How To Review Guest Who Took all Snacks And Drinks

[Patricia3334]

I allow 1 night stays and I just had a guest (one night) take all the complimentary drinks from the fridge (between 6 to 8. I didn't count.) and all the snacks and fruit. They were all more than he could eat and drink in a night unless he was literally starving and had nothing else to eat and drink. I find it rude and tacky. That is not what they are there for. They are complimentary!

Can I refuse to host him again? Should I say something in the review?

I know this is not a big theft monetarily but I do not put out snacks and drinks for 1 guest to take all of them home. I spend a lot of money on coffee, a nice tea selection, International delight creamers, hot cocoa selection, a selection of snack bars and fresh fruit as well as sodas in the fridge and some guests leave drinks themselves. 

I do not want him back for fear he'll steal something more next time. Also, it's tacky and rude.  

I don't want to get a bad review from him but I want other hosts to know what to expect.

[Gillian166]

so this happened to us recently as well. the majority of our bookings are 1-2 nights only. In our 3 bedroom cottage we have a tea/coffee station and we load it up with heaps of coffee pods (at least 20) and same again with cookies (we buy really nice 2pack cookies from the Byron Bay Cookie Co, which is well known here in australia). We keep it fully stocked like this to save time on turnovers, and it reduces errors of forgetting to top things up. Every now and then a guest will clear us out of cookies, and yes it peeves us too! But in the big scheme of things it all works out, cos some guests don't even touch the cookies sometimes. a recent group of 4 went through 20 coffee pods in one night (i'm wondering if espresso martinis were the cause, they were used, not taken), and sure, that's $16 worth of product, but again, sometimes a group will use zero. I believe it all works out in the end. And i don't want to start measuring it out, so we let it go (I mean, we bitch about at home, haha, but would never accuse a guest of anything).  We also have a tube of those effervescent tablets you take for a hangover  - we are in a wine region and many people are here for food, wine, and events - and recently a guest took them all, and left the tube empty. So now, we buy the Aldi version. Again, we are still ahead because out of the last 30 stays only 1 guest has used them (well, all of them as it turns out).

We also have a basket in the bathroom with a little sign "in case you forgot something" that is full of hotel things we've swiped over the years, ha! plus a few extras (band aid, tampons, etc), and a few times that does get cleaned out too, that REALLY annoys me. Take a deep breath, and get over it.  We are in hospitality. 

[Anthony1585]

OK, Gillian, I am LIVING for your last paragraph . . 

""We also have a basket in the bathroom with a little sign "in case you forgot something" that is full of hotel things we've swiped over the years, ha! plus a few extras (band aid, tampons, etc), and a few times that does get cleaned out too, that REALLY annoys me. Take a deep breath, and get over it.  We are in hospitality. ""

I do the same thing, "with all the stuff we swiped from hotels over the years" which we WEREN'T using anyway! So is Karma forgiving since we paid it all forward?

a run at Dollar General for $20 bucks? You can't buy the 5 star reviews we got for those razors, Geri Curl, lighted personal makeup mirror $5, little tubes of everything)

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Patricia3334 I thought I would post the opposite situation. We recently rented a house for a week at the cost of £2600 which is really quite expensive in the UK. The host supplied 4 dishwasher tablets and two toilet rolls for the entire stay. This came across are ridiculously penny pinching and cheap. No it didn't cost us much either to buy these items but it was annoying. In our apartments we always leave more than 1 dishwasher tablet per stay and plenty of toilet rolls so they never run out. I would be annoyed if someone took these home with them but it is a risk we take.

If only one guest in 6 months has taken advantage of your hospitality then chalk it up to experience, as you have done, and keep giving your guests an excellent service.

[Lorna170]

@Mike-And-Jane0   I agree with you!  While I tell my guests that they will have starter supplies of paper products and that I do not supply personal toiletries, I DO leave enough paper products for their stay (including the extra TP behind the extra towels in the cupboard) as well as enough dishwasher tablets, laundry soap and softener to do dishes and laundry for a month!  The sample toiletries I collect on my personal travels are also in a bathroom drawer for the taking.  (I started doing this when i found that the hotels/cruise lines threw away the little bottles each day as a part of their cleaning/sanitary protocol, even when I had not touched them.)  Product supply is an expense that I shoulder in order to have happy happy guests.

HOWEVER, I have had the 2 day guest who will clean me out of everything that is not nailed down or too large to get into their suitcase or car.  Why they think that they deserve the 4 rolls of TP, the canisters of pods and the refill bottles for hand and dish soap is beyond me. These individuals are thankfully few and far between, and I tend to shrug it off and journal it for the taxes.  

I hope that the OP continues to offer great service, and perhaps reduces the number of complementary products to what they are more comfortable with replenishing on an ongoing cost basis.

[Anthony1585]

your post is awesome / comment

Somebody somewhere wrote a diplomatic few sentences about the difference between taking what you need, a little extra, but not cleaning someones supply out when they left extra in good faith.. 

I lost it - but there is a kind way to suggest it knowing 95% of folks don't do that, and you want them to also think of you as generous, forgiving, but '"not a sucker, and we will remember"

Yea, never say it like that. It's the tourette's. Those are mints right? 

[Maggie35]

I think we can block guests and say we would not host them again.  Also I wonder if any guests are banned by Air Bnb?  I had such a horrendous experience with a group of about 7 people who cursed me insulted me said the beds were so hard.  I was on my own at the time.  They also complained that my house had steps up to it.  They never told me their requirements beforehand and then one man appeared who was disabled and needed a double bed to himself.  They left a terrible review which was untrue.  I requested that they be banned from Air bnb as I have never encountered such behaviour.  They fortunately left and didn't stay with me and asked for a full refund. I refused.  This was agreed by Air bnb but I was asked to reconsider. I didn't.  I wonder what Airbnb   policy is on banning inconsiderate,rude and intimidating people if any!

