How to review when it's only weather that makes it miserable

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

So, I’m at this sit in Spain that I had been really excited about, as it has chicken and ducks and goats and sheep in addition to the dog and cats. It’s an 1890 finca that was bought 2 years ago, after sitting vacant for 50 years. The owner has moved here and is slowly renovating, slowly…

When we had our video chat 2 weeks ago it was 17/18C outside and this just seemed like this awesome adventure. I still believe that this is an awesome place when the temperature is nice.

On Monday, when I arrived, the weather turned and got very cold. Some sleet and snow on Tuesday. Rain all day Wednesday and temperature was down to almost freezing at night.

The heating here is 2 wood stoves and several gas heaters, but because the house is quite open (holes in the stonewalls where you can look outside, holes in old wooden door and window frames, single pane windows, holes between floor boards where you can look into the stables below and where cold air comes in. No insulation anywhere) they only heat immediately in front and everywhere else the heat goes right outside.

Then to add to that, the makeshift bathroom is down the stairs, outside for a few steps and then another building. So, getting up in the middle of the night, getting dressed, to go to the bathroom is not fun.

Basically, I’m completely miserable. But I can also see what an awesome experience this is in nice temperature. He’s got nothing but rave reviews. So, maybe this is just me, because I’m really sensitive to cold weather. I’m sitting inside with my coat on. Haven’t taken a shower since Monday morning at my hotel, because the bathroom is super cold and even though there’s a small gas heater, it’s only hot right in front of it. The shower is a rain shower head (which would get my hair wet, which I want to avoid in this cold to not get sick) and a heat has to be started in the kitchen to let hot water run down. But the bathroom is freezing and I can’t get myself to take off my clothes in that temperature.

How do I review this? I don’t want to destroy his rating, because I can see where this is just awesome 8 months out of the year. For me this is very miserable right now. Fortunately, he’s coming back tomorrow evening and I can leave.

1 Like
2

Can you not get the wood stoves going and warm yourself up @Varinia? We were in a similar situation earlier in the year. Probably the most basic house we’ve sat in, freezing without the soba going (wood burning stove), damp cupboards, wet surfaces, a cold bedroom and so on. It was a long month!! However, we gave it a great review with the wording “this is a sit for the hardy amongst you, those outdoor, village life loving sitters that want to make fires and are self starters”. Because, its’ true. You can’t rate it down with less stars simply on account of the weather, that’s not fair. You can however say something about it being for the warmer sitting souls. #yourenearlydone

7 Likes
3

I’d probably give 5 stars as long as the listing was accurate and you weren’t surprised to see the bathroom outside etc. But I’d mention that in chillier weather it’s more suited to someone who doesn’t mind the cold/a rougher experience. What you’ve said in this post seems reasonable so go off that but with a bit less emotion maybe. Sorry you’ve had a rough time, it’s so disappointing when things don’t work out and you know theyre so close to being really nice
Edit: @Cuttlefish said it better than me! Go with that haha. Please do try with the wood burners, there are youtube videos out there on how to get them going

3 Likes
4

You don’t mention where in Spain, so I am going to presume it was the mainland or one of the colder islands out-of-season.

It’s March in Spain, did you do your research on the temperature of Spain in March? And you chose a finca, which is a little more unique and rustic, and not modern at all, which is how the bathroom needed to be accessed differently, did you know about that before you stayed?

Before you are too harsh on his review, take into account that you knew it was a finca, and you knew it was March. Did you take plenty of jumpers with you? Did you take a warm-warm coat, and pj’s? If not, attending to ducks and chickens would have made you feel even more colder.

You mention it was 17/18C when you video’d, so I think perhaps you didn’t take winter clothes with you, and expected it to be 17/18C.

Like you mention if the sun had come out you would have probably feel very different, as it heats up fast when the sun shines.

The weather isn’t the pet owners fault. There was heating, just not adequate in the bathroom which is a luxury in a finca anyway, and not to be expected in Spain. So I would give it 5*'s.

3 Likes
5

thank you. I have some of the heaters going and right now I’m sitting right in front of the wood stove on the floor. The heat just doesn’t reach to the sofa.

Great wording and I’m going to use your thoughts. I don’t want to destroy his rating, but also don’t want some other unsuspecting sitter get into this blind as to weather.

2 Likes
6

I’ve only stayed in one finca before and that was a perfectly nice hacienda, with bathrooms for each bedroom, so, I was not aware of the different grades. Nevertheless, I was fully aware if it being in a rough state and as mentioned two weeks ago it was 17C, which typically means that temperatures are going up towards spring. At that temperature it wouldn’t have mattered to me, as I’ve stayed in my share of fixer uppers. 17/18C is perfectly nice temperature and wouldn’t have been a problem for me.

