What using airbnb as a guest taught this superhost

Single ply is a lot easier on our septic. My son has criticized my TP choices, but the main reason is the septic. Guests have not mentioned it but there could always be a first time.

Kona’s place was great and we enjoyed the view but the TP wasn’t cottonelle, therefore we have to deduct a star.

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Guys, you’ve got to stop using the word “European” as a blanket description of an entire continent. Europe is comprised of around 50 countries, all with their own languages and cultures. It’s just ridiculous to say ‘that’s what they do in Europe’. It really is myopic at best. Additionally, as in anywhere in the world, there are differences within individual countries as well as between them.

On topic, I completely agree that the welcome you receive as a guest is crucial. It starts at the initial online conversation and ends when you wave goodbye (or send a message if you can’t be there in person). It makes a HUGE difference to people’s experience. They will forgive a lot of things if they feel they’ve been taken care of, in terms of how to get around the city/area, recommendations for things to do/places to eat etc. It doesn’t take much time and is more important, in my opinion, than chocolates and treats. I can buy those myself, thanks, but I can’t buy a local’s knowledge of the area.

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Ah, thank you :slight_smile:
I consider my ‘nationality’ to be (in order):

  • Yorkshire
  • English
  • British
  • European
  • Floridian

Note, not American, even though I’ve lived in the USA for more that 20 years. To clump ‘Europeans’ together is like talking about ‘Asians’,

Regardless of the Brexit thing, I will always think that I am ‘European’ simply because I come from ‘the other side of the pond’.

There are very few cultural similarities between me and a Parisien, even though Paris is an hour away from London. That’s what makes it fun :slight_smile:

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LOL Paris… deserves it’s very own classification. As most non-Parisian French people will tell you (forcefully). Yorkshire? Oh lordy doo. Not going there! (I mean just in terms of discussing cultural differences! Been there many times, beautiful place)

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Indeed it is… :slight_smile:

“therefore we broke a baking dish and didn’t tell her. Ha.”

(My husband thought your post was hysterical - he’s still laughing…)

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But then there’s north Yorkshire and south Yorkshire… tricky one, mmh… lol!

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Slightly off topic, but I hope that you’ll allow a sideways move. I had a guest Instant Book today, she indicated that she was a host and then when I looked at her profile saw that she was very new. Four nice reviews for her as a host, so not bad. Where it went a bit funny is that she booked for one guest but indicated that they’d be seven people. I replied within 5 minutes to say thanks for the booking, and that I’d be happy to welcome a fellow host. I also indicated to her that she must have overlooked the guest count, as she had booked for just one guest. Her reply? Oh, does that matter? YES! and then 2 minutes later - oh, you charge more for extra guests? Well, I’ll have to cancel because your place is too expensive. I am not replying yet, just waiting to see how it will work out. So she cancels, and instantly receives 50%, as per my strict policy. I then get another message asking where’s the balance of the booking, as she’s expecting 100% back as well as the service fee. I direct her to Airbnb, stating that she agreed to my strict cancelation policy.

So it IS important for hosts to be guests, and not only to experience a stay from the guests perspective, but to learn how to actually use the system…

I myself have booked a place for this weekend, and it’s already feeling like a bit of a bust as the host didn’t even acknowledge the booking. I’ll report back on this in a few days.

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Super host, obviously she’s clueless. Since it was instantaneous that she realized her error, I’d be the bigger person and refund all of it. You know? She is dumb but she realized it right away. Just give it back to her.

I’ve had people book the wrong island. a HUH? How can you do that? Being a person who has made two really dumb booking mistakes myself recently, I think sometimes booking travel can be stressful and one can do some really air headed things. :smiley:

Is she stupid? Yes. is she entitled to it back? NO. Should you give it back anyway? yes.

JMHO…

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I use Kirkland brand too, and I had a guest actually call me after her stay to ask me what type of TP I used because she loved the TP at my house! She was floored when she learned that it was from Costco. Since she was a US based guest, she said she was now going to start buying her TP at Costco! So don’t worry about the Kirkland brand. BTW, my guest was from near DC! – Lia

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I would give it back, but keep €10 administration fee, for wasting my time…

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That’s so funny, especially as this topic came up at the same time!!

Magwitch – We on the West side of the Atlantic will stop referring to folks from the “50 or so countries” on the East side of the Atlantic as generic Europeans, when you-all stop thinking of America as one place and one people. We have “50 or so” separate “countries” here too, most of which are distinctly different from each other. America is NOT California, nor is it New York City or Miami. We are no more homogenous than Europe is.

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No, no, no. It’s the other way around. Guests should be thanking me for allowing them to stay…lol. :smile:

Kidding aside. I only thank the guest for choosing the cabin towards the end of their stay when I text to see if they have any questions regarding check out. But, I am very personable and offer any help for recommendations immediately after booking, etc. - so it’s not like I just accept the booking and go silent.

But what I do love is when guests do leave a note, text, or message on the chalkboard thanking us for allowing them to stay and sharing the home with them. I just received one of those messages yesterday. I love that because those guests understand they are a guest. And then yesterday I received a lovely review from another site and at the end the guest said they hope they are allowed to return.

Sorry…got side tracked. So I technically do not say thank you until close to check out. But you wouldn’t notice I hadn’t because I am so communicative prior to that.

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Slightly off-topic, but most people seem to have a positive view of Costco, in comparison with the rather similar Walmart. I’m not sure why. Though Costco does seem to treat its employees better than Walmart does.

I remember Cottonelle Ultra Soft. That was pretty good toilet paper. They don’t make it like that here.

Because Costco pays well, and doesn’t exploit their workers, and actually quality tests everything that they sell. I will never, ever give the Walmart group a penny of my hard earned money. Did you know that Walmart employees are the single largest recipients of food stamps? $6.2 BILLION dollars a year!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/04/15/report-walmart-workers-cost-taxpayers-6-2-billion-in-public-assistance/#89bc3167cd84

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Good to know.

I had heard that, yes.

I don’t think I’ve ever regularly shopped at Costco. Possibly because I’ve never been sufficiently close to one of their stores. And of course shopping at a superstore like Costco may make less sense if you are just one person.

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I’m appalled that as tax payers, we subsidize Walmart because this multi-billion dollar corporation is too exploitative to pay their workers a decent wage.

I miss Bernie like the deserts miss the rain.

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Back on topic, I’ve never thanked guests for booking although my standard 1st response is to thank someone for their inquiry/request/interest in the apt (I’m not on IB). I don’t think a booking is a favor - I agree that it’s mutually beneficial.

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Hi @konacoconutz, yes I refunded her within an hour, I just wanted to make her think for a second. After sending her the balance of the refund, she came back to me with “how about the service fee, when do I get that back?”. Geez, lady! I almost did a “let me google that for you”, but just replied “ask airbnb”.

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