Airbnb and TV - AIBU?

[GoldOnyx]

DH, DMum, DS and I are on holiday in an Airbnb in Portugal.

We had a few problems with the shower and with a lingering smell of drying laundry, so messaged the host and she came today to try and sort these. She sorted the shower, which was good. The drying laundry smells have persisted for a while, which I think has pissed off my DMum, although they’re no longer there, which is good.

The other thing is we have a TV, which is good, but there aren’t many channels and they’re all in Portuguese. The remote I think we need to access the channels doesn’t work unfortunately.

When the host came today to sort the other stuff, we asked her if we could use the other remote and she said she’d drop off some batteries so we could use it.

The host didn’t drop off the batteriesI went out to get some, but the other remote still didn’t work unfortunately. I don’t want to annoy her, as I’m worried about getting a bad review, but would it be worth me messaging her again to ask if she can help firther with the remote?

We’re leaving on Sunday morning, so in a way it doesn’t seem worth it, but my DM quite likes watching TV before going to bed, which is fair enough, and would like some English language channels to watch if possible.

Sorry for the typos and spelling! ‘Firther’ should of course be ‘further’!

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother. Get your mum a book!

They can't just add English channels before you leave if they just have a package with Portuguese channels

I think it’s a bit much to expect a full suite of English channels while on holiday overseas in an apartment! Can’t she watch something on a phone or read a book?

Yeah of course she can read a book, and she has books with her, but I can understand where she is coming from. I think she’s irritated that there’s this other remote available which doesn’t work. The apartment is not that well maintained, which has probably added to her frustration.

It depends on whether the advert specifically mentions UK channels. If it does then it is reasonable to ask, if it doesn't then you are being unreasonable to expect them.

It doesn’t specifically mention U.K. channels, but says the TV has a standard cable subscription. My DM doesn’t want lots of English language channels - I think she just would quite like to watch the news and stuff like that in English if possible.

Honestly you are on holiday, she can watch the news on her phone if she must. Is it really the end of the world? Embrace no tv!

Can’t you buy batteries?

But you’re in …… Portugal.

Totally ridiculous to expect access to English specific channels when you’re in a foreign country.

Show her the news on your smartphone if she’s that desperate.

I think if it’s really this important to her I’d just buy a couple of batteries. You can take them home with you afterwards if you feel especially petty about it.

If it’s a standard cable subscription I’d be surprised if it has English channels? I might be wrong. It seems odd to me to expect to watch English TV on holiday abroad.

I don't think an airb&b should have to provide tv channels in the language of all staying guests.

To posters asking about batteries, I bought batteries and put them in the remote and it still didn’t work.

You're on holiday. In a foreign country. Why do you need English tv?

About the apartment, I can understand your frustrations. I lived in Portugal for a while, and the quality and maintenance of apartments really isn't great. 'Newly renovated' seems to be defined as anything post-2004.

About the other stuff, I think YABU. I would never assume that self catering accommodation would have English language channels. Also, I wouldn't really want to spend time watching television. If I'm on holiday and am staying in for the night, I like to socialise, play board games, do something different to my day-to-day life.

Need to find out what Gail Platt is up to now!

We have a property in Portugal and I know a lot of properties near us have lost the English language channels they had because one of the satellites has now been turned off. It’s too much hassle for us so we just use streaming services.

We had issues with no remote on holiday this year, but my bf downloaded a universal remote app onto his phone and that worked.

Also, we did a lot of casting from our phones to the TV. Does the one in your Airbnb have capacity to cast to it?

I have no idea how I would go about getting access to Portugese or other language channels in the UK - I think it's fairly unreasonable to expect English language channels abroad.

There will be buttons on the TV that should work if the remote doesn't. I'm sure your mother can remember back to when remotes weren't a thing. I'm sure she can manage for a few days.

May not help but anytime we have been abroad and the kids wanted English TV we have found the way is to go into the settings and change the audio output. It's not complicated just click on settings usually like a wheel cog icon. Then look for audio/language usually a speaker icon. Then usually an option to have audio in English. Doesn't work if there is no alternative audio available bur we have found on Disney and pop and the bews channels it's avaliable

I am completely baffled as to why you expect English language TV in a non English speaking country. YABU.

I don’t expect it. I’m fluent in Portuguese and very happy with the channels on offer. My DM likes watching the news every day at home and just would like to watch the news in English on holiday too if possible. I know it might seem a little unusual to some posters on here, but I can understand why she wants to watch the news. Unfortunately she doesn’t use a smartphone so can’t watch the news on there.

Thanks to posters who suggested casting. I’ve tried this but unfortunately it didn’t work as the TV isn’t a smart TV.

What is the smell of drying laundry?
Where was the smell coming from?
I'm so confused.