What items do you think are necessary in the bathroom?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all well.

Recently, I have been seeing lots of wonderful posts from hosts giving each other feedback about their listings and how they could improve in terms of what they provide their guests. Today, I thought it would be interesting to ask which items you feel are essential in the bathroom for guests? What do you provide in your bathroom? Maybe you think that providing soap and at least one roll of toilet paper is a must but that's it, or perhaps you provide everything they could possibly need (shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, cotton wool pads etc.....)

Feel free to share your experiences and any tips and tricks :-). 

I look forward to seeing your replies!

Quincy

[Suzette5]

I leave a welcome set - PERSONALISED  If I have enough lead-time, I have the guests' photos on the label of the little tubes - its easy and cheap.  Bnb Personal Labels is an online ordering for personalised welcome sets.  My guests love it and I have had great reviews.  I have a stock of my own labelled toiletries - with my own logo on them for when I don't have time to put the guests' photo on them.  I change mine as often as I like.  Love them!  www.bnbpersonallabel.com

https://www.bnbpersonallabel.com/pages/gallery

[Judy200]

Thanks to all for some great ideas. I’ll upgrade our bath offerings tomorrow. 

[Regina38]

I have private apartments 3 with washer/dryer and one without. I put at least 8 each of hand towels and large bath towels. A big stack of wash cloths(some match towels and some bleachable ones from the $ store) at least 10. Anything that gets messed up I then use as a cleaning rag. 

I supply some laundry detergent and some dryer sheets so they can launder linens as needed. 

I supply shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand soap in a pump bottle. 

3 rolls of tp, 2 bath mats, a small throw rug in front of sink, a cup with lid that has holes for tooth brush, hair dryer and cleaning supplies including s few cleaning rags. 

In the unit without laundry I supply extra towels and have some hidden in unit for emergencies(I E someone uses all the towels and demands more and I can't get to them) I let guests know I need at least 2 to 3 days to get laundry back so give me towels when halfway through supply so they do not run out. They leave in hall and message me so I can get them and wash them. I don't care how many they use. Once they run out of consumables they have to get more on their own. I mostly get longer term business guests. 

[Steve2743]

2 towels, 2 face cloths, 2 hand towels, hand soap, 1 roll of toilet paper per guest for every two nights that they're staying, floor towel, shampoo, blow dryer, and a night light for nighttime visits to the bathroom. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Well, what host will offer in the bathroom (or anywhere in the unit) depends of the nightly price and country . For example I've heard that in Brasil , water, electricity, sheets, towels etc are so expensive that they are not included in nightly price and guest has to bring his own. For the same price you will rent an apartment in one country and a single room in another, you can rent cheap or luxury apartment in the same town.... and of course you can not expect the same amount of freebees at all those units.

The question was - What is THE MINIMUM any guest would expect anywhere?

1. Well, I would expect shower / sink with hot water / bath mat / WC / 1 roll of toilet paper /hand soap anywhere in the world. 
2. I would expect 2 towels /  few rolls of toilet paper / hair dryer in developed countries.
3. I would like to find more toiletries in more expensive units but it is not neccessary, I usually bring with me everyhing I need.

But, I would like to know - what is the difference between face towel - face cloth - wash cloth? Is that neccessary? It is not common here, we use just 2 towels , one for body and one for face and hands.  I am asking bc we provide 2 towels and half of our guests use just 1 of them .

[Susan10]

I would add that long term stays are totally different from 2 night stays in what perhaps a guest can't live without.  Most of my guests are long term.  Most of them literally bring all their stuff with them and just stash away those neat and thoughtfull amenities that I took the time to provide.  They don't use them.  

[Beth80]

Thank you for mentioning the different expectations for each country. I'm an American hosting in Brasil.

I guess the minimum here would be toilet, sink and shower. My shower has hot water which is a bonus.  No, the sink doesn't have hot water. I provide high quality bath towel and hand towels for each guest as well as TP, small hotel size bar soap for the shower and liquid hand soap. Under the sink I keep shampoo, conditioner,and body lotion as well as mosquito repellent and sun screen. I leave a note that says if they need anything to just ask. So far no one has asked for extras. Often they bring their own towels and are surprised that I have provide one.

[Sarah977]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  As this old thread just surfaced, which I had never read, I saw that your question about the difference between face cloth/face towel/wash cloth was never answered. 

