Is this unhygienic?!

[loislaneloves]

I have an Airbnb on my property. It’s basically a tiny home at the bottom of our large garden with an amazing view. Most people come for the weekend by train and I don’t want people to spend their holiday shopping for stuff like coffee, tea, milk or having to cram suitcases full of toiletries or beach towels so I provide all of those. I also provide a little evening snack (crisps usually) some wine to watch the sun set on the deck with and fruit from the garden and a croissant and jam for breakfast. People love it and I make it quite clear on my ads that these things are provided.
Just got a review from a couple who stayed with us a few days ago. They gave us a good review but took one star off and in her private message to me she said ‘We loved our stay with you but we weren’t very happy that the toiletries are in big shared bottles rather than individual use. This is obviously very unhygienic (we don’t know who has used them!!) so we had to make the trip to buy some for ourselves which was an expense and effort we weren’t expecting’.
To be clear I offer Aesop Shower Gel, Shampoo and Conditioner in the shower and Aesop Hand Wash by the sink in 500ml bottles. They get replaced when empty which is usually about every 10 months
AIBU to think this is not unhygienic?!

It IS so annoying to see your rating drop over things like this - we should be allowed to dispute things like this affecting our ratings.

Just to make you feel better, I have an airbnb and the mad comments I have had include

1. No large (yes, large) dining table = it's a 2 bed, 60sqm flat. Where they think I'd put a large dining table I do not know
2. The salad spinner isn't large enough
3. Don't like the potato masher (who comes on holiday and mashes potatoes?)
4. The hoover isn't a good enough brand (What's wrong with Vax?)
5. The outside of the building is old = yes, it's a 200 year old listed building
6. It's busy outside = yes, it's Edinburgh city centre.
7. They prefer trains to buses and the public transport is mostly buses = don't know when I became the minister for public transport but I'll let the council know?!
8. It's not good value. but is in the perfect location, beautifully refurbished, provides everything you need = I don't hide the prices... you could just have booked somewhere else if you don't like the price of mine
9. The neighbour said hello and they felt threatened = suspect this one is a racist because my neighbours are black (don't know which of the couple they found threatening, the heavily pregnant woman or the short, thin, bow tie wearing man)
10. They couldn't see Arthur's Seat from either the windows or the street = I never said you could. You can walk to it in 15 minutes though...
11. Edinburgh is cold = Famously, yes. Yes it is.
12. Disappointed there was no cooked breakfast provided... in a self catering airbnb.

Honestly, people are absolutely mental.

She's talking utter bollocks. Ignore her.

If course it isn't unhygienic. That's nonsense.

Exactly. And poo germs, hepatitis, etc can be on them.

Unhygienic??? That is bonkers. Did she expect you to sterilise and fumigate the shower itself because shock horror someone else's body had entered it? How did she cope with a toilet that numerous people had used?

I've stayed at some really nice hotels which have the big pump bottles. I think it's great to see so much less waste and plastic. Plus I have long thick hair and the dolly size measures of shampoo and conditioner in the individual bottles are no good to me unless I use two or three. I need a good dollop!

I run 5* holiday homes, some 10k+ per week. None of them supply shampoo and conditioner.

Women are generally very particular about what they use for their hair. I never use hotel shampoo or conditioner myself.

It’s only exciting for people who get a thrill out of something for free, which is very much the lower end of the market.

Some people have no choice but to poop in a public loo.

You can use some loo paper when you touch the flush handle (many are now action-sensitive and you don't need touch the flush at all.)

You need to wash your clothes if you're using them on the flush button, surely?

The door handle is the dirtiest part.

I put YABU unreasonable as I was imagining half used bottles just cluttering up the shower tray (my only experience of provided toiletries at an air bnb!). But actually your set out sounds ideal and not unhygienic especially as you clean the outside of the bottles in-between. To save any future issues could you perhaps include more detail or photos of what you provide so guest can decide beforehand whether they're happy to use them and same with the coffee, show what you'll provide so they can bring their own if they prefer.

Yes, those and the automatic taps you don't have to touch are great! Always use them.

Most large hotels do the same with large bottles these days (travel a lot for work). Ignore these strange people, they are clearly not up with what is normal.

I'd never use provided hair or bath stuff.

I have small toiletry bag with decanted shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, hand gel, and a bar of unscented soap.

But if the last thing you do before leaving the loo is wash your hands very well then you can wash all the bits of poo and wee off (yours and other people's).
Use your elbow to push the door open, or lean on it, or use a hanky if you have to touch a handle.
Obviously there are bits of poo and germs all over everything anyway, bacteria and viruses have very successful methods of transmission.

I change my clothes every day. I do use toilet paper to touch the flush handle. No problem if other people poop in a public loo, I'm just one of those people who don't. Even though I have Crohn's. I also use my sleeve over my hand for the door handle. Then sanitise when I'm out. At least my hands are then clean. You could say I'm not a big fan of public bathrooms.

Why though? What do you think people have done?!

erm what?? This is the norm in most hotels now – including luxury 5-star hotels. It's much more sustainable and in no way unhygienic.

You need a thicker skin OP. You're always going to get that one fussy customer.

The review doesn't matter. Shes probably a serial whinger and that's the only thing she could find. Take it as a compliment.

I can see her point simply because if you pick up a bottle of handwash you might wonder how many pairs of grubby hands have been on it before.

One of the better ways is an individual 'guest bar' of soap, wrapped, which you throw away after use. These used to be the norm before everyone changed to liquid handwash. They come as catering supplies and are smaller than a small matchbox.

I'm usually more concerned with the quality of the products, since I have sensitive skin. A bad review of this kind wouldn't put me off at all. If everything looks clean and hygienic, I won't second guess the bath products.

That reminds me to leave a five star review for the place we just stayed in (that was clean and had big bottles in the shower that didn't bother me at all).

If she is that fussy and crazy then why on earth does she not take her own toiletries when she goes away?

Insane. If they are that wound up they should be travelling with their own stuff anyway. I’ve never seen little bottles outside of hotels and certainly not in airbnb situations. The large bottles on the wall are typical.

I’m sorry about you rating. It sounds like you are doing Airbnb correctly (without driving up house prices for first time buyers) it sounds like a lovely destination.

This. My husband will very happily use all the hotel products. I don't have a problem with hand-wash anywhere and I'll use the shower gel if it smells nice. I don't use the shampoo and conditioner because I have coloured hair and lots of shsmpoos turn it into straw. If I had to I would but I bring my own because that'd what I prefer. I've never given hygiene a thought. Presumably this guest wasn't bothered that multiple other people had had sex in the bed,sat on the loo seat, farted into the sofa ,washed the mugs and plates ( not necessarily very well) after using them.

This is really silly - lots of really nice hotels use this method too. I hate plastic waste so would prefer to use the larger bottles.

So you'd rather have the poopy residue on your sleeve for the rest of the day than on your hands that you are about to wash?!?! That seems so much more unhygienic!! 🤢

Like a pp, I think it's be a good idea to add a photo of your lovely Aesop toiletries. As well as letting people know what they're getting, that kind of quality of would be a plus for most people!

But you don't pick up the bottle of hand-wash.You press your hand on the top and squeeze some out into your other hand. Then you wash your hands. Anything on the bottle dispenser would be washed off when you washed your hands. Grubby hands have obviously touched it ( as they have in every service station/ cafe/ shop toilet) that's why people are washing their hands in the first place.

I'd be tempted to supply small amounts in travel sized pump dispensers, decant what's left after a stay and wash the bottles out for a refill before the next guest. That way you can cater for the batshit and keep being environmentally responsible!