Demanding Guest Advice

[Diana320]

I would like to get some input from this community.  I have a renter for five weeks.  She has been here for three nights so far.  She has had lots of requests for things....and now, she is asking us to buy her a mattress topper for the bed because she has back and neck problems.  She says the mattress is too firm and she is not getting used to it.  At first, I thought, okay.  But she is so demanding in the way she asks....what do you all think?   Should we buy the mattress topper for her ($120)?   What do you think?  Just got superhost status and don't want to lose it.  

By the way, other renters have told us that they love the mattresses which are about 1 year and 1/2 new.

Thank you for your help.

Diana

[Susie111]

@Diana320

Hi Diana, 

Sounds like a demanding guest. 

Especially if she has a lot of requests and have  attitude in the way she ask you for it.

I personally would be polite and explain  how my Airbnb hosting works and that it's a home sharing community. 

And It's my home not a 24 h house keeping 5* hotel and because of that,  sadly l can not accommodate all her requests. 

And if that's a problem I'm more then happy to contact Airbnb to make sure they help her to find a better Airbnb stay who is a better fit for her.

I Hope it helps...

Oh, another thing don't stress about the super host badge, it kills the fun part of hosting just be your relaxed self with guests. 

Don't put your self in a Airbnb review hostage situation - because whatever you do to please some people they will never appreciate it. 

[Diana320]

Thank you so much Susie.  I really appreciate everything that you said.   My husband stepped in and wrote her a nice but firm response that if she needs a special mattress pad that she needs to buy it herself and take it with her when she goes.  He also wrote that if that doesn’t work for her and she’s uncomfortable in the house (she said it was lovely), to let us know and she can find a different place and we will refund her money.

havent heard back but I do get so anxious that anyone will be displeased.  Thank you again. I need to not fret about it so much because it makes it stressful versus fun. 

🙏🌻. Thank you 

[Susie111]

@Diana320

You have a good husband, good on you👍

😊

[Ben551]

@Diana320  I'm curious about a couple of things about this guest.  Can you tell me roughly how old she is?  I find that older guests often prefer super soft mattresses, so wondering if she falls into that category.  I personally host a lot of older guests and, if one asked me for a topper, I would see it as a good investment as an option for my other older guests.

Also, you say she has had lots of requests for things... what other than the mattress topper has she asked for?  Just curious about how unusual the other things were.

[Ange2]

@Ben  Interesting, I have only ever had young people want super soft mattresses ( three of them), I did buy a soft topper so people have a choice, most do not want it and find the bed very comfortable.

I haven't found there to be a difference between age groups—character and worldiness is more the distinction I see.  As to older people, I have found that they are prepared for their travel, they show up on time, they have read everything, done their research, and their expectations are in line with what they are paying, and they are happily surprised that it is more than they expected and have never demanded extras.  None of the guests I have had in the older demographic have treated it like a hotel/concierge experience.

[Diana320]

Thanks Ben.  

Yes, I feel torn. Part of me wants to just buy it for her but... 

she is probably about 60 ish... she asked for extra dish towels, a new tea kettle, sharper knives.... but then when I balked she said the knives were actually ok, an umbrella, a flashlight, asked for path lights to be put on the walkway when we already have outside lights for the porch etc to light the area.  

She wants the handle on the toilet to be tightened and a shower nozzle in the second bathroom to be adjusted (we have a handyman coming to take care of these things on Thursday morning).  

Thanks gor for your input. 

[Ben551]

@Diana320 Holy crap... ok, I think I might know what’s happening here.

My mother-in-law suffers from a bit of attachment disorder and, when she travels, she is quite a handful because she feels lonely when she travels. She just stayed with us recently, actually. Asking for “things” is her way of coping when she travels, feeling looked after and fighting the lonely. She actually hunts for problems to tell me about, all over the house, knowing I’ll fix them and give her some attention in the process. I used to have to constantly pop out to the shops to buy things for her too, it was never ending! (14 times in a day once, 9 to the same shop!).  Once I realised why she was doing it, I just spent a little more time chatting with her and she eventually stopped all the other annoying crap.

I wondered if your guest might be a similar type? Not saying you need to coddle this lady, she’s not your family so you shouldn’t have to, but I wondered (scientifically) whether there could be 2 of these crazy people on the planet...

[Diana320]

Ben,

Just wanted to tell you that I think your sense of the situation is very insightful and sensitive.  Thank you.

[Rosemarie9]

Ben, I think you hit the nail on the head here. Being an airbnb host is like practising psychology sometimes, there are alot of lonely people needing validating. Sign of the times with busy family lives and isolation.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

haahahha@Diana320 you are not bored with this lady 😄 😄 I can't stop laughing 😄

yes, I also found middle age / older guests extra demanding ( I prefer young guests)

as @Ben551 said - she is probably lonely... or bored ... or just a tyrant

I realized when such guests ask for 1 extra thing and you agree then they will often ask for something else again and then again... so the best is to say no immediately and you are free forever 🙂

Where is our Olga from Ukraine? She would love to get such a guest 😄 😄 😄

[Susie111]

@Branka-and-Silvia0YES !!! where is Olga from Ukraine!

I'm laughing so hard right now 😄

I would love to hear her take on this lady as well 😄

[Diana320]

What is the story on Olga from Ukraine?

[Susie111]

@Diana320

Hi Diana!

Olga from Ukraine have a very different hosting style from the majority of Airbnb hosts.

My impression is that she has a kind of military style form of hosting...

Personally her hosting stayle would scare me.

Sadly I don't know how to find her posts anymore.

But if you see Olga from Ukraine READ her posts they can be hilarious!!!

Take care 😄

[Ben551]

@Susie111  that sounds very entertaining! hahahaha I'd love to read some of those 🙂