I recently hosted a French guest at my guest house, and it was the first time I encountered significant issues with both a guest and my guest house. The guest, a French woman, contacted me through an online advertisement. After exchanging a few emails, I agreed to host her, as she mentioned she wanted to study Hindi in Benares and had been living in India for the past six months. She appeared to be an ideal guest since she seemed familiar with India. I arranged Hindi classes for her and left for Gwalior to attend my tour guide training.

When I checked in with my other guests, they mentioned that she seemed a bit “hippie,” but not problematic. Initially, she told me she was happy with the accommodation. However, when I returned to Benares and met her in person, it became clear that she was dissatisfied. She complained that my advertisement stated there was a kitchen, but it was not furnished. She expected a fully equipped kitchen, similar to those in the West, complete with gas connections and utilities—something that isn’t common in India.

I tried to explain the difference, but she was unwilling to listen. The next issue was the rent. She claimed that the rent I advertised was different from what I was asking. She found the Rs. 1000 per month charge for unlimited broadband internet excessive and refused to pay for it. She also thought Rs. 3000 per month for meals (lunch, dinner, and breakfast) was too high. Eventually, she proposed Rs. 6800 per month for room, meals, and internet, which was not in line with what I charged other guests, and I was not comfortable with that.

Despite asking her twice if she wanted to find alternate accommodation if she was unhappy, she insisted everything was fine. However, she seemed to have issues with everyone in the house. For instance, I keep a few plants in each flat and place them under a grate to get some sunlight. She moved the plants to a darker area and placed her mattress under the grate. When my mother saw this and moved the plants back, she became upset. Additionally, she wanted to stay out late at night, something I generally advise against for female guests due to safety concerns in Varanasi.

There is very little to do after 9 PM, but she frequently stayed out until midnight or later. One of my other guests reported seeing her drinking on a boat in the Ganga, which was quite concerning. She left after two months, but when I went to her flat, I found a large amount of garbage. I was checking to see if she had left any clothes or items that could be reused, which I usually donate to the Mother Teresa Home. I discovered a bottle of Thums Up soft drink, which I used to clean the toilet, as soft drinks are effective for that purpose.

Although she left at 7 AM, she returned around 9 AM because her train was delayed. When she saw that her garbage had been touched, she became very upset. She did not address this with me directly but later sent several emails questioning why I had touched her garbage. I tried to explain, but she refused to listen. Her behavior was quite challenging, and it felt like she was unreasonable. It was my house, and I felt entitled to manage it as needed. Her stay was a learning experience for me, and I am now much more cautious when selecting guests.

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