¨Scent of a woman¨

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
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Cas & Irene
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¨Scent of a woman¨

Post by Cas & Irene »

I love this movie with Al Pacino, ok a little bit theatrical at the end but still a great movie . Special the Ferrari ride, this is unique!

Unfortunately I´m many times less happy with those ¨scents¨ on board.
I know this is a very delicate item but I have no idea how to handle without offending anyone.

When it´s too chilly outside I serve the breakfast inside in the salon of the boat. In the salon is also the staircase to the lower deck were the 3 double cabins are.
Sometimes when I make up the table or serving breakfast to other guest an enormous perfume air comes op from one of the cabins and after a few minutes the female guest comes up surrounded by a cloud of perfume.

This sound a little bit overdone, but a few weeks ago I had somebody with a very heavy perfume. When the couple left I had to open both doors in the salon for a few hours to get rid of the perfume air . When they checked out the next day, the cabin smells after serious cleaning still for 2 days.

Yes, I can put signs on the mirrors in the cabins ¨Please don´t use any perfume when you go for breakfast¨ but that don´t look very friendly. But when I see that this disturbs other guests, I have to do something about this.

Don´t misunderstand me, I like perfume. Irene use Pleasures for many years and I´m still melting when I smell this.

Sounds this familiar to you or do you have any good (subtile) tips how to handle in that kind of situations?

Regards
Cas
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Bunny
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Re: ¨Scent of a woman¨

Post by Bunny »

Cas & Irene wrote:But when I see that this disturbs other guests, I have to do something about this.

Irene use Pleasures for many years and I´m still melting when I smell this.

Sounds this familiar to you or do you have any good (subtile) tips how to handle in that kind of situations?

Regards
Cas
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Hi Cas

How do you know it disturbs other guests? Do they say anything or do they look like they are holding their breath? :lol: Although perfume can be very overpowering on some people it wouldn't put me off my meal. I love Pleasures too by the way. I thought you were going to say that you have bathroom smells coming up from the rooms. I don't think there is a way that you realistically can ask guests not to wear perfume. I'd far rather sit next to that at breakfast than the aroma of BO!
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Post by Essar »

"(Thinks) Jeez missus that must be a cheap scent judging by the quantity you slap on? - (Says) Good morning, how would you like your eggs?" :lol:
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

If people habitually wear a scent - the whole signature scent thing - they stop being able to smell it themselves after about 3 - 5 days. Their nose becomes used to it and filters that particular scent out. So they spray on more so they can smell it again and it becomes overwhelming for everyone else. Possibly not to partners as they become habituated to it too. It also applies to some mens' colognes, aftershaves and even deodorants.

I used to go to Berry Bros & Rudd wine tastings at their Basingstoke warehouse in the days of Giorgio, Obsession and Poison - the power scents of the 80s - and eventually there was a note on invitations asking people not to use scent before a tasting. A good waft of Giorgio overpowered the nose and actually interfered with the taste sense.

Having said all that, I don't know how one could gently indicate to a guest that a scent was overpowering in a hospitality / accommodation situation. Not without sounding critical, making them feel uncomfortable or even worse, resentful. As for how it hangs about in a room... well, there are worse smells I suppose. :wink:

E2a: well, on a boat, I suppose you could have a note in the cabins along the lines of...

Please be careful with the use of perfume sprays and
deodorants in this cabin - the spray damages the furnishings
and wood finishes.
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Post by B&B netherlands »

i worked at a place where all windows could be opened, and no AC of course - old center of amsterdam. smoking had already been loooong forbidden ;-)

not entirely to my surprise, two people of the workforce of 45, were absolutely allergic to 'fragrances', i.e. the substances used in those. it was 'real', i am allergic to some substances myself so i know the symptoms.

in your boat, people are confined to 'lower deck' smallish spaces, their own cabins - but will problably honestly have NO idea that their lavishly used perfumes could make some other person really feeling sick, i.e. during meals especially.

you could suggest that 'the cosy table setting for meals on our boat is NOT a space like a restaurant, on the land - we all have to share it, please realise that some of our guests might be allergic to substances in fragrances'.

i for myself have NEVER used spray-like fragrances - perfume is in my opinion, only used sparely, by applying it behind the ears, on both wrists, or maybe on ... you know - i am probably the only here on this forum, who still knows how to use chanel no. 5, in the original bottle...

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CarolineH
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Post by CarolineH »

Normandie wrote: I used to go to Berry Bros & Rudd wine tastings at their Basingstoke warehouse in the days of Giorgio, Obsession and Poison - the power scents of the 80s - and eventually there was a note on invitations asking people not to use scent before a tasting. A good waft of Giorgio overpowered the nose and actually interfered with the taste sense.
Oh my gosh! So did I! Perhaps we have met before!

