Hi, I want to share what I’m experiencing right now at a B&B in Italy. I’m wondering if I’m breaking some unwritten B&B code of conduct?
This was my first time staying in a B&B, and maybe my last. While the property itself was fine, and the breakfast was good, my interactions with the owner were confusing and upsetting. He cares deeply about the property, but seems to have a set of rules that aren’t communicated until you have broken them and upset him.
I had some troubles the first day - needed assistance using the ancient set of keys (I saw another woman also unable to get into the B&B late at night so I know I wasn’t the only one confused) and had trouble turning on the hair dryer - host made several comments about me having too many issues - that set things off on a bad start.
When I was at breakfast the first morning, he came in and started chastising me about leaving my suitcase and clothes on the floor of the room. Apparently there is a cleaner that comes in every morning - but he took me up to the room with the cleaner and lectured me while she cleaned. I put my clothes up - this makes sense, but maybe giving a heads up about the daily vacuuming and cleaning would be helpful.
He also demanded to know why I was using two blankets instead of one. I replied that I like using two blankets, and asked why there were several blankets left in the cabinets in the room if I wasn’t allowed to use them. He was very upset and said it wasn’t right for me to be using two because I was staying in a single room and that I would have to pay extra. I’ve never been to a hotel where I’m not allowed to use more than one blanket, and if that’s such an issue… why leave them in my room for me to access?
He also made comments about me eating too much yet also would get upset if I left 1/8 of my breakfast uneaten… yet I watched him encourage other guests to take more food to go.
Other minor things that just added up… he’d ask where I was going to hike each day, and was disapproving of me driving instead of taking the bus.
I must have offended him on the first day, because I did not see him treat other guests this way. I was also alone and a young woman and I wonder if he felt like he had the right to boss me around. I am sorry if there is some B&B etiquette that I didn’t know ahead of time, but I deeply did not like the experience of someone watching and criticizing my every move. If I had the money to stay somewhere else after the first night, I would have left immediately.
Is this a normal B&B experience? I truly can’t tell if I’m “being a bad guest” or if this host is just weirdly fixated on me. Does this treatment warrant a negative review?