Early Check ins - Again!

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

welcome

you might try this ~ IF i decided i could maybe accommodate an early check in, i would tell them 'i will do my best to accommodate you early but if you find the door locked, there will be a few places in the area you can visit until i get back' and then .... if 1 pm came and i was ready and they weren't there, i just might post the note as above that innkeeper had to do errands, would be back at 3 o clock ... here are a few area places you might like to see ... '
i'd make sure the the door was locked but my errand might be to go take a nap or just put my feet up or whatever. even if you say you work alone, people don't understand what that means. and that you yourself have to go out to get groceries or whatever. or that you might (are you kidding me??!) take a break!
i was in a high tourrist area and folks were constantly coming to the door just wanting a brochure (i had them in a basket on the porch), just wanting a tour (i couldn't stop and show people around the place at any old time, just couldn't), just wanting to use the restroom (there was a sign on the door that we had no public restroom .. restroom for registered guests only) .... just wanting to see what i was like in case they wanted to stay sometime. the nicer the weather, the more this happened. individually, they don't see how this cuts into your routine. so it was a fine dance ~ being firm without being rude..

"just wanting a tour"
Our most recent "tour" recipient took it upon herself to break away from us as we were saying goodbye to some guests and left us a nice big mess in one of the unoccupied guest room bathrooms.
We're happy to show people the reception lounge and give them a brochure and even a cookie, but we're getting in the habit of simply telling lookie lous or whatever you all call them that "In order to respect the privacy of our current guests, we're afraid we can't offer you a full tour of the house"
If the joint is totally unbooked and somebody made the effort to show up wanting to find out what we're about, that's a different story. But we're careful to keep an eye on them, ask a few leading questions to make sure they aren't casing the place, and never leave them alone for even a minute.
This region has many "Artist Studio Tours" where artists open their home studios and share their recent work with visitors. We've particpated in the last four in our area and I usually display my work also. It has been a real headache to juggle my responsibilities here and sit on the porch showing my work for very little payoff.
I spend most of my time that weekend, prying lookie lous away from trying to enter the house "for a tour" despite having a big sign on the door stating "Do Not Enter, No B&B Tours Available"
We're open and usually have several rooms booked by people doing the tour, but we just can't have our guest's privacy invaded more than the general hordes of people walking outside around the property looking at all the art. We tell all potential guests inquiring about a room for that weekend what to expect and have never had any problems, but we're the ones who are tired and bored of it.
Each year, I probably hand out a couple hundred brochures of ours and we have yet to have a single booking from doing so. Its a ton of work with obviously not much payoff on either realm, my art or bookings and the four or five other artists who we host, don't do much better, so we're skipping it this year.
Emily bakes herself to exhaustion each year and we always thought of it as mainly a community building thing to lend our efforts to, but if there's no payoff except for selling a few small pieces of my art and playing "guardian" of the front door, whats the point?

 

[user 26]

tim!
were you on the forum last summer when i encountered a woman (not a guest) coming OUT of what had been a pristine guestroom after having used the bathroom. bold as brass!!!! she said 'believe me it was an emergency,' i think some registered guests held the front door for her to enter as they were going out. after i shouted/scolded the back of her as she left, i went in and cleaned the bathroom. yes, she had used it and i was appalled. i had gotten out of the habit of locking all unoccupied guest rooms and became a fanatic ... had to urge my guests to lock theirs and take their keys with them (and told them why - though some still did not). imagine bringing your next check-in into their room and discovering a soiled bathroom. disgusting!
i think i ranted on here and all over the village about it for two whole days.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

tim!
were you on the forum last summer when i encountered a woman (not a guest) coming OUT of what had been a pristine guestroom after having used the bathroom. bold as brass!!!! she said 'believe me it was an emergency,' i think some registered guests held the front door for her to enter as they were going out. after i shouted/scolded the back of her as she left, i went in and cleaned the bathroom. yes, she had used it and i was appalled. i had gotten out of the habit of locking all unoccupied guest rooms and became a fanatic ... had to urge my guests to lock theirs and take their keys with them (and told them why - though some still did not). imagine bringing your next check-in into their room and discovering a soiled bathroom. disgusting!
i think i ranted on here and all over the village about it for two whole days..

What did you say to her and how did she react to this?

 

[Morticia]

tim!
were you on the forum last summer when i encountered a woman (not a guest) coming OUT of what had been a pristine guestroom after having used the bathroom. bold as brass!!!! she said 'believe me it was an emergency,' i think some registered guests held the front door for her to enter as they were going out. after i shouted/scolded the back of her as she left, i went in and cleaned the bathroom. yes, she had used it and i was appalled. i had gotten out of the habit of locking all unoccupied guest rooms and became a fanatic ... had to urge my guests to lock theirs and take their keys with them (and told them why - though some still did not). imagine bringing your next check-in into their room and discovering a soiled bathroom. disgusting!
i think i ranted on here and all over the village about it for two whole days..

Yes you did rant, and with good reason. That same person would not have gone into your 'home' but after all, it's not someone's 'home' it's a business. Arrrgh!

