@BlaQMarbleHost Here is an example of getting a bad review because you host multiple rooms in the same house without being an onsite host.
1 Like
…and here is an example of yet another host presuming to know everything.
7 Likes
I’m starting to see why that conversation went down hill. 
8 Likes
If i was rent a share house with a share bathroom I would carry a door wedge in my bag to use in bathroom / bedroom situations. Your guest is a rude idiot, but we have not heard from the invaded on girl friend.
2 Likes
I’m a chemical engineer, my husband is one, and my son is currently studying to be one. (And I am 100% positive that your young man is not my son - he has much better manners than your guest.)
“Smart” has nothing to do with common sense or manners. Most engineers don’t have common sense. And a-holes are present in every profession and every level of intelligence.
I’m not excusing his behavior at all, but I presume you are a fair amount older than the guest. Being a host requires that you use all your maturity and grace to defuse situations with your guests. It’s part of being in the hospitality business.
Better luck next time, and perhaps you can point out the lock to future guests if/when you give them the orientation tour.
7 Likes
I’m just calling attention from another thread where multiple host were pointing out to BlaQMarbleHost how guest interaction results in bad reviews for the host especially when the host is not on-site.
2 Likes
Thank you for your insight. There is a gap between intelligence and common sense and he fell into this gap. My husband is in the gap as well. I wasn’t speaking of his engineer status to be a smart ass but in fact to relay how many times he mentioned it in text to me. I will strategically insert the bathroom into the tour!!!
2 Likes
If a guest sent me a bunch of messages telling me that he’s an engineer I would take it that he is letting me know that: 1. he feels he is intelligent and 2. that he feels he deserves some respect and 3. that he doesn’t feel that I am treating him as an intelligent person or with enough respect. This is a guest telling me exactly what he needs (if only they all would).
However all he probably needs is what everyone needs, which is validation. It’s always worth a try to start with validating (and it’s free to give so there’s no harm to the giver).
“Hey guest, I’m so sorry that that happened to your girlfriend, it must have been quite disturbing. Absolutely, the other guest should have knocked. It’s a really unfortunate mistake. Of course it’s upsetting, I completely understand. Listen, there’s a lock on the bathroom door. You might not have noticed it, it’s kind of old-fashioned and hidden under the door knob. Let me show it to you and you can show your girlfriend and she can take her next shower in peace. I just want everyone to feel comfortable. Everyone deserves that.”
IMO, this kind of approach may have avoided unnecessary antagonism, time and trouble with the review and the awful feeling that both you and your guests surely have about this stay.
14 Likes
May be I am wrong …but…I sense a conflict. Which …could be easily avoided. Most conflicts are not for the reason that something is malfunctioning…mostly it’s because of human interaction.
Though I can argue till blue in face if I believe in something strongly and those who know me well can confirm hehehehe. But with guests I try to agree as much as possible. Initially I ALWAYS agree. I stop agreeing when It keeps going on for couple of days and Its completely unreasonable. Once in a while i get guests like this…very very rarely. Recently i hosted a lady who complained every half hour for 48 hours. For first 36 hours I agreed, then I just asked her to leave.
The door issue wouldn’t escalate If you just agreed and may be apologize.
Put a sign on a door. Implying that a guest is technologically challenged or can’t figure out " simple" things is never a good idea. I am actually one of those…I can’t figure out often how to open yogurt in foreign countries or open and lock doors.
4 Likes
Maybe it’s a regional/cultural thing but I would never open a door to a bathroom (even in my own home and especially not in a shared space) without first knocking. It’s kind of like innocent-until-proven-guilty for me. There is someone in the bathroom in a comprising position (naked or on the pot) until it is verified otherwise (by knocking) 
2 Likes
So basically @Brian_R170, my presence at said rental will be more for conflict resolution than anything else?
I have stayed in multi room listings a few times. In some cases, the host didn’t stay on the property, the rules were clearly stated and involved respect for other guests. I didn’t want my reputation as an airbnb user tainted so I always respected my interaction with other guests and kept them minimal. I don’t know that u’re automatically on the road to a bad review if you host multiple rooms in ur airbnb without being on site. But U do have a point to be honest.
1 Like
I’m just saying the mere presence of authority makes people less likely to behave badly and gives you the chance to prevent escalations.
7 Likes
He’s from Canada. We understand how locks work.
(Not to mention the kid is an Engineer!)
1 Like
Thank you for taking the time to share that response with me, it sounds perfect. I hope to one day have that grace, dignity and ability relay understanding and compassion in those situations.
2 Likes
I’m with you about opening a bathroom door. I would always knock first.
But there’s a point that I don’t think anyone has raised. Our guests often seem uncertain that their bathroom is theirs alone. (Each of our guest rooms has its own bath.) So it seems possible that the reverse could be true—that a guest could forget or not absorb the fact that he is sharing the bath.
Locking the door is really the only sensible solution.
And I’ve been in public restrooms that have just this kind of lock on the stall door. They don’t have crystal doorknobs, but they do have this lock.
2 Likes
lesson 101 for airbnb hosts - dont buy clever gadgets buy door furniture that is universally understood to prevent mishapes particularly on shared home places -
change the door furniture to user friendly - listen to your guests how they interact in the space
what they love or hate - the less hassle they cause you the happier you will be
Did you see the photo? This is not a clever gadget! Clearly a door lock!
4 Likes
Chiming in later here, but I think it is a good de-escalator to acknowledge the guest’s perception that they have had an upsetting experience. People can’t hear you, or receive instructions, when they are upset, if you don’t first recognize their state of mind.
“Oh dear, it sounds like your girlfriend had an upsetting experience. There’s a little lock knob under the doorknob that you just turn to the right to lock the door, so it won’t happen again.” [That language doesn’t make an admission that you’re responsible, or say the guest has a right to be upset, you are just acknowledging they are.]
I would probably add, “It’s an awful shock to get walked in on in the bathroom.”
I’m not a psychologist (I just play one on TV), but if the girlfriend was indeed coming from an abusive environment, the upset could have been disproportionate for her. We’re vulnerable when we’re naked in the shower or sitting on the toilet.
5 Likes
True, we’ve already had to change out several crystal door knobs and put knobs on which function with a key, I was sad we lost them because they were original and adds to the charm of the house.
I think I could figure out how to lock that door. My first guess would be to twist that lever. 
8 Likes