Pippa

Hi As a guest rather than host I would prefer to see bed linen included in the cost of the gite.  Once I like the look of a place, it doesnt bother me if another gite down the road is a few euros cheaper.  Do sheets really need to be ironed?  I cant say that I have noticed if they are or arent, the duvet cover/pillow cases are a different matter of course. For the host I would think that it would be better to provide linen with beds made.  At least that way you know that your beds are protected. For towels, why not offer the guest the choice but also ask how many are wanted?  I find that the normal provision of one bath towel and one hand towel is not enough.  I would be happy to pay for what I actually want rather than a standard package. If the host is resident then towels are one way of assisting the guest if the weather is poor.  It would be a nice surprise for the host to offer additional towels when drying them is a problem.  Of course if the guest is horrible then you dont need to bother if you havent advertised this service! Pippa

Hi, I was interested to see the comments.  I was writing as prospective guest rather than host.  The problem I have found is with hosts who want to be paid in GBP and who dont want to accept a euro payment.  I find this a little strange as both times this has happenned the hosts were resident in France so I would have thought that some euros might be useful from time to time. Pippa

Hi, I have read a couple of recent topics about scams and I am a little worried that all proposals to pay that are not by cheque will be viewed with suspicion.  In the Netherlands, where I live, cheques do not exist.  If I want to pay someone then he gives me his bank details and I arrange the payment through my bank.  When I have made a similar proposal to pay the rent for a gite, I have been met by incomprehension.  What is the accepted method of payment if cheque is not an option? Pippa