It’s not just the temperature in the bathroom. The house is super cold, as any heat that’s generated by the wood stoves immediately leaves through the walls, ceiling, windows, floors

It’s near Sarria, Northern Spain

1 Like
7

@Varinia
If the home and pets were accurately described in the listing, it’s clean and the host was welcoming with good communication that’s a 5 star sit .

Would you return to sit in sunnier weather? Say that … in your review .

After stating all positives ( e.g welcoming hosts, lovely pets, good communication etc ) you could add “I stayed in March and the weather was x degrees during my stay and I found it cold in the house . To get the best experience I recommend staying during the summer months “or “I have loved looking after xxpets and would love to return in the summer to get the experience it in warm weather ” …

If there is anything you can think of that would make it warmer for guests in the winter months or during an unexpected cold weather ( blankets / throws ?) you could suggest it privately to the hosts .

2 Likes
8

Yeh, you can never be too sure what type of ‘finca’ it will be.

We’re sitting in Spain in May, can’t wait.

9

Can you move the sofa nearer to the fire temporarily ? Get a blanket or duvet from the bedroom to wrap up in ? Snuggle up to the dog and cats ?

Hope you get warm soon .

2 Likes
10

would I return here in the summer? No! It’s really more involvement and work than I want to do. He often gets people from work exchange programs and I think that’s better for this than TH. It sort of requires me to stay here fulltime. The goats and sheep get fed three times per day. Putting out new straw. Finding and bringing in eggs. The cats get fed 3 or 4 times per day. Walking the dog. I signed up for that, so, it’s not something I’d mention. This is much more than taking care of a dog or cat.

11

Hi @Varinia
I had a similar experience in Spain last year. The night time temperatures for a number of days took an unusual turn and dropped to 3c. The only heating in the whole property was a wood stove I struggled to keep topped up through the night. I ended up with multiple duvets on the bed at night. This was my learning curve though as I learnt after the fact many of these old finca’s in Spain and Portugal can still have no central heating. I’m now careful of winter sits as like you I feel the cold.
I’d put a 5 star review and chalk this down to experience.

4 Likes
12

It soulds more like a workaway experience where volunteers do work in exchange for accommodation and food. There were presumably photos so that you knew what state it was in. France and Spain are experiencing storms and weather colder than normal this week. Like others I think you should word it carefully and implying it would suit someone self-sufficient and hardy. Spring in Europe takes a while to warm up.

1 Like
13

So sorry @Varinia , it really doesn’t sound very nice at all. Can you find (or ask the host for) a hotwater bottle? It’s the only thing getting me through cold nights. Any chance he has electric blankets in the house or on the bed that you haven’t noticed? Ask him! It might make all the difference. We were in the mountains in Spain last year January and it was pretty cold but luckily sunny during the days.

1 Like
14

Which is why previous generations used a chamber pot.

(As a student, I lived in accommodation with the bathroom out on the balcony. Very fortunately, we got indoor plumbing after a year or so.)

1 Like
15

OMG. The owner just texted me and said that the dog of the person he’s visiting has a very contagious disease and the vet suggested for him to not go back around his own animals for now. So, now he’s asking me if I can stay longer.

I just asked whether he has anyone else that could take care of the animals, as I’m really miserable here in the cold and am counting the hours until I can leave. But that I would of course not leave his animals alone, if he doesn’t have another option.

I really don’t want to, but I wouldn’t abandon the animals. Darn

4 Likes
16

This was my exact thought. We call it a “bedside commode,” and it is quite common for people with mobility issues here in the US. They are readily available and would be a great solution for this finca.

1 Like
17

Really ?!! What is this contagious disease?

@Varinia the homeowner is taking advantage of your goodwill . He should have a back up plan in place for if a sitter becomes ill or injured during the sit . Asking you to stay longer something he can ask but is not something he can expect .
What if you had a flight booked or another sit to go to ?

7 Likes
18

That’s unfortunate for him, but it’s not your responsibility to stay longer. Just tell him you are not available to stay beyond the agreed upon end date. He should have a backup plan for emergencies such as this.

6 Likes
19

OMG, Varinia, what a position to be in! Would it be possible for him to pay for dog-friendly lodging for you so that at least you could leave after the last chores, come back in the morning for the early ones, and at least get a hot shower and a warm night’s sleep each night?

I’m trying to assume good faith here, but it seems a little coincidental that the friend’s dog develops a highly contagious zoonitic disease during a cold snap that makes the finca basically unlivable. :smiley:

5 Likes
20

He wrote leptospirosis as to what the dog has and which can be transferred to humans.

Fortunately, he wrote back that his friend has another friend coming to stay with her and help with the dog and he’s coming back tonight as planned.

Phew

2 Likes