AIBU to be upset at review on AirBnB?

[ballerina1971]

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

I used to work in a hotel, most beds were unmade everyday whether the guests were still staying there or not.

Never bothered me, I personally couldn't give a crap if someone's bed was put together. It makes absolutely no difference to hygiene it just looks neater.

Not sure what the big fuss is about.

I'd probably have made the bed for the few seconds it takes as I think it looks messy otherwise, but it does sound like the owner was a bit too picky tbh.

If it was an active church, might someone have used the church while you were staying there? Might the review be referring to untidiness during your stay, rather than referring to how you left the property at the end?

Can you contact them before responding? Ask what they were meaning and then explain in your response what it was that you did or didn’t do, and why.

@supersonicginandtonic

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.

It is healthier to air a bed, was what I was taught.

Write to them and ask for an explanation.

Seems a bit fussy for a couple of cheap camp cots and air beds.

@Lockheart

You are hugely overthinking this. That's not a bad review.

It is.

You're not unreasonable to be a bit miffed about this, op. "Weren't the tidiest of guests" is definitely a slight and may well turn some hosts off.

Some people think the way they do things is the ONLY right way to do things. Sometimes, this leads them to think they needn't inform anybody of their expectations because they're self-evident. See "skanky" poster above for illustration.

Whether to leave beds undone, made or stripped is entirely dependant on the expectations of the accommodation. For example, the cleaners in a high-end hotel may be left confused if the bed's made; but many European self-catering lodges leave instructions to strip the beds on departure to help their rep do a speedy turn-over.

If the way the bed's left matters to them, they need to make it clear. It isn't your responsibility to carry the mental load of remembering to question an accommodation provider about daft things like this. This is their business: they need to communicate better or suck it up. How difficult is it to put all of their rules/instructions on a laminated piece of A4?

I'd call them, explain why this part of their review is inappropriate - they might not understand the implication re future hosts etc. - and request they revise it or you'll be forced to respond negatively in turn.

Also, you need to find nicer accommodation for your holidays.

I always strip the beds at the end of an air bnb stay. That review would annoy me too.

Write a factual answer. I did when we experienced similar. I pointed out that there were no instructions to clean and we had paid a cleaning fee. Yes we left the towels on the bathroom floor because that has been the standard in every hotel we stayed at in the last 10 yrs and there were no instructions. We left cardboard on the side because we could see there were recycling bins but no instructions. All the reviews Ive had since have been fine.

For the sake of this post - but at risk of also derailing it - it might be worth clarifying what constitutes 'making the bed'.

For me that literally means straightening out the duvet cover and plumping up the pillows. That's it. It takes less than a minute and makes a massive difference to how tidy a room looks.

If people don't bother to do that then IMO it is slovenly.

Someone mentioned in another thread that if you strip the bed you get to see any stains that need cleaning - if they strip the beds you don't know.
What on earth did you pay to sleep on the floor of an empty church??

This is why I won't do an air b n b again. I don't go on holiday pay an extortionate price for cleaning to be expected to leave the place spotless before I go.

I would just reply that you are sorry that you didn't realise that they didn't change sheets in between guests otherwise you would have made the beds for them 😉

Don’t worry about it Op, just start a new account. It does happen on air bnb as some hosts are not realistic about what to expect when guests are staying, don’t forget anyone can air bnb their home .. the church scenario sounds like they are just raising funds and not used to hospitality as such.. don’t take it to heart x

If you want to use AirBnB again and you’re worried about the review just start a new account with a different email address.

What truly amazes me about this thread is that people in real life use the word slovenly. 😂

Id always strip the beds. But I bet it was something you havent thought of. Message and ask.

@Rosehip10

Was this an Anglican or Catholic church?

What difference does it make

Ive just followed the link of champing and it came up with a church local to me. For two nights £326. Wtf!!!!!

Would also advise starting a new airbnb account. Or at the very least detail your counterpoints against this review in feedback. It was most probably written by someone who does not have masses of hospitality experience. A church helper with high expectations who is a clean freak!

You will have paid a cleaning fee and you were there to relax and have a nice time. You are not being unreasonable! I would try to put this behind you. Hope you enjoyed yourselves, notwithstanding.

It sounds an overreaction from the host to me. That said the last two I’ve stayed in requested stripped beds and linen to go into a bag (Covid measures?) and all litter to be put in outside bins.

I could put the litter out for one as the wild animals tipped bags apart. So I left in bagged by the door and messaged the host to let her know so it didn’t smell for long.

This sounds the most basic of stays and fussy of hosts.

Cleanliness is next to godliness you know 😂😂😂

Ooh is champing a thing? How inventive.

@thenose Why do they need to find “nicer” accommodation? Perhaps staying in the church was a novelty?

I’ve stayed in all kinds of weird Airbnbs, some were very basic but we are pretty adventurous and were usually there for a reason. Not everyone likes a paint-by-numbers holiday.

@Wingedharpy

Do Airbnb really review people who stay in them? I've stayed in loads. Where do I find these reviews?

Your hosts review you

@3Br1tnee

Well maybe some of us have different standards to others. I couldn't walk out of a room leaving the bed the same as I got out of it. I always strip it and leave the sheets in a tidy heap at the bottom of the bed. I also don't leave towels strewn all over the place either. I don't clean, as it will be cleaned, but I don't leave it dirty, other than from me being there, and I leave it tidy and presentable 🤷‍♀️

And do you do this if you stay in a hotel? If so, then that’s just odd. If not, do you make the bed? Because that’s really not helpful to anyone.