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Post by lambada on Jul 12, 2016 5:53:28 GMT
Venting alert... Current guest arrived yesterday, I checked in with her this morning as I always do, to make sure everything is good and if she has any questions. Just got her response, saying things are ok, and there are a few things that are not as depicted which is disappointing, but it is ok. For example, the broken glass tiles in the shower are a little concerning.
Really??? It is a little crack on the shower tile (NOT broken), which was there when we bought this place and nobody ever even noticed that. It is not that the wall will fall on her or anything. And that's the only concern she mentioned. Not sure what to make of this. In the past, when someone nitpicking like this, normally it was to get a refund. This was prior to Airbnb two-way reviews. And she stayed at airbnb's before. She got 2 good reviews. She definitely wouldn't get the third one from me.
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Post by High Priestess on Jul 12, 2016 14:39:04 GMT
That is ridiculous...I would feel so embarrassed of myself and ungrateful to be saying something like that to a host. In addition to being such a very trivial matter, most reasonable people realize that when you buy a place with old tiles, you cannot easily replace old, cracked tiles, because most likely those tiles no longer are manufactured. So it's either live with the cracked tile or put in something else there that looks different and possibly ruin the aesthetics of the place as a result.
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Post by lambada on Jul 12, 2016 15:12:41 GMT
Exactly, Deborah. That was the first time ever, a guest complained about such thing. She also mentioned that she couldn't operate the blinds, but I did see that it was shut last night.
The bathroom (and the entire place) was completely remodeled 3 years ago and the tile was only cracked on the back part of them, so the surface is smooth. It 'could' be an eyesore, but it should have been 'my' eyesore since I own the place.
She just emailed me just now, saying; In regards to the cracks in the shower tiles, it looked like it could cut you if you touched the shower wall. However, after some experimentation last night, it looks like it's only on the surface and therefore isn't a safety concern.
Anyway, to me her complaints (the blinds and the cracked tiles) sounded quite fishy, as if she was looking for some kind of refund. Correct me if I'm being paranoid. But 'normal' guests' complaints normally are about dirty floor, bathroom, smelly fridge, that sort of thing.
This reminds me of another guest when I just started renting short term, who called me complaining about the fridge smelling so bad that it stunk up the entire place (lies, since she later on said no worries when I was going to send my cleaners back), the TV doesn't have any english channels (lies, since it does), and she got to the wrong house and saw broken bottles in that house (!). So not only she went to a neighbor's house, but also complained to me about broken bottles in someone else's house, which had nothing to do with me! But that was from flipkey. Never had anything like that from Airbnb.
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Post by Mabel on Jul 12, 2016 15:27:54 GMT
"Hi Guest. You are so sweet to be concerned for me about the cracked tile but don't worry, it doesn't bother me at all as I've gotten used to looking at it after I had spent months looking for a replacement piece which is no longer made."
Then I would ask her what her specific concerns were about, since she would not be able to say anything about a safety risk.
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Post by CC on Jul 12, 2016 17:02:04 GMT
Very ridiculous. At my other house, built the same year as mine but in much better shape, some prior owners had written on the shower tile with a magic marker or something. Well, I scrubbed that with everything, never removed it, and it looked dirty. I tried & tried to explain to guests. Finally I said to hell with the whole thing (other reasons too) & dumped that house. And NO MORE old houses for me!!
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Post by CC on Jul 12, 2016 17:06:01 GMT
Lambada, very outrageous about her "experimenting" with the tile!
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Post by lambada on Jul 12, 2016 20:22:10 GMT
Here's the chain of airbnb messaging between me and this PITA guest. Let me know what you think how I should review her when the time comes - and it's not soon enough! FYI, the rates she got were actually regular rates since she booked a while ago. There is a big convention in town and should she booked a bit later, she'd have gotten higher rates. Also, I got solid five stars ratings for cleanliness, from over a hundred reviews, many of them were from Airbnb employees.
ME: Welcome and hope you have settled in nicely! Just wanted to see if you need anything or have any question. I’ll be here to help!
GUEST: Things are ok. Is there a way to close the front blinds? Other than raise and lower them, there doesn't appear to be a way to shut them properly. Also, there are a few things that aren't exactly as depicted which is disappointing, but it is ok. For example, the broken glass tiles in the shower are a little concerning. Regardless, if you could let me know about the blinds I'd appreciate it.
ME: The blinds - if you touch that button on the bottom part of it and toggle it, it should close/open the blinds easily. There is also a manual for that in the binder. Did you mean the crack in the shower tile? That has been there since we bought the place but I'm not sure what is concerning about that? P.S.: I noticed that the blinds were shut last night, so looks like you did it right.
GUEST: Thanks, got the blinds to close. In regards to the cracks in the shower tiles, it looked like it could cut you if you touched the shower wall. However, after some experimentation last night, it looks like it's only on the surface and therefore isn't a safety concern.
ME: Yes, the tile is smooth on the surface. So I hope everything else is ok, but if not, please let me know so I can address the concerns.
