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Bear with me....thanks:
So I stayed for the first time as an airbnb guest. Cleveland (my former home), great central location, condo in a old classy apartment building, etc. Owner (med student) was out of town, out of the country actually, until the last day of my stay. Found this out after I booked it, but preferred it for the privacy and not worrying about waking him up, etc. Had my own room in a large apartment. All was good.
The ten days I stayed there went well, but there were small issues that would have deterred others but I rolled with it because of the preferred location. The shower handle was broken and it was impossible to get water without forcing it. I did not want to force anything because I imagined water spraying everywhere out of something I caused, and so I called and emailed. He was in a remote location in Africa and didn't get back to me for some time that day, but he was nice and apologetic and knew about the broken handle but assured me to force it and it would work fine. I forced it and it did. He also offered a full refund if I wanted to leave, before I tried getting the shower going. No need, I assured him. All is well, right? He seemed to appreciate my flexibility.
Cleveland had unbelievably low temperatures during my entire stay....average of 10 degrees. Never got above 20. At night was zero-ish. Upon my arrival, the thermostat was at 50. The condo was FREEZING. There was a note to turn the thermostat on upon my arrival, but no temperature setting was listed for instructions. I bumped it up to 76 to get things warmed up and went to bed.....still a very cold, drafty place. Never truly got "warm."
We had talked back and forth and had been friendly before booking and when I had questions throughout my stay. Super nice and friendly......helping each other really. He arrived the next-to-last day, I was out at dinner, he texted me to say he bumped the thermostat down to 70. I said ok and thanks and that I'd see him in the morning.
Saw him early the next day in the hallway, shook hands, I was very friendly and social, just as we had been. I could tell something was amiss with him. So he started the conversation with "about checkout.....?" I said I'm planning on leaving in a couple of hours, he said ok, very well, and that was that. I took a shower thinking "what's going on?"
Gave him his keys as I left, told him to keep the bottle of detergent and the craft beers in the fridge (I never used anything in the kitchen). He said ok thanks. Never looked up from the computer and fairly cold. I figured it for his personality, shook hands, said thanks with a smile and headed out.
Airbnb wanted me to do a review a few days later, so I gave a brief, positive, non-specific review. All good, good communication, great place etc. After all, I wanted a good review back. And I didn't mention the broken shower etc etc.
A few days after that I was skewered in his review of me. It all dwelled on the temperature of the thermostat, how I was not staying in a personal hotel, how it's someone's house and I need to be more respectful of temperature norms, etc. It went on and on that way, three paragraphs and all about the thermostat. (I think he's STILL writing about it as we speak.). And a backhanded compliment about how I "was probably just new to airbnb and how I will learn." Again, the condo was freezing. Old windows, drafty, etc. And is 76 degrees ridiculous and worth all of this?
I'm older (54), always respectful of others and their property, and would never impose. So part of me wants to reply and say everything that was wrong (small issues that would have bugged others but not me), and part of me wants to take the high road and just let it go. However, this review of me is permanent and so I might want to do airbnb again (although right now I'm asking myself why would I) and me explaining might alleviate fears of renting out their room to me, the guy that can't use a thermostat correctly. Another concern is that if I open up this can of worms he might do something like blame me for his broken shower (which he knew was broken), or something else. Everyone I've talked to says skewer him back. Not my style. And frankly I'm tired of worrying about it.
Next move? thanks all
I have stayed in five AIRBNBs and never had an issue like this. It looks like you got a lemon. If his rules don't specifically state where the thermostat can be set, you did nothing wrong. Can you write another review? Have you read the other reviews for him? How do other people rate his place?
I have stayed in five AIRBNBs and never had an issue like this. It looks like you got a lemon. If his rules don't specifically state where the thermostat can be set, you did nothing wrong. Can you write another review? Have you read the other reviews for him? How do other people rate his place?
All other reviews about him were positive. Yes I can leave a reply. But again, I'm a bit apprehensive, and also not wanting to stoop to that level. It just irks me really.
That and this is kind of a lesson learned. That and 54 years old and with a good job is probably not the type of person who should be sleeping in stranger's guest rooms and nickel and dimeing it when there's perfectly good low-priced hotels all around. It's not like I'm 22 and crashing on my buddy's futon to save cash. It kind of felt that way.
oh yes. House rules were given...I broke none of them.
I agree with the other poster who states it sounds like you got a lemon...
Can you contact him? Kindly explain this was not only 'not' communicated in the house rules, but not communicated to you while you there when the both of you clearly talked about you changing the thermostat?
I'd be asking him to remove the review. I'd make sure I have a copy of the house rules first. Then if it's that important to you, escalate to AirBnB I guess. Not sure what they would do.
