Rude Guests & Long turnaround time for Airbnb assistance

[Gladys8]

I had a guest that I had been communicating with for a couple of weeks, arrive on 6/13 and had reservations until 6/18. Upon arrival she was flustere, complaining of the heat outside. It is hot and humid here in Orlando. She came in saying she could stay with her girlfriend and wanted to know about cancelling her reservation. I said she would only be charged for the first day, bur AirBnB fees were non refundable as I understand. She said another person had only charged her $12 to cancel. Then she said, "the room is upstairs?" I said yes, as described in the listing. She said I have a heavy suitcase. I said I can help you carry the lighter items but I have back problems so I can't lift anything heavy. She snapped that that was OK.  She went out and got her heavy suitcase and it did look heavy. She asked if I had wifi and I said yes. All of these things asked about are noted in the listing. It seems she was searching for something to complain about. 

I prepare breakfast(the listing advertises a continental breakfast) based on when the person tells me they want breakfast. I asked if she preferred coffee or tea. Coffee, when would she like breakfast? She responded 7:30. I reminded her that the listing informed breakfast was 8-10am.(I had to stop special accomodations as some people wanted me to get up and give them breakfast at 6am because they wanted to be at Disney when it opened) She said 8am. When I got up to prepare breakfast I noted she was gone but also noted the fitness card was gone so assumed she had gone to exercise. I prepared breakfast after asking her how she liked her eggs. When I was preparing to pour the coffee, she asked for milk. I use almond milk. She said no. She rudely stated she would not take coffee with that. She had 2 eggs, toast, juice.

Next day, same scenario, I had prepared bagels upon her return from exercising at our fitness center as she had not informed me she would not be having breakfast. She rudely announced I won't be having any of that, I'm going to Starbucks.  After a few minutes I said to her that she seemed to be very unhappy here and I did not wish her to be unhappy, that I would waive the remainder of her reservation so she could stay with her friend or AirBnB would find her another place. I contacted AirBnB by telephone, the agent could not find my account but could only pull up the account I managed for someone else, so it took quite awhile. Eventually they said they would contact her for her permission to cancel the reservation. The guest waited about 20 minutes then finally left. That was a while to have to wait.

I am a friendly, helpful person. I purchase healthy foods, but do not buy regular milk as I do not like it and it spoils after 3 days so I would have to throw it out often and replace for every guest which is not cost effective. I normally stock the individual coffee creamers but some guests don't like that either. I always ask guests if they have read the listing to be sure it meets their needs. Some get angry for me even asking this, but show up acting as if they know nothing about what is offered. I had emailed this guest several times reminding her to print out her reservation confirmation to bring with her because it has directions, community, and house rules. Some people show up thinking they have the entire house to themselves when the reservation page clearly states private room vs entire apartment, and the listing states private 2nd floor suite. I do acknowlege that maneuvering the AirBnB site can be cumbersome, even for their own customer service as evidenced by Customer Service not even being able to find my account this morning.

I am just unwilling to be treated rudely in my own home. Some guests say they will be here at 6 and show up past midnight because they went shopping. Total disregard for the host, then give a bad review because you show them to their quarters and say you will show them around in the morning. Some guests seem to translate host to mean servant as one guest wanted her laundry done twice when she had not even been in the space 24 hours.

How do you deal with such rudeness and inconsideration. Any suggestions in dealing with difficult people other than how I handled it?

[Markus13]

That is the reason why i do not offer breakfast and i am not an early person either. But i have fruits and small snacks and free coffee to go if they want to. They just have to help them selves. And i always have half and half as creamer for coffee When you have a guest you actually cater to them as opposed to having them like whatever you have. The point is you use products such as milk that people generally use and like. You can buy a small size creamer instead that will last longer or a small size of half and half. It is a business after all and they pay for your services that is the mentality. I have no problem wih guests arriving late so as long as they give you a heads up. Although i have experience a guest Coming home in the wee hour of the morning and staying up at that. You can tell the guest or enumerate all your rules in your listing but some of them will just ignore it. Some don't even read them. If the guest left you a negative feedback you can ask airbnb to take it off. I reach them out thru twitter and they actually respond right away and if the problem is complicated they will send you an email to talk about it. I am usually patient and cordial with guests and ignore their rudeness but i will not hesitate leaving them a negative feedback as well.

