Where are the towels?

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Where are the towels?

I put several in each bathroom plus a stack in a linen closet. But get this question a lot. My rule of thumb is: one time a stupid question equals stupid guest, two times a stupid question equals stupid host. Are the towels better placed on each bed? Where do you leave them? Are instructions on where to find them in the welcome message an overkill? Now I am also worried that one of these people will report me for a missing amenity. And we all know that a house with no towels is for sure a party house. In all fairness to my guests, I am currently at an airbnb myself and just messaged the host on how to make it warmer. There is a giant instruction sheet taped right across from where I am seating. I have never seen a central heat boiler like this before so did not even think to look there. If you see a new post on this board with something like: heat instructions in visually impaired font are posted on the boiler but Superhost still asks how to make the place warmer. What to do?- you will know it is about yours truly

32 Replies 32
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

In the beginning, we left 3 towels/person on the bed.

But then we realized we always have to wash all of them because guests would leave them everywhere even if they didn't use them.

 

Now we leave 3 towels/guest in the closet. We fold them in a special way so we immediately know if they were used or not. Half of the towels are not used so we have less laundry to wash and our towels last longer. The same with extra pillows and blankets.

 

We cut the costs and save the environment at the same time 🙂

 

 

@Branka-and-Silvia0 this is definitely the main reason why I hesitate to put them on beds- I will have to wash them all, used or not. Getting through the laundry is one of my biggest issues. One of my housekeepers likes to bring her husband to help so she can do more jobs in one day but laundry is always the hold up

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

The towels are in the bathroom!! I have 8 hooks on the wall and the right number of towels for the expected guests are on the hooks when they arrive. There are more in the cabinet.

 

safe travels @Inna22 !!

 

and I don't think that it's true that repeated questions mean that there is something wrong with your process... guests are just ***** sometimes

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

@Inna22 , I always leave a set of bath mats and a hand towel at common bath sink for general use.

 

I initially thought about on the beds, but that looked messy in my rooms, with the extra face washers and hand towels.@Kelly149 , @Branka-and-Silvia0 : @Md-Mizanur1 , @Rachel0  & @Sarah977 

So I utilise a low main cupboard that houses the individual guest sets. The sets change depending whose coming. The image shows two adults and two small children sets.

 

The cupboard door to its left, opens up to extra bath mats, hand towels and a few, spare older towels for messes. If with babies, lots of extra stuff goes in the cupboard on the left.

 

The linen towel combinations vary, depending on whether adults teenagers or small children, that goes for the size of the pool towels as well. I have hooks and rails inside and outside the bathroom to meet the needs for towel hanging. You can never have too many hooks or rails!

 

FYI: the drawer above has spare electric powerboard, mini speakers, baby monitor, sewing kit, first aid kit, extra sanitary pads, spare note pad and pen attached to a little clipboard..... 

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Andrea-and-Francis0
Level 10
Mississauga, Canada

We put our guest towels in our bathroom on the open shelf which is visible when you walk into the bathroom. I personally don't like leaving towels on the bed because if the guest doesn't use the towel, they will have to move it regardless to use the bed & then you don't know if it's used or not so have to do unnecessary laundry & some will then think to leave the used wet towel on the bed after leaving which is not ok with us. 

Chastity3
Level 8
Orlando, FL

Towels and such are always placed in the bathroom. Extra towels, wash cloths, and hand towels are in a basket in the closet. So far no room for error as far as location of these items.

Sarah_Matthew0
Level 5
Whitstable, United Kingdom

We put a bath towel on each bed and a hand towel in the bath rooms, there are spare towels in the airing cupboard, we ask guests to leave used  towels in the bath.

Sheryil0
Level 2
Tauranga, New Zealand

We get where is the spare toilet paper.....and there is a holder right beside the toilet with no less than three rolls in it. 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

One on the bed with flannel/ face cloth & spares in the bedroom wardobe on the shelf where they are told where they are.

 

Something for all to consider, show Guests when you do a Guided introductory tour where to hang wet / used towels so they don' t end up on bedroom furniture..

Mark1365
Level 2
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

My property is large . I have 7 king suites all with private bat plus a pool area bathroom . I usually sleep 14 to 16 guest per party . 
for a minimum 3night stay I give each guest One bath towel , 1  pool/ beach towel and a face cloth and a shared adult towel .  That’s 38 plus towels 

for 4 nights or longer I give an extra bath towel  per person ( folded on the bed ) 

May this point I’m drowning in towels  . I have so many I must send them out for laundering 

 

I have done away with hand towels pretty much all together except for VIP guests 

Felix296
Level 1
McAllen, TX

With all due respect for all the hosts here calling stupid their guests, I don't think you should do so. You guys are getting an income from those guests. Everyone should be able to ask whatever they want, witouth being called "stupid". I think the way you guys describe other people... tells more about yourselves than about the people you talk about. Plus you never know... there are a lot of guests who are also hosts (like myself) and have access to this page...

@Felix296 welcome to the board and thank you for the scolding. You are starting out with a splash!

@Felix296  When people can't find or ask where something is, that's right in front of their eyes, or clearly mentioned in the house manual, that is stupid behavior. It doesn't mean the guest is an overall stupid person, but that they aren't using their eyes or their brain.

If a host called a guest stupid to his face, that would be unacceptable. And asking for clarification as to how to work an appliance, or a door lock can be understandable, as maybe the host's instructions aren't as clear as they think they are, and the guest may be wary of breaking it by using improperly. But commenting here that it's pretty stupid for a guest to ask where extra toilet paper is, when there are 3 full rolls sitting in full view in a holder right next to the toilet  is simply calling a spade a spade.

I couldn't care less if guests see comments like this- maybe it will make them pay a little more attention next time before bothering a host to ask something that is patently obvious.

 

Wende2
Level 10
Church Creek, MD

Hi......I have the towels on the towel bars, an still had a man ask where they were.?  I also have a small dresser in the bathroom with everything a bathroom should have in it, extra towels, toothpaste, hair dryer, shave cream...etc.  I'd be in line behind you wondering how to make the place warmer.

Tatiana473
Level 1
Saint Petersburg, Russia

Being a frequent traveler too I really don't like when the towels are on the bed) It's not critical but bathroom is more appropriate place for the towels. For my guests I leave the towels only in the bathroom either in the basket or a shelf. 

 

P.S. In one of my apartments I had a last minute guest who did a self check-in. During his stay we had some conversations and only after check-out he told that it would be great if I also put any bedding in my apartment. I was really shocked as there's a pull-out sofa and he didn't even tried to pull it out and find all the necessary amenities. For two nights he was just sleeping on the sofa and covered himself with a towel...

He didn't ever ask me about missing bedding but wrote a bad review.