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It surprises me, too. When I was a kid in Europe, I don’t remember ever having a hotel room with an en-suite - even in ‘posh’ hotels. That was perfectly normal in those days and I wouldn’t be surprised if some places are still like that, especially country inns and B & Bs.
Also, especially in France and northern Italy, public loos in restaurants, bars and so on weren’t divided by sex.
And don’t most of us share loos with men on a daily basis? At home, in the office etc…
I remember years ago I was booking a place outside of London. The host tripped over herself making sure I knew the bathroom wasn’t ensuite. What did I care? It’s a short walk down the hallway. Sometimes you have to wait. It wasn’t like I was sharing my bed or breakfast with the other guests. I never got that way of thinking -
but when I first started hosting and guests had to shower in a family bathroom - almost all of my guests were foreign - very few Americans. One of the few American families left a comment “you should think about adding a bathroom”. (Duh, thanks…)
I’m a single female host and male travelers stay at my place all the time. I’m also 5’1! I’ve never been scared for my physical safety before (except when they don’t lock the front door).
Don’t bother replying, its nothing really that bad. Is this a private room in a house that you live in ? If it was a separate apt with it had just her and one guest, then she is entitled to say what she did. Living in a house of males, I don’t have a problem sharing with men, well I have no choice really.
We were in the rolling hills in tuscany before children and we had to squat in a hole in the floor, when you need to go, it was fine.
cabinhost18h
CCM:
I have been reading this forum for several months now and I am chronically dismayed and surprised by the sense of entitlement expressed by so many Air hosts. Look, don’t get into hosting if you are going to be devastated when someone’s experience does not comport with your intentions or flatter your efforts. Ruthless comment by the guest goes with the territory.
I speak from bitter experience: One of my guests rated me low for “Accuracy” because she loved the space so very much and felt that the pictures in the listing simply did not do it justice. That stung, but it was her view and so be it.
Whining in public about the slights and bumps that are a core part of the undertaking does far more to repel a potentially good guest than does the content of a middling review.
If you can’t take the heat, well …
You sound like you are entitled and cannot hang and take the heat yourself…
Really? I disagree. I didn’t write a response to my guest’s lowered rating for Accuracy because the space was so much better than she expected from the listing photos. I didn’t even consider doing that. I didn’t post a rant about her rating anywhere. I didn’t complain to Air or her or anyone. Never have, never will. The guests get to say what they want. That’s part of the deal.
Maybe you just needed to poke me for some reason personal to you. Maybe you would prefer if no one posts here unless to tell you how right and wonderful you are.
I’m American and I don’t think your comment should cause drama. It is true that unless we live in New York or San Francisco we are used to bigger houses than people from many other cultures. The eternal problem is travelers who don’t educate themselves about the culture of the place they are visiting and expect everything to be just like home (which negates the purpose of traveling).
Honestly you seemed to “poke” for some personal reason of your own. You admitted your guest lower star rating on accuracy “stung.” So what is wrong with the OP coming on here in need of a little moral support?
So you pat yourself on the back for not complaining to anyone, and not posting a rant in public. That’s your choice, but there’s nothing wrong with the OP coming on here to rant. Then you describe Air hosts as entitled, “whining in public” and say “don’t get into hosting if you are going to be devastated” about a guest’s comment… “If you can’t take the heat well…”
The OP is miffed and annoyed. And it sounds like you would have been too. Just because you choose to bottle it up inside, doesn’t mean the OP doesn’t have a right to express annoyance.
I would reply .
Why did she feel unsafe? If your area is safe this is what I would mention definitely. Also she did not like the fact that it was a guy? I would not care at all, unless the guy is gross and pees all over toilet. It’s not like he would come in to the bathroom while she is there.
[quote=“cassid, post:25, topic:8608, full:true”]
Is this a private room in a house that you live in ? If it was a separate apt with it had just her and one guest, then she is entitled to say what she did. [/quote]
Yes, it’s a private room in my house - she knew that when she booked it! Gggrrr…
I agree @cabinhost is pretty harsh. This is the place to ask the questions.And go over things. No one was whning. Just asking. I have asked questions on this and other forums and practically get slapped with “it sounds like your guests are a bother”. no not at all. I merely had a question.
[quote=“KenH, post:5, topic:8608”]
If I were a single woman traveling alone,
[/quote] Lol Ken, I love it when men say how they would feel if a woman, like we are more fragile and supposed to be more scared. I actually am a single wowan who travels alone and would have no problem sharing a bathroom with a host’s male flat mate in the happening suburb of Kensington if I were lucky enough to be in London.
I am sure that the small room with shared bathroom is priced accordingly and I can understand why the host if miffed when this is being highlighted in a negative way in the review when it’s what they paid for. Bolding stuff does come across as negative and I think it was unnecessary of the guest to do this.
Men with bad intentions are far less prevalent than the fear mongers would have you think. Ive had few nasty experience with a men, one was in a library when a man physically abused me so that he could use the photocopier, the second was when I refused to let a policeman enter a room where a woman was labouring at home (I was her midwife), this was in a setting that was fully legal. Nosy, racist neighbour spotted my black student in hallway, woman giving birth was Asian, I’m white.
I’ve traveled extensively solo and have shared hotel rooms with men, not just bathrooms. Felt very safe. Again, most men are decent, thoughtful and are busy with their own lives. The chaps sharing bathroom with female were probably more inconvenienced by her taking more time in loo.
Absolutely Louise, couldn’t agree more. The point is, ~reality~: IF encountering a man with evil intentions, in a setting without constraint or safeguards, it may not be a good situation. I believe caution was Ken’s point.
