To request money or not?

[Breece0]

We recently had a honeymoon couple stay with us. Their initital request to book with us asked us if we could do something special to make the place more romantic and even said they'd be willing to pay.

We got a cheap bottle of champagne for them, half a dozen roses and some candles. We even made chocolate covered strawberries for them. Probably spent 50 bucks total. They just checked out and thanked us kindly for everything however did not leave any kind of gratuity. Other than left over food and a cloth cooler bag. Should I request money from them on the app? Or would that seem petty?

Has any one had any similar issues?

[Ana1136]

@Breece0 I wouldn't request money. If you wanted to get paid you should have requested money before doing all that when they offered to pay. Since you didn't, they assumed that is was your way of making them comfortable. Also you shouldn't expect signs of gratitude for anything, if is welcomed when they do something in return but it is easier not to expect anything. 

[Mark116]

@Breece0   I think it's too late to ask them to pay, if you wanted compensation you should have made that clear up front and sent them the costs before they checked out. 

I have found that people who ask for extras are not grateful.  Our one and only example, a woman asked us to pick up a couple of items for her daughter's birthday, cookies and balloons, and leave them in the unit while they were out.  We left them cookies [we had already given them a small cake when they checked in], so we spent time to shop, time to place in the unit and $$, we got a thanks, NO OFFER TO PAY, which we would have of course declined anyway...and a 4 star rating on value and overall.  That was the thanks we got, and we had done other things for this particular family over and above the normal stuff.  Let it be a lesson to you. 

[Breece0]

Wow that's crazy! Thanks for the advice. We're still learning the ropes with hosting. There is definitely an art to it.

We're hoping we can at least get a 5 star from them at this point. Lesson learned 🙂

[Emilia42]

@Mark116 OMG! ugh, some people ...

[Justin271]

In general I leave every guest a bottle of wine, a few chocolates, a few snacks and base it in my rate as gratis. When a guest indicates in advance that they are staying at my listing as a special occasion weather it be an anniversary, birthday or wedding I’ll leave a card for them and occasionally other small gifts. These are small offerings that goes a long way and to show my gratitude for them choosing to stay at my Casita. I ask nothing return. I suggest in the future when you do have such a request from a guest asking for something special give them wonderful suggestions and recommendations to romantic places to eat, see or experience nearby that won’t cost you a thing but they will appreciate the thoughtfulness of these suggestions and that you are considering them. For what it’s worth just how I like to host and I’m sure you’ll get your rhythm.

[Kelly149]

@Breece0  I don’t likely think this will happen again, but as an idea:

”what is your budget?”  Set the idea that the shopping/delivering is the gift but the items they will pay for. 

And id probably skip it all together bc one man’s romance is another man’s tacky and everyone has different preferences. For example, I despise fruit & chocolate together. I know many consider it wonderful but I just can’t.