Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

Would this annoy you? (Airbnb stay)

101 replies

mydogisthebest · 04/02/2019 19:00

Me and DH have used Airbnb a lot and always been more than happy with the places we have stayed. We always chose the whole place and not just a room.

We stayed in place over the weekend which was a self contained apartment at the end of the owners' garden. We had our own parking space and own gate through the garden to the apartment.

We arrived Saturday afternoon and the owner showed us round. She was very nice and friendly but a bit over the top. The place was quite small with a kitchen area at the end of the living/dining room so everything was in clear view but she pointed out the fridge, the oven, microwave, washing machine etc. Then the bedroom and bathroom, again pointing everything out

She asked if we had any plans and we said we were spending Sunday with my family. She then asked if we knew what sort of time we would be out as she would come in and change the towels.

I had seen that there was a large pile of towels so said not to worry as we would not need new towels and could dry our used ones on the heated towel rail anyway,

So we unpacked and then went out to meet friends, not getting back until about 1am. We literally went to bed, got up at 8am, had a shower, ate breakfast and went out to go to my family. We washed up our breakfast things but left them on the draining board.

We didn't return until about 10pm. As soon as we got in and turned the light on we could see the carpet had been hoovered just because of the way the pile was. We then saw the owner had put the breakfast things away. I went into the bedroom and she had re-made the bed and piled all the cushions back on it (I had left them on the floor as I could not see the point of putting them on the bed only to take them off again when we went to bed).

She had put clean towels in the bathroom even though there were 4 bath towels and 6 smaller towels on the side which we had not used.

She had also tidied up my makeup and put our toothbrushes and paste which I had left on the shelf in the bathroom into one of the glasses which were there.

Both me and DH found this odd and rather annoying. The carpet didn't need hoovering (we had barely spent any time there), we would have put the breakfast things away ourselves., we didn't need new towels and I didn't want our things tidied up.

We were only there 2 nights so no need whatsoever for her to go into the place.

We go back to the area at least once a month and were hoping that we could use this place all or most of the times. It was really lovely and had everything we could have wanted. There was even things like eggs, milk, bread, 6 different breakfast cereals, croissants, jams, butter, biscuits, fruit, chocolate, tea bags, proper coffee.

DH is now adamant he doesn't want to stay there again. I tend to agree but the place is really is lovely and very reasonably priced (much cheaper than any hotel in the area and almost all the other Airbnb places).

They have loads of reviews all of which are not just positive but absolutely raving about the place.

So what would you think about it? Would you be annoyed or uneasy?

OP posts:

reallybadidea · 04/02/2019 19:04

I imagine that she's trying to offer hotel-style accommodation, so is doing the hotel thing of making the bed, clean towels, tidying up etc. I think it sounds like she's trying to offer more than you're normal self-catering experience rather than having a nosey.

Bombardier25966 · 04/02/2019 19:04

It's brilliant, you're getting a hotel service for the price of an Airbnb.

You're bloody weird if you find that level of service annoying, most of us pay a premium for it.

Gizlotsmum · 04/02/2019 19:04

Well your room would probably be cleaned if you were in a hotel so I probably wouldn't be that bothered about it. Maybe contact her and say you appreciate the room but would have preferred not to have been tidied up after or had new towels after you expressly requested not to have them. I am sure she was just being a helpful host

reallybadidea · 04/02/2019 19:06

Where is it? Sounds great!

easyandy101 · 04/02/2019 19:06

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest

RelaxDontDoooIt · 04/02/2019 19:06

I’d take the bad with the good to be honest. It sounds like a brilliant place without the tidying up. I would stay again but this time change my expectation. I would probably not unpack my things too much for two nights and if she wants to vacuum...well...it’s kind of nice? Nice she put the washing up away? The only thing that would annoy me was the touching of your personal things. I would go back if it was perfect in other ways.
Nothing to stop you from saying that you had a lovely time but find it hard to relax with someone cleaning so therefore it is not needed on future visits.

GrapesAndCheese · 04/02/2019 19:06

Sorry OP but I wouldn't be annoyed at that at all. The owner sounds a little over enthusiastic maybe but she's only providing the same service as a hotel (making the bed, hoovering).

I understand that you didn't like the idea that she's come in and touched your stuff but that wouldn't put me off staying again. I'd just ask her to give you some privacy next time and state very clearly (maybe via email) that you don't want any housekeeping done whilst you are there.

Sounds to me like the owner just has pride in her air bnb place (I.e providing so much breakfast choice) and you'd be fools to not go back there.

Courchevel · 04/02/2019 19:08

I bet someone moaned when she didnt go in and clean, so the poor women now feels like she has to.

