What would you say to a guest who is demanding bottled water?

[Julie143]

The tap water here is safe to drink. Whether or not it’s delicious is a personal preference. I drink it, but am not picky.

For anyone who doesn’t care to drink it straight from the tap, the fridge has a water and ice dispenser in the front. Both are filtered. The filters are changed religiously. I also put a filtering pitcher in the fridge.

If someone *really* wants bottled water, there is a nice grocery store that is a 3 minute walk away. 

The guest is saying I should include bottled water. They haven’t said anything specific is wrong with the tap water, or the filtered water from the fridge or the pitcher. They just think I should have given them some “as a courtesy, like in a hotels and the other 2 Airbnbs” they’ve stayed in.

Well, I don’t like bottled water. It’s a waste of money and natural resources in places with safe tap water.

[Mark116]

I cringe when I see guests bringing in giant cases of bottled water like they think New Jersey is the jungle  or dessert or something.  We've thought of, and probably will put in a Brita pitcher eventually, but haven't done so because that is another item to worry about keeping in pristine condition.....

But I would really have to consciously stop myself if someone demanded bottled water in PRINCETON from going on an unhinged rant against plastics and the stupidity and needless expense of bottled water.

[Beth80]

@Julie143   I have carafes of water in the guest fridge and make a strong point that the water here is drinkable and very good. If I see a guest has bought bottled water I make a point of commenting again on how good our water is. Sadly there is no recycling of plastics here and we are on our second landfill since we moved here! 😞

[Kate-Mary0]

@Julie143 

It sounds like your guest has gotten into the habit of drinking bottled water, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to provide it for them free of charge. As a couple of others have said you could try re-iterating that you offer fresh (and free) drinking water from both the tap and fridge filter -having ice on tap is an added bonus! 

I would certainly play on your green credentials, the planet is in enough of a mess as it is without clogging it up with more used bottles, etc. Hopefully, your guest will understand where you are coming from.

Pleasing guests can be a challenge, it's worth going that extra mile for rave reviews (but only if it doesn't come at too much of a price)! I try and make my guests feel welcome by adding a few personal touches, such as:

Homemade cookies

I include all ingredients on a label to counter issues with food allergies/intolerance. Luckily I love baking (and it's an excuse to eat cookies)! 

A comprehensive welcome book

I provide details as to what's on locally and offers discount codes for local attractions (I have negotiated a few of these with local businesses - I'm a fan of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours)! I found this helpful if you fancy taking a look: https://www.airgms.com/airbnb-welcome-book/

Extra cosy throws / cushions

I like my guests to chill out and feel at home. 

A Handwritten card / note

I always just leave a little card with my cookies to say have an amazing time and remind them of my contact number should they need anything. 

Guests like to feel special in my opinion! But would I offer bottled water - nope! 

Happy Hosting! 

[Paul154]

@Julie143 

Your house, your rules. 

People don't need bottled water, but many are used to it.

Why not compromise? 

Go to the Salvation Army and get a glass bottle with a stopper. 

Fill it with top water, put in fridge. 

It can be an elegant offering.

[Julie143]

I agree with some of the posters that drinking bottled water is a habit he’s gotten into, which I guess is fine in his own house.

He’s a guest and I’m not his mother. I’m not going to lecture him about why disposable plastics are bad. 

From the way he worded his complaint, it’s almost as if he feels “high end” when he’s sipping h2o from a branded bottle instead of a glass. Who am I to rain on his VIP parade? 

😉

I’m certainly not going to drive 1+ hours to bring him what he wants, though.  I explained politely about the filtered options in my house. As I said, there’s a store a short walk away, if it’s that important to him.

If he mentions it in a review, then at least other potential guests who *need* bottled water won’t book here.

[Susan17]

@Julie143 

"The guest is saying I should include bottled water. They just think I should have given them some “as a courtesy, like in a hotels and the other 2 Airbnbs” they’ve stayed in"  Perhaps his previous 2 stays were Airbnb Plus places then... 

From Airbnb's "How To Get Good Reviews as a Plus Host" help article... 

[Julie143]

That’s interesting that Airbnb is promoting bottled water, which is known to be an environmental disaster.

I understand that in some places the tap water is simply not safe to drink, and I agree that hosts should provide drinking water in these cases. In doesn’t necessarily have to be individual plastic bottles, though. I’ve been in countries where people have special filters attached to the sink or water dispenser in the kitchen with big jugs attached that come from a service. 

I’ll never be a Plus host, but I do leave out sweet and savory snacks, fruit and a good array of coffee and tea options. Wish I could think of more local things that would be practical. Not sure anyone wants to drink New Jersey wine.

😉

[Susan17]

I'll never be a Plus Host myself, @Julie143 - nor would I want to be! As for the New Jersey wine - believe me, if it's wet, they'll drink it. The cheapest bottle of wine I can buy locally is €9 - €10, and I'd imagine it tastes like paint-stripper. Guests never seem to have any problem guzzling it though 🙂

[Sandra126]

Whoa! Needs to be changed to maybe: ''Bottled water in areas where the drinking water is unsafe''

[Mark116]

it's not surprising that airbnb would be advocating such a wasteful idea as hosts providing bottled water to every guest.  The company's veneer of being a good global citizen is paper thin.

[Anonymous]

This is where being in Germany is pretty lucky. Most visitors I've had here are much happier to be greeted with a cold local pilsner or glass of dry riesling (around 50 cents each) than a somewhat costlier bottle of branded water. On super hot summer days I might leave a carafe of ice water infused with cucumber slices and mint leaves, or an elderflower cordial - all typical local things that people enjoyed back before anyone had the brilliantly dumb idea of putting tap water into plastic containers. I hope at least they come away feeling like they got a special personal touch, but maybe a few will have a nice memory of their holiday later on and feel inspired to skip the disposables and get more resourceful for their refreshments.

[Sarah977]

@Julie143  How about this, if it ever comes up again "Oh, I would definitely provide bottled water if it was necessary. I'm just so fortunate to live in a place where the water is safe to drink right out of the tap. Some people prefer the taste of it out of the Brita jug, so I provide that, but personally I can't really taste the difference."

No plastics lecture, you've only expressed your appreciation for having flowing drinkable water, and maybe in the process, leave him perhaps to get the idea that his demand sounds a bit entitled and unappreciative.

[Anonymous]

@Sarah977 I like this approach!

[Lloyd12]

With all the concerns over the safety of our drinking water, I don't think that it is too much to ask a host to supply bottled water. I have been doing it since we opened our first unit. My guests love it. We live in New Orleans and it gets really hot here ... it just a nice touch and will reflect in your reviews. Just a piece of advice... buy Bottled SPRING water... not the purified (that's just municipal tap water) spring water is just $5.00 a case... well worth the investment.

[Anonymous]

@Lloyd12 I don't know what it's like in New Orleans, but not all hosts live in places where there are valid concerns over the safety of drinking water. 

For those whose tap is genuinely not potable even after being filtered - which really is quite a lot of the world - it's worth discussing how to provide guests with nice and safe drinking water without resorting to single-use plastics. The fact that some options are cheap and help you get good reviews does not necessarily mean that they are the best thing you can do.