In Hawaii, there are all forms of critters, as you can imagine - outside, mostly, but sometimes they get in. Depending on how familiar the guest is with these kinds of critters (geckos, ants and tree roaches, mostly), I sometimes get guests who are startled by them. Coming from Northern California, I actually was also, the first time I came to Hawaii. Startled might even be an understatement in my case. 🙂
Because these critters are so common in Hawaii, there is a disclaimer in our house rules as follows:
Guest also understands that Hawaii is located in a tropical climate, and that insects, rodents and lizards flourish in this environment. Although Owner will use its best efforts to hold to a minimum your interaction with these pests during your stay, Guest understands that any contact by Guest with such a pest within or outside the unit does not constitute a breach of this Agreement or give Guest any right to any refund or rental adjustment.
That being said, a host should still be concerned and do their best to mitigate the situation if a guest reports bugs, rodents, etc., especially inside the house. The two times my guests have reported bugs in the house, I have called our condo office and set up an extra treatment (the units are treated every quarter), which the management was happy to provide.
A word about hospitality - Treat the guest’s concerns as real, always, even in your case, with a bug outside the window. Don’t apologize, but don’t dismiss the guests feelings either. Be empathetic, but firm about any form of compensation. It’s a fine line, and takes a bit of finesse and experience to get right.
