When a guest insults the decor...

[Morticia]

...do you say anything?
We had a guest yesterday who loved the renos we did since the last time they were here. We were telling them what's up for next year and the response was, 'That furniture has got to go, it's old and tacky.'
I was horrified. We have an old living room set which has new, clean slipcovers. There is nothing disgusting about it and one guest even commented on how she was pleased to see slipcovers because she assumed they were washed (they are).
I've never had anyone come right out and insult the furnishings before. Would you have said anything?

 

[gillumhouse]

How rude! I think I would have been too stunned by such a comment to say anything.

 

[JBloggs]

What if you don't have slip covers? Are you supposed to wash your sofas? Sheesh!!! People!!!
Can you imagine, I know I am letting the cat out of the bag here, and okay, so maybe it is just me and this inn, I do not wash my sofas, I do not wash my chairs, I do not wash my shower curtains, I replace them, the liners I wash. I don't wash...hm, what else, Oh I don't wash quilts and blankets between every guest, it would be utterly impossible to do so, there is no way in the world I could wash everything every time, there is not time enough or man power enough. If I did I would have standard blankets and old worn out faded comforters on every bed. Most are dry clean only or if you can wash them, you can't dry them and they take forever to line dry - inside.
Your linens are fresh, always, your room is vacuumed and cleaned, bathroom cleaned and fresh. I can't guarantee there was not a bare butt on the chair the night before, sorry. Take a risk.

 

[gillumhouse]

What if you don't have slip covers? Are you supposed to wash your sofas? Sheesh!!! People!!!
Can you imagine, I know I am letting the cat out of the bag here, and okay, so maybe it is just me and this inn, I do not wash my sofas, I do not wash my chairs, I do not wash my shower curtains, I replace them, the liners I wash. I don't wash...hm, what else, Oh I don't wash quilts and blankets between every guest, it would be utterly impossible to do so, there is no way in the world I could wash everything every time, there is not time enough or man power enough. If I did I would have standard blankets and old worn out faded comforters on every bed. Most are dry clean only or if you can wash them, you can't dry them and they take forever to line dry - inside.
Your linens are fresh, always, your room is vacuumed and cleaned, bathroom cleaned and fresh. I can't guarantee there was not a bare butt on the chair the night before, sorry. Take a risk..

OK, I am showing my age here BUT
we did not worry about a little bit of dirt, giving a buddy a bite of whatever we had or a dirnk of our bottle of pop. And SUPRISE!!!! we lived. Because DH had polio, we watched a documentery about polio and they said one reason it became such an epidemic was the attention people now paid to sanitation. Basically they were saying that in the past people got immunized to a lot of things just by living.
I am not implying that improvements in sanitation are bad. I am saying we have beciome (in my opinion) so germaphobic that we are killing off our resistance to a lot of things. Anti-bacterial everything to the point the bad bacteria has mutated and the old life-saving things like penecillen no longer work. We kill off the bacteria that actually protects us and that allows the viruses to get us.
For me, it is whatever. I am going to live until it is my time to die and I intend to actually LIVE, not exist.

 

[rrh]

We had a guy tell us it looked like we furnished the place from Goodwill.....I figure he would complain if he hit the Powerball for a billion....don't take it too seriously!

 

[user 26]

wow! well, what? she said it like ... since we're in on the fact that you're upgrading ... now that you mention it ... we are so glad ... because that furniture has to go ... obviously that was next on your list, right?
hmmmm .... after a few stunned seconds i'd probably have told the fashionista that i liked that furniture.
i wonder if she is related to (or is) the woman i saw in my neighborhood about a month after my husband died. i was crying all the time, looked like hell, knew it, and didn't give a hoot. she came up to me and said 'oh my ... you look as bad as i feel.' i looked right at her, from my bleary, bloodshot eyes ... and in a rare but shockingly lucid moment said, 'what an incredibly cruel and insensitive thing to say' ... she literally ran away .......

