Managing varied dietary needs - question for hosts who provide breakfast or other meals/food items

[Michelle53]

Hi all

This is something that's been on my mind since I'm considering booking an Airbnb for an overseas trip next year. 

I happen to be Vegan. Which means I only eat plant-based, no animal products at all. 

Would you consider it to be a reasonable request, if you are offering breakfast included in your pricing,  if I asked for soy or almond milk for cereal rather than cow's milk ?

Or perhaps replacing eggs with fresh fruit, as another example ?

I would probably, given the choice, book a place without a meal offering, and just make my own plans, because it's really frustrating to go to a restaurant, for example, that does not have a plant-based option,  and get offered the chicken and ranch salad "without the chicken and the dressing" i.e. naked lettuce, with a slice of lemon, but still get to pay the full price for the salad.

What do other hosts think ?

By the way, I do not provide any meals to my guests, but a range of pre-wrapped items that might appeal to a range of interests.  There is a grocery-shopping option 3 blocks away. 

[Sarah977]

@Michelle53  I don't offer breakfast, I do offer tea and coffee but I don't even advertise that.

However, if a guest had any special requests, and weren't coming across as demanding or entitled, I would try to accommodate. 

If I booked a place that offered coffee, for instance, I would ask that some real cream be provided, as I don't use powdered "creamer" or milk. 

I would also inquire, as a guest, if the host would be amenable to not using dryer sheets, air fresheners, etc. 

But I would assure them I'm not some complainer fusssspot who'll prove difficult to host.

[Michelle53]

@Sarah977   That all seems reasonable to me, if discussed in advance, and not coming off as demanding.   

If no coffee was advertised, as in your case,  and I arrived and someone offered coffee or tea, I could accept with no issue, since I don't put anything extra in either, except, sometimes, a lemon slice in tea. 

If someone asked me in advance, I could avoid laundry fragrance and air fresheners. It's hard to do when someone is already here, of course.  

I don't advertise tea or coffee either, although I have a few single-serve items and some fresh ground for the french press. People have to drive (or walk) right past the grocery store on arrival - nobody has ever asked me to provide any food item - they just go over and shop for whatever they want. 

[Kath9]

@Michelle53, yes, I think it's absolutely reasonable to ask. I imagine that hosts who offer breakfast would be well aware of the wide variety of diets and food allergies and sensitivities. I personally don't offer breakfast, but if I did, I would most certainly accommodate people's dietary requirements. In fact, I would probably ask them up front. For your trip, I would simply contact the host before booking, and if they're unable to accommodate your needs, book with someone who will. Alternatively (and preferably), I would book accommodation with access to a kitchen so I could make my own food. It also depends on where you're going - I myself am a long-term vegetarian (and now practically vegan) - it's not a problem when I travel to South-East Asia, where there is plenty of vegetarian/vegan food available, but it's not so easy to be vegan in Europe for example. There I would probably try to book accommodation where I could prepare at least some of my own food.

[Michelle53]

@Kath9    I traveled to France from the UK with an old school friend when I was last over there. Paris is the worst place for vegan food !   Everything has an inch of butter on it. Asian restaurants were my best hope !

[Kath9]

@Michelle53  agreed! I was in France nearly 30 years ago, and I've always said it was the worst country to travel as a vegetarian. It's probably better now, but back then, they  couldn't wrap their heads around the concept at all!

[John5097]

@Kath9 

I think everywhere has changed quite a bit. There are a lot of list. 

https://veganliftz.com/best-vegan-travel-destinations/

But back when I traveled Europe as a vegetarian some 30 years ago, I just ate fresh bread from bakeries and cheese. Of course I was young and always ended up meeting new people and traveling with them for a bit. The only restaurant  I ate at was a pizza place in Switzerland. 

On another note, I have had several guest with severe allergies. They usually ask ahead of time if I can wash the sheets and bedding in non detergent non scented. One was for a daughter who was having testing then surgery right at the peak of covid restrictions, so I enjoyed doing this for them. Some with really sever allergies, with medial name, forget to ask all they could have but it happened to work out for them and they were just happy to have a place they could vacation as there is zero mold or mildew. They did ask about that so I kind of took a chance and said I thought it might be a good fit for extreme allergies, and as it turned out the mattress also didn't have latex, and building materials didn't gas off, as I was pretty careful about that.  

