Just a few requirements - for a 1-night

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gillumhouse

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This is a first for me. I read it to DH and he said to tell her I am full. I decided to answer - my responses are in bold. She just has a few things (choke) I have to do for 1-night of revenue. I am up in the air as to whether I want the booking.
I am looking for one night’s lodging. I would arrive at around 6 p.m. on Friday, June 25 for one night. If the G room is still available for that date, please read on.

I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). I would need to know:
  1. That the floors in the guestroom are hardwood and/or ceramic, not new laminate or vinyl. (Rugs of cotton, wool or other natural fibres are fine.)The floor in the ensuite bathroom is linoleum that was laid in 2006 when that bathroom was created. The bathroom in the H Room is tile. I honestly have no idea as to the fiber in the area rug in the G Room. It has very low nap and has been there for at least 13 years.
  2. That no chemicals are used in cleaning. (Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice or unscented natural cleaning products are okay.) This can be done
  3. That there are no scented candles, pot pourri, air fresheners or fabric refreshers used in the rooms I would be in. I would have to look re candles or pot pourri to remove - I do not use fabric softeners or air fresheners
  4. That there are no new soft furnishings in the guest room, or that they could be removed before I arrive. If you mean chairs there is nothing new and drapes have been up since Christmas so I would not call that new
  5. That if you use scented laundry soap, the bed linens, pillows and towels would be removed before I arrive. (I would bring my own.) We use perfume-free, dye-free laundry detergent and no softeners whether the dryer or line-dry has been used
  6. That scented soaps and shampoos would be removed from the bathroom. (I would bring my own.) Since I use liquid soaps, removal of the chambers is not a problem.
  7. That the house is not near fields that will be sprayed or factories that emit chemicals. West Virgina has few factories (the United States has very few factories left!), we are downtown
  8. That the guestroom is not near the laundry room. None of my rooms are near the laundry area
  9. That the guestroom windows open and are not near laundry vents, chemical storage or gasoline. (lawnmowers, etc.) All my windows open - one window in each room is occupied by the A/C unit and our lawn mower is electric
  10. That the room could be aired out before I arrive. As I said above, my windows open
  11. That I could perhaps take my breakfast out on the porch to avoid perfume and other scented products worn by fellow guests. My guests are always welcome to take breakfast on the porch
  12. That I could possibly have a gluten-free, yeast-free breakfast. (This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it is healthier for me.) I also react very badly to peaches, apricots, and mangoes for some reason, so I must avoid those fruits. Thank you for telling me about the fruit - that is easy and gluten-free is not a problem
  13. That your home is smoke-free. By WV State Law, all B & Bs of 6 rooms or less are smoke-free
  14. That John’s painting supplies wouldn’t be in rooms/areas where I would be. John's medium is colored pencil, I doubt if that would affect anyone

I realize it looks like a daunting list of considerations, but I find people prefer to know everything up front rather than not knowing about something and then having me get sick. I have stayed in B&B’s/cottages before and it worked out well. I don’t think the owners found the preparation too much. I’m really quite easy to get along with, I just have to be very careful about being exposed to chemicals, especially petrochemicals and fragrances.

If you think you can accommodate me for Friday, June 25, please let me know.
If you feel this inn will meet your needs, please call to make the reservation. xxx-xxx-xxxx. If not, we understand and hope you have a very pleasant trip.
 
no, dear kathleen, no. you are very sorry you are unable to fulfill all her requirements. TRUST ME!
 
OK, I was right along with her until she started mentioning your personal behaviors and the factories emitting chemical fumes.
We have a guest with these sensitivities and we've worked around them but there is no way I can say that NONE of my close neighbors use fabric softeners in their dryers or that the candle factory will close down just for her or that Gomez will remove all 'Mr Fixit' supplies from where she might have to smell oil, grease or gasoline. Or that the hotel next door will cease and desist from using their wood-fired oven during her stay.
Rather than itemize my reply as you have done, I would say I would be scared to death to try to host her even with my house being built around my asthma sensitivites. Seriously, if it is that bad, I would not want her going into a breathing seizure because someone walked by her open window smoking a cigarette. (and no one else has had a problem working with her I bet is not the case, that is a gauntlet thrown down as a challenge to you)
 
OK, I was right along with her until she started mentioning your personal behaviors and the factories emitting chemical fumes.
We have a guest with these sensitivities and we've worked around them but there is no way I can say that NONE of my close neighbors use fabric softeners in their dryers or that the candle factory will close down just for her or that Gomez will remove all 'Mr Fixit' supplies from where she might have to smell oil, grease or gasoline. Or that the hotel next door will cease and desist from using their wood-fired oven during her stay.
Rather than itemize my reply as you have done, I would say I would be scared to death to try to host her even with my house being built around my asthma sensitivites. Seriously, if it is that bad, I would not want her going into a breathing seizure because someone walked by her open window smoking a cigarette. (and no one else has had a problem working with her I bet is not the case, that is a gauntlet thrown down as a challenge to you).
I almost said I cannot be held responsible to the emissions from the power plant. And if my neighbor decides to fire up his grill????? You know how far I am willing to go for my guests, but somehow this on made me sit back. The number of things - as in composition of my carpets - how do I know? I bought them years ago for color and price at the carpet wholesale. They are all areas (about 5 x 7) and when they get messed up - I just get another (it is easier and cheaper than having them cleaned).
So far - no call. I think I hope she goes elsewhere.
 
