Your wackiest guest tale

[Laura2592]

Reading some of these crazy guest stories makes me feel less alone when I have one. So share some of your wackiest guest tales!

My best one so far this year was the infamous firelog situation where my honeymooners forgot to open the flue and threw a flaming Duraflame on the front porch (carried it through the house instead of opening the window to let out the smoke from the closed flue...) I bought a cute rug to cover the stains on the flagstones. The all-time favorite has to be the guy who threw up in the flower bed after too much to drink (ON THE MORNING OF CHECK OUT!) When my cleaners took a pic and shared it he tried to claim it was mulch and not vomit, and then that vomit was "good for plants" and that as an "science plant expert" he knew that "factally."

My favorite guest request of recent days was the woman who wanted me to ask the other guests who had booked to change their dates because SHE HAD A WEDDING TO ATTEND and then got very huffy when I said I was uncomfortable with that. 

I know many of you have been hosting much longer than I. Share your best stories.  I could use a laugh today 🙂

[Inna22]

Too many to count and I usually share them here... Here is one more: a guest asked to park really early in the morning, before previous guests check out. I said no (of course). I happened to drive by the house before check out that morning to find the new guy forcing the bewildered current guests to move out and park on the street as he was steering his car in! He rang the door bell and told them they must let him into the garage and they were too shocked to say no.

I also had a group of guys scared of the foot steps in the townhouse next door. They of course wanted a free night. I had to send a video to CS showing that you can not enter from the townhouse. They were large dudes too. There were either on some substance or trying to game the system for a refund.

[Suzanne302]

Yes, @Inna22  you have the best guest stories!!!

[Laurelle3]

@Laura2592 In the 1st month after opening Airbnb I had this happy young male person staying with 3 male school friends for 2 nights in our cottage behind our house. (Setting the scene) I had made scones jam and cream for a welcome afternoon tea on arrival. On the 2nd night I noticed the window full open wide in the cottage when going to bed. In the morning still wide open, I said to husband they must have been "glamping last night".

When the left in the morning they all said goodbye, had a wonderful stay. Smiling, they said they enjoyed the scones and looked at each other smiling.

On checking the cottage, there was this smell of burnt something all doors and windows open. Just thought they must have burnt something while cooking. Started cleaning, new microwave, horror brown inside something had been burnt in here. The smell was overpowering. Started to clean, thinking it had a drug smell, what were they cooking. 

Left message with guest, no reply, left next message asking what cooked as I might be allergic to it. Got a reply, we overcooked a scone, checking bin, a piece of charcoal looking piece shape of scone. My text back was "that honesty is good".

Cleaning didnt take out colour of stains or smell from microwave, we swapped our microwave for cottage as booked next day.The smell didnt leave for 2 weaks then electrical malfunction. Now microwave replaced.

From this I have learnt, dont trust young male guests in the future and laugh "Some mothers do have them" when I  tell this story to my guest when showing them the cottage. 

All is good, I have put this down as a learning session for me as to what is possible in the future of Airbnbing.

[Nancy115]

We have a shared space - private bedroom with a shared hallway bathroom. Pre Covid I had an older couple who needed a room while they searched for a new home. They were friendly, but definitely smelled of alcohol. The second night the wife tells me one of our dogs bit her on the butt while we were at work. The dog is a sweetheart and sleeps most of the day. When I asked her for details she wanted to show me her bruise - no thank you. That night the couple had an argument and then the wife cried a lot - like 3 hours of it. The husband came out and apologized. Learned that he was an Uber driver and she was a hairdresser. The next morning he left by 4am and wifey stayed past checkout. My husband woke her to remind her of checkout. She left an hour later via an Uber - not her husband. The garbage had several large empty liquor bottles. I also found a clump of hair on the living room floor - very odd. Later that evening I realized the dog who was accused of biting the guest had the hair on both his ears clipped off. 

[Laura2592]

@Nancy115 that is one for the books! Poor dog. Why would she give him a haircut? 