HollowTalk · 04/02/2019 19:11

I would hate that intrusion, too. I think she should have a Do Not Disturb sign to hang on the door for if you don't want her to come in.

Chamomileteaplease · 04/02/2019 19:11

If you go again, surely you could just ask the lady not to come in during your stay?

HollowTalk · 04/02/2019 19:12

She's wasting a lot of food, though, isn't she?

MyKingdomForBrie · 04/02/2019 19:13

Bloody awesome, send me a link!!

Thisnamechanger · 04/02/2019 19:14

I wouldn't like people tidying my stuff but then again I tend to leave pants on the floor etc.

soulrider · 04/02/2019 19:15

It would make me feel uncomfortable, but then I keep the do not disturb sign on the door anytime I stay in a hotel too!

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 04/02/2019 19:15

Exactly - trying to be hotel like that’s all
No dramas
Don’t stay in Japan !

Ginger1982 · 04/02/2019 19:16

I thought you were going to say that she had been wanting to hang out with you or something because of her over friendliness! I wouldn't mind what she did. You would get it in a hotel after all.

thedoctorwillseeyounow · 04/02/2019 19:18

I do not think YABU at all, as I would hate this too. I choose self-contained, self-catering options via AirBNB and similar sites precisely because I value my privacy and do not wish to be disturbed. I hate the idea of people letting themselves in to my accommodation, touching my personal things, etc. I would pay a premium just to be left alone!

But from PPs' comments, it seems that you and I are in the minority and are both BVU, OP!

anxiousbundle · 04/02/2019 19:23

I'm actually with you on this one OP. If we're at a hotel for 1/2/3 nights we always ask for no cleaning service (as we hate people coming in and messing with stuff) but if it was a week then I'd definitely appreciate maybe 2 quick pop ins for a clean (eg bathroom/hoover/new linen/towels).

She sounds very nice and obviously means well, but I would ask next time if she could just leave you be.

EmUntitled · 04/02/2019 19:26

Wouldn't bother me, thats what they do on a hotel. In fact in a hotel its a total stranger who tidies and makes your bed, at least you had met this woman and know her name etc.
If you wanted to stay there again you could send a request saying "we really appreciate the effort you made with housekeeping but as we are only staying for a short time we would prefer to have the house to ourselves" or something

BackforGood · 04/02/2019 19:27

Could you not just book again (as so much of it is positive) and say - "we'd prefer it if you didn't come in and 'service the apartment' during our stay. We appreciate a lot of people would feel it is a treat, but we book ArBnB rather than a hotel as we prefer to not 'be cleaned' during our stay" ?

It does sound lovely though... we need hints as to where it is so we can all stay

anotherwearytraveller · 04/02/2019 19:32

I would find that really obtrusive when it’s not a hotel AND you made it clear you didn’t want new towels

I’m sure her intention is to be a super host and provide a hotel experience but it’s not needed and seems a bit pushy

I’d let her know and not stay there as let’s face it she has a key and will almost certainly let herself in when you are out.

Ribbonsonabox · 04/02/2019 19:32

I've had Airbnb's which are self contained but the owner did this. I think it's just par for the course tbh... if you are using Airbnb you've got to accept that different owners are going to do things differently. Some completely leave you to your own devices and some come in every day to clean.

I personally prefer to be left alone and have the place cleaned at the end...
I always make sure to read through all reviews left as usually you can work out if somewhere is intensely hosted or not.
Places that have key safes are usually a good bet as to be somewhere where the host is not going to come and be in the room during your stay.

It just varies massively I mean I've stayed in rooms in hosts actual houses where the host has been very hands off... but then ive stayed in self contained apartments similar to what you describe where the host has been in every day and made the bed and cleaned the bathroom like it was a hotel!

Kikipost · 04/02/2019 19:37

I’d be delighted to be honest

Daisydoesnt · 04/02/2019 19:38

OP I also host through AirBnB and even when guests book "the whole place" (my accommodation is in an annexe) I still feel the expectation as a host to provide a bed & breakfast style service. It is after called Air BnB. Bed & breakfast service means servicing the room when guests go out for the day. It's also interesting that you said your hosts provided breakfast in the apartment, so it sounds as if she is coming from the same place, and not just viewing it as a self-catering place.

Your host sounds like she wants to really please you, so when you book next time just say "please we would prefer it if you didn't service our room" and I am sure she will be DELIGHTED to not to have to bother.

By the way, she was definitely over the top in tidying up your personal effects, that's an absolute no-no.

BudgiePie · 04/02/2019 19:40

How weird are you. Sounds bloody fabulous.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5