No, Brits.
Hello SuePJ. I am new here and currently in the process of buying a gite and a potential bnb complex near Bergerac and my goal, like yours, is to go above and beyond to offer 5* service because I would value the trust my guests put in me to make them comfortable. Your post was inspirational as it really made my day to see that there are loads of people out there truly aiming to give their guests/clients the best and genuinely care about their experience. Thank you for all of the information you have shared. I’m from California, lived in Paris for 10 years and have been in London for 15…I forgot about the beloved French hand towels, bolster cushions, breakfast bowls and espresso cups 
Thank you again and everyone else for such useful information!
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I am so sorry to read this and apologise on behalf of my fellow Americans. My family always folds our sheets, tidies up and leaves everything impeccable We might be a tad bit late though…
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Good luck with your new venture. @TamiZab And thank you for your kind comment. Your post has prompted me to reread this thread a year on from when I started it.
Last year went well and I now know what to expect from (some at least) French / Dutch / German guests. In fact the messiest were the Dutch but I put that down to the family dynamic - stressed mother / two grown sons and husband. So one woman determined to have a holiday and three men - being helpful but less than well-trained 
I know they were doing the cooking because there were spaghetti bits stuck to the kitchen floor, and the inside of the supposedly clean large saucepan, which I found as I prepared for the next guests.
This year, I’m back to all Brits - half returners, half newbies, which is very much my comfort zone.
I’ve added an element to my welcome pack, based on my COVID experience, which I’m going to keep for the future - a “useful stuff” box - it includes a couple of masks, tiny hand gel bottles, COVID test kit, fresh set of marigold gloves and then some nice stuff like a pretty notepad/pencil from the local tourist office plus L&G map with local farms etc and a map of the town and small solid shampoos (I no longer do bottle shampoos in the bathrooms). It all helps reinforce the “above and beyond” message I aim to communicate and it helps encourage guests to behave sensibly. Some notice / some don’t. But if they come back next year then it’s worked.
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Hi @TamiZab, there’s no need for an apology but thanks anyway !! We really enjoyed our gite and bnb years despite the hard work. Looking back, we realise we were privileged to meet many interesting people from many countries and with very varied walks of life. You never know who is going to turn up. But very few guests were difficult ! Certain guests returned more than once, and have remained friends. I am sure you will have similar experiences and wish you all the best for your new venture.
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Yes, that’s the fun of it. And we have learnt about all sorts of different jobs, and areas of France. We have several repeat guests who we now consider friends too. Our only grubby guests were British.
Nice people makes up for the ironing!
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Thank you so much Fleur!
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