Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think she told me she buys all of these nice little different coffees and teas and someone stole ALL of them.
That's sad and it's exactly why people who own the places might be reluctant to put out really nice things: they disappear. I stayed in an Airbnb in Edinburgh that was exactly as described and NOTHING more. No microwave. Coffee maker was a french press. No food or toiletries. No wastebaskets. (You had to tote your own crap out to the dumpster.) Now that I think of it, nothing anyone could steal except maybe the linens and of course they were standard Wal-Mart quality.
I gave them a balanced review- stated that everything in the listing was true (clean, good location, etc.) and then listed the things one might expect that weren't part of the deal.
That's sad and it's exactly why people who own the places might be reluctant to put out really nice things: they disappear. I stayed in an Airbnb in Edinburgh that was exactly as described and NOTHING more. No microwave. Coffee maker was a french press. No food or toiletries. No wastebaskets. (You had to tote your own crap out to the dumpster.) Now that I think of it, nothing anyone could steal except maybe the linens and of course they were standard Wal-Mart quality.
I gave them a balanced review- stated that everything in the listing was true (clean, good location, etc.) and then listed the things one might expect that weren't part of the deal.
You really have to strike a balance and be okay with whatever you have in the house being destroyed or missing. At the same time, it has to be attractive and comfortable and as indestructible as possible. Your place needs to photograph well and look inviting even luxurious depending on what kind of rental you have. But you need to be prepared for guests to run roughshod all over your space and pocket things.
Most people don't steal. But many have poor habits in terms of being careful about damage. Some are angelic!
I'm not sure if we have ever cooked in an Airbnb beyond something similar to a quesadilla or making sandwiches. Very interesting. The only thing I usually care about is a Fridge so I can stock some cold drinks and either a Microwave or a stove/hotplate type of thing.
We always cook. As soon as we arrive I check out the pots/pans situation, then what staples like oil/salt/pepper are available, then make a grocery run to get supplies.
We almost always stay a week though, and travel for extended periods of time so get to missing home cooking. Made some pork chops and Spanish rice last night at airbnb we're in right now.
I can't say that I have ever stayed at a place with a food processor and waffle maker as part of the kitchen set up and I have stayed at a lot of places. My first thought is that you don't want to stock your home with anything you don't want to have to replace because things do end up vanishing But that's really interesting feedback. I would never cook elaborate, messy or fragrant meals at a vacation rental. To me, that's strictly a "home only" activity. But people do ask. Not a majority, but enough that it's notable. We had a woman who wanted to make a bridal cake at one of our rentals....she sent a list of things she would need. It's very eye opening some of these requests.
I believe I've seen you make this error before. It is not "your home," it is a business location. Choosing what food items and processes should be used in such a unit is the decision of those who have paid for the use of those facilities provided no exclusions have previously been agreed to. What you would do in such a rental is totally irrelevant. Should a customer not make some popcorn in the microwave because the investor dislikes the smell of popcorn?
I believe I've seen you make this error before. It is not "your home," it is a business location. Choosing what food items and processes should be used in such a unit is the decision of those who have paid for the use of those facilities provided no exclusions have previously been agreed to. What you would do in such a rental is totally irrelevant. Should a customer not make some popcorn in the microwave because the investor dislikes the smell of popcorn?
Uh no, if you own the home it's still yours.Your house. Your condo. Your tent. It belongs to you. And in many cases hosts do open up rooms in their primary home. Not us, but it's common. We also occupy one of our vacation rentals ourselves for a significant period of time yearly. It's a vacation HOME with a side order of guest rental. The other properties not as much.
And its not the decision of guests what you provide. Backwards. You provide whatever amenities you are able to ir comfortable with. You set your nightly price. Your guests then search for a place that had what they want. Make a match ? They book. You are also REQUIRED to list house rules on Airbnb and like sites such as if pets are allowed, whether or not it's suitable for kids, parties/visitors and anything else you don't want happening. I have seen the "no burning food because we don't have an exhaust fan at this cabin" more than once, so microwave popcorn might be iffy in those rentals. Food related I have seen everything from "no cooking but making coffee and tea is fine" to "no frying because we don't have a way to dispose of grease" to "we are a vegan household and do not allow animal based food products in our rental" to just plain not having a kitchen period. A guest can't behave in any way they feel like. They are paying to use the space on agreed upon terms. Hosts are asked to rate how well they follow their rules. And those rules can be as arbitrary as a host wants.
Its also not a free for all. Hosts don't suddenly come up with a pool, a hot tub, a special kind of appliance, etc because a guest wants one. Everything is listed. If a guest requires things the space doesn't address they can ask. As a superhost several times over, I have complied when it was reasonable for me to do so. But not every ask is reasonable. Hosts are not Santa Claus and guests are adults.
