Staying in a holiday rental means enjoying, for a few days, a property that someone else has prepared to welcome you. That is why, for us, being a good guest starts with something very simple: respect.
Respect for the property, for the neighbours and also for the person behind the accommodation.
The host is a person too
Paying for a stay gives you the right to receive the accommodation and services you booked, but it does not give you the right to treat the person managing it however you like.
Behind a holiday rental in Mallorca there are people working, organising cleaning, answering messages, dealing with issues and, like anyone else, they can sometimes make mistakes.
If a problem comes up, the best approach is to communicate it politely and give the host the opportunity to resolve it. In most cases, a clear and respectful conversation will solve an issue much faster than beginning the stay from a position of conflict.
A clean property is not a laboratory
Cleanliness is essential and a property should always be handed over in good condition. However, it is also important to have reasonable expectations.
Cleaning between bookings involves preparing the entire property within a limited amount of time: bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, floors, terraces, linen and common areas.
Looking for dust underneath heavy furniture, dismantling items, lifting drain covers or inspecting areas that are not normally part of everyday use does not necessarily reflect the overall cleanliness of the property.
A holiday rental should be clean and well cared for, but guests should not arrive with the intention of finding a flaw that can be used to question the entire stay.
If something is wrong, communicate it
A light bulb can stop working, there may be an unexpected issue with the hot water or another problem may arise during the stay.
The important thing is to report it as soon as possible.
A good host will try to find a solution, but they need to know that there is a problem first. Keeping an issue to yourself for several days and only mentioning it at the end of the stay makes it much harder to resolve.
In a good relationship between guest and host, both sides should act with common sense and in good faith.
A complaint should be based on a genuine problem
It is also important to distinguish between an objective issue and a matter of personal taste.
You may arrive and find that the décor is not exactly to your taste, or that the property simply does not feel exactly as you imagined. That does not necessarily mean that the accommodation has failed to deliver what was advertised.
Likewise, exaggerating issues, looking for arguments solely to obtain discounts or refunds, or deliberately presenting a stay in a way that does not reflect what actually happened only creates unnecessary conflict.
Digital tools can be useful when understanding how to communicate a complaint, but they should be used to explain a genuine problem clearly, not to build a claim simply to reduce the cost of a holiday.
Treat the property as if it were your own
A holiday rental offers a level of freedom that other types of accommodation do not always provide. That freedom also comes with responsibility.
Looking after the furniture, using appliances correctly, switching off lights and air conditioning when they are not needed, taking out the rubbish when required and following the house rules are all small things that make a big difference.
It is also essential to respect the neighbours, avoid parties when they are not permitted and not bring unregistered visitors into the property when the house rules do not allow it.
Good hospitality works both ways
A good holiday rental in Mallorca should be based on a simple relationship: the host provides a well-prepared property, clear information and assistance when needed; the guest treats the property with respect and communicates any problems reasonably.
When both sides behave this way, issues are much easier to resolve and the experience is usually better for everyone.
Ultimately, being a good guest does not require anything extraordinary.
It simply means looking after the property, respecting the people behind it and enjoying your stay with common sense.
Enjoy Mallorca while respecting the place that welcomes you
Tourism and the everyday lives of residents share the same space. Respecting the property, the neighbourhood and the rules helps holiday rentals coexist much more positively with the island and the people who live here.