AirBnB Guest terminal illness

[Zazz101]

Hi, I am looking for suggestions. I rent out my house on airBnB and I have just found out that my next guest has a terminal illness.

They have organised a family get together. I would love to do something to make this an extra special time for them all. I know I could just knock money off the house, but they are wanting to make memories, and I would like to do something to ensure it’s a lovely holiday for them.

My only contact is the person that is ill, so I cannot ask them for any ideas.

so please, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

That would be all her profit gone, then?

I was grateful to have my mum for six years after the doctor pronounced that she would be gone by the end of the years.

Another consideration is they've chosen self-catering, not a hotel which suggests they don't want contact with lots of others for either privacy or infection control reasons.

I'm looking forward to the post in January from one of the guests.
"We had a family get together at Christmas and booked what looked like a perfect AirBnB. We needed the extra space to get everyone together as my father has a terminal illness and sadly this might be his last Christmas.
The place was lovely but to be honest was totally OTT on the hospitality. We had chosen self-catering to cut down on interaction with as many other people as possible (dad is immuno-compromised) but the host took it upon herself on night one to come in and cook for us; night 2 she had booked a private chef; and night 3 she gave us access to her deliveroo app and invited us to choose a meal.
There was a bunch of photography equipment left in the living room with a note asking us to return the Polaroid camera when we'd used it; and the whole house was done out like a cheesy film on the Christmas channel.
And there was a wheelchair, zimmer frame and defibrillator in the shed - all looked brand new.
Having worked out the sums there is no way what we paid her would have covered all the above, so I'm wondering why she did all that? Could it be money laundering? Some weird social experiment? Also every time she came round (which was a lot) she'd talk in a really hushed tone and get quite tearful when talking to my dad, and mutter about making memories.
AIBU to write all this on our review?"

And OP I'm not questioning your motivation - you sound like someone who wants to do the right thing - but some of the responses on here are absolutely bonkers.

Again, thank you for your replies, much food for thought.
I will be doing a special hamper, and I will be adding some lovely smelling toiletries.

I provide welcome packs for all my guests as I realise they are here to relax and unwind and I feel responsible that they enjoy their holiday.

I put some ideas on here on how I could make these guests have the best time i possibly could, and have taken on board how some of these ideas could be intrusive, as I said at the time I was just thinking out loud.

I find reading some of these comments truly sad. In what world do we live in, if I choose to do something kind as it been seen as doing it for my gain, how in a million years. Should no one do anything for anyone?

I look back over the years, and the small acts of kindness I have received from strangers over the years make me smile still.

I am not doing it for glory, I am doing it because life sometimes throws shit in your path, and I would like to just make someone’s day a tiny bit better. There will be no fanfare, there will be no intrusion just a kind gesture for someone suffering something truly awful.

Just lastly, Bouffe if you feel comfortable in yourself claiming to have a terminal illness to rip people like me off, knock yourself out.

@Zazz101 You seem like a really lovely person OP - I think a nice hamper of useful/tasty bits that could seem like its normal for a high end BnB rather than 'extra special just for us'... yet still very lovely is the way to go.

You can always stick in a note like this:

'We hope you enjoy your stay - if there is anything you require, even if it's unusual or seems a bit unlikely, please don't hesitate to let us know and we'll do our best to sort it'

It doesn't promise the earth, but might mean they don't sit there wishing for an extra blanket or firewood or pillow, or regretting having forgotten the stick blender.

I agree @WiddlinDiddlin - you sound lovely @Zazz101 and meant it when I said you brought a tear to my eye earlier. In a world that feels so full of horror right now, reading how thoughtful a stranger can be about someone they don't know, is truly uplifting. Thank you!

If you want to leave a hamper, that's fine, but I would say not to include toiletries, they're quite a personal item.I know hotels often provide them, but remember they have chosen not to use a hotel. Just a thought.

Op I know you are trying to do something nice and leaving a nice hamper (for example) with basic things like nice tea/coffee some nice biscuits that would you leave for any guests is a perfectly nice and normal thing to do - it is the making a thing of the fact that someone has a terminal illness and "I feel I have to do something" to me makes this about you (not you personally! just in the general sense)

Like when people have a baby where people insist they have to turn up and take over and fussing, offering to help is nice and lovely but insisting on taking over makes it about them not who they are trying to help

I find reading some of these comments truly sad. In what world do we live in, if I choose to do something kind as it been seen as doing it for my gain, how in a million years. Should no one do anything for anyone?

op being kind is a way to live your life generally. Not performing some kind of showmanship because you’ve found out a customer has a terminal illness. You don’t know them. Do you go round to the local hospice and provide private chefs and cameras for the dying to make memories? Do you start threads on that?