 

[Morticia]

wow! well, what? she said it like ... since we're in on the fact that you're upgrading ... now that you mention it ... we are so glad ... because that furniture has to go ... obviously that was next on your list, right?
hmmmm .... after a few stunned seconds i'd probably have told the fashionista that i liked that furniture.
i wonder if she is related to (or is) the woman i saw in my neighborhood about a month after my husband died. i was crying all the time, looked like hell, knew it, and didn't give a hoot. she came up to me and said 'oh my ... you look as bad as i feel.' i looked right at her, from my bleary, bloodshot eyes ... and in a rare but shockingly lucid moment said, 'what an incredibly cruel and insensitive thing to say' ... she literally ran away ........

He. It was he who said 'this can stay, but that has to go.' I'm still kind of shocked. We are considering replacing that furniture, just never thought anyone took it to be nasty. It's certainly comfortable and we'll give it to someone who will probably use it for another 20 years!

 

[user 26]

rude rude rude. obviously not my girl ... maybe a brother. same rude obnoxious behavior. but i will still call HIM a fashionista.

 

[birdwatcher]

Like everyone mentioned-plain rude. But if you only got one ugly insensitive comment, then I would not worry about it, and if they come back take the slipcovers off and see if they notice.
I agree with K--way too many people are germaphobic, i understand you don't want to get anything but the thing that is hilariuous is the "cloths"that Walmart and other stores provide to "wipe" your shopping cart. OK people, if you touch EVERYTHING that you may buy or not buy do you know how many people touched the samee things? do you think that wiping the cart made a hoot of a diference? NO! It may wipe the dirt off the cart for a time, but as soon as you touch that cereal on Isle#2 and then touch the cart...you have just lost the battle of the "germs"...ha ha they now docs are saying that becausre so many kids where prescribed antibiotics when none was really necessary they have no immune system and the antibiotics don't work anymore.
We don't wash our couch, chairs or comforters and quilts after every guest either...no time and or manpower. Hotels only wash their comforters (and these are high end hotels: Hyatt, Monaco etc) one a year! Hubbie used to work for a linen company and he knew when ity was time to do all the comforters and blankets.

 

[Suzie Q]

We had a guy tell us it looked like we furnished the place from Goodwill.....I figure he would complain if he hit the Powerball for a billion....don't take it too seriously!.

Yeah, we had a guest, who I allowed to check in 1.5 hours early, since I did not want to wake up AGAIN in the middle of the afternoon (I work overnights) how my furniture should be arranged and I should get rid of my new daybed, in their room, and replace with Queen Anne style chairs for folks to sit and read. They bashed the lawn since it wasn't bluegrass (but it was green and cut). We have had a HARD time growing decent grass on that terrace, but we do a LOT better than the previous owner. It is one thing to mention it to an innkeeper, but to put it in the ROOM JOURNAL!?

 

[Suzie Q]

wow! well, what? she said it like ... since we're in on the fact that you're upgrading ... now that you mention it ... we are so glad ... because that furniture has to go ... obviously that was next on your list, right?
hmmmm .... after a few stunned seconds i'd probably have told the fashionista that i liked that furniture.
i wonder if she is related to (or is) the woman i saw in my neighborhood about a month after my husband died. i was crying all the time, looked like hell, knew it, and didn't give a hoot. she came up to me and said 'oh my ... you look as bad as i feel.' i looked right at her, from my bleary, bloodshot eyes ... and in a rare but shockingly lucid moment said, 'what an incredibly cruel and insensitive thing to say' ... she literally ran away ........

I'm sorry to hear about your husband.

 

[Suzie Q]

Like everyone mentioned-plain rude. But if you only got one ugly insensitive comment, then I would not worry about it, and if they come back take the slipcovers off and see if they notice.
I agree with K--way too many people are germaphobic, i understand you don't want to get anything but the thing that is hilariuous is the "cloths"that Walmart and other stores provide to "wipe" your shopping cart. OK people, if you touch EVERYTHING that you may buy or not buy do you know how many people touched the samee things? do you think that wiping the cart made a hoot of a diference? NO! It may wipe the dirt off the cart for a time, but as soon as you touch that cereal on Isle#2 and then touch the cart...you have just lost the battle of the "germs"...ha ha they now docs are saying that becausre so many kids where prescribed antibiotics when none was really necessary they have no immune system and the antibiotics don't work anymore.
We don't wash our couch, chairs or comforters and quilts after every guest either...no time and or manpower. Hotels only wash their comforters (and these are high end hotels: Hyatt, Monaco etc) one a year! Hubbie used to work for a linen company and he knew when ity was time to do all the comforters and blankets..

