@Clare0 BRAVO Clare for being so great with your advice on writing this review. He absolutely should write an honest review. Why are more and more hosts admitting on the CC that they dont' write a review?!? I just don't understand this thinking at all. So they think its ok for me to get THEIR CHALLENGING guests and not warn me ahead of time with an honest review?
I am going to be doing the same thing with a current KOREAN guests who has already broken 5 rules in 48 hours, (Left ceiling fan and lights on in bedroom for 9 hours), also decides to save money by washing laundry in the private bathroom, (hung her AND HER MOTHERS bras and panties on our beach drying line in front of our house where we told them was for only bikinis, towels and wet beach clothes! (My husband is absolutely hating this because we see the line from our kitchen window as we wash dishes!)
I have actually told her this now 3xs, and this morning I find them hanging "underwear and tshirts again" after taking a 20 min shower (they take 3 showers a day) and my house Manual clearly talks about not taking excessive showers due to Hawaii water shortage and our limited solar water heater and we have 3 others in my family that need to take HOT showers daily too. Yet, they keep washing their clothes, even though I have FREE washer and dryer service. They keep using all the hot water that I couldn't take a shower for 2 hours waiting for more hot water yesterday for a meeting. Talk about frustrating!!!! Its been so draining dealing with the mother who doesn't speak English at all, and the daughter who keeps saying She is sorry, but doesn't stop the aggravating behavior. I even wrote a message to her on her AIRBNB account to put it into writing about the constant breaking of House Rules, and to address that I have repeatedly told her to limit her showers to one per day if possible, 2 is ok, if one can be short. But they are never short showers. I even had to knock on door this morning to remind her that its my daughters FIRST day of High School and she needs the hot water to take shower. We told them this 5 xs in 24 hours not to use the hot water before 8am, but THEY BOTH TOOK SHOWERS at 7am! This review of mine is going to be the hardest one for me to write because they are kind people to thank me for my delicious Hawaiian breakfasts, kind to my cats and dogs, but the communication is just being ignored regarding my House Rules and House Manual and I also speak to guests directly in my home.
When I asked her to remember to turn off fans and lights before leaving our home, her reply is....Ok Momi, can you please keep reminding me? I looked at her in absolute dismay and said, "Do I need a reminder from you to have breakfast ready at 8am with Black coffee that you only told me once? She said, "You are right, you have been a great host., but traveling with my mom has been very stressful. I am so sorry Momi, I will try harder."
@Khwan0 For all of us hosts everywhere, please be sure to write what Clare suggested. I am curious....do you live near your property that you could have driven over to check on toilet yourself first? Or do you have a friend or nearby neighbor that could have been called to check on toilet and TV before spending the $200? Maybe put TV operating instructions in your place. I needed them for my California ABB and was glad the host had it in his guidebook.
That's one expensive plumber you had to hire....YIKES!!!....My own emergency plumber caused by my guests (19 year old girl) cost me $160. She was told NOT to put feminine products down our toilet and she put 5 tampons .....causing a flood in our home. I was not there. SO UPSETTING! Ruined my Persian rug too. But I didn't charge her for that. But I should have. I found out that she also "stole" those tampons from MY own personal closet which upset me quite a bit. I wrote about that in their review because her aunt was too lazy to ask me FIRST or go to the store that morning. And the worst part was, the Aunt was told to leave money in the ABB room for those tampons and didn't. After she received my less then stellar review, she contacted me and asked if she sends the money, could I please change my review. I told her; "No, It can't be done. Airbnb doesn't allow that. And you knew I provided an emergency tampon in the bathroom guests basket. No hotel does that. You should have been more respectful by not taking things from my closet without permission and left the cash as I had requested."
I know its hard, but @Khwan0 you need to do the right thing. It doesn't matter if your guests left a review or not, you as the ABB host should want to do right by the community and protect other hosts from taking bookings from her if she is indeed a challenging guests. Did you know if you give her 3 Stars in any category she can't book your place again? Also, you can block her from contacting you again by using the New Feature too.
Be specific in PRIVATE FEEDBACK to your guests. That's what I do. I also tell them EXACTLY why I gave them a lower star in a specific category (In the public review, I write the actual stars. For example: 5 Stars for great communication but 3 Stars for not being neat and tidy guests) and in private I write how they could have been a better guests, like the guest who left 15-20 snotty bundled up kleenex all over the room floor after using them on their nose even though there is a big trash can in the room. I took photos and sent it to the guests so they could see what we had to look at everyday.....EVERYDAY!!!! In this same private feedback, I want them to know how important it is to follow House Rules. That's why some guests get a 3 or 4 Stars from me, but I would MAYBE host them again. If you do not want ot host her again, please write that. Here's a great example of what I would probably write about your guests if it were me. (hypothetical of course)
"This guests was kind during the booking process. She communicated everything we needed to know prior to arrival. However, after check in, this guests had some challenging issues within my home. As a great host, I responded quickly and addressed the issue for her even though it turned out nothing was actually wrong with our toilet and tv according to the professional I hired to go out late at night and check. This was a very costly decision on my part, but I wanted to take good care of my guests. It would not be my desire to host this guests again, but perhaps she would be better suited to stay at an ABB home where the host actually lives there too in order to guide this guests on how to properly operate a toilet and tv. Or even a hotel where they provide maintenance 24 hours a day to help their guests. Thank you for choosing our Airbnb home."
SIDE NOTE:
My current Korean guests (who are getting 3 Stars for Respect of House Rules, but 4 Stars for Communication and Cleanliness) would not be allowed back in my home because even though they are somewhat kind in spirit, they are blaming me for my House Rules and House Manual being too much to remember. Its too draining dealing with someone who thinks saying sorry over and over is ok, but in fact its not. Thats not a good sign of respect. I showed her on her phone where she could locate her email from AIRBNB which contains my House Rules and House Manual in her booking confirmed email. So there is no excuse to not remember these things. I have stayed at 5 Airbnb's homes since 2015 and I have never broken one House Rule. And I lived with my hosts too. One host had just as many House Rules as I did plus more.
In my opinion, if you are going to be an Airbnb guests, make sure you show respect at all times by remembering the rules. I can understand a guests forgetting our ABB ceiling fan their first morning they wake up and leave to go sightseeing (99% DO FORGET), but every morning!??! NO!!!!!
I even tell my guests during their House Tour, that the most important thing to me as their host is for them to turn off all electricity and lock the door at night when they come in late. I am actually going to be asking this guests for additional payment at the end because they have used too much electricity and water during their stay and she knows I am doing this. She is apologetic but I would not host them again. FYI - They leave Thursday.
Maybe share your review with all of us by posting it on the CC. Remember, do not show her name as its against the CC guidelines.
EDITED TO ADD: This is exactly why I now ask every guest with NO reviews if they have stayed at an ABB before? I let them know that I can call ABB and check on this information so be honest! I just received an honest answer yesterday and declined the guests once I heard that the host didn't leave a review after a not so good stay for both guests and hosts. That's disturbing to me that the host chose not to do that. Guests admitted he had broken a rule to me. Fastest Decline ever on my part. Next.
If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.
Aloha, Momi
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