Updated amenities list - what do you think?

[Huma0]

Hello, @Robin4 brought this to my attention in another thread.

Were you aware that the amenities list has been greatly expanded to include a lot more detail? I wasn't and I updated the amenities on my listings not very long ago.

So much stuff has been added that I can't begin to list it but, for example,  you can now specify:

- Your WiFi speed

- What kind of TV you have, including size, and what services you offer on it (Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.)

- What kind of heating you have

And here's where it gets a bit over-the-top in my opinion, but also:

- Which brands of shampoo and conditioner you supply

- What type of bedlinen, is it 100% cotton? Eygptian cotton? Silk?

- Not only what brands your fridge, stove etc. are, but whether the stove is stainless steel or not

And on and on.

What does everyone else think about it? Is it a good thing, e.g. more cover for a host if a guest complains about amenities when they were very clearly listed? Or, is this just too much detail to give? I can't put brand of shampoo as it varies and I have different sets of linens consisting of different types of cotton as well as silk and non-silk bedspreads, so I don't want to be that specific. Of course, it is optional which details you fill in.

Personally, I don't mind providing detail. What I do mind is that Airbnb keeps changing the amenities list without notification and, when it does, a lot of your previous settings disappear. Yes, I provide shampoo, and I have ticked this numerous times, but every time Airbnb makes one of these updates, the box (along with many others) becomes unchecked. You find out by accident and then have to check all that stuff again, on every listing. Yawn.

[Huma0]

@Basha0 

I don't make guests sign anything, but they do need to confirm to me in writing via the Airbnb messaging system that they have read the info. Of course, you do get some guests who lie about it and said they've read everything when they haven't.

The useful thing about it though is that it makes it much easier to respond to the random complaints, e.g.

Me: Did you sleep comfortably?

Guest: No, I was woken by traffic noise.

Me: Sorry about that. The noise from the traffic is mentioned on the listing.

Guest: Oh. Okay, but the bed is too small.

Me: It's a standard double, as mentioned on the listing.

End of conversation, end of complaints, 5 star review.

Guest: I'm really sorry, but I need to leave early. You can hear the road from the room and I'm a very light sleeper. Can you refund the rest of the stay.

Me: No, I'm sorry I can't. If it was something that wasn't mentioned on the listing, that would be different, but it quite clearly states that room is not suitable for light sleepers.

Guest: No it's not. I didn't see that.

Me: Really? That's strange. Let me show you. Here it is, and here it is again under 'things you must acknowledge'.

Guest: What? Where's that section?

Me: Under house rules.

Guest: Oh. Well, I never read the rules as I'm not a rule breaker.

Me: Mmm. But you told me you had read them. I'm really sorry, but I can't refund you. You're welcome to hang out here the rest of the day though and work from the living room which faces the garden.

Guest: Okay, thanks.

[Anna9170]

@Huma0 
О, если бы гости читали правила, то 90% тем на этом форуме не создавались.)

p.s. your fridge is great! 😍

[Huma0]

Thanks @Anna9170 !

Yes, that's probably true. 

Still, it annoys me when they tell me they have read the listing/rules and then come up with stupid stuff like that. Now I have to make a point of messaging each guests reminding them that you can hear traffic noise in that room, so they really have NO excuse to complain about it later.

I did also find it perplexing that the lady above (an experienced Airbnb user) told me she never read the rules as she "wasn't a rule breaker". What does that mean? How would you know if you are likely to break the rules or not when you don't know what those rules are? What if you were planning to cook dinner every night but the rules say kitchen access is only from 7-10am? What if you were planning to have a glass of wine with your meal, but the rules say there's a no alcohol policy at the listing?

[Charlotte798]

Thank you, Airbnb for adding complimentary breakfast to my listings without my knowledge or permission.  I have never supplied breakfast in any of my listings previously.

[Peggy384]

Hi @Huma0, thanks for this info. I am setting up a listing and can't find where to enter the information in hosting. Can you please tell me the steps to find it? Thank you!

[Gillian166]

@Peggy384  it's all over the place but most of it is under amenities. 

btw @Huma0  like you we vary what we get, we buy nice stuff but always something on special (I love TKMaxx for this), so for brand of shampoo etc I write "quality" so now it reads, quality shampoo. 🙂 I am in the process of trying to negotiate a discount with a local (amazing, national) skincare brand that has its farm near us. If I can get a nice discount I absolutely will be highlighting the brand in my listings. 

