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?!

I have seen reports on people doing stuff to the large bottles (mainly men, being disgusting) and there are also urban legends about people washing their underwear in the kettles too.

(I've read this, so now you can too!)

Ridiculous!!! Nearly every hotel I stay in now has big bottles rather than mini ones. TBF the mini ones are such a waste, usually naff brands and bad for the environment. Ps your place sounds amazing

It isn't unhygienic.

The worst it could be is not totally controlled ie; in theory a previous guest could have unscrewed the lid and peed in it or spat in it (for instance ) and OP would be none the wiser.

But then if someone was that intent on behaving perversely, they could do it to an individual one, replace it to look unused, and the next guest gets it anyway.

They are just being hyper.

ETA and if they just mean the pump has been touched - which is equally ridiculous as the door handles and everything have been - they could pump a bit out, rub the pump and rinse, as after all they are in a shower. It's easier to clean it than the furnishings.

Your b&b sounds lovely where is it?

Just been away, stayed in a couple of fabulous hotels both of which had large bottles of very expensive toiletries which I used to my hearts content knowing that they'd just be topped up on a regular basis. Any potential issue is exactly the same with tiny bottles as large ones, both can be refilled. Wouldn't give this a thought and it definitely wouldn't affect any reviews.

I was all for saying it was fine until the details that they are 500ml bottles which you only replace when empty and every TEN MONTHS. :(

I have 350ml bottles of shampoo/conditioner in my shower which only I use, and do refill, but much more frequently than that.

Over time they will become gungy, and I agree with the other comment that the guests who get the last bottom inch would find that unappealing.

Suggest supply some single-serves, or purchase smaller containers and top them up frequently.

And replace the bottle more often than yearly!

Not unhygienic, I am fussy though and wouldn’t use them. But I know I’m not going to use them so always take my own toiletries, so that’s on her. It’s an Airbnb, why is she’s expecting individual toiletries?

You've lost me. I rub the bar of soap all over me. The idea of touching my wet body with a wet flannel is 🤢

Op you are not unreasonable. I stayed in a very nice Copenhagen hotel that had large bottles of skandanavisk to use. It literally didn't cross my mind that this was unhygienic.

You are right. Plus Aesop is bloody lovely!

It's unhidden now, it was probably because you mentioned a travel supplier beginning with E, and to the bot it looked like spam.

You can please some of the people some of the time but you cannot please all of the people all of the time.
Even on cruise lines now it is fixed body wash and shampoo.

Oh my goodness what? Surely this is much better than individual little bottles being thrown.away every time?? Also how is it unhygienic? Are they suggesting that people use these then put stuff back in the bottle??!! Also where is this Airbnb cos I love the sound of it!

I used to my heart's content *knowing that they'd just be topped up on a regular basis**

Not allowed to gradually, gradually become empty (with some guests potentially adding water - which is unhygienic - to use up the last inch), and only filled up EVERY TEN MONTHS?

Not quite the same as a hotel refilling bottles multiple times per week.

She's nuts. Or has never stayed away from home before. If she has, she must have known that tiny individual bottles went out of favour some years ago. What can you catch off shower gel or shampoo?

We are lucky enough to stay in 4/5 star hotels and they all do that now for environmental resons.

I'd be so annoyed if I had an Airbnb and someone knocked off a star for such a ridiculous reason.

Miniature soap is a personal preference.

Blacklist.

There have been some interesting studies done recently on the bacteria that can grow in shared soap/shampoo dispensers, separate to that I have heard that people (men) can put gross fluids in them.
Generally, in a house with family or friends I have no problem with them but I wouldn't use them in a hotel or air BnB style property.

This article quotes a few of the studies -

https://www.travelandleisure.com/study-finds-bacteria-in-hotel-refillable-toiletry-dispensers-11880615

You've lost me. I rub the bar of soap all over me. The idea of touching my wet body with a wet flannel is 🤢

You don't have to rub soap on you or use a flannel.

I thought most people got lather in their hands & cleaned themselves like that.

Agreed

I had a star knocked off because the gardener woke up the primary guest at 9am on their departure day - they had to be out by 10am.

And why I travel with my own kettle! God, people are disgusting.

I'd apply soap to the flannel until it lathered (although I don't like using soap). It wouldn't occur to me to rub the bar of soap all over me; that's really weird IMO.

She's nuts.
Theres always one.
Forget about it.

God, I pity anyone who works with the public.

So many absolute twats.

OP - can you reply to her review? As in ‘thank you for taking the trouble to leave a review and clarifying by DM that we dropped a star on the basis of the shower gel bottles. It’s a hard one to navigate: most of our guests prefer not to add to plastic waste with individual bottles. People are free to bring their own of course. Thank you again for staying with us’

Yeah, it's interesting the different ways people wash! I use a shower puff and a sponge for sensitive parts with that foamy imperial leather stuff mostly. Face cloth for face!

I hate bars of soap!

She is batshit! Anyone that stays in a hotel has this provided, sometimes only handwash and shower gel! If you don’t want to use a particular shampoo/conditioner take your own but to mark someone down for hygiene is ridiculous.