[Helen744]

@Helen744 hello John , yes we to try to only use hpyoallergenic soap liquid and limit the use of sprays etcetera .but at the moment heaven help you if you are allergic to disinfectant. As for vegan alternatives or gluten free or any of the myriad of dietary options available . I think asking for the milk you prefer is no biggie but do try to get somewhere that you can cook for yourself . We always leave tea coffee chai chocolate drinks cordial and package soups  and sometimes fruit or icy treats in summer but no cooked food as I am sure someone would end up with gastro and blame us .We have a full kitchen for guests to do their own food prep

[Anonymous]

@Michelle53   Hosts who are willing to customize their breakfast offering usually ask guests upfront about their dietary needs, or mention something about it in the listing. If they've done neither, I tend to presume that they'll just stock whatever fits their routine and budget, and I can take it or leave it.

Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable hosting someone who tried to negotiate a discount just because they didn't expect to partake in the breakfast. One could argue that breakfast is factored into the price, but competitive pricing also assumes that guests won't be using 100% of the amenities available to them and maxing out the utilities to their full potential. And if that D-word appears anywhere in a request, my cursor instantly goes to that other D word: Decline.

[Michelle53]

@Anonymous  I think I've been around the CC long enough to know not to use the "D" word  😉   

If nothing was mentioned, I'd lob in a polite inquiry about substitutions,  then wait for any response.   When I booked my trip to the UK last year, I booked a home-share room. All that was advertised was coffee.   That scenario worked for me, since I would have been out most of the day, anyway.    That's my usual m.o. when travelling. 

[Anonymous]

@Michelle53  I started out offering breakfast, but I quickly burned out on trying to plan a different package for each unique set of preferences. It wasn't that any individual inquiry was bothersome or unreasonable in and of itself (they were always polite and appreciative). But when you've got a dozen short bookings ahead on the calendar, and each one involves a different special dietary request to keep track of, it starts to feel like a juggling act, and you wind up with a bunch of stuff you don't want in the pantry collecting dust. That's why, unless I'm staying at a culinary resort that's more about the food than the accommodation, I don't ask about substitutions. 

And it's also why as a host I nixed breakfast altogether. Anyway, it turned out to be not nearly as popular as the complimentary beer or lemonade at check-in.

[Michelle53]

@Anonymous  I can totally imagine breakfast being burnout material. I might appreciate a beer or lemonade at check-in, too. I always travel with a snack in my bag. Generally a kilo of trail mix. Sometimes you never know where your next meal is coming from.  

I also always enjoy it when someone can recommend a good local food/drinks spot.

[Helen427]

@Michelle53 
Are you planning to travel to New Zealand??

If so  pop by my place for breakfast, if not maybe I could fly some over to where you are traveling to - I make sure I've a variety of fresh foods and variety of cereals etc so you wouldn't go hungry.

I specifically include in my listing if a person has special dietary needs to mention it and I'll happily go get a  particular milk if need be, most however are more than happy having one of my home made Fresh Fruit salads. I do however always ask if there's any fruit a person may not be able to eat for whatever reason as some may have allergies or on dreaded Heart Pills - in which case NO Grapefruit as those on Heart Pills always complain and say they LOVE Grapefruit!

Maybe check out listings that provide a wider selection of foods for breakfast as you may have a better chance of finding more suitable accommodation and mutual interests.

[Michelle53]

@Helen427  I've never been to NZ, but would love to, some day. I don't generally take more than a week off at a time (between work and my Airbnb schedule) so usually head for Europe.   But, thanks ! Sounds lovely ! Fresh grapefruit is wonderful. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Michelle53 

I clearly state that meals are not provided. We have coffee and usually a few different types of tea - but since we have a private room listing, we often invite guests to join us for a meal, or snack. I guess if we ever had a vegan or vegetarian guest then sharing food would not be easy. Henry and I love our meat 😅

I've been told that Korea is a difficult place for vegans/vegetarians or anyone with food allergies/restrictions when travelling. 

[Michelle53]

@Jessica-and-Henry0   For years, friends that invited me for dinner would ask me to bring whatever I wanted to eat.   I can't tell you how old it gets after a while 😉    Lately, though, with the easy availability of all kinds of "lookalike" options e.g. impossible "meat",   friends are finally occasionally preparing those things for me, and eating and enjoying them, too !

I went with a group to a local restaurant that offers something for everyone, but has an extensive vegan menu. People tasted the things I ordered and thought they were delicious.   Times are changing, and there is much more flexibility with choices than there used to be. 

I remember visiting full-service restaurants and only being able to order a dry salad, or maybe a couple of sides of boiled vegetables as the only option.  

When I tried that in Paris, with my limited French, the server thought I was really stupid and brought me a giant plate of salmon on a bed of buttered pasta. Luckily, my friend ate most of it.