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?!

How utterly batshit. Who was your guest? Howard Hughes? Large wall mounted bottles of shampoo and bodywash are common everywhere in hotels, especially in Europe as there is an EU regularion that bans those mall throway minis now.

Also TBH I would not expect any free toileteries in a holiday let so you are going over and above.

I don't tend to use hotel stuff as I like my own shampoo and soap and always bring it with me, but that is a brand preference not an insane germ phobia thing.

Can I come and stay? It sounds perfect!

As are all fancy hotels and restaurants I should think!

Don’t offer alcohol.

Perfectly fine maybe you should reply and say you thinking of the impact of plastic waste and the environment! That shud shut her up ,!!
I just travelled and I used the pump.bottles attached the the shower !!! Actually nice not having to worry about buying loads of mini travel items !

Why not?

Why not? It's becoming really rare these days for hotels not to provide only full size bottles - some in wall containers, some not.

I actually made a negative comment on Expedia recently about a guest house we stayed in a couple of weeks ago which was still using those ridiculous teeny one off bottles. They're horriblly bad for the environment.

I agree. I'm querying that poster's logic in why bottles are more hygienic if attached to the wall!

If they are pump bottles this is fine and like most hotels. Your place sounds lovely!

I've just stayed in a five star hotel that had pump dispenser toiletries. It never occured to me that it might be unhygienic. I wonder what they mean!?

Most nice hotels do this nowadays, it's far better for the environment. Some of them put a note explaining this in the room so maybe do that.

Do you take your own soap out and about with you at all times? To work? To the gym? The spa?

I usually use hotel toiletries but I always have a selection of small bottles in my wash bag, just in case I need a backup.

As other posters have said, you could make future guests aware regarding toiletries and add that it's part of your sustainability programme.

What does she do when using the loo in other people's homes. Most people would have liquid hand wash in their bathrooms. Also does she bring her own shampoo to the hairdresser as they have large dispensers for shampoo and conditioner.
The loos at many cafés and restaurants have bottles of liquid soap for washing hands and how many people does she think have washed their hands in these places

It's completely irrational..

A shared soap or shampoo dispenser is one of the lowest risk items, because you then proceed to wash you hands/body/hair, thus dealing with any contamination that may be present.

Everyone knows the big issue is the germs on the tap.

I've just had my post saying the same hidden by MN. I'd would mark a hotel or guest house down for using those single one off bottles.

They’re mad, but you should just try to move on. Surely having iffy reviews is just part and parcel of running an Airbnb. You can’t please everyone.

Sounds lovely OP.

just watch the wine, meant to have a licence, annoyingly.

Doesn't bother most but it’s the sort of thing certain guests would pick up on.

Do they take their own liquid soap out for hand washing after using a public loo? Or indeed loo roll as you never know what pop germs have jumped out of the flushing loo? 🙄

Your place sounds lovely OP and the items you leave are incredibly thoughtful. I get not wanting to use some items I.e kitchen condiments as some look they have been there years!!! However we’ve stayed in 4 Air BnBs in the last 12 months and not one has left as much as a small carton of milk in the fridge.

The guest didn't put it in the public review though. It was in a private communication with OP.

Aesop! 😳
also- it’s mostly cheapy hotels who provide the cheapy little single use stuff. Nice hotels refill from bigger bottles like you’re doing.

I stayed in a b&b last year which provided a small bottle of prosecco per guest. Foc. It was a lovely touch.

I don’t think it’s unhygienic but I think if you top up the bottles as part of the turnover process it would look better,

Amusingly she takes soap sheets with her.... Presumably the soap sheets are in her bag rattling around or in a smaller bag, which isn't presumably sterile, and she then has to touch the soap sheet holder which I don't see how is more hygienic.....

Regardless, whether it shared dispenser or the soap sheet dispenser... The soap is on your hand in a second and you are immediately washing your hands 😂😂😂

I don’t understand why it’s unhygienic? These are pump bottles?

any gym I have gone to or hotel spa (even hotels) have pump bottles that are regularly filled.

Am I clueless? What is the problem