Those are all what I would call the same thing. And it is used to scrub/wash your face or body, i.e. it is used wet. The hand towel is for drying your face or hands.

Some people don't use wash cloths at all. Women tend to use them more than men.

I provide a washcloth, a hand towel and 2 bath towels for each guest. I find the second bath towel often doesn't get used at all, it's still neatly folded up on the shelf. But some women, including me, will use one bath towel to wrap around their body and one to wrap around their wet hair, especially if they have long hair, which is why I provide 2.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Sarah977  hm..   it never crossed my mind I would need 3 towels 🙂

[J-Renato0]

Hello @Branka-and-Silvia0

In general, I like your posts, usually fair and sometimes with good humour!
I would not have posted in this topic if it was not for the fact that you mentioned Brazil! 🙂

What you were told is not the truth about prices and costs in Brazil.
Brazil has been floating between the 5 and 9 postion in terms of gross domestic product in the last 5 years. It in not an underdeveloped country. You can see the chart I attached to this post 🙂

I can tell you that water and electricity bills are not too high, actually are very affordable. Moreover, the prices for sheets and towels are not expensive! 🙂  The brazilians and the guests can have a shower everyday !!!! 🙂

The apartments I have to let have linens, blankets and towels available.
As for electricity bill, It is only charged seperately only if the properties are let mid-term. In this case, when the electricity bill goes over the normal consume, then the excessive consume may be charged separately.

Now Answering @Quincy topic:

Usually, I do not let the listing for less than 4 nights.
In the bathroom of my accommodations the guest find enough toilet paper for their entire stay. Only if the stay is longer than 28 day that they will have buy t-paper for the next month.
There is also available 2 soaps, one by the washbasin and another in the shower box.
There is also medium sized towels and hand towels available. Usually 1 or 2 sets to each guest.

Going further, In the apartment it is availble a hairdrier, an iron and iron-board, what is common place in 4 stars hotel rooms in the U.S. I think it can be useful, although few guests do ironing.
In the kitchen it is also available basic ingredients such as sugar, coffee and salt to easy the guest short stay.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@J-Renato0 sorry, I didn't want to say and never thought that Brasil is underdeveloped country 🙂 although it maybe sounded like that. English is not my native language and sometimes I don't express my thoughts correctly. 

I've heard that information about high prices for electricity and sheets  here on CC from one Brasilian host. I am happy if that is not true 🙂 

Sorry for misunderstanding 🙂

[J-Renato0]

@Branka-and-Silvia0, It is ok, I understand ! 🙂 No problem.

Well, last week I had a guest that told me that some time ago she booked a listing in another state in Brazil, and there was no linens included in the "service" !!!

Searching airbnbs... I saw a listing in Rio that the host said he does not provide linens or towels. In the list he said it was a low cost accommodation, with special price !

Now I remember that, sometime ago, I had a guest from Uruguay (the country) who said she was a host in Punta del Este city, a famous place for its beaches... She said that she does not provide linens and towels. Anyway she does not rent the accommodation  for less then 7 nights.

Thinking twice, maybe it is a way to offer a lower price by saving money with laundry and less "service".

So, maybe it is kind of "low cost air companies" that offer less services included in the price.

Maybe Airbnb should offer a kind of option before booking... the low cost option if the guest bring its linens and towels! 🙂

Best regards!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@J-Renato0 

obviously it's a good idea for some areas where loundry service costs are high. 

As far as I know, here in Croatia sheets and towels are always provided but often Air conditioner is charged extra because electricity is expensive. 

[Linda-And-Richard0]

We keep a large supply of freshly laundered bath towels in the linen pantry.  There are always at least 4 rolls of toilet tissue for each bathroom, along with travel-size bar of bath soap, make-up removal pads and a hair dryer.  I provide a basket filled with travel size toothpaste, mouth wash, lotion and shampoo.  There are new tooth brushes available upon request. 

[Evelyn86]

I guess almost every item necessary is already mentioned but in case i didnt see it:  I provide a toilet plunger. Disposable shower caps. Extra light bulbs for vanity and fan. An inflatable bathtub pillow (the one with the suction cups). Floss. Nail clipper. Nail files. I don't provide any pain killers. Don't want to be responsible for any bad reactions, etc ( plenty of 24 hour stores for that in Brooklyn). Great thread!