television in the master bedroom

[Will2366]

I have stayed at Airbnb home rentals in three countries and seven states, none of which had a television  in the master bedroom. I didn't think anything of it because I don't have a television in the master bedroom of my home either. In the home I provide to guest , there is a large screen tv in the living room and another in the guest bedroom, NONE in the master bedroom. I make this known in the amenities of my listing. Today, a guest sent a message with a flag stating  there isn't a tv in the master bedroom and  the guest from  last weekend brought there own tv and tried to set it up in my master bedroom. Both guests scheduled for 2 night stays. What is this obsession with having a tv in the master bedroom?!?

[Laura2592]

@Will2366 some people just really need to re-create what they have in their own home. I posted a little while ago about a fellow host complaining bitterly on social media about not being able to find a king bed in a master bedroom where she wanted to stay and why oh why won't everyone just put one in like she has in her own ABB? And I myself have complained about guests that create huge meals at my cottage when they are supposed to be in vacation.  Why oh why doesn't everyone just relax and enjoy local restaurants like I do?  I think we can all easily get caught up in seeing the ideal space through the lens of our own preferences.

That said,  presumably the guests who book with you should be able to look at your listing and see that your bedrooms do not have televisions. And plan accordingly.  If this is a must have,  they can move on. It's by no means a requirement. 

[Pat271]

In one of my places I have TVs in the living room and both bedrooms. In the other place, I have a TV in the living room only. No one has ever complained.

I’m wondering if in your case, having a TV in one bedroom but not the other makes it seem like something is missing, psychologically. Plus, when you have 2 couples staying, it becomes awkward for them to decide who will get the room with the TV, and therefore becomes much more memorable.

So, maybe remove the TV from the other guest bedroom. I’m actually thinking of removing both TVs from the place that has them in the bedrooms. They are on dressers, and I keep worrying that they will come crashing down at some point.

[Sarah977]

@Will2366  I have never had a TV in my home at all. The addiction to TV is one I also don't understand and seems to be a uniquely American thing. There are thousands of Airbnbs in my town, I know lots of other hosts here, and none of their places have a TV at all, let alone in the bedroom.

Why anyone would go on vacation, only to sit around watching TV, is beyond me.

[Debra300]

@Sarah977,

I have TVs in each of the bedrooms and the living rooms of my rental apartments.  I provide multiple TVs, because not everyone wants to watch the same thing.  In my experience, guests watch TV during the evening or when there's undesirable weather that prevents them from going outside.  Our guests often connect their laptops and stream channels or content from their home area. 

This picture is Soufriere, St. Lucia, and was taken on April 9.  Normally, on a regular day St. Vincent is visible.  The grayness was caused by ash, and the air quality wasn't very good.  Although we were on holiday at an Airbnb, we watched TV to stay abreast of current news, and streamed movies because the island has a curfew.  Keep Cool and I often don't like the same type of movie so it's a good thing when I can watch something else on another TV.

Soufriere, St. Lucia 

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  Oh I can understand people vegging indoors if the weather is bad or even if it's gorgeous, but they've had their fill of sun for the day. 

It just seems like most people these days travel with a device they can stream movies or sports or news on, and while it's nice to be able to watch on a bigger screen, it doesn't seem essential.

Just because I don't like or have a TV doesn't mean I think it's something bad, and if guests feel a TV is something they can't do without, they should book places that have them. I do find it strange, though, for anyone to consider it essential to having a nice vacation, or that there is some expectation that a master bedroom isn't complete without one.

P.S. I'd love to go back to St. Lucia one day. I still don't really know where I stayed, just that the Pitons were visible, it was a little village, with a long winding road to the larger town below that had a fairly large school because the girls from my village used to walk up and down that road to school in their uniforms.

[Anonymous]

@Debra300 thanks for sharing that photo! I thought about you when I read about the eruption in St Vincent, and wondered how that might affect things in St Lucia.

As for the TV thing, it just seems to me like an optional amenity that people who are really into it should check carefully for when they book. Watching TV in bed sounds to me like something I would only do if I was in the hospital and paralyzed, but everyone has their own idea about what kind of amenities they want on holiday. Some people would never stay at a hotel without a swimming pool. Doesn't mean every Airbnb host has to go install a pool. The person who brought his own TV for a two night stay - well I thought I'd heard everything, but that's a new one...

[Flavia202]

Good to know that you are all ok and coping with the effects from the volcanic ash in neighbouring St. Vincent, @Debra300 . 

[Flavia202]

@Will2366, I have a tv in the living room only - none in the bedroom and so far I've  had no complaints.

[Ramona151]

Right!!! If you are going to Jamaica to watch tv you might as well stay home

[Flavia202]

Lol! So right, @Ramona151! 

[Patricia148]

Well said, why would one go on vacation to a new country to watch television. You need to explore and meet the folks and enjoy the culture 

[Pete69]

People skim over descriptions. That's why, right after I accept a booking, I tell people to double-check my "Other things to note" and "house manual"  to be sure that the place suits their needs. I have a laundry list of disclaimers so that there are no surprises later. Also, in my "listing description", I say "read this entire listing before booking".

[Kath9]

@Will2366because more and more people are expecting Airbnb accommodation to be like a hotel room.

[Anonymous]

@Kath9  I'd hypothesize that due largely to the pandemic, more people than ever whose first choice would normally be a hotel are renting an Airbnb instead. This segment of the public is likely to revert to its old habits when Covid no longer factors into their decisions, so I wouldn't advise making any changes to accommodate their expectations.