please no matter what so your call on going “above and beyond.” How far do you want to bend over backwards?
You provide none of that? That does seem TOO bare bones to me. It costs almost NOTHING to get four cups at a dollar store or thrift.
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I have a guest staying over for 28 nights and she makes me almost $5000. I’m thinking of getting her some extra supplies and a nice bottle of wine just to celebrate over Xmas 
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Salt and pepper shaker*
I suppose, before telling you what you should and shouldn’t have, we should ask the nature of your accommodations. Is it just a single room for one or two people?
My home sleeps 8 but I have 12 coffee mugs, 24 dinner plates, 24 bowls and 24 salad/dessert dinner. I think in this case, more is better. It doesn’t have to break the bank. I purchased them at the Dollar Store. I would hate for guests to run the dishwasher continously because they need clean plates. In the long run, I think it saves me water and electricity. The younger folks don’t like hand washing plates.
I think the toaster and cruets are nice additions. Unless you have a dishwasher I would stick with how many pieces of crockery a guest needs at one sitting, any more and it just encourages mess, possibly pests. I have a guest right now who likes 2 large cups of tea every morning and evening. Perhaps you could buy 2 more mugs so there are 4 between 2 people.
@Jackie – I wouldn’t say you’ve gone “above and beyond”. Sounds to me like you’re just now getting basic amenities. Two cups? That’s pretty poor. Are there only two knives/forks/spoons? as well?
Not even a disposable salt & pepper?? That’s really tacky.
No toaster I can sort of understand, but then I provide full breakfasts with toast usually, and a microwave for the guests to heat lunches/dinners/leftovers.
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I agree 100%! They rented an apartment, not just a room. In fact, most hotels have these items already included in an en suite room. I too would want more coffee cups.
No they shouldn’t. Just because a guest asks for something that’s no reason to pander to them. Where would it end?
However a rental, and especially when you mention ‘the apartment’ should be well equipped. Or at least well enough equipped for guests to live in reasonable comfort.
Guests are away from home and even if it’s a business trip it’s still a ‘vacation’ of sorts so they won’t mind if there’s not a bread-making machine, an espresso machine, a rotisserie or a wood-fired pizza oven. But there should be at least several items of crockery and cutlery so they don’t have to wash up after every cup of tea. I would add to that and provide the other items you mentioned - teapot, toaster and cruet.
We have items like a blender, a pizza cutter, Keurig, electric kettle, and so on and in addition to salt and pepper there’s also plenty of olive oil, balsamic, herbs & spices and plenty more pantry stuff.
I guess you don’t?
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Wait. This is a whole apartment rental and not a single room?
Two different guests have requested a toaster, even though I have an oven which sorta does the same job, just more onerous. Thinking of getting one, since it’s not really an expensive item.
No one in the U.S. or Canada toasts bread in an oven and they don’t think of the two as interchangeable.
I guess so. But those two guests were from UK and Middle East. I do toast my own bread in the oven, but i guess i’m the minority.
I toast my bread in a device called a toaster oven. It makes excellent toast and can be used for other foods. I haven’t owned a toaster in 40 years.
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I don’t think that’s the norm.
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UK definitely uses toasters.
Do you mean you have a toaster oven? Or are you referring to a regular oven? Because if the latter, that is a complete waste of energy to heat up the entire oven for a little toast; besides the fact that it doesn’t turn out as good, not to mention the propensity to burn it and set off smoke alarms, etc.
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If only toasters had their own smoke alarm which turned them off when the toast is burning! Any engineers?