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Why no welcome pack?

76 replies

wowfudge · 10/10/2020 07:37

We're away in an Airbnb in the UK and there's no welcome pack due to Covid 19. I realise I may be being dim, but why is this? I can understand not giving you things like loose tea bags, but why not a pint of milk or wrapped items?

OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 10/10/2020 11:31

For those saying some businesses are being tight, after months of no income they might not have a choice about being tight. Pints of milk might not cost much but they all add up if having a quick turn around of guests.

anniegun · 10/10/2020 11:34

We own a cottage managed by an agency. They decided to remove all welcome packs and asked owners to remove cushions, throws, DVD, books etc to minimise the risk of transmission . This was following guidelines from the main hospitality trade bodies who were liaising with the govt. Obviously AirBNB and other self managed cottages may not follow the same protocols. They also have long gaps between the guests and cleaners (hence later check-ins). Our cleaning costs have doubled as the cleaning regime is now really intense including sprays to all soft furniture. The increase is much more than the welcome pack as it takes twice the time.

Howlooseisyourgoose · 10/10/2020 11:36

I'm not objecting to there not being one, just don't understand the issue.

Maybe because you're not entitled to a welcome pack?

If it said in the listing it was included then fair enough, but it doesn't sound like it.

Sounds like you didn't prepare adequately for your stay and are pinning the blame on the owner.

anniegun · 10/10/2020 11:42

We lost months of bookings over the lock down and have just had a 4 week cancellation from overseas visitors because of the problems travelling through Europe. Most of the guests this summer have been very understanding but a few have demanded compensation for the later check in 3pm to 6pm as it "took a day from their holiday"

Xenia · 10/10/2020 11:44

I wouldn't use those items anyway as don't drink tea or coffee or milk or eat things like biscuits or a loaf of bread anyway!

Survivingchipandkippee · 10/10/2020 11:46

Is the lack of a pint of milk a deal breaker?

BrazenlyDefying · 10/10/2020 11:49

We have a house booked for a few nights starting on Monday. If I go in and the place stinks of bleach and chemicals, to protect us from the negligible risk of picking Covid up from the kettle or a light switch I won't be impressed.

The risk would be the cleaner, rampantly infected with Covid, standing on the doorstep to cough all over us and lick our faces on arrival.

chromis · 10/10/2020 11:50

chromis
I wouldn't use the milk, tea or biscuits/flapjacks so would rather they didn't bother.
VinylDetective
Why on earth not?

I don't drink tea so don't need that or milk to put in it. Haven't got a sweet tooth so wouldn't eat the biscuits, would bring some crisps or cheese to snack.

thecatsthecats · 10/10/2020 11:57

@Gwenhwyfar

"Anecdote isn’t documentary evidence."

I never said it was. My point is that there is no evidence that it is NOT transmitted via shopping, deliveries, etc. either. It makes sense to me to err on the side of caution if that does not disrupt your life too much e.g. if I buy things from the shop and bring them home, I disinfect them, if I buy something to eat while I'm out and about, I don't obviously.

We're not doing detailed enough testing to prove it either way. NZ are: www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rnz.co.nz/article/43ec2951-2fb8-4aa6-8df3-dc6922e71083

For the record, I never wiped down groceries and I think that people could provide milk. I got covid myself in April and have long covid and the most likely source of infection from my activities (I.E. Barely any...) was a touched surface.

AnnaMagnani · 10/10/2020 11:59

I used to stay in AirBnBs every week and wouldn't expect a welcome pack. Even for fancy ones for a holiday what you get is variable.

And like others I'd never use the milk so it would be a waste. Don't drink tea/coffee, no cereal in the morning.

Lots of people bring their own/go to local shop/get delivery.

isseywith4vampirecats · 10/10/2020 12:05

weve just stayed at a holiday cottage in Wales and were told before hand that the usual welcome pack would not be there, i went shopping on the way to the cottage and bought everything i need for the week including my own cleaning materials and cloths, when we got there there was a tiny tray with a couple of tea bags, coffee sachets etc, didnt touch it all week as i like my own, didnt use the cleaning materials they had left in the cupboard as i took my own, so welcome packs dont bother me and as it was self catering i expected to take all my own stuff with me

Queenest · 10/10/2020 12:06

I’m in an Airbnb right now and we weren’t left a welcome pack either, but there is a co-op opposite so I guess that’s ok.

valtandsinegar · 10/10/2020 12:11

I think that a lot of businesses are using covid as an excuse to not do things that they don't want to anyway, e.g accepting cash. You are not going to catch covid off a £5 note or a pint of milk, it just makes their lives easier.

CodenameVillanelle · 10/10/2020 12:13

Fuck knows - there is no more risk on a pint of milk than anything else you'll touch in the place. I rent through Airbnb and I provide the same I always provided.