[Ken19]

I wouldn't include breakfast that goes way over let them eat out. If she wanted to cancel she could have but no refund. I've only refunded one guest and that was because his mother had a stroke as soon as he arrived and had to go back to Ca. If you look at any hotel site most have no refund policy.As for the heat I have that in Las Vegas I had a lady bitching how hot it was and and I went over to the condo and she had the AC on 50 I told her to lay off the drugs and booze and she wouldn't feel so hot. I also turned the AC up to 70 and told if she touched it I would turn off the air from my phone and she would find out how hot it got.

[Elizabeth76]

Thats Classic!  LOL I would  have loved to seen the look on her  face when you told  her! #PRICELESS Airbnb  needs more hosts like  you!

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

@Gladys8 An easy way to eliminate the issue, is to stop having breakfast. Let guests make their own breakfast if they want it. It's so much easier that way. We have an individual serve coffe machine, and we keep snacks and individual serving cereal and instant oatmeal. They can help themselves if they want something, but otherwise we don't try to manage their meals.

[Gladys8]

Thanks. I'm going to change my listing to self serve. But do you get a lot of broken and dirty dishes?

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

@Gladys8 No broken dishes, and they just put the dishes in the dishwasher when done (some will hand-wash). We've had a few broken glasses, but that's just a part of doing business.

[Elizabeth76]

Gladys

I don't have  any broken dishes, in my place. I have a setting for 4. I take 4 people. dishes need to  be washed,  prior  to leaving. They get WALMART QUALITY. Not  Grandmother's fine CHINA! Also, if you are sharing a kitchen, lock up, your good, stuff, and designate  a special, cabinet or two, for your guests dishes, food, and label it. This  way, they will know that that is their special spot, just  for them. Also do the same for a shelf on the  fridge.

They are NOT FAMILY! Even though, there  have been many guests, I have made friends with, that you would like to think of as family, but TRUST NO ONE!  I learned  this my first year  when I was hosting. I was sharing my kitchen, as  well, as my box of WHEATIES. A few days after the last guest left, I began to fix  me a bowl, and I found, ROCKS, YES,  small ROCKS among the  flakes in my cereal box.

Sometimes, I have back to back reservations at Lake Erie during the Season. I also offer  plastic dishes and silver ware if  they dont feel like washing dishes, but they cant leave  the place a mess! I have NO DISHWASHER, or GARBAGE DISPOSAL. My  cottage is "OLD SCHOOL" It has to be "reasonably clean" upon check  out. (I don't charge them a Security Deposit. However, I may be changing this policy very shortly)And  I make sure the guest knows  that, or  they get an XTRA $75 FINE on top  of the  $75 cleaning fee. (Cleaning  is whole separate issue)

I let them do all their own cooking, as they have their own kitchen. I have plenty of  pantry items, but milk, eggs, OJ and bacon, I keep to a minimum, as it spoils. I  always ask how  many  people are coming. Never buy more than needed.  You can always, go out  and buy more, or you can credit  them, Airbnb allows  you to do so under, "Guest Resolutions". You can credit your guest during  or  after  their stay. Email them prior to their arrival, and tell  them what  you plan on providing.  Ask  them if they have any food allergies? If they get back  to you fine. If not, then what you supply will have to make do. I also, let them know, that  breakfast is a "MINI" breakfast. It is  self served, and self catered. 

