expected housekeeping level by host.

[Jeanne231]

Hello,

I have a situation I never have encountered before, mostly because I have never had a guest stay more than two nights.  This one is staying three, and I have one coming over the Christmas holidays for four, so I want to make sure I am doing things correctly.

Normally I do not enter the guests rooms (there are two in my house) until after they have left, once I have shown them in.   Today, I went in to see if any bottled water (snacks) needed to be replenished since there are 3 people staying 3 nights.   There was a lot of trash (overlowing, but because the trash cans are small and decorative), and the kleenex was empty.   So I straightened up their things enough to make the beds, replenish, and empty the trash.

My question:  should I have done that, and is it expected?  Like in a hotel?  Or do guests expect to have their things left "as is" (there is no lock on the door to their rooms).

Thanks,

Jeanne

[Sandra856]

Hi @Jeanne231 🙂 

I'm also a host who rents out a private room in my home/apartment like you. I have only entered the room ones and after I asked the guests. They had left the windows open even though it was freezing cold outside. I believe guests expect that it is completely private. Some of my guests are also quite messy. I know that because sometimes they leave the door open. But I would never enter the room without asking them. I have guests like you that stays for 1-5 days and I tell them at arrival to tell me if they need anything. It is not expected that you enter the room to clean etc. when it is only a short stay like a couple of days.

My thoughts about it is that if you want to enter the room ask the guests before you do so. 

[Jeanne231]

thanks!   I'll certainly do this in the future.

[Sarah977]

I do exactly the same as Sandra (sorry, can't tag you, Sandra), although luckily I've had quite tidy guests. I have a 3 night minimum stay, 2 weeks maximum. If a guest stays longer than a week, I'll offer them clean sheets and towels at the halfway mark and ask if they would like me to change them out or do it themselves and all have said they would do it themselves. The only time I ever entered the guest bedroom/bath was when it started raining when the guest was out and I had to close the windows, and when a guest requested that I vacuum up a spider that was on the ceiling of her room.

I leave a  broom and dustpan in the guest quarters, which I know they do make use of occasionally, as it's impossible to come home from the beach without bringing sand with you, which is unpleasant to walk around on in bare feet.

Hosts who do longer term bookings often suggest to make a policy which they state in their listing and to the guests on arrival that they go in to clean and change out linens once a week (arranging a time that is suitable to both host and guest), which gives them the opportunity to make sure the guests aren't living like pigs in there, remove any leftover food and overflowing trash and be able to mention to the guests that they should please not leave the heat turned up full blast with the windows open, for instance:-)

[Bryan10]

I agree with @Sandra856 we hosts shouldn't enter the room mid-rental unless we ask. People like privacy, but also you're doing extra work by tidying up after them when they probably don't expect it. If it's more than a few days (maybe 5) I ask the guests if they'd like the room cleaning, sheets changing etc. Some don't want it, maybe cos the room's messy and they dont want me to see that, I suspect. and some people are REALLY messy!  I also don't have locks on the bedroom door so I could enter if I thought something was wrong, but I wouldn't. 

[Jeanne231]

Thank you.   I'll do that in the future.

Jeanne

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Jeanne231

I also host a private room in my home and I state in my listing description that Henry or I will/may enter the guest room to empty the trash bin, vaccum floors, open/close windows, and change sheets as needed BUT we also make it clear that we don't enter the room unnecessarily and we try not to disturb or touch any of the guests personal items when doing these house keeping activities. None of our guests to date have complained or seemed uncomfortable with this.

[Jeanne231]

Thanks!  I appreciate your response.

[Sarah977]

@Jessica-and-Henry0   I'd imagine your student guests love  having their rooms cleaned once a week or so. Just like living at home with mom. They'll be in for arude awakening when they finally get a place of their own and realize how much work it is to keep a place clean..

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Sarah977

We don't really "clean" the room for our student guests........ but just a quick vaccum of the floors & under the bed (without disturbing any of the guest's personal items) goes a long way, especially since many of our student guests have been girls with long hair 🙂

With our student guests, Henry and I try to play the role of the cool, younger uncle/aunt - as long as your respect us, our home, and our basic rules, we don't really care about the rest. We've been lucky with a bunch of great guests and our approach seems to work okay.

[Rachel0]

@Jeanne231 I  host the top floor of my three storey home - a bedroom, bathroom and sitting room/study.  I make it clear to the guests upon arrival that I will not enter their space while they are staying with me unless I see that the windows have been left open and rain is getting in, the lights have all been left on, or that there is some sort of emergency with the CH system.  You certainly don't need to make the beds!  It's probably a good idea to invest in larger rubbish bins for the rooms rather than ones that are small and  decorative, and let them know where to put items for recycling.   

[Susan151]

@Jeanne231. My arrangements with my guests actually includes going into the rooms daily to bring clean dishes and the next day's breakfast. I think you should reconsider having "decorative" trash cans. That is a bit of an oxymoron actually. Or, make a point of showing your guests where larger amounts of trash should go [but they won't really like that.]

Many travelers carry around"stuff" that they have picked up along the way such as brochures, pastry boxes, water bottles, etc. and if you are where they are staying when they decide to declutter their bags, it doesn't matter how many nights they have stayed. You might get five days of stuff on their first night. 

I do not empty trash cans during a stay unless they ask or they are a longer term guest whose stay includes our whole house garbage collection and pick up.

[Robin4]

@Jeanne231

Personally I would never enter the guest space while they are there, unless I was specifically invited. 

When longer term guests arrive I will ask permission to change the bed linens and towels every 4 days and run the vacumm around and most are happy with that. I will ask what they may need from day to day and provide that on a tray that they can access by the cottage door......but I would not enter the space!

Lets turn the situation around Jeanne......a guest decides to open the door to your bedroom and have a peek inside to see how you live. The bed might not be made, a few clothes may be lying around including personal items.....would you be happy?

If they wanted the 'anonimity' of a hotel that offers routine servicing they would have booked one where they could hang that privacy sign on the door if they wish. There is no privacy sign on the guests door in your listing, but Jeanne, they are entitled to it.

I know others won't agree with me but these are my thoughts and the way I treat my guests!

Cheers.....Rob