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@cabinhost - one more thing before i sign off, and seeing we are off topic anyway, did you know you can’t book your own house. LOL, not literally. I was trying to see what House Rules came up as in the Booking settings, it says that Air requires the following from all guests.
“Airbnb requires the following from every guest:Email addressIntroductory messageConfirmed phone numberAgree to your House RulesProfile photoPayment information”
I was unable to do this as it knows its my place. So now I have to get someone else to do it just to see what they receive back. Interesting, will let you know. Also, can’t add personal message either in pre-booking message. Anyone else with this issue?
Sorry about the grovel comment. I thought you mentioned you were going to talk to her to discuss her review.
I too have had the very same kind of experience with some guests who gave a ho hum review after what I thought was great service, bending over backward to accommodate. Now I do my best to not read guests’ reviews.
That’s a big one for me and an improvement. I’m asthmatic and allergic to pet dander. It’s always been my idea of a nightmare to check in somewhere and find animals on the premises. It’s always annoyed me that I can’t search for places WITHOUT pets
I figured out how to deal with the towel thing, any guest who insists on me providing them, then a asking to be rehoused will have towels provided. However, I will create a message that goes to them during booking reiterating that they are to bring towels. If I provide towels, I’d have to buy 2 dozen, then there is the laundry, I don’t have access to gas dryer, electric dryers cost major $$ to run.
I agree that, pretty much without exception, sheets and towels should be provided, at least in the US and Canada. I can’t say about other countries because I don’t know what the norms are.
What a hassle it would be having to pack a set of sheets and towels. That would take up an entire carry on size or larger suitcase. If I have to get on a plane with that luggage, it could cost me as much as $100 for that extra luggage. And then, presumably, I’m going to have to repack damp towels for my trip home if I decided to shower before leaving.
No one needs to buy 2 dozen towels in order to provide them for guests. I have 4 bath towels for my guestroom that holds 2 people, and almost never do they use more than 2. I did steal the 4 nicest towels I owned out of my own personal stash, but even if I’d had to buy some, I could have started with just 2 towels/hand towels/wash cloths, which can be found on the cheap for $30 bucks total.
Yes, doing laundry is an expense, but it’s not all that bad. On average, it costs about 45 cents to dry a load of laundry in an electric dryer, assuming a 40 minute cycle at 12 cents per kwh.
@TaniaHardman, yes, it can be confusing and upsetting when things like this happen.
Case in point would be my last set of guests. They only stayed for a night, but my husband and I engaged them in conversation in the morning. Since I didn’t have new guests checking in, they stayed until 3 in the afternoon chatting and watching football with us. We fed them breakfast and then lunch. Indeed, I expected an effusive review, but didn’t get one at all.
As you host longer and your positive reviews grow in number, you won’t care as much anymore.
My guests are mostly from 2-3 hours away. They arrive in their cars, bring coolers, many bags of food etc. Different demographic, different needs. If I had someone book who was flying in, that would be accommodated. By making this decision, I’m keeping my listing more affordable. As my place accom dates 6, I’d need 12 bath and 12 hand towels, so that there would be a clean set for same day turnover. Our hydro is more expensive, I haven’t use my dryer for the last 5 years. I use the dryer at the laundromat to do sheets, I wash at home, then drop them off. This saves time and money as I i can get them all done 20 minutes, cost $5, for three sets bedding. I priced towels, looking at approx $400. I may be selling next year, so not keen on more expenses.
Speaking of linens, Kleenex, soaps etc. I had a long conference call with Airbnb yesterday (and a major magazine). It surprised me that they both asked so many questions and spend so much time on the ‘philosophy of successful hosting’. I found myself subconsciously resorting to some fundamental business concepts that I always have adhered to and they found very interesting, such as - ‘Ease of Use’.
Anything that allows your guests to easily use one’s place and consequently achieve a state of relaxation quickly (because no necessary thing is indeed missing), is a big plus toward the success of any listing. Just a general thought.
I didn’t say I agree with it… only that beach rentals typically charge extra for linens and towels… Plus they only give you one roll of toilet paper, one roll of paper towels and a silly little beach bag with some plastic beach junk and a teeny-tiny bar of soap. The guest is really on the hook to provide EVERYTHING! You have to provide dish soap, laundry soap, shampoo/conditioner and body soap, etc… And it’s my understanding if you leave ANY of that stuff behind when you check out you can get an extra charge for disposal. CRAZY!
The other thing I noticed was the general state of disrepair and grunginess of the place we stayed. The decor was seriously out of date, too.
It’s such a stark contrast to what we as Airbnb hosts provide… shocking really, but the norm for some of them I guess. It’s a completely different system with a big beach rental firm… and no real review process that is meaningful in any way. It’s ABB all the way from here on out… at least there’s some recourse!
thats a good review - clearly you have not experienced a terrible review fussy disrespectful difficult demanding discount hunting - etc guests yet - who write reviews complaining about strange things - you will get them - its business not personal - grow a thicker skin or stop being a property host
Aside from the fact that it’s cheap and cheesy to charge for linen and it’s against AirBnB policies, there us another much more important reason why you could really regret this policy…BUGS!
Travelers spread bedbugs like they were the flu. All it takes is one bedbug to ruin your rental business and drain every dime you have trying – often unsuccessfully – to get rid of them.
Bedbugs don’t care who you are, whether you’re the head of a corporation or a starving student host, they’re happy to leap into your linens and luggage and hitchhike to another place where there are more people to eat while they’re asleep, and more landlords and hosts to drive out of business. They’re almost impossible to get rid of – you can’t buy the chemicals off the shelf anyplace because they’re sold only to licensed Pest Control Officers. One review of bedbugs will destroy your ability to rent out your property, and will drive you insane day and night for years and years.
And that’s not the only pest that travels. There are Dermodex Mites that get into your eyelashes and private places and make you practically tear your skin off to stop the itching, and Tropical Rat Mites that will do the same thing and you don’t have to live in the tropics. You won’t be able to see them, just feel the bites. By letting guests bring their own bedding, you are BEGGING for this to happen to you. You need to be able to control your own bedding by washing it in hot water and drying it in a hot dryer every single time a guest leaves, even if they just lay down to take a nap. Don’t imagine that it’s just people from other countries or cultures that come with bugs, they’re everywhere, including Canada.
I hope you don’t have to learn this the hard way. Please do some research of your own on bloodsucking pests. You may make a desperately regrettable decision to keep doing what you’re doing, but you can’t say no one told you.