76 is a little high for heat, (Did it even get up to 76?)
Putting the heat up higher does not make it hotter faster, In many cases many heating system take many hours or days to re-gain heat running 24x7 to get up from 50 to 7xf when its 10-20f out. My guess is the heat was electric, that is very costly to run, he came back and found it at 76f and was thinking my electric bill will be HUGE more then he made on the AirB&B rental. (Not true but that probably what he thinking) .
Oh! He also said I "was never there" in his review, so why run the heat so "high." Due to his absence, he has no idea how often I was there, other than me saying I shouldn't be there too often, before I rented it. He took it upon himself to assume I was not there and stated as such in his review of me.
Forgot all about that!
Bear with me....thanks:
So I stayed for the first time as an airbnb guest. Cleveland (my former home), great central location, condo in a old classy apartment building, etc. Owner (med student) was out of town, out of the country actually, until the last day of my stay. Found this out after I booked it, but preferred it for the privacy and not worrying about waking him up, etc. Had my own room in a large apartment. All was good.
The ten days I stayed there went well, but there were small issues that would have deterred others but I rolled with it because of the preferred location. The shower handle was broken and it was impossible to get water without forcing it. I did not want to force anything because I imagined water spraying everywhere out of something I caused, and so I called and emailed. He was in a remote location in Africa and didn't get back to me for some time that day, but he was nice and apologetic and knew about the broken handle but assured me to force it and it would work fine. I forced it and it did. He also offered a full refund if I wanted to leave, before I tried getting the shower going. No need, I assured him. All is well, right? He seemed to appreciate my flexibility.
Cleveland had unbelievably low temperatures during my entire stay....average of 10 degrees. Never got above 20. At night was zero-ish. Upon my arrival, the thermostat was at 50. The condo was FREEZING. There was a note to turn the thermostat on upon my arrival, but no temperature setting was listed for instructions. I bumped it up to 76 to get things warmed up and went to bed.....still a very cold, drafty place. Never truly got "warm."
We had talked back and forth and had been friendly before booking and when I had questions throughout my stay. Super nice and friendly......helping each other really. He arrived the next-to-last day, I was out at dinner, he texted me to say he bumped the thermostat down to 70. I said ok and thanks and that I'd see him in the morning.
Saw him early the next day in the hallway, shook hands, I was very friendly and social, just as we had been. I could tell something was amiss with him. So he started the conversation with "about checkout.....?" I said I'm planning on leaving in a couple of hours, he said ok, very well, and that was that. I took a shower thinking "what's going on?"
Gave him his keys as I left, told him to keep the bottle of detergent and the craft beers in the fridge (I never used anything in the kitchen). He said ok thanks. Never looked up from the computer and fairly cold. I figured it for his personality, shook hands, said thanks with a smile and headed out.
Airbnb wanted me to do a review a few days later, so I gave a brief, positive, non-specific review. All good, good communication, great place etc. After all, I wanted a good review back. And I didn't mention the broken shower etc etc.
A few days after that I was skewered in his review of me. It all dwelled on the temperature of the thermostat, how I was not staying in a personal hotel, how it's someone's house and I need to be more respectful of temperature norms, etc. It went on and on that way, three paragraphs and all about the thermostat. (I think he's STILL writing about it as we speak.). And a backhanded compliment about how I "was probably just new to airbnb and how I will learn." Again, the condo was freezing. Old windows, drafty, etc. And is 76 degrees ridiculous and worth all of this?
I'm older (54), always respectful of others and their property, and would never impose. So part of me wants to reply and say everything that was wrong (small issues that would have bugged others but not me), and part of me wants to take the high road and just let it go. However, this review of me is permanent and so I might want to do airbnb again (although right now I'm asking myself why would I) and me explaining might alleviate fears of renting out their room to me, the guy that can't use a thermostat correctly. Another concern is that if I open up this can of worms he might do something like blame me for his broken shower (which he knew was broken), or something else. Everyone I've talked to says skewer him back. Not my style. And frankly I'm tired of worrying about it.
Next move? thanks all
If there is a way to reply so that it shows on AirBnB, I would simply say:
"There were no rules or instructions given regarding minimum/maximum thermostat settings. If there had been, I would have followed them. My recommendation is that the host include the parameters for thermostat settings in the list of house rules."
You can defend yourself without "skewering" him as you don't want to negate your point or make yourself look bad by getting into a pissing contest. I'd also not bother with mentioning the other issues at this point because it would just come across as sour grapes.
FWIW, please give an honest review of places. If there are negatives, state what they are along with the positives. Many people, like myself, take those into account when choosing a place to stay.
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