For  the most part, I don't usually have any breakfast HOGS! lol. When you say "Continental" breakfast, I think now days, at least in America, most people, think of a Denny's style, or a IHOP, or a  Bob Evans, SUPER big breakfast. And that means more food to go to waste, and more work  for you. My Mother, who is 75, suggested, that I use  the term "Continental Breakfast" after I had problems with a recent guest, wanting a SUPER big breakfast. I REFUSE to use that term,  as I believe it  confuses  people. It was obvious that they didn't  read  my ad/listing, as they found many things to complain about.  (That is another story in itself, and Yes,those particular  guests, did treat me like their servants, or should I say....."SLAVE" so I do know exactly what you are  talking about.)

But everyone has  a different  connotation to each and every word, so  the word "MINI" comes from the word "MINATURE" meaning small.

a combining form with the meanings “of a small or reduced size in comparison with others of its kind”

And  with more and more people worried about  their  weight, and their health, diabetes, cholesterol , sodium intake, carbs, gluten free,....etc. People are just getting more and more picky. My personal connotation of "MINI breakfast"  is:

a bowl of cereal

a cup of coffee

and a yogurt.

Or  another example would be:

6 oz. glass or orange juice

2 eggs,

2 slices of toast,

with a tablespoon of strawberry jam.

Not pancakes stacked a mile high, drenched in margarine, and heavy maple syrup, with whip cream,

4 slices of Canadian bacon,

Amish  smoked Swiss cheese and mushroom omelet,

a basket of homemade buttermilk biscuits,

8 oz glass of whole milk,

assorted fresh fruit cup, cottage cheese,

2 hash browns, a bottomless cup  of coffee,

and big 'ole glass of ice water.

NO! then, you not only graduated into  the Restaurant business, but you might as well, become  trained as a paramedic! Because your guest is  gonna have a heart attack right there in your  kitchen! LOL!

Keep it clean, keep it simple, and  keep it fresh.  Usually the picky people, don't  or wont  go to the B n B's. They  always have  the option to make their own breakfast. Right?

And as far as the laundry is concerned.......When is the last time you have been to hotel, not motel, and filled out that little card that comes with that little tiny bag, that maybe could fit a pair of shoes inside, and sent away for GUEST LAUNDRY? (JUST SAYING)

I believe there are 2 options, 1) the time you want it back 2) laundered or Dry clean (with options for starching)

The faster you want it back:=more money. Dry clean = more money. More Starch = more money. Tell her to go to laundry mat. Unless, its a pair of panties, that she can wash out in the sink, and air dry. (we've all been there ladies :))

The above guests, that I mentioned that I had a problem with, stayed with me for 6 days. There were 4 of them. I used to make my washer and dryer available to guests staying more than 3 days. Even though there is a brand new full service Landry mat, less than 3 short blocks, from my cottage. However, after, the last guests, I'm not sure I will be offering that service anymore, especially after reading about your guest. My guest didn't want to move her bed over 12 inches to access the private laundry room. Of course, I would have moved it and moved it back upon completion, as the frame is on wheels, and it is very simple to do. But she didn't want her bed disturbed or moved. So I told her that if that was the case, then unfortunately, she would not be able to use the laundry faculties at the cottage, without moving the bed over 12” and she would have to go to the laundry mat, down the street. She gave me a look that could kill. And left me a horrible review. It has not posted yet.

But what these guests fail to realize, is that they are staying in someone's home. It is not a hotel. There are going to be little quirks here and there. And if they want their laundry done 2xs a day, then they can stay home. If they don't want to move a bed over a few inches to access a door to a private laundry room, then go down the street. It's not like you are sleeping in the bed, while you are doing laundry. There were plenty of places to sit and wait, other than that particular bedroom. These Guests are just plain old pain in the assess. They are disrespectful, and those are the type of guests that should be banned from staying at a private residence all together!

We just dont have a STAFF like a HOTEL does to wait on them hand and foot!

Hope  this helps!

Best of Luck  and  God Bless!

Elizabeth

SWAN LAKE COTTAGE

[Ray14]

You seem awfully nice to deal so politely with their rude attitude and to offer to cook them breakfast, even asking how they like their eggs. I have a hard time dealing with rude people, because it is just so easy to be polite and considerate - it's not that hard to extend common courtesy.