Guests help themselves to more than intended

[Jacqueline58]

I rent a whole cabin, provide my guests with organic, fair trade coffee ($12/lb) and a variety of teas. I also offer a variety of 3 different kinds of face soap.

The last guest didn't stay long enough to drink a pound of coffee but took the whole pound when she left. She also took all the soaps and all the teas.  Has tis happened to you and do you have any suggestions how to avoid guests walking off with more than their "share"?

[Sarah977]

For pricey items like good coffee, there is no need to leave a whole pound available for someone who is only staying for a few days or a week- get a decorative container and fill it with what you perceive to be a sufficient amount for their stay. That said, some people only have a cup or two with breakfast, and some are 10-cup a dayers. So you could ask them a few days into their stay how they are doing for coffee, if they need more?

[Tim330]

very true thank you Sarah

[Matthew285]

@Jacqueline58, I'm sorry someone took the whole pound of coffee! It was so nice of you to provide all the amenities, and they were very rude to take the whole pack.

Our coffee is just inexpensive Folgers coffee in a fairly big tub. No one has taken the whole tub yet, but maybe it is because it doesn't fit into their luggage (and might pop open in transit).

Now I imagine someone walking out with it under their arm!

It hasn't happened to us yet, but I imagine it will someday. As others have mentioned, you hope it doesn't happen so much that you have to stop providing nice things.

(This fits with the saying "This is why we can't have nice things...")

You are being a terrific host. I hope a few jerks don't force you to become a slightly less terrific host.

[Nina204]

@Jacqueline0I have in my house rules that if there is a product you like we will be more than happy to tell you where we purchased it.  (I hope they get the hint so please don't take it).    A few guests back the sister of the airb&b booker took all the face cleansing wipes from each bathroom.  They were all big brand new packages.  She did offer to pay and was very embarrassed her sister would do that.  People never cease to amaze me.

[Sarah977]

I was visiting a friend in a chi-chi tourist town in California where she was the receptionist for a 12-room boutique hotel which had just undergone a million $ renovation. The rooms were so lovely- all done in "Pacific Rim" style- lots of rattan, baskets, plants, and beautiful linens and throw pillows. While I was talking to my friend outside the office, the housekeeper came down, saying, "Another silk throw pillow just walked".

This was not a budget accomodation. The people who could afford to stay there could certainly afford to buy their own throw pillows. All they had to do was ask "Those pillows are so beautiful- can you tell me where I can purchase them?"

Truly unbelievable.

[Alexandra316]

@Jacqueline58 we only leave a reasonable amount of supplies based on the length of stay, and no one has taken more than they have actually used during their stay: it surprises me. Many people don't use or take the personal sized toiletries, coffee, etc. Maybe it's because we're Canadian and too nice to take stuff :-D. I would just leave less so they don't have that option. I would also consider putting coffee into a reusable, hermetically sealed jar or similar: I think people would be much less likely to take it if it was in a reusable container. 

My sister has a traditional bed and breakfast, and she has way more issues with people taking things: it find it really surprising. She says people take coffee pods all the time.

[Fred13]

Provide the worse coffee available on Earth, and it will never be taken. 😉

[Matthew285]

@Fred13 you have a very dry sense of humor!

I am worried someday a host won't understand the humor, and will provide the actual worst coffee to their guests. (Sorry if I am spoiling the joke here.)

Note: you should check out Fred's listing. Very cool.

[Fred13]

  As long as you and the 'usual suspects' here know where I am coming from, it be fine.

  On the subject at hand, I have the opposite problem, my guests bring too much. I do provide a well-stocked kitchen for my guests anyway, because when you are in an island you can't go shopping on the spur of the moment, still they bring piles of 'their' stuff. Today's guest brought 4 massive boxes of food for 5 days, undoubtedly we will end up with a pile of stuff, and once again we will be bringing the excess to the mainland and donate it to the local homeless shelter.

[Hugh0]

We provide a Nespresso machine and a box of 10 generic pods. The guest can buy more pods easily if they choose.

I stopped providing fruit and name brand mineral water as I never received a single thanks or mention in reviews.

Its a shame to see bullies in this forum. Starve them of attention and they will wither. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Jacqueline58

I host a private room in my home and I haven't had this kind of problem....yet. I do mention in my house rules that anything provided by hosts for guest use is for "use at home" purposes only. I suggest you put out just enough of whatever the guest will need for their stay - whether it's coffee, tea, shampoo or TP. At the same time I do agree that these things tend to even out in the long run. I had one guest who did not drink coffee at all, two guests who liked coffee with average consumption, one guest who had more coffee than Henry and me combined (and Henry drinks A LOT of coffee) AND kept using the coffee machine for hot water even though we have a water dispenser for hot and cold water right there in the kitchen. 

[Tim330 · Accepted solution]

i think to avoid this isse of the guests helping themself while checking out we should just put enough for

the days they are in,becouse to some guest they will think that the whole pack is theirs and thats why some guest take the remaing one when they are checking out.

[Sheila146]

@Jacqueline    I try to supply nice stuff too, including olive oil, as well as coffee tea, common cooking herbs, butter etc.  This is because as a guest it is frustrating to pay for a whole package/bottle of something at the grocery store for a 3-day stay.  (And I buy organic because this is what I buy for myself and I am committed to eco-friendly consumerism.)

For longer stays my thought was people would be buying their own supplies because they would in fact be using it up.  Since there is no way to be politely clear about this, with things like olive oil and balsamic vinegar i have a smaller sized attractive bottle set that I keep refilled so they cannot use an entire litre.

I find the pricing market here very tight so I can't really afford to give everybody a 10€ bottle of olive oil that visits, including longer stays, who are getting a discount anyway 

As someone else in this thread said, leave an approximate amount for the length of the stay. 

As a guest I bring my own coffee because I want organic and am picky... same with shampoo.

[David126]

I would leave what I think would be needed for the stay and a bit more and assume nothing would be left.

[Michelle-and-Ray0]

The solution is simple. Don't overstock for the number of guests on each reservation. I put enough coffee and other consumables out to last them their stay and that's it. If they want more, they are free to cross the street to the grocery store and go buy some. While I am providing a place to stay, I am NOT feeding them or provindning for their every need. They get a complimentary "starter" amount and the rest is up to them.