I agree about the germs. My mom would take me to the doctor for a shot everytime I had the sniffles. If I had a cold, my mom would ask, "Does your chest hurt?" I'd ALWAYS answer, "no," but off the doctor I'd go. Always had colds as a youth, rarely have them now.
One of our bedspreads is ecru and the other one is light yellow. Oxi-Clean for rugs (active ingredient peroxide) has been a godsend! You can TELL if they're dirty!

 

[user 26]

wow! well, what? she said it like ... since we're in on the fact that you're upgrading ... now that you mention it ... we are so glad ... because that furniture has to go ... obviously that was next on your list, right?
hmmmm .... after a few stunned seconds i'd probably have told the fashionista that i liked that furniture.
i wonder if she is related to (or is) the woman i saw in my neighborhood about a month after my husband died. i was crying all the time, looked like hell, knew it, and didn't give a hoot. she came up to me and said 'oh my ... you look as bad as i feel.' i looked right at her, from my bleary, bloodshot eyes ... and in a rare but shockingly lucid moment said, 'what an incredibly cruel and insensitive thing to say' ... she literally ran away ........

I'm sorry to hear about your husband.
.

thanks. i don't mean to dwell on it. today would have been our 6th wedding anniversary. but we were only married 11 months when he died. i like to think we'd have celebrated lots of anniversaries.

 

[gillumhouse]

wow! well, what? she said it like ... since we're in on the fact that you're upgrading ... now that you mention it ... we are so glad ... because that furniture has to go ... obviously that was next on your list, right?
hmmmm .... after a few stunned seconds i'd probably have told the fashionista that i liked that furniture.
i wonder if she is related to (or is) the woman i saw in my neighborhood about a month after my husband died. i was crying all the time, looked like hell, knew it, and didn't give a hoot. she came up to me and said 'oh my ... you look as bad as i feel.' i looked right at her, from my bleary, bloodshot eyes ... and in a rare but shockingly lucid moment said, 'what an incredibly cruel and insensitive thing to say' ... she literally ran away ........

I'm sorry to hear about your husband.
.

thanks. i don't mean to dwell on it. today would have been our 6th wedding anniversary. but we were only married 11 months when he died. i like to think we'd have celebrated lots of anniversaries.
.

I hope it will always be better that you had the time you did, than to never have had it at all. Celebrate the time from the day you met. Many do not get to know that joy at all.

 

[sandynn]

Like everyone mentioned-plain rude. But if you only got one ugly insensitive comment, then I would not worry about it, and if they come back take the slipcovers off and see if they notice.
I agree with K--way too many people are germaphobic, i understand you don't want to get anything but the thing that is hilariuous is the "cloths"that Walmart and other stores provide to "wipe" your shopping cart. OK people, if you touch EVERYTHING that you may buy or not buy do you know how many people touched the samee things? do you think that wiping the cart made a hoot of a diference? NO! It may wipe the dirt off the cart for a time, but as soon as you touch that cereal on Isle#2 and then touch the cart...you have just lost the battle of the "germs"...ha ha they now docs are saying that becausre so many kids where prescribed antibiotics when none was really necessary they have no immune system and the antibiotics don't work anymore.
We don't wash our couch, chairs or comforters and quilts after every guest either...no time and or manpower. Hotels only wash their comforters (and these are high end hotels: Hyatt, Monaco etc) one a year! Hubbie used to work for a linen company and he knew when ity was time to do all the comforters and blankets..

I agree about the germs. My mom would take me to the doctor for a shot everytime I had the sniffles. If I had a cold, my mom would ask, "Does your chest hurt?" I'd ALWAYS answer, "no," but off the doctor I'd go. Always had colds as a youth, rarely have them now.
One of our bedspreads is ecru and the other one is light yellow. Oxi-Clean for rugs (active ingredient peroxide) has been a godsend! You can TELL if they're dirty!
.

I feel stupid for asking but does Oxi Clean get rid of germs. I thought bleach was the only one to kill germs.

