Thank you all for this discussion. We have been hosting for almost a year now and thought we had our bases pretty well covered.
We started hosting because we have had such positive experiences as guests with Airbnb and other such companies as compared to standard hotels and even luxury resorts and time shares.
Having experienced a variety of styles, we thought it was standard for Airbnb style rentals (not to mention high-end timeshare resorts) that a few essentials be provided, i.e. dish soap, laundry soap, paper towels, a trash bag or two, and a roll or two of toilet paper per bathroom. No soap, shampoo, dryer sheets, nor fabric softner. Only occasionally were we suprized to find some coffee and tea and maybe some muffins.
Early on in our Airbnb career (we will take into account that it was the begining of covid) we left a case of toilet paper in a closet in the hallway, a huge stack of paper plates in the pantry, a large stack of dryer sheets in the laundry room... you see where this is going. They did not all dissapear at once but they were obviously not all used on premises.
So we tightened things up, put supplies in a locked space, provided no paper plates or dryer sheets and never had any complaints until recently. One guest was suprized that he be expected to supply his own toilet paper, and I was suprized that he was suprized. He left an overall good review but mentioned the T.P. Got me wondering whats expected.
Seeing this topic let me know that there is no norm. I am still suprized to see how many guests actually expect the cut rates and hotel service. At least now I know I need to be clear in my listings what they can expect.
That solved, now do I need to put it in my listings that the towels are not housewarming gifts for the taking? Fancy Wal-Mart towels are apparently in high demand these days.
(cofee, tea, cocoa, snacks go untouched...)