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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be upset at review on AirBnB?

287 replies

ballerina1971 · 21/08/2021 22:40

This is my first time ever using AirBnB. There was so little available in area we wanted to go , but a property came up. It was an active Church, with 2 camp beds and 2 air beds for the children (aged 11 and 12). No bathroom but a toilet with sink, no cooking facilities or fridge, but a little table was set up with 4 chairs to eat breakfast at. A simple cereal, tea and coffee breakfast was provided. We slept in the Church. On the last day we cleaned the toilet and sink. We washed cups, bowls and spoons we had used and set it all back up, how it was when we arrived. All rubbish was put in a black sack and all recycling put in recycling box, these though we did not know where the bins were despite looking. We don't remember being told where the bins were or where to put rubbish. We were never there during the day, didn't eat there other than breakfast. We didn't make beds the day we left as they would be stripped and washed any way. I smoke, but respected it was a Church and did not smoke anywhere in the grounds, but went out to where my car was parked, smoked there and placed all butts in an empty packet and put in a public bin where ever we went that day, so did not leave any cigarette butts on the grounds even. So, I was shocked to read Hosts review which said
* and her family weren't the tidiest of guests, but they were a very jolly group.'

I don't know what we did wrong, what exactly is expected of us as I can find nothing in Terms and Conditions that says about expectations of how property should be left and my friend was still in the Church to give key back and collect key deposit, so if something bothered them in could have been mentioned then.

I will write a response to the review just not sure yet what to say.

AIBU to be upset at this as I assume other hosts can read this and put them off accepting us in the future, should we use AirBnB again. It has not sat right with me, yet we had a great time and loved the Church and all it's history.pö

OP posts:
GrandmaSteglitszch · 22/08/2021 01:01

I always leave beds turned back on the last morning of a stay so that they can air a bit while waiting to be stripped.
I'd never strip them myself, unless asked.

3Br1tnee · 22/08/2021 01:03

I bet all you slatterns don't leave your houses spic and span before you set off incase you get burgled either 😂

Can't have the burglars thinking you live in a pig sty!

user1473878824 · 22/08/2021 01:06

@SeaShoreGalore

I think you still come across as slovenly. I mean, who leaves unmade beds

I have been a chambermaid, and I would say that those who’s job it is to strip and make beds universally find it irritating when people make them after the last night of their stay.

Oh no, I always make the bed! Is it really annoying?
ThinWomansBrain · 22/08/2021 01:06

Maybe they were expecting everyone to nip in and have a quick church service or wedding when you were out for the day, but had to do it around your camp beds?😂😂😂

EccentricaGalumbits · 22/08/2021 01:07

I think it would be reasonable to message them, explain that you did everything you thought needed doing without having received any specific instructions from them, and ask them to reconsider their review.

If they're unwilling to do that you'd NBU to leave a pretty snippy review of your own, warning potential guests about their high expectations of cleanliness and that they may leave a negative review with no prior communication.

Jinxdoesit · 22/08/2021 01:11

I have rented out a property over this summer for the first time while waiting for it to sell.
There have been a couple of guests that I could have possibly written such a review for (although haven't). These were guests who left the place generally not entirely untidy however maybe dragged in a lot of mud and things from outside and just overall the place was dirtier and messier than my other guests have all left it. Like I said, I still left good reviews for them, but they definitely stuck out as most of the people staying would tend to give the place a clean and hoover before leaving, not expected or asked of them but most have done this so the ones that don't do tend to stand out more. I'm wondering if it could have been something along those lines?

EccentricaGalumbits · 22/08/2021 01:18

@SeaShoreGalore

I think you still come across as slovenly. I mean, who leaves unmade beds

I have been a chambermaid, and I would say that those who’s job it is to strip and make beds universally find it irritating when people make them after the last night of their stay.

Why?

I straighten up beds - not talking about hospital corners on the sheets or anything, but pull the covers up and smooth them, put the pillows back. Especially if it's hotel style accommodation with everything in one room, I don't want to spend my last morning sitting around on lumpy messy beds.

If that's inconveniencing the staff, I'm happy to rethink, but need to understand why please!

Wingedharpy · 22/08/2021 01:18

Be honest with us OP.
Did you use the font as a foot spa?

Spartak · 22/08/2021 01:19

Skanky would be something like wearing the same pants for four days, and slovenly would be leaving them on the bathroom floor for a week.

Not failing to strip a couple of bed, in accommodation that you are paying for Hmm

Icecreamsoda99 · 22/08/2021 01:22

I would query it with them and ask them if they could review their review as you don't think it's fair. It could potentially put off future hosts, who also might read "jolly" as a coded way of saying noisy. As for making the beds, I would just pull back the duvet sheets to let them air rather than leave them in a bundle but I think unless you were asked to do this they are being very picky!

