Guests burning candles - do you allow it?

[Alexandra316]

So I have a guest who booked with us for next week for 4 days. We host an apartment in our home. Last night, I got an email asking us if we would get candles for them because it was her friend's birthday. I asked for clarification, partially because there's a language barrier: did she mean birthday candles for a cake, or candles for decor? It was the latter: she wanted me to set up candles all around the flat. I wrote back saying that I'm not comfortable with that due to the fire risk, and we also don't have candle holders. I did let her know that if she was interested in me getting some flameless candles, I would be happy to look at picking some up. 

She wrote back in an offended tone, saying that she just wanted them for decor and saying that she wasn't interested in flameless candles. I said okay, no problem, and let her know that if she changes her mind I would look into adding some. However, due to the tone of her email, I'm thinking that we may be in for a less than favourable review. 

I have since gone in and added a rule against candles. I've been hosting for a year and a half, and this has never been an issue before. I hate it when people make me change my rules. We have bookshelves in the bedroom on either side of the bed, and I worry that if people set them on those shelves, it could be quite easy for something to catch fire. 

I'm just wondering what other hosts' attitudes are towards candles, and if you've had any problems with them. 

[Diana320]

Alexandra,

Sorry to hear that your guest is being demanding like this...maybe it's okay to have the nerve to make such a request for a special romantic occasion gesture....but it should be okay if the host says no too (in my opinion).

I have two candles out in our Airbnb house (people rent the whole house).  One is by the master jacuzzi bathtub and one is on one of the master bedroom nightstands.  They are both travel candles meaning that they are in tin/metal containers....they seem to rarely get used.  But I think that you have every right to say no without being given a bad review.  It's can be stressful sometimes when we take pride and care in being good hosts to have that risk hanging even when we try to do everything right.   Good luck and keep us posted on what happens!

[Alexandra316]

@Diana320Yeah, it'll be disappointing if it translates to a poor review, especially since I did offer an alternative. Only time will tell... hopefully all will be well. 

I accomodate most guest requests, but a house full of candles just makes me uneasy. I agree that if you ask for something that's outside of the scope of what you've booked, you have to accept it if the host says no.

Unless you're staying at the Ritz, that is: I heard an interview with the manager of the Ritz in Toronto the other day, and he was talking about some of the extreme requests they've accomodated. He said that they have a guest who brings all their own furniture with them whenever they visit, and the guest asks that they decorate the suite just like the guests' own house. Of course, their base room charge is 10 times what mine is, but I can only imagine some of the crazy things their guests ask for. 

[Diana320]

Thanks for sharing that entertaining tidbit from the manager of the Ritz.  🙂

[Gordon0]

I don't allow candles on the basis that a) many guests aren't as careful as I might be (fire hazard etc) and b) over time, candles make for dirty ceilings. 

[Alexandra316]

@Gordon0Thanks. I agree about the not being careful thing, plus they do leave a lot of soot. I also dislike a lot of the scented ones: most of them smell horrible, and I din't really want that in the space. 

[Kelly149]

@Alexandra316

directly from my House Manual:

FIRE SAFETY: We have both a fire pit (only available if the county has not issued a burn ban -- please inquire to confirm) and charcoal grill. You may use several logs from our firewood pile, no bonfires. You will need to purchase charcoal briquettes for use with the grill & clean the grill after use. Carefully monitor fire pit or charcoal grill, do not leave fire/embers unattended, wildfire risk is a real concern in the Texas Hill Country. Do not allow smoke to enter interior spaces. The only open flame allowed in the barn is birthday cake candles, and these only long enough to sing the happy birthday song.
There is a fire extinguisher on the top kitchen shelf. Notify us if you had cause to use it.

[Alexandra316]

@Kelly149Thanks, I like your wording and I'm going to borrow it. 

[Susan151]

@Alexandra316. No open flames. Old wooden house and candles do NOT mix. I have not made it a house rule though since it is just common sense.

[Lawrene0]

I don't allow candles @Alexandra316. (Treehouse made of wood, in a tree made of...)

It was one of the first rules I had to add -- after hosting only twice, I think. Wax and burned plastic melted to the stove, the shelf, down the wall, the floor. They had used plastic camp cereal bowls as candle holders.

Romantic or what?

[Alexandra316]

@Lawrene0Fancy! The smell of burning plastic probably contributed to the romantic ambiance as well. 

Yeah in your place, I can definitely understand why you wouldn't want candles. 

[Leo192]

Dear @Alexandra316 - When I first started doing ABB in Oct2018 I bought some nice scents candles for the cottage for guests to used.  Well after finding out guests are typically not attentive to even turning off lights when they step out for awhile I then thought they could do the same for a lit candles.   That's when I decided to take the candles out and put in our House Rules - NO LIT CANDLES ALLOWED.  Just playing it safe.

[Sonya55]

No candles or any of the “ plug in” scent products, per our fireman family member’s  advice ! I have a fire extinguisher in each bedroom closet , plus one on kitchen counter. ( We watched another condo unit burn next door because of a tenant cooking , so that has amped up my pre-cautions!) 

[Alexandra316]

@Sonya55Interesting that your fireman relation also mentioned the scented wax products. I don't like the smell of them, but I thought they were fairly safe. Maybe something I should add to the rules as well: thanks!

[Alexandra316]

@Leo192That's it: some guests don't turn off lights, lock the door when they check out, etc: I can only imagine a situation with a candle would be similar. Throw alcohol into the mix (I'm in wine country and a lot of people are visiting for tastings and fancy dinners) and I think it's a recipe for disaster. No judgement: I like a nice glass or two of wine myself, but it certainly impairs both judgement and memory.