How do I approach this as a guest?

[Laura2592]

True confession time. I was a potentially bad guest LOL.

I am so stressed about this as I know the reputation that hosts have as guests. We booked a place for a weekend getaway a few hours from where we live. When we got there I discovered that my foundation (face make up) bottle had broken all over the inside of my suitcase. How it happened? No idea. Those bottles are thick glass and I have even dropped them on the floor and had them survive. But it was EVERYWHERE. In order to rescue my other possessions from being covered in Doublewear by Estee Lauder Bone colored paint, I tried paper towels but ended up using a small hand towel to wipe down the inside of my bag and other items.  So the towel is ruined. It was white. 

I brought it home with me and have been trying to launder it but chances are good that it will be forever stained. So how do I broach this? I was planning to send the host a new towel. Should I mention this? Not mention this? Its a corporate type rental but I still feel incredibly bad. 

Also, when we got to this space I found an insulin needle and some insulin meds under the sink in the bathroom. I left it there with a note for the cleaners that it wasn't mine but I wanted to make sure they let the owner know. I don't want to say "oh I ruined your towel but there was a needle under the sink" because it totally sounds like it was mine too lol. And the dishwasher wasn't emptied nor a bag in the trash can. As a fellow host I feel like if I mention this stuff it willl go in the pile under "hosts are terrible guests." But I know that some guests would freak over any of these things. What would you do?

[Tommy150]

You left a note about the insulin, so that's taken care of.

Simply message and say, hi, I ruined one of your towels. Please let me know if you'd like me to reimburse you. You're over thinking this way too much.

[Laura2592]

@Tommy150  lol right I know!! There are just so many hosts who get upset at a ruined towel. 

[Colleen253]

@Laura2592  I would  venture to say your thoughtfulness and attention to this situation actually makes you a model guest. I get where you’re coming from, re the optics of the situation, but agree with Tommy that you’re probably overthinking it a bit. Offer to replace the towel, and private feedback the other things. They will probably want to quality-check their cleaning staff because of it. You would want to know, right?

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 I wouldn't have brought the towel home. I would have notified the host at check out and offered to pay $15 for the ruined hand towel. I think that the guest who owns up to their accident leaves a better impression than the guest who steals hand towel.  😀

I have never stayed in an Airbnb that was truly 5-star clean. But I have never given less than 5 stars. And when I check back on these listings over the years, apparently so do the vast majority of other guests. Airbnb is over-saturated with 5-star reviews. Perhaps most people really don't care about bagless trashcans or empty dishwashers. 

[Laura2592]

@Emilia42 I think I was just panicky about a host discovering my ruined towel and hoping I could fix it. I am now a towel thief. 

Next time I think I need to stay in a hotel!

ETA-- we were knocked down on cleaning for not emptying the dishwasher by our second or third ever guest. I think its goofy but it happens. I personally don't care but I am sure some people do.

[Tommy150]

I had guests ruin towels and be honest. And I've had guests ruin towels and try to hide them. The honest ones, I don't think I've ever charged them. The ones who tried to hide it, **bleep** right I did.

[Lisa723]

@Laura2592 I greatly prefer it when guests let me know something was damaged. Then I know it needs to be replaced, instead of a gradual accumulation of unreported losses leading to an eventual shortage. The cleaners are not going to count the hand towels, but someone will eventually be annoyed to find they don't have enough. This is probably more of an issue for hosts that don't turn over their own places.

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  One time when I was cleaning after a group stay I found a non-matching pillow case on a pillow (each double bed has four pillows),  one under the more decorative top pillow.  It was part of a matching pillow case & sheet set. 

I messaged the guest to ask about it in case it was hidden in the space somewhere, yet to be discovered. She said someone had a "food poisoning accident" and the pillow case was ruined, so she threw it out. 

I charged her for the whole set through the resolution center, and she paid immediately. 

I feel like she should have mentioned it at checkout and not left me to discover the mismatching pillow-case at cleanup. 

While I don't think it would have changed my response, I always feel it's better to be up-front about things. 

After the fact, all one can do is send a note offering reimbursement. 

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53  yes... I messaged the host and asked what I can do to replace it. We will see what the response is. 

TBH I am really uncomfortable staying as a guest when people know I am a host.  I get really nervous about the reputation hosts have. Plus my husband has been denied bookings outright because he is a host too. So I think I just went into panic mode. Probably good to stay in some hotels for a bit and take the stress off.

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  I'd probably be concerned that a corporate style place might blame the cleaners for losing something that was my fault.  They probably have an inventory. 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 You could always do what it seems like every other guest on Airbnb does: have a second profile. 

I do wonder if this "hosts are the worst guests" assumption is really widespread. I never got the impression that any of my previous Airbnb hosts even knew I was a host myself. Another host booked with me this summer and introduced herself as such. I then commented on her listing and she was really shocked that I could see it and asked how I found it ---> ???. Do other hosts not look at profiles?!

[Laura2592]

@Emilia42 Are we allowed to have other profiles? I thought they were linked to your ID. 

I look at EVERYONE'S profile who tries to book. But I did have a lady call me out for it. Uh. That's what they are there for? Publicly? 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 

I wouldn't think you are supposed to but I've seen two profiles quite a bit. But I believe your ID can only be attached to one. However, not all hosts require ID verification to book.

Another thought, you could remove your husband as co-host when you travel and book under his account. Or change the name to his account to XX & Laura and have that be your "guest account."

[Z-2]

@Laura2592 I don’t know why host don’t like to rent to a host. To me, host is more understanding the host. I actually offered discounts to a host when inquired. She told me she is a host and see if I could give her discount. I did give her discount but she pick another house instead. I don’t mind since I actually not preferred to rent to her at that time because her dates would break our rental date and let me waste two days in between (I have 4 days minimum in that period) and she only rent 4 days. But to me, host should more understand host’s work and I might learn something from her too.