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 22/08/2021 01:30

It sounds like the OP went champing, which is pretty basic in terms of services provided, but it's more about the experience than having luxuries - which is something the owner/manager should take into account! I can't believe there could have been much to clean up if the website is anything to go by: champing.co.uk/

FortunesFave · 22/08/2021 02:33

Say this "This accommodation was simple and sparse. The confusion over us not being 'the tidiest of guests' has arisen we assume due to there being nowhere to dispose of the recycling which we did put into the container, washed and tidy - this experience could be improved if waste containers (bins!) were placed where guests could find them. No mess was left whatsoever."

GammyLeg · 22/08/2021 02:43

“I think it's decent to strip the beds and I don't know why you didn't.“

I once stripped beds and got a review from my host saying something like: “instead of folding the sheets and putting them in the cupboard where they found them they left them on the floor.”

Guess that explained the pubic hair I found in my bed!

MrsRobbieHart · 22/08/2021 02:51

It was an active Church, with 2 camp beds and 2 air beds for the children (aged 11 and 12). No bathroom but a toilet with sink, no cooking facilities or fridge

And you paid to stay there??

Bad enough that someone actually has the gall to charge for it, but to pay for this??

Toddlerteaplease · 22/08/2021 02:51

@Rosehip10

Was this an Anglican or Catholic church?
Has to be Anglican. No Catholic Church would ever allow that!
Toddlerteaplease · 22/08/2021 02:52

I have seen articles in the church Times a few years ago about letting people camp
In churches. It helps raise funds.

countrytown · 22/08/2021 02:57

I think it's decent to strip the beds and I don't know why you didn't.

Why is it decent?

This is why the last air bnbs I stayed in had notes about not stripping the beds then. Didn't realise some people thought they should be doing it.

SeaShoreGalore · 22/08/2021 03:04

@ballerina1971
It’s not so much that it inconveniences, but it’s mildly irritating. There’s the brief moment when you walk in and think the bed might not have been slept in, so your hopes are briefly risen, then dashed as you realise that you do, in fact, have to change it. Then there’s that feeling, as if you’ve been given a gift that is no use and you don’t want. It’s easier and quicker to pull all the sheets off if they’re halfway down the bed in the first place. I didn’t like the feeling that someone was wasting their time and energy to do something helpful, that was unnecessary, and I used to feel a bit sorry for them. I used to imagine the sort of person who likes to martyr themselves, and it just seemed so overly careful and a bit prissy.

Didn’t occur to me that someone might just prefer to sit on a made bed Grin.

Talking to other chambermaids, it’s just generally the irritation at the wasted effort.

And nobody cleaning your rooms thinks you’re a slattern for leaving the sheets askew. It’s used nappies in the bin and an un flushed toilet that will do that.

TarpaulinEyes · 22/08/2021 03:09

Don't dish it out unless you're prepared to accept the same. People are far too quick to give places a negative review not realising it is the Air BNB way to allow hosts the same privilege.

supersonicginandtonic · 22/08/2021 03:18

I find it odd that anybody doesn't make a bed when they get out of it. It's the first thing I do and always have done. It's what my parents taught me. It takes seconds.
I don't think it deserves a bad review though.
It's also annoying when you are not told where the bins are. We had this recently when we stayed in an air bnb and I had to message to host.

Standrewsschool · 22/08/2021 03:23

It sounds like you left the place in a decent state, generally clean and tidy. I wouldn’t necessarily make the beds either, knowing they would be stripped.

Catflapkitkat · 22/08/2021 03:24

Camp beds, a toilet and sink, no bathroom. How does that get approved as suitable guest accommodation?

countrytown · 22/08/2021 03:26

We always aired our beds for a bit & then made them later. I still do that now.

dailygrowl · 22/08/2021 04:18

@GammyLeg

“I think it's decent to strip the beds and I don't know why you didn't.“

I once stripped beds and got a review from my host saying something like: “instead of folding the sheets and putting them in the cupboard where they found them they left them on the floor.”

Guess that explained the pubic hair I found in my bed!

So where’s the place to review the host?

They/he/she sound awful. I bet they don’t change the sheets in between customers and we’re hoping you would make the beds so that they could get away with doing nothing for the next customer.

Sounds you did everything and more than what I would have expected. I’d expect a house guest to make their bed- not someone paying.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 22/08/2021 04:38

@3Br1tnee

If you aren't going to strip them, - which I do - then leave them tidy. Leaving the bed unmade is slovenly, even if it is going to be stripped by someone else.
A friend of mine who used to clean hotel rooms used to dislike it when guests stripped the bed - it made her wonder just what was on those bed sheets that the guest needed to strip them off to stop the maid seeing.