I read only to #2 and can almost tell you I have met this person, they went from here to Charlottesville and Waynesboro as well...they went to each and every place, and this was a long long time ago and I was dumbfounded.
I spoke to a person LIKE this last week and K what I told them was simple: I CANNOT GUARANTEE the person in the room before you has not used strong perfume. I nipped it in the bud. I have had on three ocassion people who want to do a walk through AFTER they booked to see if there are scents or chemicals.
As I say this I just moved a load of laundry that REEKS from one guests perfume who was here for a graduation, the room smells of it, the linens smell of it. Vinegar and non toxic cleaners are not the enemy in this situation.
 
OK, I was right along with her until she started mentioning your personal behaviors and the factories emitting chemical fumes.
We have a guest with these sensitivities and we've worked around them but there is no way I can say that NONE of my close neighbors use fabric softeners in their dryers or that the candle factory will close down just for her or that Gomez will remove all 'Mr Fixit' supplies from where she might have to smell oil, grease or gasoline. Or that the hotel next door will cease and desist from using their wood-fired oven during her stay.
Rather than itemize my reply as you have done, I would say I would be scared to death to try to host her even with my house being built around my asthma sensitivites. Seriously, if it is that bad, I would not want her going into a breathing seizure because someone walked by her open window smoking a cigarette. (and no one else has had a problem working with her I bet is not the case, that is a gauntlet thrown down as a challenge to you).
I almost said I cannot be held responsible to the emissions from the power plant. And if my neighbor decides to fire up his grill????? You know how far I am willing to go for my guests, but somehow this on made me sit back. The number of things - as in composition of my carpets - how do I know? I bought them years ago for color and price at the carpet wholesale. They are all areas (about 5 x 7) and when they get messed up - I just get another (it is easier and cheaper than having them cleaned).
So far - no call. I think I hope she goes elsewhere.
.
Most people with these problems care if the carpet is new more than what is in it. Now a petro-based indoor-outdoor carpet ougasses a lot longer than regular old 'bedroom' carpet pile does. 2 years or newer most new carpet is still giving off fumes if it is petro-based. After that it's pretty much done. But indoor-outdoor/commercial-grade seems to go a lot longer than that.
 
It is like the cat thing. When a guest asked me to promise no cat would ever be in the guest area. I point blank told her "Look I love my cat and hold my cat and scratch behind its ears and cuddle it. I will have cat dander/hair on me."
It is a fact of life, these old houses are not sterile, there is horse hair in the walls. Sheesh again with the damp rainy weather today and the house smells like an old dog.
 
i had a guest with super sensitivities, she left a very earth friendly place because the carpets were too new ... called me from there, frantic, and i really did not thing she could come. she insisted. she stepped inside my place and could not stay. she ended up spending the night in the screened in porch of the house next to the hotel across the road and at about 10:30 pm was screaming at two of my guests for smoking outside near my parking lot (with my permission). actually screaming. and woke up other guests. i swear the smokers were down wind of her. to stop the rukkus, they walked to the docks ... away from the hotel and she went outside after them ... yelling. it was a bad scene! they refused to stop smoking as it was allowed where they were.
some lobstermen who she approached early the next morning (5 am or so) about their smoking (on their boats!) told her to f off.
i really don't know how she survives day to day. if i were her, i'd invest in some kind of motor home to vacation in that would have all the requirements she needs.
 
I read only to #2 and can almost tell you I have met this person, they went from here to Charlottesville and Waynesboro as well...they went to each and every place, and this was a long long time ago and I was dumbfounded.
I spoke to a person LIKE this last week and K what I told them was simple: I CANNOT GUARANTEE the person in the room before you has not used strong perfume. I nipped it in the bud. I have had on three ocassion people who want to do a walk through AFTER they booked to see if there are scents or chemicals.
As I say this I just moved a load of laundry that REEKS from one guests perfume who was here for a graduation, the room smells of it, the linens smell of it. Vinegar and non toxic cleaners are not the enemy in this situation..
Phone number was from Canada. I agree that if people are that sensitive to everything, they should get an RV or at least a camper for traveling. They probably choose B & B because they know we will try everything humanly possible to "make it nice" but the more we try, the more they will think of to demand. And you are correct, I certainly cannot control other guests (and she is not offering to book the whole house) and I have also had Madam Bathe-in-Perfume (must have burned out the olfactory nerves long ago) who you knew was here 3 days after she left.
She asked aboutthe private bath guestroom - but perhaps the linoleum stooped that and the tiled bath is the shared.
 
