As hosts of short-term accommodations via Booking.com, we sometimes experience unique situations.
We had a couple who regularly booked with us, usually for a few hours and occasionally for a full night. They received a discount because they normally only used the bed and not the other facilities.
One morning, we found our space in a state we hadn’t expected. The heating was fully on with windows open, the beds were unmade, and the floor was scattered with rose petals and burnt-out candles.
Unfortunately, the romantic scene had left permanent marks on our wooden floor. The candles had burned clearly visible circles into the wood. Quite a problem, as restoring such a large floor would be a costly affair.
In our conversation with the guest, they initially offered apologies. They had left in a hurry and hadn’t expected the candles would cause such damage. There was talk about a friend who would come to paint or about compensating repair costs around €150.
Eventually, no payment came through. We faced a choice: replace the entire floor or come up with something else. We chose the latter.
We decided to transform the damage into something special. We sprayed the text “Hakuna Matata” on the spot of the damage. The burn marks thus became part of a unique design that now tells a story.
Sometimes unexpected turns in the rental business become the most interesting anecdotes. And every time we now see that text on the floor, it reminds us that some problems can have surprisingly pleasant solutions.