I also used to wear Giorgio :oops:
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pambon
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Post by pambon »

Gosh, like Bunny I too thought immediately of bathroom odours :oops:

Tricky question and can't help! (But glad I was wrong!)
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pambon
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Post by pambon »

Yes, Normandie has given me an idea:idea: perhaps something along the lines:

Guests are kindly asked to remember that living & eating spaces on board are enclosed and limited.
Many guests are allergic to perfumes and their substances therefore it would be appreciated if the use of fragrances is limited to when you step ashore.

I'm sure members can improve on this.
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

CarolineH wrote:I also used to wear Giorgio :oops:
Weren't the Berry Bros wine-tastings great?! :D Perhaps we met over the slabs of cheese and biscuits. I adored those mornings - twice a year, iIrc. It was there I discovered the King's Ginger Liqueur. Yum. http://thekingsginger.com/

I loved - and still love - Giorgio but it's best used rarely and in small doses. :lol:
pambon wrote:Guests are kindly asked to remember that living & eating spaces on board are enclosed and limited.
Many guests are allergic to perfumes and their ingredients therefore it would be appreciated if the use of fragrances is limited to when you step ashore.
I've changed substances to ingredients

I'm not sure about the wording of the request generally... I think it may be a bit proscriptive. Do other guests specifically comment on the smell?
B&B netherlands wrote:...perfume is in my opinion, only used sparely, by applying it behind the ears, on both wrists...
The rule of thumb used to be that if you could smell it on yourself, you'd used too much. I think that constraint was also a casualty of the 80s.
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pambon
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Post by pambon »

Normandie wrote:
CarolineH wrote:I also used to wear Giorgio :oops:
Weren't the Berry Bros wine-tastings great?! :D Perhaps we met over the slabs of cheese and biscuits. I adored those mornings - twice a year, iIrc. It was there I discovered the King's Ginger Liqueur. Yum. http://thekingsginger.com/

I loved - and still love - Giorgio but it's best used rarely and in small doses. :lol:
pambon wrote:Guests are kindly asked to remember that living & eating spaces on board are enclosed and limited.
Many guests are allergic to perfumes and their ingredients therefore it would be appreciated if the use of fragrances is limited to when you step ashore.
I've changed substances to ingredients

I'm not sure about the wording of the request generally... I think it may be a bit proscriptive. Do other guests specifically comment on the smell?
B&B netherlands wrote:...perfume is in my opinion, only used sparely, by applying it behind the ears, on both wrists...
The rule of thumb used to be that if you could smell it on yourself, you'd used too much. I think that constraint was also a casualty of the 80s.

I would also revise: living & eating spaces for "living and dining areas.
aasta
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Post by aasta »

Do you have a guest information manual in the cabins? This is where I would post the request such as Pambon and Normandie have suggested. We find that our guests are very receptive to suggestions in our manual.

We have been airing out a guestroom which two ladies stayed in for a week. It reeks of purfume and it is only slowly diminishing. Does anyone have an idea how to speed up the process. Have washed curtains. But due to current rainy weather cannot take wool throw rugs out to wash.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Cas & Irene, Personally we would ask you to air on the side of caution with this subject.
Your reputation, on line is, something a lot of on this forum would like to have. However that can be eroded if you start to offend guests by you writing "advice" about etiquette.
We agree that other guests could be affected by the smell of perfume, but the advice looks as if it comes from you the owner.
And yes we have the same sort of problem even though our space is larger.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

I wonder if a dehumidifier might help? I know we can burn candles, put bowls of baking soda and other remedies in a room but I wonder if a dehumidifier might pull out smell-laden moisture? It might be be a solution to the problem and particularly on a boat.
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Cas & Irene
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Post by Cas & Irene »

Thanks all for the tips and good advices (as always!)

I know this is a delicate problem because it affects the guests personally, and that makes it very difficult.

Yes, I had 2 times guests who made some commends about this, both times after the breakfast.
I realize that (future) guests can read this item on LMH, but they can’t denied that this could be annoying for other guests.

If people choose for a B&B on a boat, you know that the space is limited, I think you must have some understanding for that. Even as guests do understand that you can´t put the tv-dvd on max or make a little party in your cabin.

Incidentally, after more than 200 B&B bookings, we have never had a complaint about or comment about this! This was my biggest fear to do B&B next to self-catering.


I think that a small sign in the cabins, referring to possible allergic reactions from other guests, would be sufficient. This would be only necessary in the winter period when breakfast is served inside. During the outside breakfast the gentle Mediterranean sea breeze will blows the excess perfume air away!
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

I have used fabreeze to get the smell off curtains, and the room. It does work to some degree When you are pushed for time. Just whizz round and spray at random.
Oddly enough my worst culprits have been men!

I do sympathise though....I am one of those people who can come out in a red rash if I am too close to a strong perfume. I had to beg to change seats once at the opera because the women in front had such strong perfume on. Have also had to change seats on public transport too. Poison, Cinnabar and that Calvin Klein one were my worst enemies.

Delicate Mousie
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