It is like the cat thing. When a guest asked me to promise no cat would ever be in the guest area. I point blank told her "Look I love my cat and hold my cat and scratch behind its ears and cuddle it. I will have cat dander/hair on me."
It is a fact of life, these old houses are not sterile, there is horse hair in the walls. Sheesh again with the damp rainy weather today and the house smells like an old dog..
Did I mention my guest with the 'blankie' from home that was covered, completely covered in dog and cat hair? That blankie went all over my house as the guest visited with her family. It came to breakfast with her. It was left on the furniture in the living room. It was in the bed with her.
Altho, K's guest apparent didn't mention pet issues, did she?
Point being, I cannot guarantee the previous night's guest did not haul half of their pet with them on their luggage and clothes and that some of that did not rub off on the furnishings. Ditto the perfumes, etc. My whole house smells delightfully like lilacs right now. But I've had guests say they can't stay in the rooms next to the lilacs because they're allergic.
We do the best we can, but there are some things we just cannot say we can prevent from happening. Like the guests who want to know in Feb if someone will be in the dog room with a dog the night before they arrive in July. (Applies equally to perfume-laden guests the night before anyone's stay.)
BTW, Gomez wants to know how this guest gets around...how can she be in a car on the interstate? All those plastics and chemical-laden fabrics in the car? The sheer car emissions on the highway? Stopping to get gas? Driving thru parts of NJ (the farm parts as well as the factory parts)?
 
I read only to #2 and can almost tell you I have met this person, they went from here to Charlottesville and Waynesboro as well...they went to each and every place, and this was a long long time ago and I was dumbfounded.
I spoke to a person LIKE this last week and K what I told them was simple: I CANNOT GUARANTEE the person in the room before you has not used strong perfume. I nipped it in the bud. I have had on three ocassion people who want to do a walk through AFTER they booked to see if there are scents or chemicals.
As I say this I just moved a load of laundry that REEKS from one guests perfume who was here for a graduation, the room smells of it, the linens smell of it. Vinegar and non toxic cleaners are not the enemy in this situation..
Phone number was from Canada. I agree that if people are that sensitive to everything, they should get an RV or at least a camper for traveling. They probably choose B & B because they know we will try everything humanly possible to "make it nice" but the more we try, the more they will think of to demand. And you are correct, I certainly cannot control other guests (and she is not offering to book the whole house) and I have also had Madam Bathe-in-Perfume (must have burned out the olfactory nerves long ago) who you knew was here 3 days after she left.
She asked aboutthe private bath guestroom - but perhaps the linoleum stooped that and the tiled bath is the shared.
.
The spelling was also 'out of the country.'
 
There are red flags all over this one! Even for those of us who bend over backwards for our guests, I think this one is too much. It's just not worth it for 1 night and the risk of having her walk out on you once she gets there if things are not ok for her.
 
It's a NO and suggest other motels.I have done this concerning bed qualifications, firm but not too firm,etc.Have very nice(new) kings here but do not want a person soo focused on not enjoying their trip.The journey/sights/food/people/compy accomodations are what make the trip. Mary in Bridgewater
 
NO booking is worth this kind of stuff....Sorry...tell her to go to a hotel and see what they tell her!
 
I would tell her to get a life.
We are safe since we have a vineyard. I'd tell her we are scheduled to spray during the time she is requesting.
This is someone that demands constant attention and if you had any other guests would completely ruin their stay.
Send her to a five star hotel. Hee Hee
Riki
 
Update - no call yet. She looked at my web site 5 times, the last being just before midnight last night. I am hoping my last sentence about us "understanding" put her off enough to move on. Perhaps I should have told her I would not clean at all - therefore would not have used any chemicals before her arrival. he-he
 
K- sorry but I would definantely say NO! not worth my time and effort to make sure everything was "perfect" and that some dust, pollen, dust mite, fumes from outside etc...was gone. How does this person even wonder outside?! or for that matter work?
NO WAY-is she live in a sterile environment and not allow any visitors, probably no kids either...eeeweeeeu.....:) lets not mention her "love life"huh?
 
K- sorry but I would definantely say NO! not worth my time and effort to make sure everything was "perfect" and that some dust, pollen, dust mite, fumes from outside etc...was gone. How does this person even wonder outside?! or for that matter work?
NO WAY-is she live in a sterile environment and not allow any visitors, probably no kids either...eeeweeeeu.....:) lets not mention her "love life"huh?.
Good Lord...I'm exhausted just reading the email. No way would I take her.
 
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