GUEST: Sure, thanks for listening to my concerns. Im just disappointed the place really isn't as described and pictured. The floors and bed aren't as pictured. The kitchenette table and chairs are worn and look dirty. I won't be using them to place my items on and work from as I had hoped to. It's fine and I will make the place work for my time remaining, but after reading the reviews for the place and looking at the photos expected something more than the actual condition of the unit.
ME: I'm not sure what to say, as you mentioned as well, we do get great reviews and they were all from actual guests who stayed here. In fact, the last guest who departed wanted to extend their stay but of course it wasn't possible since you were arriving that day. The photos were taken from the actual place but we do update things here and there when they need updating, but the basic things remain the same. But since you seemed to be very unhappy with the Studio, I suggest you cancel the reservations and I'll refund you for the remainder of your stay. But please let me know soon so I can coordinate with my cleaners. If you have already left for the day, you can cancel starting tomorrow. First thing to do is to cancel via Airbnb and depart by 11am and I'll take care of the rest.
ME AGAIN: Please let me know ASAP so I could contact the previous guest who is still looking for a place to stay and they'd love to come back to the Studio. However they need to know soon so they won't book another place. I also need to coordinate with my cleaners who have very busy schedule. And I myself am busy as well, so the earliest we could get this sorted out the better for everyone.
GUEST: To leave at this point would be more inconvenient than not. I did a quick check online and there is very little availability elsewhere this last minute, therefore I will need to stay. Given the price, had I had known the actual condition of the unit at time of booking I would have not made the same decision to stay and would have booked something different. Unfortunately, I don't think that's an option at this point.
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Post by CC on Jul 12, 2016 21:11:09 GMT
Typical. It's so easy for people to cry "dirty." That's what's gonna hurt us the most. But where are their pics of all this dirt? Where are the details in their descriptions of this dirt?
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Post by helgaparis on Jul 12, 2016 21:24:12 GMT
I would review "the guest had irrealistic expectations. I did not find out which ones but obviously it looked all different to her than to all other guests and the recent photos. i felt very offended by the tenor of ger mails but unfortunately she did not take up my offer to cancel with full refund. I regret to have hosted her and do not recommend her. The palace hotel could be just approbriate. " Don't take it to heart, I have had such guests, luckily on newspaper ads without reviews. The walls were not straight enough and the corners not rectangular. A dangerous place where you could see wires in a hole - if you climbed on a chair and stuck your finger in, nothing would happen, as the wires were not connected to anything. We then put a blind over that security concern. She will leave a bad review, better depict her as foolish in advance. And ina short, biting answer.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2016 21:31:14 GMT
C C.....you could dig up your DYI female guest info and hook the two up for some 'smashing' home improvements.
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Post by Mabel on Jul 12, 2016 21:33:03 GMT
Did you have a chance to visit the unit and check it after the cleaners were there before the guest checked in? And if so was the cleanliness up to the usual standards that your other guests have given 5 stars for? Some guests are less flexible with conditions such as the age and wear of furnishings and surfaces, than other guests are, and will be annoyed if there is a difference in what the photos show, than what they find in person. It sounds like she felt that some of the furniture and surfaces were not as spotless as she had assumed. In the review i might mention that she expressed concern over a tile in the shower which was long-term cracked but perfectly safe, and also disappointment about some furniture being a bit warn and for these reasons she was unhappy. And that you are not sure if you would feel right recommending this guest to most hosts as her standards might exceed what is generally provided. Pretty truthful in all.
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Post by CC on Jul 12, 2016 21:34:14 GMT
I'll smash her, Aloha Rhonda. How's that?
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Post by CC on Jul 12, 2016 21:36:13 GMT
It's a short stay at an Airbnb, people. Suck it up! Hampton Inn $189/night.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2016 21:46:26 GMT
C C.....same here, the Sheraton is $189 per night and although the grounds are beautiful, and I've attended many conventions there, I've been told the rooms are totally outdated with musty smell.
So we have one cracked tile. Woohoo!! I have more broken stuff everyday that my guests break, scratch, or stain.
I wish I could figure out how to post a pic from FB just yesterday. A repeat guest arriving at the end of the month, but doing some island hopping first.
There was a photo of their check-in at a high end resort on Kauai. The tiles were actually being replaced at the time of check in, pictures were taken with the chick doing it, and then again after when the wall was finished and there was something big and brown at the bottom of the tub, perhaps a painters drop cloth or something.
I'd probably go ballistic to have walked into a bathroom just being installed with fresh tile. Although it wouldn't be my concern how long it takes it to set before usage.
I shall have to ask her how long they were told they had to wait to shower, or if they changed rooms.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2016 22:07:00 GMT
My latest run on complaints are regarding 'Arrival'.
When I look back at the posts, they were requesting early check-in....like prior to check-out, which I declined and they booked anyway. Then grumble atf.
Hummm.... too bad they didn't peruse the listing first. I did check the next place the latest guests had booked and he had same check-in time as mine.
I'm SO over the reviews.
Minimum half price of the hotels they should have checked into and inquire if their room would be ready prior to check-in.
I've got another guest pending as he is requesting check-in to be 2 pm, and oh Lordy, it 'will be great fun swimming with the dolphins and turtles in my pool'. I informed Mr Ding-a-ling they are in the tile and not alive.
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