To think that “because of covid” is now taking the piss?

[Ndujauser]

24 hours before we are leaving for a stay in a holiday cottage, and this message has just popped up - “ because of the current situation with covid we are no longer providing bedding. Please bring your own pillows, duvets, linen and towels”.
This feels like a massive cop out now, and I’m really hacked off at having to sort it out at the last minute. I get that there are still plenty of covid cases around, but surely we’re done with this kind of measure?

Businesses need to stop using Covid as an excuse.

Lazy poor service. You can't get Covid from a sheet. This bullshit has gone on far too long.

If they can't be arsed to provide this basic, they need to reduce the price and say so in advance.

Maybe they'll lose some business but so they should

What if you were travelling by train to your air b and b....!

Definitely should have been made obvious and clear from the outset. Not fair or reasonable.

We had this with an air b&b last year. The pictures of the rooms showed made up beds and there was no mention of us having to bring own linen and no warning in advance.

Arrived Friday evening to find no bedding so we called the owner and he just said sorry we don't provide it. When we questioned that he just asked us how on earth he was supposed to carry and wash linen when he travels by the train to do the change over cleaning!

The only shop locally was an Aldi so we managed to cobble together a mixture of sleeping bags and cushions as they didn't seem to have any bed linen in the middle aisle at that time. Was an expensive shopping trip for a load of stuff we had no need for once we got back home.

If I were still interested in that cottage after reading that - then I'd send them a message saying (as tactfully as I could) that they needed to update their info. - as it was still saying about "Covid precautions" for some reason and that I wouldnt be bringing my own bedding, etc, with me obviously. The ball would be in their court then - ie as to whether they wanted my booking on the one hand OR accepted that I'd be booking somewhere else instead. NB; I recently stayed in a holiday cottage and bedding and towels was duly provided/no question about it (ie of course holiday cottages have now dropped that - and I'd say it's a try-on to leave that outdated comment by this cottage - hoping they could get out of having to clean a set of bedding and towels - lazy wotnames).

I fell over at a race last year. I asked for a plaster. Apparently Covid meant volunteers didn't carry them. A spectator gave me a wound wash wipe and a plaster. Someone from a local shop gave me a bandage. They only had first aid at the end.

Absolutely insane - surely AirB&B is now done

Out of interest what did it say on the listing in the Essentials section?

I guess if it doesn't clearly state it isn't provided and the beds are pictured made up, it's hard to tell in advance.

Airbnb owner here (please don't shout at me, didn't buy a house in town, converted my own building etc etc) - this is LUDICROUS! We have never done anything other than provide bedding, towels, tea towels, regardless of covid. If you wanted to camp, no dount you'd pitch a tent! It's a total cop out.

I'd also query the cleaning fee if they have one, because part of our goes towards laundry and in this case, you won't create any! I can't see any justification for this (mind you I also don't understand airbnbs asking people to clean, take rubbish out, strip beds etc so perhaps I am in the minority).

Yes it's a piss take. For a start if they don't include linens and towels they should tell you at the point of booking. I've stayed in several self-catering this year and they all had linens etc provided. Also hotels, where daily brief cleaning is taking place, unless a sign left out to indicate it's not wanted.

That is outrageous. I'm assuming that it's too late to cancel. There would be a very bad review being left by me.

Now that's even more unreasonable re the dentist!!!! I've never been expected to do a QR code at any point (even right at the beginning of Lockdown). Just as well - or I'd have probably sacked the dentist and moved on - as it's literally impossible to provide a QR code unless one has a smartphone (and I wouldnt know how to operate one if I had it personally.......). My own dentist only ordered me to use hand stuff/use a paper mask they provided for that one minute run (and I did literally run.......) from door to door inside their practice for the first time/maybe second time as well? when I visited them after Lockdown started and the only other issue I had with them was that I needed a couple of fillings replaced and he brought out this thick sheet of blue plastic and tried to ram it in my mouth before doing so (I gather that was a "dental dam") and I was gobsmacked (after never having had that before for a filling - and I'm retirement age/gone to dentists for years) and I shot up and said "No!" very firmly. He then tried again - and I had to make it plain I was about to get out of the chair and go out the door if he didn't put it away on the spot - and so he did and I had my fillings as normal. So I just put up with the "cost a fortune" dentist (boy - are they dear!!!!) - as I get normal service there basically and my normal standard of dentistry I'm used to.

I’d be livid. It’s a massive PITA, having to take all the bedding and make beds when you get there. But when I’ve done it in the distant past, at least it was made clear before booking.
They should give you a profuse apology and a partial refund - there is absolutely no excuse for not having made this clear from the start.

There is no “current situation with covid”

Linen and towels, annoying but could probably fit them in. But bringing the actual duvets and pillows is ridiculous we couldn't fit them all in our smallish car

It is infuriating that so many businesses still use the ‘because of covid’ excuse, just because it makes things easier/cheaper for
them.

There is no excuse for it anymore. Even the WHO admits the covid pandemic is now over.

@rookiemere when we checked it said essentials not supplied but when we've used air b&b previously that usually referred to tea towels and bathroom towels. So we have stayed in places where according to the listing essentials were not provided but there has always been bed linen.

The fact that the pictures showed the beds made up made us assume they would be.

Since that time we always make a point of clarifying in advance what is and isn't supplied.

That would really annoy me too. The list of what is included is very clear.

To drop that on you at such short notice is taking the piss as presumably when you booked they were providing.

And agree that generally to still badge it as "coz covid " is also taking the piss. If you don't provide bedding it it should just be business as usual not using covid as an excuse

ones! I hate the dishonesty of the Covid excuse as well because it pretends to be for our sake, not theirs - just own the fact that you want to make more money for providing less of a service!

//

Absolutely this

A stiff message to Customer Support later, and cottage owner has phoned me to say that “they don’t usually” provide linen etc, but will make an exception especially for us. I was so relieved that I didn’t get shirty and ask why this is still a thing. But will mention it on the review.
Thanks for all your responses.

Ahh that's a good outcome OP. Pleased for you. And agree mention it on the review factually so future guests w aware

Have a lovely break

That would really annoy me. Like you if it had been pointed out at the beginning I wouldn't have booked. The last time I stayed in an Air B&B it was in Cuba I wouldn't have been taking sheets there with me!

If concerned about covid, the best things to do are to clean the air indoors (better ventilation and filtration) and to use masks when indoors with strangers

And oddly - not everyone drives!