 

[EmptyNest]

Like everyone mentioned-plain rude. But if you only got one ugly insensitive comment, then I would not worry about it, and if they come back take the slipcovers off and see if they notice.
I agree with K--way too many people are germaphobic, i understand you don't want to get anything but the thing that is hilariuous is the "cloths"that Walmart and other stores provide to "wipe" your shopping cart. OK people, if you touch EVERYTHING that you may buy or not buy do you know how many people touched the samee things? do you think that wiping the cart made a hoot of a diference? NO! It may wipe the dirt off the cart for a time, but as soon as you touch that cereal on Isle#2 and then touch the cart...you have just lost the battle of the "germs"...ha ha they now docs are saying that becausre so many kids where prescribed antibiotics when none was really necessary they have no immune system and the antibiotics don't work anymore.
We don't wash our couch, chairs or comforters and quilts after every guest either...no time and or manpower. Hotels only wash their comforters (and these are high end hotels: Hyatt, Monaco etc) one a year! Hubbie used to work for a linen company and he knew when ity was time to do all the comforters and blankets..

I agree about the germs. My mom would take me to the doctor for a shot everytime I had the sniffles. If I had a cold, my mom would ask, "Does your chest hurt?" I'd ALWAYS answer, "no," but off the doctor I'd go. Always had colds as a youth, rarely have them now.
One of our bedspreads is ecru and the other one is light yellow. Oxi-Clean for rugs (active ingredient peroxide) has been a godsend! You can TELL if they're dirty!
.

I feel stupid for asking but does Oxi Clean get rid of germs. I thought bleach was the only one to kill germs.
.

I am not sure. I believe it has hydrogen peroxide in it...so that does kill bacteria...but I don't know how strong it is.

 

[gillumhouse]

Like everyone mentioned-plain rude. But if you only got one ugly insensitive comment, then I would not worry about it, and if they come back take the slipcovers off and see if they notice.
I agree with K--way too many people are germaphobic, i understand you don't want to get anything but the thing that is hilariuous is the "cloths"that Walmart and other stores provide to "wipe" your shopping cart. OK people, if you touch EVERYTHING that you may buy or not buy do you know how many people touched the samee things? do you think that wiping the cart made a hoot of a diference? NO! It may wipe the dirt off the cart for a time, but as soon as you touch that cereal on Isle#2 and then touch the cart...you have just lost the battle of the "germs"...ha ha they now docs are saying that becausre so many kids where prescribed antibiotics when none was really necessary they have no immune system and the antibiotics don't work anymore.
We don't wash our couch, chairs or comforters and quilts after every guest either...no time and or manpower. Hotels only wash their comforters (and these are high end hotels: Hyatt, Monaco etc) one a year! Hubbie used to work for a linen company and he knew when ity was time to do all the comforters and blankets..

I agree about the germs. My mom would take me to the doctor for a shot everytime I had the sniffles. If I had a cold, my mom would ask, "Does your chest hurt?" I'd ALWAYS answer, "no," but off the doctor I'd go. Always had colds as a youth, rarely have them now.
One of our bedspreads is ecru and the other one is light yellow. Oxi-Clean for rugs (active ingredient peroxide) has been a godsend! You can TELL if they're dirty!
.

I feel stupid for asking but does Oxi Clean get rid of germs. I thought bleach was the only one to kill germs.
.

Asking is never stupid. It is NOT asking that IS!

 

[JBloggs]

Never heard Oxyclean boast it kills germs, just cleans.

 

[wendydk]

Bree, I doubt they meant any offense by it. Being repeat guests, they probably felt comfortable giving their opinion, and maybe they thought you would appreciate the suggestion...consider what they say for future reno projects and try not to take it personally.
I would have said "I'll add that to the list of things to consider for next year".

 

[Morticia]

Bree, I doubt they meant any offense by it. Being repeat guests, they probably felt comfortable giving their opinion, and maybe they thought you would appreciate the suggestion...consider what they say for future reno projects and try not to take it personally.
I would have said "I'll add that to the list of things to consider for next year"..

I don't think offense was meant, either. They're not real repeats, they don't come every year, they've just been here before. I think he was just clueless that I might not like having my decorating rated by him!