To ask how to complain / advise effectively? Airbnb smell

[Mortonpup]

I'm at an Airbnb, arrived this afternoon and commented it smelled a bit stuffy, so opened all windows but after being out since then and returning tonight, we re realising it really smells generally....weird
It's hard to define. Husband says dog, I think more general old person bungalow/ nursing home- it is possibly smoke that's ingrained into walls etc. it's not fresh smoke smell for sure.
As we can't nail it down as to what it is- and reviews are great - and people are raving about it in the guest book, do we just leave it? If so what will make it smell better? I'm happy outside until evening but coming inside is really off putting. I'm lying waiting for DS1 to sleep and sniffing like a hunting dog 🤣. I know we are lucky to be away but it's disappointing.

If it is even slightly like fish it could be a dangerous electrical fault.

Can you expand on this please?
Slightly off topic - sorry OP - but when we stay with my DPs sometimes there is a weird fishy odour in part of the room.

Nothing like fish I wouldn't say but I'm now sniffing again

Burning electrical fittings/ sockets smell fishy. A huge fire risk, any fishy smell should be checked urgently.

Son says it smells like nappies!

A sweet but pungent smell is usually a dead mouse

Blocked drain?

At least notify the Agent.

bowls of white vinegar great for dissipating the smell of cigarette smoke - not sure if good for other smells; but if you don't know the source, may not help

I'll message him tomorrow. House is fine, basic but fine and beds clean and comfy.
The walls in my bedroom smell though for sure.
It's a strange upside down house where there's a lounge/ mezzanine upstairs and two bedrooms and conservatory downstairs. Location is ideal though so....swings and roundabouts

You're not in Buxton are you? We had a very strange smell for the first day and then it disappeared. Most odd.

@BorisJohnsonsHair no. Scarborough

It's not gas is it? We lived in a house for ages that has a under stairs cupboard that always smelt musty. I didn't really think anything of it until we had a new fireplace fitted & it turned out it was a gas leak

How long are you staying? If you have some/ can get some, You could try putting some coffee beans in pots in corners of rooms that smell. It’s meant to absorb/ neutralise odours somehow. Could be worth a try.
www.coffeekiwi.com/beginners-guides/do-coffee-beans-absorb-smell-eliminate-odours/

I probably would say something in a private message to the landlord as personally I would want to know. The house might need more airing/ deep cleaning next time.
I would just say, ‘the property is great, thanks, but we have noticed quite a pungent smell and thought you might like to know. ‘ Things smell more when it’s hot, I think!!

Message owner straight away! We as cleaners are always on call and will pop round and check it out! Honestly I've been called out later for much less and sorted it out, nothing worse than a pongy house!! 😂😂 Hope you get it sorted xx

We had a holiday cottage in Northumberland last year that was extremely dated, clearly everything hadn't been replaced or done up since mid 90s.
There was a horrendous dusty, sickly smell that was driving me mad. I sniffed everywhere and it turned out to be some really pungent pot pourri in a bowl in the living room. I had forgotten about pig pourri- was everywhere when I was a kid! It smelled exactly like someone trying to cover up cigarettes and chip pan fat in the 90s. Awful.

I hid the pot pourri and loads of rank cheap reed diffusers away in the outhouse and it improved the smell. Put them all back just as we checked out 🤢

Could your smell be something like that? Maybe a plug in thing that you can't see?

Pot pourri not pig pourri!! Ffs 🤦🏽‍♀️

I would trust your son. My DC were always able to recognise a smell.

If they appeared with someone else's clothing they took a sniff and told me who it belonged to.

pig pourri would drown out anything else 😄