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How are these undeserved complaints?? I’m not sure how those things compare at all.
That was something that broke and wasn’t reported (as is required by house rules), and they actually didn’t complain about it at all. They left me a private message when they left. I complained about it because I was horrified and embarrassed that they didn’t have a properly functioning shower during their stay when I could have easily fixed it for them.
Not a complaint about my house.
Also not a complaint about my house, it was a retaliatory review. (same person and situation as #2)
Well we all have to be amateur psychologists. The guest didn’t get the asked-for discount, then was fully informed the rollaway was standard size when asking about the tall daughter. Then the guest says 'might be hot." So the guest had already set themselves up to be unhappy.
Guests who don’t bring concerns to the host’s attention during the stay and complain about them afterwards perhaps at some level don’t want things to be fixed – they may want to put all the negatives in the review instead to justify their unhappiness. Although they did try to “balance” with a few positives. They probably believe in their own minds that they were balanced and fair, so don’t let them bother you.
My take is that this guest wanted higher end accommodations without having to pay a higher price. In addition to replying to address the bug issue (and they might have been beetles flying around a light, who knows), the only lesson learned is that the next guest that pre-communicates in this manner maybe should get a response such as “It appears that you are concerned about the heat and bed space. I think this may not be the right accommodation for you – it can get hot, we have no AC, only fans, and a tall person might be uncomfortable on our standard rollaway cot. I am happy to host you if you still want to keep the booking, but my listing is what it is, and I won’t be offended if you decide to find other accommodation more suited to your needs.”
I’m really confused about the dogs – I assume they don’t live in the guest cottage? Why didn’t the guests just shoo them out?
Is that what you advertise the bed for, though? Just for children? (Also, the post doesn’t make it clear what type of “child” we’re talking about here. When I first read this, I assumed it was an adult child that would be joining the party at a later date, not a minor child.)
Aah, the soap thing wasn’t obvious at all by your previous posts. Handmade soap will definitely look different than store bought. Maybe put a little ribbon or something around them so that it’s obvious they are new?
When people slam you in the reviews and dock you on stars and you don’t deserve it, it seems the same to me. Oh well, it’s moot point. You are certainly entitled to your opinion that we weren’t critical enough of the OP.
LOL! Same here, I like it when the hotel manager calls them out on the lies. One of my favorite replies I read was on TA and the manager ended it with something along the lines of “please do let us know if you plan to return again, so that we will be sure to roll out the red carpet before your arrival”
@jkamm I’m going to chime in for a minute here regarding the bugs. My home is in coastal NC on an island. It’s a 3 year old home. I have over 120 5* reviews with 100% of them rating me 5* for cleanliness and I have my home exterminated every 12 weeks without fail. That said I still occasionally find a random bug or roach strolling across my floor. It is a way of life in tropical and coastal properties and most people are aware of that. And, yes, a few guests have seen them, some freak out, some catch them and throw them out the door. My dogs will bark at them. Many places call them water bugs, they thrive in climates like mine. And there really, truly is nothing that will eliminate them completely.
@dpfromva thanks for understanding. There were red flags from the start. We do say the fold up bed is suited for a child, maybe need to say not an adult child. Funny one of her reviews mentioned cockroaches and she lives further north so hotter. So glad the high season is almost over.
@dpfromva no our dogs don’t live in the cottage but it is a shared yard. The dogs spend most of their day at our farm with my husband and we keep them inside when guests are home. So yes tell us if they were a problem, unlikely, or kick them out.
I am a little shocked about how unsympathetic you are being to @Shanghai and the assumptions you are making about her listing purely based on the comments made by the guests.
Surely you know from your own issues regarding guests that you have bought to these forums, that what a guest says and the reality are often polar opposites.
I feel your pain. I have water bugs aka forest roaches aka palmetto bugs too. 1st floor condo, not on stilts so the bugs walk or fly in when the door is open. Monthly exterminator. Guests complain about mosquitoes and palmetto bugs—they just don’t understand.
A recent guest had a freak out because she found a dead one in the bathroom and a live one in the kitchen sink over the course of her 4week stay. She told me her house wouldn’t have them. I believe she is in for a rude awakening
I’m already dreading spring & summer bug-fest 2019.
One thing I noticed is you used F degrees. AC is not a necessity. It is a luxury. And when you travel, if you need it as a necessity you filter for it! That is a southern girl in Florida who has traveled the world. Stayed in many places without it. It isn’t really needed in some places.
@Shanghai So how many stars did she actually leave you?
I think this is a valuable tip: Screens (and mosquito nets) are sometimes real life savers when it comes to keeping out some of the bugs. I’ve been to the jungle (Amazon and mosquito coast) where everything was extremely rudimentary but screens allowed for a livable space and a mosquito net made me feel safe from bug attacks at night.
Apart from that, maybe reconsider the fold up bed: How you sell / disclose it and if you could replace it for something better?
I think price has little to do with it. It could very well be that $150 includes a wonderful experience but doesn’t guarantee the best sleep.
I don’t like to be cold, so I won’t be traveling to an ice hotel in Finland in January. Guests definitely do have some kind of responsibility for gathering information and choosing accordingly.
@GutHend we will look into screens even though we don’t have them our house in the same backyard.
The fold up bed is listed as being for a child but I have decided not to list it anymore.
I also filter for my needs when booking anywhere. We travel often in Asia and I want air con when it’s hot. However Hanoi in February can be really cold.
Considering it is the Australia Day long weekend I have had a few run in with spiders. I washed my car at our farm, not home, today and two massive hand sized Huntsmen spiders crawled out! Later at home I took in the washing and an Orb spider. Then the cat bought a mouse in. I’m now awaiting plagues of snakes, locusts…summer down under.
