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AIBU?

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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:
category12 · 04/02/2019 19:42

I'd speak to her - say you'd like to use the room again, but would like the room undisturbed while there. If she's funny about it or takes no notice if you do stay again, then that would be it..

BeanTownNancy · 04/02/2019 19:44

Just ask her not to next time. She probably thinks you would appreciate it, so just let her know that you're quite private people and would prefer to be left alone. 🤷🏻‍♀️

LeticiaDejeuner · 04/02/2019 19:46

I host on Airbnb. I change the towels and empty the bins every 2nd day (and send a message before doing so to check if there's anything else they need) and change sheets plus do a bit of cleaning and vacuuming after every 5 - 7 days (or offer to leave a bag of clean sheets if guests prefer not to be disturbed) for guests who are staying longer. I think this woman sounds amazing (and a lot more dedicated than me..)

JennyHolzersGhost · 04/02/2019 19:48

I wouldn’t like this.
I book Airbnb because it feels more homely than a hotel. Having the host come in and maraud around while I was out would make me feel really weird. Though I’ve never booked one of the places which are right next door to the host, precisely because I feared this would happen !
I’d say something, put it in the public review in neutral terms so other people know and can make their decision on that basis, and look for somewhere else for next time. But that’s just my taste.

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 04/02/2019 19:50

Yabu
Don’t give her a bad review

WheelAndDome · 04/02/2019 19:52

I would be delighted if this happened

Howdyhihi · 04/02/2019 19:54

I would be surprised. I've never had that happen in an Airbnb before, and we've stayed in a fair few in lots of different places.

I agree with booking again but send a message to ask her not to service the room.

BlueJava · 04/02/2019 19:56

Either she is genuinely confused about how to provide an Airbnb service or she genuinely likes doing this. I'd take it and enjoy it. Give her a little gift "Thanks for putting our stuff away" and never worry about clearing up yourselves :)

Mayrhofen · 04/02/2019 20:10

YABU this sounds fabulous

orangecushion · 04/02/2019 20:11

I avoid places where the owners live nearby.

alreadytaken · 04/02/2019 20:13

For a couple of nights I'd really rather have the place to myself. However this is what most b&bs do and she probably feels obliged to do it. So just say you'd rather not have it done. It wouldnt prevent me staying somewhere I liked apart from that.

Rowenaravenclawsdiadem · 04/02/2019 20:15

As an airbnb host sometimes you can’t win.

Personally I prefer to leave people too it. But then you get the guests that expect a hotel service/concierge/maintenance person on tap.

I had someone give me a bad review because THEY locked themselves out and it took me 20 minutes to take my spare set of keys round there.

marymarkle · 04/02/2019 20:16

I am with you OP. If you book a hotel fine, you know they do that. If I book a self catering place it is because I want to be left alone.
She should make this optional and not assume.

Tinkobell · 04/02/2019 20:21

Errr......don't you just need to be politely assertive next time and say "really looking forward to staying again, thank you but we prefer not to have the room serviced....but thank you anyway, we will take care of the place" and leave it at that?!

Consolidatedyourloins · 04/02/2019 20:22

Wouldn't it be worth booking the place but this time speak to the lady beforehand and ask if she would be willing to leave the place alone for the duration of your stay?

As long as you word it well, you won't cause offence.

MsJudgemental · 04/02/2019 20:23

YANBU. I’ve never had this happen and would hate it. If the owner wants to leave extras they leave them outside the front door but the whole point of self-catering is to be left alone.

Jeezoh · 04/02/2019 20:24

I use air bnb and always select “entire place” when I’m searching with the expectation that we won’t be disturbed for the duration of our stay. I’d be unhappy with the owners popping in if it hasn’t been made clear it would be happening.

Drogosnextwife · 04/02/2019 20:26

I would probably pay extra to have a self catering place that had that service, would make my holiday so much better!

Original poster
mydogisthebest · 04/02/2019 20:33

That's one of the things we don't like in hotels. On the rare occasion we now stay in an hotel we ask that they don't make the bed, change the towels etc (we would normally only stay 2 nights).

Quite a few of the Airbnb places we have stayed have been annexes attached to the owners house but never have any of them gone into the place while we were staying (longest stay 4 nights).

I know she was trying to be helpful but I don't want or need someone to remake the bed after I have made it. The new towels was completely unnecessary. Why would 2 bath towels and 2 hand towels need washing after 1 use? What a waste of water and electric.

Also I did say not to bother giving new towels. If we had wanted a clean towel on the second day we could just have taken one from the large pile!

The unnecessary hoovering made us feel uncomfortable as though she thought it needed it when we had literally barely been in the room.

I left a really good review as it was lovely with lots of thoughtful touches but I don't want all that fussing when I stay somewhere

OP posts:
Yerroblemom1923 · 04/02/2019 20:36

HollowTalk how is she wasting food???!! You've lost me there....no-one mentioned food.

Betty777 · 04/02/2019 20:45

my friends have an airbnb and have worked their arses off to get the 'star host/property' rating (or something like that, you get it for unbroken 5 star ratings I think) She might be trying to do the same, as it means you then appear first on the listings for a few months. She may really need the money?
More likely she's a bit too tidy, or an empty nester who hasn't enough to do
Stay again, just say that you'd love to come back but you really like your privacy and you don't want her making a fuss

icelollycraving · 04/02/2019 20:45

Like anywhere that people review, people cannot please people all of the time.
I’m not sure I would have liked that, perhaps a bit intrusive. In a hotel I’d expect it, in an Airbnb not so much,

bluebeck · 04/02/2019 20:46

You sound really hard to please

Pinkbells · 04/02/2019 20:49

She's probably new to it. She really wants to make a good impression and make the place nice for you and maybe she is a neat freak herself so thinks you'll appreciate it. Just communicate with her (verbally) and say how wonderful the place is and tactfully mention that the changing of the towels feels slightly intrusive and unnecessary. She probably would rather not do it anyway. If you can sort it nicely and leave a lovely review, win-win.

Gwenhwyfar · 04/02/2019 20:52

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

Oh no, it's not weird not to want someone going into your bedroom, messing with your things and washing things that don't need to be washed. I don't like daily cleaning in hotels either, every few days would be find and there's usually an option to put your towel in a particular place so they know it doesn't need changing.