Muslims Guests during Ramadan

Víctor9
Level 5
New York, NY

Muslims Guests during Ramadan

I recently had a family of Muslims during Ramandan. 

Longs story short: they didn't breach any house rule, but they cooked at night very smelly food (crickets or some kind of insects), stayed awake all the night (noise, lights), etc.. making it very uncomfortable for the hosts during those 2 days. They told me they were going to cook, but not during night and not that kind of food, which we are not used to it in Occidental culture and its really stinky food (that by the way, please someone tell me how to eliminate the odor from the house because there is no way I can't eliminate it). This experience made me just close the kitchen for anything more than to make coffee or tea or a fast breakfast, which is sad, because I like to make my guests feel like home.

There is really not much as a Host we can do to avoid this, more than increasing the rules and increase how hard they are (not cook after 22 pm, not cook at all, NO USE OF THE KITCHEN AT ALL), and that's bad for the guests too.

Why Airbnb doesn't put some checkpoint where the guests have to let know in advance if his/her schedule is going to be very different compared with the normal population, especially in for example festivals, Marathons, Ramadán, etc??. Something that let the Host know that guests is not a normal guest doing tourism, and his/her schedule plans a very special situation that may need some special things (like cooking at night, being awake at night, need to go to sleep at 7pm because next day has to run a Marathon so he is looking for a place with no noise after 7 pm, etc...) 

 

I know most of us in case we would need those things we would ask in advance, but there is many people that just book and then they act. Some really easy things could make a very big difference for guests and hosts. 

 

Best

 

Victor

 

13 Replies 13

We shall be non discriminating, but when Airbnb CS does not protect the host who has some house rules violated, then the CS is discriminating the host in his right. All laws enforce silence at night in non ** countries. 

 

I had to issues with disrespect of non smoking house rules from ** guests. I am discriminating or am I being discriminated ?

 

My ** guest from ** smoke although he perfectly saw the non smoking sign. He did ravage the sofa (with ashes?). 
i claimed 40 euro for curtain and sofa cleaning. But Airbnb did not help me. The guest get free out of it. Paid nothing. Extra work was on me.

 

Airbnb was on the side of guests who violates houser rules. Once, a team of guest of ** smoke even after we told them 4 times to stop, and burned the bin. Close to put my house in fire. 

Sad to say, but because Airbnb CS does not protect the host good enough, I will avoid “cultures” who disrespect non smoking house rules. 

**[Comment edited in line with the Airbnb Nondiscrimination Policy]

This is nothing to do with them being Muslim but because they were disrespectful young men who broke your house rules. @Eric-And-Roslina0 

 

In your situation I would have asked Airbnb to cancel the booking and ask the guest to leave if they were smoking inside of my non smoking property. 

I'm not sure why you would bring these guests religion into it 😢

I do bring the fact that smoking or not smoking regulations and feelings about it is different from countries to countries, and from “culture” to culture. New comers in non smoking countries do not always take it seriously. And when it was my wife who told them, they did not take it seriously at all. I was not at home. As you said, next time I kick them out. I am now angry at Airbnb CS because they did not support me with the last smoker who on top of it did ravage the sofa . I wanted to charge a little cleaning fee, Airbnb CS  declined.  

because of that, I will refuse such guests in the future. 

@Eric-And-Roslina0  While smoking may be more frowned upon in some cultures as opposed to others, I can assure you that guests from places where smoking in public places or in a rented home isn't considered acceptable, are just as likely to ignore your no smoking rule if they are smokers.

 

Thanks Sarah. I do regret my previous comment.

 

the last single guest who smoke, I did not recommend bug still wrote a good comment for him. As he is just new and uneducated citizens who need to learn (learning by paying a fee and receiving a warning from Airbnb) 

 

We receive happily people from all races, religions and colors. And we have friends in all groups 

 

we did also found a few disrespectful people on all groups without exceptions. 