It's kind of you OP.

Just make your BnB the best it can be - warm, clean, comfortable and cosy.

Wreath on the door and Arriving to a lit fire is lovely.

Fresh flowers and something special, be it a loaf of bread, chocolates or wine is very welcoming. Nice coffee and biscuits.

Late checkout.

And leave them to it.

I've been there and despite all the over thinking on the the thread I am pretty sure it will be appreciated. o

You don’t know them. Do you go round to the local hospice and provide private chefs and cameras for the dying to make memories? Do you start threads on that?

What a beyond stupid comment. It's totally possible to add some extra nice touches to the B'N'B as a kind gesture without having to explain yourself further.

They are OPs customers. That's enough.

.

I've learned a lot. I now know exactly what to say when I book an Air BnB and want a fancy hamper and extras thrown in for free.

God alive. Seriously?

@Bouffe

Just lastly, Bouffe if you feel comfortable in yourself claiming to have a terminal illness to rip people like me off, knock yourself out.

As you'll know from reading my posts, I'm too familiar with the experience of supporting people with terminal illnesses to take the piss. It was a rhetorical comment.

Read my other posts: I'm being quoted out of context. Low move, OP.

I did read them @Bouffe

But what was your point saying that? And Who cares if Premier Inn or Claridges wouldn't do it?

OP runs a B'n'B, theres much more personal contact for starters and she wants to.

OP runs a B'n'B

She said she lets out her house. That's very different from running a B&B!

OP, I'd give the extra toiletries a miss. They're so personal that you can never get it right for everyone. I just provide L'Occitane soap and shower gel (miniatures) - if guests don't want to use them, they can take them home and give them to someone else.

If you're a good host, you'll already be doing the necessary. You just happen to know that these particular guests are in the situation they're in - but I've sometimes discovered similar things well after the event. You should really stick to the same high standards regardless of how much or how little you know about any particular guests.

She said she lets out her house. That's very different from running a B&B!

Sigh. Was just being lazy with the typing.
Air B'n'B. We get the gist.

Why is it ‘showmanship’? People with holiday let’s/airb&bs have customers on a continuous loop, if they want to do something special in a certain set of circumstances, then they should be able to without being accused of virtue signalling, they’ve posted on here to get ideas and opinions from people with more experience in these matters, like anyone posting about anything does on here.. it’s an anonymous forum? Why do you have such a problem with it?

I’m not sure why people like yourself, and others on here are so hellbent on being offended by the notion that people just want to go above and beyond for nothing other then making a small difference in someone lives at a difficult time, I think it says more about you then it does OP.

FWIW, I’ve been this family, when my mum was terminal we went away for Christmas all together and it was lovely, the place was decorated and there was nice thoughtful things left, i think it was standard, but if they’d have gone above and beyond for us with extras it would have been nothing but appreciated, we actually had to quickly pack up and leave a day after getting there as she went downhill suddenly, I think she just wanted us all together one last time and when we were, that was it, she stopped fighting to survive, she died the next day.

Some of the naysayers about ‘the ill person won’t want that, won’t eat that, probably won’t die for another 10 years!’ well it’s not all about that, the family as a whole are being ‘treated’ at a time when you’re literally running on empty and all your energy is taken up caring for others, and trying to make things as nice (and normal) as possible for everyone on what will most likely be your last Christmas all together, the stress of it all can be enormous and a small act of kindness or thoughtfulness can be absolutely everything to that person in that moment.

Air BnB, surely. No need for personal contact at all. Which may well be why the family have chosen it, to avoid unnecessary conversations.

Air BnB, surely. No need for personal contact at all. Which may well be why the family have chosen it, to avoid unnecessary conversations.

Not sure why you're focusing on "unnecessary conversations". OP has already had the conversation with her customer.

She's thinking more about a some treats for the visiting group. You know goodies and toiletries.

Totally agree with you @sandyhappypeople.

Weird that someone who claims to be so kind would say that of you. Interesting.