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 know a church that provided similar accommodation for the homeless and no one made beds… it wasn’t expected since you need to make sure to treat people like adults and not have a pedagogical style.

However, this revenue scheme for the church will have worked by having the person who cares most about the state of the church volunteering to oversee the Airbnb and I mean this as someone who has been heavily involved since teenage years… you are basically volunteering to be assessed by the most extreme mumsnet user. They’ve never stayed in an Airbnb before and they find the whole thing distasteful but if they didn’t get involved then “it would all go to wreck and ruin.”

I strip aibnb beds in Covid as I like to think “what would I not want to do as a cleaner during covid” but I certainly never Hoover! I wipe down anywhere I’ve eaten and empty all bins into either one central one or outside if instructed but I have def. left bed linen before.

I have always stripped the beds in holiday cottages, taken off duvet covers and pillow cases and put them in a pile at the bottom of the bed with the uncovered pillows and mattress on show. I do that out of respect to the cleaner to save her a few minutes per bed as of course they will be washing everything. Dishwasher is emptied too. In a hotel I would probably just leave the covers back.

@rosehip

This sounds the most joyless accommodation I’ve ever heard of. I appreciate different budgets and how prices have increased, I’d just rather stay at home than stay in what sounds like a badly equipped hostel.

Just looked up champing - 1 night family of 5 £175! Ridiculous price

Champing looks ridiculous, I've just booked a lodge in a National park (sleeps 4-6) for less than they want for one person. Their breakfast rate is ridiculous too. Talk about price gouging!

I think you still come across as slovenly. I mean, who leaves unmade beds? That's just skanky. Make them or strip them. Don't just leave them unmade

@3Br1tnee why would you make the bed when the first thing a maid is going to do is strip it? What’s wrong with leaving the bedding pulled back to allow the mattress to air? Also, and I think it was posted on MN before (and it has been upthread now), I read that chambermaids prefer beds unmade as it's easier to see marks on the sheets which may need stain treatment!

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

@supersonicginandtonic Ah, see I was specifically taught not to do that, and to leave the bedding turned back for a while instead to allow the mattress to air.

@ChubbyMsSunshine

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.

I'd straighten the sheet, fold the duvet back to the bottom of the bed and plump/tidy the pillows.

I am an Airbnb host and I would "reach out" to Airbnb and also your hosts. Reviews cannot be altered after they've been posted up but they can be removed, so press for this. I wouldn't host you after I read this review so I think it's worth doing.

I think id reply " well thats taken the shine off our little break. As paying guests we did a basic tidy at the end, put the rubbish out, put things back in their places. Didnt deep clean but didnt leave a mess either, so a bit surprised by this comment"

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...If the way the bed's left matters to them, they need to make it clear.
Exactly.

Out of curiousity what do you think of this review, does it imply we were messy? We had 3 under 5s at the time but left the place tidy and in order
"X and her family were very friendly and full of energy. They made the place their own and I hope they enjoyed the grounds. Would welcome them back."

@Tereo, on the surface it sounds like a good review but reading between the lines I’m not 100% sure. “Full of energy” can suggest kids running around making lots of noise, and “made the place their own” could mean anything, but I’m getting negative vibes too. But then they say they’d welcome you back. So, to me, it sounds like they want to leave a bit of a negative without looking like they are.

I assumed that they thought that you would stow the beds/cases etc somewhere during the day and just get them out at night. Perhaps the ladies who do the flowers and other people coming into the church made comments.

@Tereo, on the other hand, your review could be totally positive It's open to interpretation.

@SmokeyDevil

I think their reaction to op, assuming what she has told us is true, kind of suggests they maybe don't bother washing the sheets and so had to retidy them for the next guests. Lovely thought…

I think you’re right. I wonder if they usually also expect guests to do a full clean as well, as it’s a church.

"Weren't the tidiest of guests" is the most gentle criticism. Overall, the review is neutral.

If this is how some of you react to an OK, 3-star, fine but not amazing, review, I'd hate to see how you handle feedback at work.

Wow, have just looked up champing.Its not cheap is it, then £25 each on top for hire of a bed and bedding.

Yeah but ..no way is this normal air bnb .

It has to be champing champing.co.uk/what-is-champing/faqs/

which sounds insane ,so no wonder a strange review was written .

@Tereo

Out of curiousity what do you think of this review, does it imply we were messy? We had 3 under 5s at the time but left the place tidy and in order

"X and her family were very friendly and full of energy. They made the place their own and I hope they enjoyed the grounds. Would welcome them back."

Were you supposed to be using all the grounds? Sounds as if you took over the place and it was carnage whilst you were there but you left it tidy which is why they would have you back. I imagine other guests do the same but leave it in a state.

@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.

That is good to know. I'm always a bit torn about how to leave them and now I know.

This makes me so angry.

You have paid a decent amount of money to stay somewhere (which tbh sounds a bit awful) and they have given you a negative review.

Rating fee-paying guests, in my mind, is wrong and can lead to unfair discrimination.

Another reason for me to avoid using Air BNB.

Hosts are CF's leaving that review. I would be annoyed too and absolutely respond.
OP what have you put?

We have a cottage that we rent out on Airbnb. We ask for beds to be stripped (as that’s what covid guidance has been recommending at the moment) but I have never left a bad review for anyone who hasn’t. In fact I’ve never left any negative reviews at all - I would only do that if someone had really left the place in a real state. (Fingers crossed they never do)

Owners sound a bit odd. I’d ask them what you did that was untidy and they can amend their review for up to 14 days. Reviews are important - if I read that about guests I’d be worried about hosting them so it could affect you!

I'm fascinated.
How much did the Christians charge you to lay on a church floor with no facilities other than a tap and sink?
My mind is truly boggled?

I don’t think many people posting here have used Airbnb. Many places ask you to strip beds and remove rubbish. I’ve only stayed in one Airbnb that didn’t ask this. Also you can’t see the host’s review of you until you have reviewed them, so you do it blind and it can’t be amended afterwards. I make sure crockery is clean and put away but don’t Hoover unless asked. I’ve always had comments saying the place was left clean and tidy which I assume means ready for the cleaner to clean without tidying first.

@Lockheart

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

In what way is this not a bad review?