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

If you have the clientele that you think will appreciate it, that's a great idea. High end hotels often have specific luxury brands that they use and it can certainly look very smart and create a feeling of being pampered. 

I have found with long term guests, only a small minority use the toiletries I supply. Most buy their own stuff because they are particular about which stuff they use (might be a particular brand, but it also might be a particular type). The few guests who do use the stuff provided are the ones who are not picky about it and just happy it's free! 

There were some recent guests who mentioned in the review that it was helpful that I supply toiletries, but those were the only short term guests that I have hosted in years (my returning honeymooning couple). 

Actually, so many of my long term guests leave behind full or almost full bottles of shampoo and conditioner, so I never even buy those anymore, but that does mean that the brand will always vary.

They leave behind so much of this, and often other types of toiletries as well, that I am trying to get other guests to take it. If I notice a guest uses a particular brand that I have, I will offer it to them. Recently, I have even put a basket in one of the bathrooms full of different toiletries and cosmetics with a sign saying "Please feel free to use or keep anything in this basket." It seems to be quite popular so far and was useful the other day when a guest's luggage went missing on her way here.

[Gillian166]

@Huma0  as you know we host mainly 1-2 nighters, i'm actually surprised when people even bother to wash their hair, for me that's a disaster, my hair has a silly kink/frizz that looks like a half dropped 80s perm...., but some guests, esp the Asians with their lovely dead straight hair, often wash their hair (yes, their lovely thick hair also makes a mess). If we are able to negotiate a good price with this superior brand i'm very confident that even the fussiest person would be impressed. I'm more concerned about theft, because if someone stole the s&c, soap and lotions, that would probably be well in excess of the nightly profit. But I decided I can't live in fear of this. 

That's a lovely idea to have a basket, like "leave a penny, take a penny". 

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

Yes, I always try to wash my hair before I go on a short trip as I don't want the hassle of doing it while I'm there (takes me ages because it's very long) but a lot of people like to wash their hair every day.

What kind of bottles does the product come in? Would it be possible to use it in some sort of dispenser fixed to the shower wall? I saw this in a 5* hotel in Paris and have seen it at other smart hotels recently - seems to be slowly replacing the mini bottles and all the plastic waste that creates. Funnily enough, they even had a Clarins vending machine in the lobby for other products, which was quite a novelty.

[Gillian166]

@Huma0  oh wow, I think i would be tempted to wash my hair with clarins shampoo, just to try it! And i suspect the same will happen with us.  I imagine those dispensers aren't locked though, so theft could still happen. it's ok, i'm happy to chance it.  

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

I believe they are locked and I guess housekeeping have the key so that they can replace or refill the bottles. I saw a similar set up in another hotel and I'm pretty sure that one was locked too.

[Gillian166]

yes,  there's $130 worth of product there! In a hotel situation that is wise to lock them. 

you might have me posing the question here later: guest stole $100 worth of lotions, should I charge them?

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

Lol, well, let's see.

If the lotions are in some sort of dispenser situation like the above (but not locked), I would treat that as theft. However, if the bottles are just loose and left there for guest use, some guests are going to assume it's okay to take them. What to do?

The other worry is excessive usage. Think about a fancy hotel breakfast buffet. Aren't most people tempted to load up their plates with far more food than they are able to consume even if they totally stuff their faces? And then some try to sneak more food out of there to eat later.

[Gillian166]

@Huma0  we currently have bottles of shampoo/conditioner and no one has taken one yet. Not many people wash their hair on a 1-2 night stay, as we discussed. I guess i'll find out if more expensive products bring out a different behaviour. 

We did have 2 groups recently who both took the 5L box of water we leave in the fridge, because our farm water tastes a bit different. For some reason they thought they could take a whole, unopened box with them. 

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

No, I've never had guests take the bottles either. Rather, they often buy their own and leave it behind. Perhaps putting out expensive versions won't make any difference and most guests will be more respectful than perhaps they would at a hotel, which seems more 'faceless' to them. It's easier feel okay helping yourself to stuff from a big corporation than a small business.