 

I went too far and am sorry for that. You can be sure we are on the same wavelength, we worked in international multicultural circles.

i did request a call from a manager of Airbnb, as I expect much more from them. My issue is with their professional ism. 

 

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

 @Eric-And-Roslina0 , I agree with @Helen3, they weren't bad guests because they were Muslim, they were bad guests cause they didn't show respect for your posted rules and spaces. Stay well, JR

 

 

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

@Víctor9 , Maybe Muslim isnt as much a part of this situation .  Folks of all persuasions often eat stuff that smells bad to me, I have a sensitive sniffer myself so I can relate to your situation.   This might be a good time to restrict kitchen use due to a pandemic anyways, it seems like a share that doesnt make sense at this point.  We have small kitchenettes in our two home suites and they serve guests pretty well.  Also, a strong posted quiet time policy in your rules should eliminate folks that would try to rent your place whose circadian clock isnt on the same zone as yours, Stay well, JR

Bez8
Host Advisory Board Member
Vancouver, Canada

I'm going to have to agree with most hosts here

 

the problem has nothing to do with being Muslim or Ramadan for that matter. I also highly doubt that they were cooking insects. Unless you witnessed it,  I would refrain from making assumptions. 

 

However, I do agree with you regarding out of "norm" activities being communicated with hosts. For example we rented an Airbnb with an outdoor hot tub which the host told me was closed after 10pm. 

 

One of the nights I messaged the host in the evening asking if we could use the hot tub after 10pm given we'd be super quiet. The host really appreciated the communication and told us to be careful because there was limited lighting getting to the hot tub. 

 

Cooking after hours is a tough one. I think in a scenario like this the guest and host have a part to play. As an experienced guest I would have let the host know that due to my fasting I would be cooking later in the night. This might cause excessive noise and odour (if sharing with the host or other guests). As an experienced host who has had issues with cleansing odour, I would bring it up prior to check in. 

 

Something like...."I just wanted to note that our place's natural airflow is limited and it's really hard to get strong odours out. This might cause us issues getting the place ready for future guests. If you do cook items with stronger odours, please make sure to keep the fan on and perhaps open a window"

 

this is just an example. 

 

@Víctor9 @Helen3 @Melodie-And-John0 @Eric-And-Roslina0 

@Bez8 "I also highly doubt that they were cooking insects."

 

LOL, spoken like a true first worlder. Many cultures throughout the world have insects as a part of their diet. Any big market you go to in Mexico will have baskets of dried grasshoppers for sale.

 

More humans should be eating insects. They are high in protein and don't lead to destruction of the environment as things like cutting down rainforests to provide land for grazing cattle does.

Bez8
Host Advisory Board Member
Vancouver, Canada

@Sarah977 

 

hahhaha 

 

I agree, but the comment was more towards making assumptions without fact. This has a deep connection to typical stereotypes that are just simply not true. 

 

I've had my fair share of grasshoppers (both in Mexico and the Middle-East)

 

overconsumption and planned obsolescence is another topic all together. I can talk about that all day every day. 

@Sarah977 ,  I have friends that like to eat bugs but I actually try to avoid eating them (but that's just me), but then again I was raised and live around farms filled with yummy cows, chickens, pigs and other critters that are plentiful.   Funny story, I had a friend that owned a tiny deli like place in town that refused to touch, cook or serve fish, shrimp, crabs, lobster or other sea creatures, he called them all "Bugs".   I can't lie, they sure look like big bugs to me.   (Big tasty bugs!).  Stay well, JR

@Melodie-And-John0  They are sort of insects of the sea, and I've heard shrimp described as such before.

Dimitar27
Level 10
Sofia, Bulgaria

Actually, there is no "religious" cuisine. They are all regional and vary upon products availability. In some areas, insects are included, because there are plenty of them. For sure, no Muslim in Eastern Europe and Balkans region is using insects for food.