More are my guests being unreasonable?

[stayathomegardener]

I run a holiday cottage in the UK, sleeps 4 and is next to our house.

Currently have two guests staying so provided the usual 4 bath sheets when they arrived yesterday.
I received this message this morning:

Hi T*,do you have some hand towels and face cloths that you could leave for us. We will leave bath towels outside for you after use for washing and return if that's ok as we use clean towels each night,thanks."

The hand towels and face cloths are not an issue I can give them some of ours and perhaps should consider providing them anyway but daily washing/drying two bath sheets is that reasonable?

For full disclosure the listing states that there is use of a washing machine next door (in our house) and I always say to guests just let me know if you would like me to put any washing on for you.
Tempted to say help yourself to it but really don't want to have to let them in here (tidy up!)
I have yet to respond...

I like clean towels, surely that's not a crime?

No, but why are they not clean when all they have done is dry you after you've come out of the shower? Don't you wash properly?

I wouldn't expect a clean towel every day but some people do, I think you have to expect that unfortunately

I don't. If someone renting a cottage wants clean towels every day, it's up to them to supply them.

Try telling someone with an obsessive cleaning disorder to use their towels for a week. It's not a joke to have to clean everything because you're mentally compelled to do it

That's not at all how you started though Pinkyyy you were marvelling at why everyone doesn't wash their towels daily. Which we don't, because it is environmentally disastrous, and in my case, because I am also too lazy... If you have an obsessive cleaning disorder, then I hope you are getting support for that, but it's not the point here.

I go away a lot. Usually, unless a hotel it's one towel per person for the week. Plus extra handtowels. Facecloths not often provided

Forgive me if I do a few extra washes because I enjoy fresh towels.

It's around 300 extra washes a year, that's considerably more than a few.

Look on Facebook market place for a washer, or buy a cheap small load one. You don't want to make it too easy for them to do all their washing before they go home- at your expense-

In our timeshare in Lanzarote towels are only changed twice a week but you get 2 Bath towels per person. I think fresh towels every day is excessive and if you change your policy no one will complain.

I always stay in self catering properties. There's always a washing machine - it's useful to have so you don't have to bring so many clothes. Normally you get two sets of bath towels and what I call a 'hair towel'. I think if you provide that, install a washing machine then it's up to the visitors whether they wash their towels. I always take washing tabs with me but normally the properties have left over essentials.

I do wash my bath towel at home after every hair wash as it’s long and thick but I only do this 3 times a week.

All those clicky links for washing machines are doing my head in.

Sod it.

Hope you're all driving electric cars.

Actually I do, I don't wash clothes, towels and bedding daily either.
I do, however, do other things which are not environmentally sound.

TBH my main issue, although the extra water and electricity are an obvious thing, is the time needed to do all this! I wouldn't have time to sort a full load to wash in a morning before going to work, and then Id have to use a tumble dryer in the evening to dry it all when I got home - couldn't hang it out even if I wanted too as wouldn't have time to let a wash load finish before leaving.

I would definitely expect a clean towel daily. I’m the minority but always use a clean towel and thinknits disgusting not to.

It must be like groundhog day in daily washers homes. Set washing machine, put in god knows how many towels, hang them up to dry, or don't tell me... you use a tumble drier

It's hardly 'disgusting' not to have a clean towel every day SuzieQQQ when the majority of the posters on here and probably the population don't wash a towel the minute it touches skin. Most people find it weird and bizarre.

You don't want to make it too easy for them to do all their washing before they go home- at your expense-

weird attitude towards clients who are paying for their stay and all the trimmings.

If people find a once used towel disgusting then I wonder how they survive on the Tube or any other public transport.

Ot how they handle supermarket trolleys. Or money. Or how they ever order takeaways.

If I'm self-catering I want to do as few routine chores as possible. It is, after all, meant to be a holiday. I want to explore countryside, go walking, go to new places, read and relax. Some shopping and cooking will have to be done - but I'd rather not do laundry (washing/drying/ironing) till I get home. And figuring out how strange cookers and microwaves work is easily enough effort.

In a self-catering cottage I’d expect washing facilities (refuse to say machine as the clicky link is annoying) but I certainly wouldn’t expect my laundry to be done daily.

Some people! It’s a self catering rental, not a hotel.
Rewrite the handbook, OP, and put up some signs too.

Hotel will change towels daily but many ask you to reuse for environmental reasons. Guest house/b&b and self catering usually give hand towel and bath towel for each person (and teatowel for kitchen), some charge for this, or for extra towels/bed linen. If use of washing machine is offered they can do their own.

@marvik out of curiosity did you give feedback to the hotel about their wasteful practices? That would at least give them the opportunity to take it on board, or speak to staff.
I do usually reuse towels in a hotel (though not for a week) and it's annoying if you've hung them up only to find new ones in their place. I stayed in a hotel for a few weeks for work where I said they didn't need to clean every day, I put the do not disturb sign up and they would ring me to see when I wanted the room to be cleaned, they couldn't fathom that it was not necessary.

I didn't give feedback, mainly because it was a group booking - not one that I did. If I were to go back there, I think I'd leave a note or speak to the housekeeper. The staff were very helpful generally there...

It really comes down to the wording of your listing. If you have told them you are happy to put on washing then you need to do it. Then learn from it and change the listing. State how many towels are provided and more can be washed/provided for an additional charge or they can wash them themselves using the facilities provided.

The wording states that the facilities are available for use.
The towels, key and note saying help yourselves as I'm not in much were collected last night...
It's not an untruth, I'm staying in another house in the village covering a dog sitting job for Dd (it's like musical beds around here) and then off to see an amazing open garden a few hours away. Hope to be home around 8pm.

The laundry is immaculate.

They only arrived yesterday and she gave them 4 bath towels

1 bath sheet, 1 hand towel and 1 face flannel, per person, changed once a week on a day of your choosing about halfway through the week, this is plenty, anything else is wasteful.