Questions about how to review a couple of things that happened recently

[Karin12]

Hello community!

I've been hosting for about 2 years now. Lots of great experiences, but 2 incidents happened lately and I'm second guessing myself about how to review the guests. I have 2 guest rooms in my primary residence.

Incident #1

Young couple stayed with us for 2 nights. They were friendly and seemed to be respectful about the rules, for example they came and asked if they could use the microwave in the kitchen (which of course they could), before actually going ahead and using it. My additional rules state: "Men, please put down the toilet seat after using the toilet. No noise or hot tubbing after 11 pm due to city noise bylaws." The second night we were up watching tv until about 11:30 then retured about midnight. At 12:15 as I was trying to fall asleep, I heard them go into the shared bathroom and start drawing a bath. They were talking and their voices were carrying a little because there isn't much to absorb the sound in the bathroom. After about 10 minutes I went and knocked on the door and asked them to keep it down. They turned off the water and then stayed in the bathroom until about 1 am, all the while still talking and making tub-thumping sounds. The next morning I saw that they had left the non-slip tub mat (that usually goes inside the tub) out on the bathroom floor. Later that day my son reported also having found the toilet seat left up a couple times while they were there.

So I'm thinking that I will factually state that they took a noisy midnight bath in the review. There was no indication from their previous reviews that this might be an issue. Pretty sure that they were having sex in the bathroom, which I don't care about except for the fact that they were making noise after 11 pm and I found this to be disrespectful. I would still recommend them as guests, but think that I should give them a 3/5 on observance of rules. Do I need to make my statement about noise (above) more clear that it applies to inside the house as well?

Incident #2

Another nice young couple who only stayed for 1 night. They used the hot tub and as far as we can tell didn't otherwise use the washroom to take any showers. The next day the bedding was covered in foundation smears. If they wash out ok do you ever mention it in the review (privately) or dock for cleanliness? If they don't wash out ok do you bring it up? I'm just curious what other host's thoughts are on this.

Would love to hear feedback.

Thanks!

[Linda108]

@Karin12  You have two different incidents here.  The first was about the guests' fitting into a shared home and your review could reflect that they might be bettered served in a hotel.  It is a warning to hosts without specifics and it is true.  Toilet seat position and midnight bath tub activities would not be a problem for some hosting situations.

Guests do not always use the shower of course and body lotion and make up can get on the sheets.  Even if the sheets are stained, it would be deemed normal wear and tear.  I think you would not be able to get reimbursement for stained sheets.  I would call out the stains to the guests in private message unless you felt that somehow these guests were especially disrespectful of your property.

Just my thoughts...

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Karin12 Honestly I don’t find any of the above incidents to be egregious enough to call out in a public review. I would amend your House Rules to include a firm quiet time after 11pm - both inside and out. The makeup stains don’t sound like they did them on purposes. Like @Linda108 mentioned, I would send a private message to the guest letting them know makeup stains are tough to remove and future hosts will be happy if they wash their face before bed. 

[Fred13]

I would take the same tack as others, overlook such small discretions, but RUN to my 'Points to Remember' (aka House Rules for some) and re-examined them and think of ways they can be more emphatic, in a tackful manner however, to ~lessen~ such things from reoccurring.

[David126]

@Linda108

I like the phrase 'Toilet Seat Position'.

Not sure it warrants the Big Thumb Down.

[Marzena4]

Trying to be objective, @Karin12, I would say that you can't expect a guest who often comes from a different background to absorb all the rules you have within a day or two. If rules like that toilet seat position are so important for you, make sure you put a notice in the toilet to remind your guests. Also a notice in the bathroom. From my observation, we hosts cannot expect our guests to walk around with the house rules print-outs. 

In my place for, example, the most essential and most often broken rule was "no outside footwear in bedrooms" so it resulted in putting notices on the bedroom doors.

[Gordon0]

Personally, I find these two 'issues' part and parcel of sharing your home (and being paid for it). If I saw a mention of either of these in a review (from the host) I'd run, fast, and avoid at all costs. 

As for putting a 'rule' in about the loo seat; hilarious.