“Hi there, We wanted to thank you so much for sharing your home with us, and to share feedback that we hope is positive and constructive.”
For your context, we have run several homestays, and airbnbs at the upper premium level along with a luxury stay mansion, with 10 full suites, 2 pools, spa, games, vineyards, lavender farm in the wine country in California. We enjoyed our stay and hope that you found we left your lovely home in the best way that guests can. Firstly, your home was impeccably clean, the cleanest!!! AND it was beautifully presented - it really was down to the smallest details and we really appreciated that! (The BBQ was missed being cleaned but thats really the previous persons responsibility and not normally on a cleaner!) It was spotless! Lovely and had a wonderful energy - thank you! Secondly, the beds were simply some of the most scrumptious beds we have slept in for a homestay - many do not have such lovely pillows or bedding or lines, which was very much appreciated. You had proper pillows!! YES!! Thirdly, there was a generous supply of toilet paper and bath towels which was really nice to have - I hate when I have to go out and buy more when there is just one roll of loo paper, and worse one tiny towel each! On the constructive notes there were some things that would help to make it more the premium type of property that we are accustomed to and that we thought we were renting. For context, there were two members of our party who are recovering from cancer and chemo therapy, one of the reasons we appreciated the cleanliness and wanted the vacation and to enjoy the pool. Unfortunately, as we are aware, there are some things as a home owner that are out of your control but that you may be aware of, like for instance the construction happening next door. Although your neighbour was kind and considerate, (he never started work before 9.00am) it was hard for our partners to take a nap when needed during the day due to the noise. We wish we had known about this, and in fact did try and google street map your location but it is too new. So that was a little frustrating for us to not have the peace, quiet and as you will see privacy that we had hoped for. This also leads to the second frustration, the pool. We thought was right next door - or in the yard area, it was fine that it was a short walk, no issue really there, just not what we expected... However, sadly - it was a disappointing experience - IT was SOOOO full of children and people ALL of the time - (sometimes more than 40 at once… in the pool - it was difficult to move!! ) We did manage one swim which was palatable on the second day by going on a warmer day at 10.30am before being dive bombed by littles and adults alike! (There were actually at one point some teenagers skimming rocks and throwing them in to dive for other dangerous in a crowed pool with small children!) The pool is way too small for the number of residents in the Home Owners Body 400 households, I understand, and would rapidly become over crowded. It also was heated on some days and not on others… which with the weather variance was not fun. In essence it was a disappointment, and sadly was one of the reasons we booked your place. Im not sure how you fix that but it was disappointing for everyone. The House: The dishwasher did not work properly and leaked (happy to send a picture) - The inside seal is broken and loose and had to be manually placed. It somewhat functioned, however the rack could not hold the plates and would keep dropping. I suggest having it looked at. The washing machine was waaaay tooo small for the number of people staying there 2 kilos with a 7 kilo dryer? Washed only 2 towels at a time. Which we needed to do as there were no pool towels provided. Sheets would be one at a time! Ridiculous! The Kitchen - Was absolutely the most basic kitchen I have ever stayed in and certainly not premium on any level (I am a chef). There were no platters, not enough cutlery to do two meals if the house had been to its capacity, not enough bowls, or platters to serve a proper full meal or entertain with, and would have been appreciated. People who stay in houses with that many beds generally like to cook and entertain - thats why we are there, especially during holidays. Privacy. Privacy was generally lacking - we understand that its a work in progress but when you go to the laundry and see a bunch of people on the deck opposite, or to the deck and there is a screen, which couldn’t be up in the wind, and nothing to shelter you really from the street - basically - well it was sometimes a little too open for us. Deck. The wind blew the furniture off the deck and the lid off the storage box. We repaired it. When we had visitors with children we were concerned about them also falling off the deck especially at the back end where it is over a meter height, and requires a fence. Fencing This home is - not a safe space for littles really. So wouldn’t recommend it for children unless you were tethered to them. Home book It helps to have a book or folder with both home instructions, manuals, who to call if there is an issue, instructions on recycling etc, and recommendations. Emergency information etc… Always a nice touch. Emergency Supplies and instructions This should also be in the book and there should be some supplies in case of emergency. The tiny first aid is not really a torch, or emergency kit. I generally also supply one as we had a serious earthquake at the mansion and it came in handy. I hope this helps you to understand the good things and the room for improvement (aside from the booking process) that could be done to make your stay really - actually premium. Perhaps others won’t notice. But it’s nice to know what people from the industry, and from the USA expect. Wishing you well.
Thank you for sharing your international wisdom and the feedback is valuable. We will share this with our local team and the owner. Safe travels and we hope you return again soon.
Bachcare
