Is this unhygienic?!

Do you not use soap dispensers in restaurants or other public places? How is this any different?

It wouldn’t be worth it. It would be near impossible to prove a particular guest had caused the contamination - too many people have hotel room access, you wouldn’t know when the contamination happened.

As I said upthread - in my chamber maiding days parties of men tended to think this was a hoot which was why their policy was for individual toiletries. Hotels will rarely want to make a case of bad guest behaviour, the publicity invariably bounces back on them.

Ignore her. If they were little bottles she would have probably complained that you were destroying the environment.

I also run a holiday let and am in a support group for owners on Fb which is very helpful. People often vent about this sort of thing! You simply can't be too focused on a 5* rating as there will always be somebody who just can't be pleased. Anybody sane will look at your overall rating and understand that a bit of variation in how individuals review is normal.
There is no consensus in what is provided at self-catering properties, eg most don't provide toiletries as self-catering is about providing premises - we're not hotels. I provide hand soap (refillable dispensers!) but no other toiletries. It's common for guests object to single-use plastic individual toiletries, and there are some echo-accreditation schemes for holiday accommodation that you can apply for, which specify not to use these. I agree with the advice to make it clear what you offer in advance, so nobody can say they "had to" go out shopping to satisfy their preferences.

Apparently we aren't "supposed" to leave alcohol for guests unless we have an alcohol licence, according to PASC (self-catering trade body) as some local authorities have taken action on this. The rules only seem to get more complex!

It’s just a personal preference of mine! I don’t like the thought of using something that strangers have used. But as I said I wouldn’t rate anyone down because of that as I’m aware that’s a quirk of mine.

I’ve stayed at 4 different 5 star hotels this summer, they all had big dispensers.
Jo Malone, Byredo, the white company and some very local brand.

I wonder if they take their own soap to public restrooms?!

I’m staying in a five star hotel currently and they also have big pump bottles in the shower and next to the sink, and not as nice a brand as Aesop! YANBU.

I hope this resulted in a prosecution, given that your employer presumably had the guest's identity and the bottle as evidence.

I have no issue with shared toiletries.

Practically everything in life you handle has been touched by multiple people before you.

Hotels now seem to provide toiletries in those larger pump bottles. I guess they may be wiped down in between visitors? And of course you go to any toilet in a service station and the soap is in one that 100s have probably used that day! People don’t seem to mind those!
Maybe you should try decanting into a nice large pump bottle?

I wouldn’t take it personally and certainly not something the majority of people would comment negatively over. As you say most hotels have moved over to these types of dispensers to reduce landfill.
Maybe what you can do is make up some little cards or info about your eco credentials and as someone else said, put some photos on your page.
To be honest, in an AirB&B I wouldn’t expect anything to be available (it isn’t a hotel) and you get a unique experience at an AirB&B. Maybe those guests should stay in a hotel in future!!!

Good choice of words re soap being a ballgame 🤣🤣 I see what you did there!

Yikes! It sounds very lovely but as a clumsy person I would be terrified of a glass bottle slipping out of my wet hand and smashing to bits on the shower cubicle floor around my bare feet! Fixed pump action bottle much safer!

It’s one thing to prefer to bring your own products, to each their own.

But to mark down an establishment because they provided products in a way you don’t like is moronic. I bet she’s one of those complainers who bitches about everything for compensation.

You are correct: hotels have moved to large pumps - usually attached so they don't get taken.

TBH if you had done individual bottles, someone would have complained they were a waste of plastic, so you can't win. It was harsh to take off a star but there will always be someone you can't please.

Previous guests haven’t “used them before”.
A bar of soap, certainly. But a pump dispenser? Unless you imagine someone has spit in it or something, how is the next pump any less hygienic than one from a newly opened bottle?

This is ridiculous, it has never even occurred to me that this would be unhygienic. It's lovely of you to provide this, some people are never happy!!

Ps. My fears began from hearing a chambermaid friend talk about what men get up to in hotel rooms re contamination. Another thing ruined. But probably less of a fear in a lovely little Airbnb than a big chain!

I would just respond as a previous poster has suggested and say that you are following industry standard but will make it clearer on the listing going forward by including a picture of the shampoo offering. Some people will never be happy.

I have to admit I used to prefer the little bottles to the big ones but the larger, wall mounted ones are clearly much lower environmental impact and will be here to stay. The bit that bugs me is if they haven’t been topped up properly or if they’re secured in places that are impossible to reach (eg if you’re in the bath but they’re secured 5ft up the wall).

Wow Aesop products are very expensive and fancy, I would love to stay in a place who provides those products for use! I think what you provide is above and beyond what many places do and very thoughtful.

Personally I don’t mind refillable products as they are better for the environment with less packaging and as long as they’re kept clean (not clogged up with dried old product) then I don’t see the issue? Personal preference I suppose but does she expect places to buy brand new sheets, towels, bath robes for each guest that stays even though they’ll have been cleaned between stays?! Does she refuse to use soap dispensers in public toilets? They’ve been used 1000s of times with no guarantee of being wiped regularly by cleaners…

The toilets in the independent cafe that myself, friend and friend's little child often visit (it has amazing cakes!) has lovely soap in pump bottle dispenser sitting on the wash basin. It has never occured to me that this is unhygienic. Yes, yes people touch the pump handle prior to washing their hands but this happens with wall dispenser soap in public toilets, but of course they then wash their hands.

You've done nothing wrong, large bottles are common. But I don't use them personally, other than hand wash, I just can't get past the idea that some weirdo may have contaminated them 🫪

She was wrong to remove a star though, most people would just crack on and use the toiletries. Perhaps you could get small bottles and decant it each time from the larger bottle?

@loislaneloves omg I didn't realise she'd put unhygienic and PRIVATELY messaged you about the toiletries!! Ffs what a cow.

I'd message airbnb about that. Totally wrong. Have you left a review for them yet?

Excellent response. Explains the situation without pointing the finger at the crazy germaphobe.