I just had my second guest. There was nothing odd about him when I looked at his profile and indeed he had been positively rated by 4 hosts - 1 in the last year, and 10 guests - 3 years ago - so I accepted.
Then the requests began. (my check-in is 3pm-5pm~ish - but can be later) He asked for 1pm or 2pm check-in -as he and his guest were coming up to do wine tasting in Napa Valley. I let him know that I had a current guest and would have to see how long cleaning would take - I'd let him know that day. He accepted that.
I finished cleaning on his arrival day and offered a 1pm check-in to him. He didn't know if he could make it by then cos he didn't know when his guest would be ready to leave for Santa Rosa. (huh? - when he ASKED for early check-in?)
Well, all this would be nothing but they got here, and one of the first questions was "Can we check-out late? Sometime in the afternoon?" I told him that late check-out might be available but since I had an incoming guest after them it wouldn't be that late...and there would be a fee associated with that request - as stated in the listing.
I never heard another thing from them during their stay till check-out at the next morning at 10am. They AirBnB messaged me "We're leaving if you want to say goodbye" whereupon I was greeted by his guest smoking in my driveway (my no-smoking rule!) was told they spilled red wine and broke a glass. Also that they used a new white bathroom towel to wipe it up (my "let me know and I will clean it rule"). I said "no problem...that's what Oxi-Clean is for."
Then he said "You know, I was a host. Your check-out time - and it may be different here in the US (he LIVES 60 miles away from me in CA!) - but your 10AM check-out time is far far too early. People come to wine country to spend the day and if they don't have a place to come back to during their stay, then it is inconvenient." (My response - and I DID NOT SAY THIS - but my response to this is: pay for late check-out *or* book two days!)
Then I was asked not to leave THEM a review because "I don't need reviews anymore. I have enough of them." (he SAID this)
They left. I went up to check damage. Turns out they had left scuff marks (from shoes?) all over the bottom portion of the quilt and spilled the red wine on my sheets AND on the couch. Thank HEAVENS I had 3M Stain-Guarded the couch! And, yes Oxi-Clean, salt and a cold water wash immediately fixed the sheets, quilt and the white towel they used to clean up the mess. So, all was well. I cleaned the studio and left - happy they were gone.
Later (about 8pm) I got a phone call - an obvious outside-of-AirBnB Messaging communication. He told me "How did you find the way we left the Studio?" I told him it was fine - cos, really, it was! I took care of the things that they had messed up and was really not mad about it. I *was* frustrated that so many of my pet peeves were done but really -by that time - I was fine. Then he said "Please do me a favor. I know you're gonna leave a review for me (I was) but please leave my guest's name out of it. It could be hard for her if anyone saw it. It would be uncomfortable."
HUH?
A: How do I review them? They were pushy about check-in, check-out and broke several of my house rules.
B: Should I leave the review at ALL?
C: I was told that if I leave "thumbs down (would you recommend this guest)" the guest cannot see it, is this true?
😧 If I "thumbs down" them, are they able to book my property again?
E: I want to block his # from calling me personally again. It is easy (google voice on my end). Is this just knee-jerk on my end?
I know this could be an overreaction on my part... but since my FIRST guest was great...and my second guest was "iffy" I am not sure how to hande the review for the second one. Advice?