[Nash-Cottages-LLC0]

We really want to add to these great stories, but all's we have is a shirtless bicycle rider who asked if he could tape American flags to the windows. He was staying over Labor day weekend. 

[Suzanne302]

A young couple booked my "room" thinking it was a "whole home" rental (for $60/night??!!). I wasn't home when they checked in but apparently they opened every closet and door they could in my home. Luckily I lock my bedroom, but the other door clearly marked "PRIVATE" was opened because it triggered my camera. (surprise!) They took my dog's bowls from the kitchen, put them on the back porch, along with their dog, and then left a candle burning when they left the house. They also went into my garage, which again, is clearly marked with a "PRIVATE, No Guest Access" sign and stored their Jeep doors in it.

When they returned and realized it wasn't a whole home rental I helped them arrange another rental but they said they would go ahead and stay the one night since it was already early evening and would just leave in the morning. They went out that night, left their dog, again, on my back porch and he whined/barked the whole time. When they got back they blasted music until about 1am.

They finally left the next morning right around check out time (11am). They proceeded to sit in their car in my driveway and about 30 minutes AFTER check out they tried to enter my home again, but their code wouldn't work anymore so they knocked on the door and had the nerve to ask if they could keep their dog in my backyard until their next rental was available for check-in at 4pm. That was an easy NO! 🙂

It was an experience but I'm still a happy host!

[Laura2592]

@Suzanne302 wow that is something! Definitely one where literacy and reading comprehension would have been great skills for those guests to draw upon. I can't believe they asked you to dog sit. 

[Jennifer1897]

These are all great....I have a couple.

-When I used to rent a room in my condo I once had an elderly couple book. Around check in time they gave me a call saying they were a bit confused and were having trouble finding the home. I assisted them until it seemed they had found the building. About 15 minutes passed and no sign of them. I messaged them asking if they needed further assistance and they stated that they had arrived, unloaded and were speaking to my property manager.  I don't have a property manager, as I reside in the home. Turns out they were a few buildings over in the complex and were attempting to enter the incorrect home. Luckily I was able to retrieve them.

-I had another guest request to book a same day reservation around 2 pm (Check in is 3pm) At first he claimed he was passing through town with his gf and they were too tired to drive and decided to stay for the night. He then asked if I reside in the home. I pointed out that it was a private room rental in a home I live in, so yes, I would be there. He then asked if I would mind leaving for a few hours in the evening. After some probing, it turns out he was a local who was day drinking and met a female at a bar. He wanted a place to come hook up for a few hours and was hoping I would oblige to leaving my own home so they could have some privacy. Even after declining, he continued to message me for about 30 minutes begging me to re-consider. 

-I once had an elderly single lady suggest that I get a dog so guest who are alone have some company. 

[Alexandra316]

I haven't really had too many crazy guests that spring to mind, but it was definitely more trial and error when I started. 

One of my first guest groups was a family from overseas who were in the area to drop their child off at a prestigious private school. There was a significant language barrier, but they had a couple of good reviews and I didn't have any concerns apart from making sure they understood the listing. My check in instructions have photos as well as text, so I thought it was pretty safe. The day of arrival, they rolled up in their vehicle and walked straight into my private residence. My two very large dogs ran out: it was pandemonium. I've never left the door unlocked since. 

Another guest thought I was their personal concerierge and asked me to rent them a car and have it ready at the house for their arrival. I explained it wasn't possible, but they kept asking me about it, as well as asking for all kinds of other arrangements to be made. I don't mind helping out, but I'm not signing for someone else's rental car. 

The craziest thing that ever happened was more of a joint guest/host error, and again, had to do with the dogs. I warn not to leave the French doors to the yard open or the dogs may enter the space. They're both very friendly and very nosy. There is a screen door if the weather is nice and as long as that's closed, it's fine. One particular guest was in and out using the barbeque, and wasn't closing the screen door while they were checking on the food. My dogs went out into the yard, ran straight into the Airbnb, and ate the food on the kitchen table that the guest had set out. The guests were in shock: I was terribly embarrassed. Thankfully they were very gracious about it and saw the funny side!