Thank you! Do you think it is necessary to respond at all?
Yes. There was nothing in what she said that was true.
Thank you so much! I am a bit “linen obsessed”; Cuddledown staff and I are on first name basis. I know cleanliness is subjective, but honestly, I know the house is very clean and the sheets and blankets are freshly laundered and bathroom is also clean and fresh.
I hate having that review out there. I will respond with clear, non-defensive language. Thank you!!
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“Odd that she brings her own sheets along.”
I know. I think she is one of those guests that would be better off in a hotel.
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My stepmother brings her own linens when she travels; she also washes plates, glassware and silverware before using them. She has done this in my own home; I think it’s possibly OCD. We are used to it. I think any guest traveling with their own sheets is predisposed to finding issues with cleanliness.
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@Plbfk Your name and phone number was posted like 3 times I edited it out. Likely your email signature… This is a public forum I am guessing you did not want that showing.
RR
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Yes- but short, factual, professional.
Not entirely true. People like me who are allergic to all fabrics but cotton often bring their own sheets.
Of course! That makes perfect sense.
Leader November 6@Plbfk Your name and phone number was posted like 3 times I edited it out. Likely your email signature… This is a public forum I am guessing you did not want that showing.
RR
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I think when you respond by email your email signature has your name and phone number, not sure what it is you are showing me here?
I was just trying to protect your privacy.
RR
Sorry! I was trying to delete my personal info! I appreciate you alerting me to that. I definitely did not mean to include it! Thanks for your help!!!
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When you respond it expands their entire review and does call attention to it unless you usually respond to all reviews. Seeing hosts get defensive, or go on and on isn’t a good look.
However in this case I might say something because it’s so egregiously not true. Brief and neutral like “All our linens are laundered after each stay. This has been verified by our 30 5 star reviewers.”
If you haven’t been in the rental in a few weeks and you’ve had guests in the interim then things might have changed.
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You must respond because this will make you future guest wonder if you switched cleaners or something and perhaps they wont book you.
Keep in mind your reply is for your future guests, not this woman.
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I would respond it I was in this situation.
Curious, has this guest left other reviews that you can see? Is this a pattern for her?
Zero apologies - especially as she blatantly lied and slammed your accommodation.
So true,
Sorry you’ve had a poor review on the cleanliness front. If you’ve checked it all out and think your guests are being unfair (which it sounds like you do) you do have the right to respond.
Even if you’re not interested in appeasing the unjust complainers, it might be worth fighting your corner - to make sure potential guests get to see your side of the story.
As others have said - if you do decide to address the issue keep it professional, keep it brief and stick to the facts.
You might be a little nervous when your next guests arrive (even though it sounds like you have nowt to worry about) but you could maybe carry out an extra freshness check just to put your own mind at rest!!
Happy hosting!
This is a very interesting point. I was feeling that it would seem strange to me to see this “lack of cleanliness” review without a host’s response and I think @adrienne12 has tapped-into the why of it.
Unfortunately you will have a few challenging guests it goes with the territory. In the last two years of hosting we’ve had two problem guests. I think a short reply about your attention to cleanliness would show future guests that this is an inaccurate review.
Sorry about this
There are so many threads here about the whole should-I-shouldn’t-I thing and generally the consensus is that a host is just drawing attention to the poor review if they respond.
Host replies usually tell me more about the host than they do about the guest.
If a host has plenty of great reviews then one rubbish one will be seen by potential guests as being written by a nutjob - and most hosts don’t want to have the type of guest who believes nutjobs anyway so nothing’s lost.
As you have a cleaner and don’t do the work yourself, can you be absolutely sure that your cleaner isn’t taking shortcuts? The shower liner, for example, shouldn’t smell of liner, it should smell of laundry detergent. Are you sure that the cleaner is laundering everything every time?
The guest sounds like a nutcase to be sure, but a bad review is a great nudge to a host encouraging them to check and double check their systems.
Please please please don’t take reviews like this to heart. The guest isn’t having a go at you personally, in fact it shows more about their character than yours.
Hosts need to have super-thick skin. You can do it. 
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I love KCC’s suggested response. I am glad that I read this thread.
If we ever get a Guest who brings their own sheets and complains like this DURING their stay, they will be in for a negative review - delivered at the last minute of the 14 day timeframe.
Hosts need to know about red-flag Guests with unrealistic expectations, especially those with a history of unfair reviews.