What are your pet peeves as a host?

Irina47
Level 6
Portland, OR

What are your pet peeves as a host?

At the risk of sounding high maintenance I would like to hear from other hosts about their teeny pet peeves that, in the grand spectrum of guests every month, turn into giant paint-in-the-you-know-what annoyances. I’m talking about a pattern of something guests do, maybe it’s weekly, or monthly, but you as a host come across it enough for it to drive you crazy.

 

Especially those hosts who deal with their guests and property personally. Those of us who don’t have cleaning people, those that selected and purchased every item in your space by hand and even to the smallest washing cloth, you really care about each item you place in the space you offer.

 

I have a simple room in my home that I Airbnb out. It’s been just under a year and I can’t complain as so far I’ve had pretty wonderful guests. However, every few weeks, I do get a guest that sleeps in their make-up. Once they checkout, the pillows and sheets have make-up residue such as mascara or foundation on them. These products are SO hard to wash out. The makeup issue extends to my towels also. I’ll leave specific small washcloths to be used but still I get guests who insist on removing their makeup into my fluffy hand towels and the stains are permanent. At this point I think I’m going to invest in some makeup removing towelettes and leave them in the room to encourage a clean face.

 

So what code of conduct do you wish to see in your guests? Maybe you’ve found a good way to combat a reoccurring peeve of your own? I would love to know.

63 Replies 63

Sorry. That's PineApple Hospitality site

@Nancy67  Looks super chic too! Great Job host! 

Jenny205
Level 2
Austin, TX

My worst experiences:

 

-Guest who used an airbrush spray tan machine in the bathroom. There was a film of spray tan on every surface (walls, ceiling, towels, grout and sheets) and spray tanned fingerprints on the walls and doors throught the house.

 

-Guest (who is also an AirBNB host) who pulled a cabinet off the hinges and out of the wall, chipped my quartz countertop in the kitchen, stained the bedroom carpet and then moved the furniture to try to cover it up, and left a hot mug on the coffee table leaving a permanent ring (even though there were coasters sitting on the table for her use)

I had a fellow host knock me down a star once because he didn't read the listing before booking. It was very nicely stated that we didn't install a hard door on our Airstream bathroom in the renovation, that it is "curtained only" and that shy guests, those traveling with a new friend, or those who require extra privacy might find this feature uncomfortable. Instead-- he busted me in the posted review that"there is no door on the bathroom." He also busted me back a star on location, because he didn't look at the map and a star on accuracy, also because of the bathroom issue. 

I also had a guest once leave a nasty private feedback about the bathroom needing to be cleaner, only to privately text me later and apologize that he mixed me up with another stay on the same trip. 

We have it stated in 3 places that wearing high heels on the soft pine floors, leaves divots, and please put those types of shoes on or take them off downstairs-- in our in-home space. When we say, hey maybe you can put those on when you come downstairs and maybe take them off before going up, please? We never come back from it and get 4 star ratings. It's always American women under 30 that leave the picky 4 star reviews. I have come to dread them. They can't be pleased for anything  and their level of expectation is $500 a night Downtown hotel for my $70 a night private bed bath.  They refuse to comply with my "please don't wear high heels on the painted pine floors upstairs, it leaves dents." Instead, they get really mad when we ask nicely then leave a crap review. I cringe every time I get a request from them because I know it's either bite my tongue and live with the damage, or say something and live with the review damage. 

Nancy, oh my! And here I thought hosts were likely to make the best guests.

I have had many hosts stay here-- all but that "one guy" was not good-- and I had one woman, who was with a boyfriend who is also a host leave things in less than ship shape, that surprised me a little. 

Fab2
Level 4
Mākaha, HI

Lack of common sense by far. It's even less common than the saying lets on. 

 

 

 

Randolph1
Level 3
Tacoma, WA

For the makeup problem... I get the costco make-up remover and rave about it to my guest. I leave it out in plain view on the sink.  I have a white towel,on a towel ring nearby... seems like they are using the Costco make-up remover.   That's just what I do.... 

Ellen104
Level 4
Denver, CO

Hair in the shower drain!  I have an antique tub with a permanent hair trap.  When guests allow hair to accumulate, it causes the water to back up and makes the tub so much dirtier and difficult to clean.  Makes me crazy!!! I now have cleaning the shower drain after each shower as a part of my house rules.  🙂  Still, some guests ignore it, but most honor this rule.

 

Also, for those complaining about ruined towels.  Stop buying light-colored things!  All of my towels are shades of blue or gray which don't really lend themselves to staining (although fading is an issue).  I have one set of lavender towels.  I've never had the issue with staining.  My mother ingrained in me never buying light-colored things for the house unless you wanted to spend all your time cleaning it.  Do yourself a favor and skip the white towels.  It's not a hotel, so it's really not necessary. 

Lexena0
Level 2
Burbank, CA

My long-term guest loves to leave all the windows opened, despite it's written on my house rules, what should I do?

Any solutions?

Have you tried putting locks on the windows?  This would only work if access isn't need in case of an emergency such as a fire.

 

@Rosemary12 Thanks, but I have 14 windows, any ideas what kind of locks should I use.

Locking windows in a residence so people inside can't open them is illegal in most jurisdictions and a fire code violation. Would you want to stay in a place if you knew you had no alternative points of egress??

Alan96
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

I should just like to be able to make sense of the accounts. I am not an accountant so plain and simple would be helpful.  This afternoon I have tried to track payments and payouts but its beyond me and actually when I telephoned ( lengthy wait then lengthy call ) the paid adviser couldn't make sense of the figures.

I've now asked for an audit twice so lets see if it happens.

Alan

I live on the premises so guests get a personal introduction tour. I unashamedly tell them that all my deluxe Ralph Lauren supefluffy towels are squeaky clean, and the small stains you see are waterproof mascara which stays on like a bad reputation. We have a laugh.

There is a bowl of wipes and makeup remover on the bathroom table. I do not point it out, but afyer I started telling this NO NEW STAINS!!!