[Anthony1585]

I have been through all of that. Multiple times.

You are right, right, right, right

but

stop short and playing judge. Jury, fine. Let go of the penalty phase.

It's not for you to say what the consequence should be.

You CAN however, if you focus on the exact wording of the Airbnb User Guide, and have the patience and word processing program that can compile with quick one stroke actions... compile the ten most common infuriating things guests do at your particular listing. 

my advice stops there.

Remember: Anyone who is removed from the platform? Their reviews..... go with them

[Dawn241]

I recently had 3 adults use 4 jumbo rolls of Costco TP in 3-4 days and then ask for more. So here are the steps I am taking.

I described in  my listing I provide “starter” amenities since I don’t know if the next booking is 1 person or 4 for 2 nights or 28. They get weekly and monthly discounts to make up for having to buy their own supplies if something runs out. 

I started to offer weekly cleaning and restocking for a fee. 

I ask  people to only use what they need and leave the rest for the next guests. Some people use everything, some use next to nothing, and others feel entitled to take everything home with them. Only leave out what you want them to take. 

[Sybe]

@Dawn241 That's an interesting strategy, I can see how this could work well! Have you received any feedback from guests about this yet? I'm curious to hear what they say about the starter.

[Dawn241]

I’ve only had three reservations since the TP issue. All were only 2-3 nights and all only used 1-2 rolls of TP so it has not been an issue. 

I actually got the “starter” amenities idea and reminding guests they got a 25% weekly and 50% monthly discount idea from other community member postings here. 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Dawn241 

You do for sure need a policy that you are comfortable with.

We've not had anyone take anything with them in all these years. If a roll of TP or a box of tissues goes with them, they likely are needed in the car. Not a big deal for us. We have a limit of 7 days stay, and providing comfort items for that length of time seems natural to us. 

3 adults using 4 rolls of TP sounds about right to me. One roll per person per day is what is my rule of thumb for normal, maybe more if someone's digestion is suffering. That happens while traveling. I always leave 4 rolls out for a weekend stay for 2 people, and a 4 pack in the bathroom closet, along with extra tissue boxes, and the extra towels and cloth mats. Just our custom here. 

As @Sybe said, I'm looking forward to more on this from you.

[Patricia3334]

I also have a 7 night limit. I have found that is all I am comfortable with since my Airbnb is the bottom half of my house (with a locked door between for privacy and safety). I always leave out 2 extra rolls of toilet tissue so no one runs out and I have a drawer full of bits from when I change out rolls.

I was really new when I wrote this post complaining. Since then I have only had one man take all the treats and I do not supply as many drinks as I used to just because I changed my mind. I DO provide a filtered water pitcher so I don't have to provide individual plastic water bottles which are a scourge on the environment. I have 2 take along water bottles if someone goes walking or biking.

I provide about 4 tissue boxes around the apartment.

I still think it's rude for a one nighter to take all the treats but it doesn't bother me now like it did. You never know what someone's circumstances are or the timing of their trip - perhaps they are in a rush and won't have time to stop for food. 

I enjoy my guests and love providing a dog friendly spot for people traveling across the country (we're at an interstate hub) or coming for biking up the street. Most folks are great and most dog people are wonderful.

Thanks to all who answered.

[Willene1]

@Patricia3334 

We learn from every guest, don’t we?  I leave a bottle of wine and a basket of chips, cookies whatever. Enough for the appropriate number of guests (our max is 5)   Some take everything, some take what they want and leave the rest.  I consider it a huge bonus when the odd one leaves the wine!!  
Guests that just left used up the roll of Bounty paper towels AND took the spare in the drawer.  Surprised me but whatever.  

[Dawn241]

@Kitty-and-Creek0 I always leave 4 new Costco jumbo rolls out, and 4 boxes of tissues throughout the house (bathroom, bedrooms), a new roll of paper towels, and smaller used rolls of paper towels for backup.  

in 6 years, only 2 people ever asked for more TP for longer stays. I told them both the same thing- go buy some and I’ll reimburse you. Neither asked to be reimbursed. 

in the beginning we used to keep a spare new 6 pack of Costco TP in the bathroom and more than once people just took it home from a weekend stay, so I just don’t do that anymore. 

I recently bought a cheap 4 pack at the dollar tree I hid in a high laundry room cabinet. If someone ever asks again, I can let them know it’s there. 

[Lee16]

It says something  when you can Internet search  "What to say in the review when an Airbnb  guest takes all the beverages and snacks" and find a whole thread. 

I just had a guest.. check in at 12 mn and left at 10:30 am 

One person . He took all 5 canned and or bottled beverages. ( LaCroix, coke, other Sparkling water, regular bottled water etc.)    

The garbage showed he only drank one Sprite.

I put out 7 individual assorted wrapped snacks. Granola bar, nut mix, bagged chips etc.

He took them all. 

WOW.

In addition he did drink/use the carafe of milk, which is fine, I provide that to place in the instant coffee or tea. He also took with him the bagel and butter I put in the fridge. 

I put out an assortment of snacks so the picky eater has something to chose from, not to take everything home. 

I do indeed have a polite and nice note that says things not used or eaten in the suite are to be left for the next guest not taken home.  

After being rightfully and dutifully not happy I decided to leave a good review as he left the suite just fine. 

But if he ever asks to comes back I will have ONE regular  bottled water and One snack. 

I am a value priced suite with no cleaning fee with nice amenities, but I don't enjoy  being taken advantage of. 

I hope we all have a new respect  for hotel/ motels and don't take extra items from them.