As I say, most of our guests are fantastic to nice enough. But some people truly don't understand that this is not a hotel nor is it their own house.And some are downright strange.ita what keeps things interesting.
We've stayed in AirBnBs and VRBOs for years. They vary widely. Some have uncomfortable beds with rough sheets and expect you to bring your own soap. Others have pillow top mattresses with high thread count sheets and luxury shampoo.
We rented one home for a week in Texas and were surprised to find that the owners and their children had moved out to the garage for the duration of our stay. They had gathered up their clothes and set up a makeshift home in the garage. It was nice that the kitchen was fully stocked, waffle maker and all. But weird in that they would occasionally ask to come in and get something.
Another time we stayed at a B&B that did not have locks on the room doors. Also, the owner asked if we were married -- twice.
One AirBnB we stayed at had two pages of rules, including a list of chores that needed to be done before leaving -- strip the sheets, empty waste baskets and replace liners, wash all the dishes, sweep the floors, ... As there was a cleaning fee involved in the rental, wondered what it covered. Perhaps making the beds and cleaning the toilets, as those were the only two things not included on the list.
One B&B we stayed at advertised "All you can eat" breakfast. When we came down, there was a jar of granola and a pitcher of milk on the table. When I asked about the "All you can eat" breakfast, we were told that we could have as many bowls of granola as we wanted. All we could eat.
Some places are spotlessly clean. Others have items left from previous guests.
We've stayed in AirBnBs and VRBOs for years. They vary widely. Some have uncomfortable beds with rough sheets and expect you to bring your own soap. Others have pillow top mattresses with high thread count sheets and luxury shampoo.
We rented one home for a week in Texas and were surprised to find that the owners and their children had moved out to the garage for the duration of our stay. They had gathered up their clothes and set up a makeshift home in the garage. It was nice that the kitchen was fully stocked, waffle maker and all. But weird in that they would occasionally ask to come in and get something.
Another time we stayed at a B&B that did not have locks on the room doors. Also, the owner asked if we were married -- twice.
One AirBnB we stayed at had two pages of rules, including a list of chores that needed to be done before leaving -- strip the sheets, empty waste baskets and replace liners, wash all the dishes, sweep the floors, ... As there was a cleaning fee involved in the rental, wondered what it covered. Perhaps making the beds and cleaning the toilets, as those were the only two things not included on the list.
One B&B we stayed at advertised "All you can eat" breakfast. When we came down, there was a jar of granola and a pitcher of milk on the table. When I asked about the "All you can eat" breakfast, we were told that we could have as many bowls of granola as we wanted. All we could eat.
Some places are spotlessly clean. Others have items left from previous guests.
Aw the family one would have made me really sad.
The all you can eat is hysterical. I stayed in a similar place that advertised "luxury bath products." When I got there there was a bottle of Prell shampoo and some hand soap with printed labels saying "Luxury bath product" stuck on them, clearly homemade
I have never stayed with a family as I prefer privacy but once my mate and I rented a cottage in a beach location. It was a converted garage that was literally about 5 feet from the kitchen window of the main house where the owner, a single widow in her senior years, lived. I'm not exaggerating when I say she spent hours at that window watching what we were doing. At one point my guy was standing in the living area with his shirt off In a towel after bathing and looked up to see her sipping tea at her window. He started waving and she waved right back as though this was totally normal. We were definitely under surveillance!
We had one that listed all these fees for damages in the house rules. This included wall and floor damage by the square meter, 60 Euros if police come, $20 Euros per hour after 10:00 am if you haven't left, etc.
That's all fine, but it wasn't a brand new place so plenty of wear and tear. With the threats of fines looming we spent the first hour walking around taking pictures of every dent and scratch in the place so it was documented what already existed.
I believe I've seen you make this error before. It is not "your home," it is a business location. Choosing what food items and processes should be used in such a unit is the decision of those who have paid for the use of those facilities provided no exclusions have previously been agreed to. What you would do in such a rental is totally irrelevant. Should a customer not make some popcorn in the microwave because the investor dislikes the smell of popcorn?
I got spoiled my first time at an Airbnb. It was in Reykjavik and it really was the owner's place- she moved in with her daughter whenever it was rented out. It had family pictures, her original artwork, a well-tended garden in the back, a large collection of cookbooks and an Icelandic Bible in the book collection. It was fully stocked with food but I brought in my own from the nearby grocery because it appeared to be her own groceries (many half-used items, a random assortment). I preferred that to the sterile, stripped-down place in Edinburgh that was clearly a bare-bones redo for an investor.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