MzHz · 10/10/2020 12:19

Completely understand @wowfudge

My Airbnb in the summer was similar- they bloody knew we were arriving too late to go via supermarkets, and the things that were left were really kind of odd

Wouldn’t mind but I was asked, I gave preferences and none of it was there! There was literally nothing for breakfast, we had to drive half an hour away to nearest town to find a supermarket

They’re new hosts tho. We’ve become friends so if we go back, we’ll plan things better

VinylDetective · 10/10/2020 12:27

@BrazenlyDefying

We have a house booked for a few nights starting on Monday. If I go in and the place stinks of bleach and chemicals, to protect us from the negligible risk of picking Covid up from the kettle or a light switch I won't be impressed.

The risk would be the cleaner, rampantly infected with Covid, standing on the doorstep to cough all over us and lick our faces on arrival.

I suspect you’re going to be unimpressed then. The smell of cleaning products hit you as you opened the front door in the cottage we rented. I imagine most people would find it reassuring.
Roselilly36 · 10/10/2020 12:37

I wouldn’t expect a welcome pack unless it was mentioned in the description.

81Byerley · 10/10/2020 12:37

Our holiday cottage had milk, teabags, coffee and chocolate in sachets, sugar, and salt and pepper, plus little packets of biscuits. We didn't catch anything from using it.

StarlightLady · 10/10/2020 12:39

I recently stayed in quite an expensive hotel where I was told there was not a spare loo roll in the room because of Covid. The same hotel had a bar, open to the public, with loos and loo rolls. Is it me?

WombatChocolate · 10/10/2020 12:47

Were you told there would be a welcome pack? Is it something AirBnB says all hosts must provide?

There are a number of issues here; firstly welcome packs have never been universally provided by self catering establishments. Therefore you might well be disappointed if you expect one, in lots of locations before Covid and during it.

Secondly, it doesn't matter if there is serious risk from these items, as a PP said, steps beyond what are necessary are being taken to ensure those who are most risk averse and frightened of things can feel comfortable and also to provide as much protection as possible to hosts. It might seem like cost cutting and sometimes it might be (and bearing in mind these businesses have often incurred lots of extra Covid costs and drops in revenue, you'd expect sensible cost cutting steps....it's just business sense) but often hosts are complying with instructions from the organisation they are part of. AirBnB probably tells its hots the regulations it has to meet at the moment. They attract customers by being able to say certain requirements will be met during Covid by all hosts to give certainty to customers and this attracts more people...so then the hosts have to comply.

It is irrelevant whether people think the measures are sensible or whether they would or woukd not use a welcome pack provided. And the fact that other organisations provide one isn't that relevant either. Premier Inn is a hotel which is very different. Items are centrally bought in and put into rooms by staff who are doing lots and lots of rooms - this is their job. People hosting from Airbnb are householders and it is harder to ensure standards are met in terms of where welcome pack items are sourced from, who has touched them etc and this will cause customers who are anxious, more anxiety.

Op, are you someone who objects to Covid measures and policies generally and thinks they are too extreme and this is just one example of this feeling? I expect if this has made you feel cross, there are lots of other things, but the reality of living in a pandemic is lots of things will change that you probably don't like.

frustrationcentral · 10/10/2020 12:53

@Sheknowsaboutme

My friend owns a holiday cottage and provides a welcome pack of milk, barabrith, wine and individually wrapped coffee/tea
Change of subject but I do love a barabrith!
Bladedancer · 10/10/2020 12:54

We stayed in a cottage in Somerset. The owner had left a £5 Tesco Gift card and a box of chocolates with a note saying that because so many people now have food intolerances they found it was better not to provide a welcome pack as much of it might go to waste. Actually, my DH can’t eat chocolate as it brings on migraine but I made sure they didn’t get wasted!

Queenest · 10/10/2020 12:59

I thought that was a typo Grin

wowfudge · 10/10/2020 17:36

@Dailymailcanfuckthefuckoff
@WombatChocolate
@Survivingchipandkippee
and a couple of others - I expected nothing, do not feel I am entitled to a welcome pack, it is not a dealbreaker nor did we fail to plan. I have never said I didn't like it either! The correspondence from the host stated that due to Covid they were not providing their usual welcome pack. I was just wondering why specifically that might be.

The fact there's been a range of responses is interesting - there's no one clear answer.

I get that some will be strapped for cash and it's the kind of thing you cost in to your pricing when you run a business imo. I also understand that some people are extremely anxious at this time and lots is being done to reassure those who need it. I'm not anti public protection measures at all and we make sure we comply. We did plan and take milk, coffee, teabags, etc.

One of the great things about Airbnb is that it's usually a home from home and you don't have to take lots of things with you. We've stayed in several where you needed just your clothes and your toothbrush. The extra personal touches make it better than other types of accommodation ime.

OP posts:
CodenameVillanelle · 10/10/2020 17:40

@BrazenlyDefying

We have a house booked for a few nights starting on Monday. If I go in and the place stinks of bleach and chemicals, to protect us from the negligible risk of picking Covid up from the kettle or a light switch I won't be impressed.

The risk would be the cleaner, rampantly infected with Covid, standing on the doorstep to cough all over us and lick our faces on arrival.

Hosts have to sign a cleaning agreement in order to be allowed to host. I sure hope you don't mark down their review if it stinks of disinfectant. They will be doing what they've been told to do.