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

tim!
were you on the forum last summer when i encountered a woman (not a guest) coming OUT of what had been a pristine guestroom after having used the bathroom. bold as brass!!!! she said 'believe me it was an emergency,' i think some registered guests held the front door for her to enter as they were going out. after i shouted/scolded the back of her as she left, i went in and cleaned the bathroom. yes, she had used it and i was appalled. i had gotten out of the habit of locking all unoccupied guest rooms and became a fanatic ... had to urge my guests to lock theirs and take their keys with them (and told them why - though some still did not). imagine bringing your next check-in into their room and discovering a soiled bathroom. disgusting!
i think i ranted on here and all over the village about it for two whole days..

Wasn't here yet, but can fully relate and empathize.
This woman didn't just a cup too many of coffee, we're talking a plate too much of chile rellenos with beans and rice the night before.
Ewwwwww!!
They claimed some friend or relative had stayed here before and loved it and they just had to check it out for their next vacation. The ol' "next" vacation plug. Yup, we've been laying in bed counting on that booking. LOL
Please, we get loads of BS from guests all day long, we see right through most of it lady.
For one, they dodged the question of who the guest was, then it was going through both of our minds but not verbalized "Well, if your friend or family liked it here so much, WTF didn't you book here to begin with for THIS trip?"

 

[DaisyMae]

Wow you guys have some real horror stories!
I am a small place and do practically everything myself, so scheduling is important to me. I have had a few early arrivals, but nothing that can compare to some of the posts here. I tell guests that check in is between 3 - 6 or later by prior arrangement. Check out is by 11 AM. Between the hours of 11 - 3 we clean. I put a sign on the Inns door that reads "Sorry to have missed you. Innkeeper will return for 3 PM check in." That pretty much takes care of those who arrive prior to 3pm. When they call, I simply explain that we are cleaning. Their room is not ready, but if you would like to leave your cell #, we will call you when it is (95% of the time, we will call them after 3pm) If I stop to answer the door or check someone in "real quick" before 3 oclock, it throws me off and I won't have enought time to finish prior to 3. I just won't answer the door. That sounds awful, but it is necessary..

Wow you guys have some real horror stories!
I am a small place and do practically everything myself, so scheduling is important to me. I have had a few early arrivals, but nothing that can compare to some of the posts here. I tell guests that check in is between 3 - 6 or later by prior arrangement. Check out is by 11 AM. Between the hours of 11 - 3 we clean. I put a sign on the Inns door that reads "Sorry to have missed you. Innkeeper will return for 3 PM check in." That pretty much takes care of those who arrive prior to 3pm. When they call, I simply explain that we are cleaning. Their room is not ready, but if you would like to leave your cell #, we will call you when it is (95% of the time, we will call them after 3pm) If I stop to answer the door or check someone in "real quick" before 3 oclock, it throws me off and I won't have enought time to finish prior to 3. I just won't answer the door. That sounds awful, but it is necessary.

i have to confess that i do pretty much the same thing when i am here by myself. i don't call them when it's ready, i just don't even let on thet i am even inside the inn.

 

[Copperhead]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

 

[JBloggs]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Has got to be a first time BnB goer...wow is all I can say!

 

[Country Girl]

Unbelievable!!! What did you say?

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

 

[Copperhead]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...

 

[gillumhouse]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...
.

Is it big enough for a body? Do not mind me. Been up since 6 - did breakfast and a load of laundry before going to MountainFest. Still have to go to the kitchen to do up the dishes from this morning and get a start on breakfast before Chapel. Gettting a bit ga-ga.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...

Amazing, but not surprising.
Yeah, my hackles and heavy drinker radar go up immediately when I see the huge cooler being hauled with more priority and urgency than any luggage and especially for a less than three or four night stay. If they aren't on an extended road trip with food in it, it usually doesn't bode well, but we do our best to set the right tone right from the initial contact. It usually only takes reiterating the point about "how the vast majority of our guests are coming for some R&R and peace & quiet for the message to get across.
Pointing out our living quarters just 100 feet from the main house helps cement in their minds that while we're not in the main house at all times, we're just one disturbance away and always available to repsond to an urgent need not matter what time of day or night.
This gets pointed out when I show folks the hot tub. As innocent as the statement is, everybody knows that everybody gets told this. So if you act up, odds are either another guest knows where to find us or that we're close enough to monitor any thing going on if need be while still affording plenty of autonomy for the great guests.

 

[Copperhead]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...
.

Is it big enough for a body? Do not mind me. Been up since 6 - did breakfast and a load of laundry before going to MountainFest. Still have to go to the kitchen to do up the dishes from this morning and get a start on breakfast before Chapel. Gettting a bit ga-ga.
.

LOL - even when your this tired, you get out a good one... Gee I hope I see both of them at breakfast!!

 

[Morticia]

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.
.

Call today for a reservation for next weekend, when we get to the policies about check in - she said - - OH but we want to check in early enough for breakfast - what time to you serve!

Do you have the room they booked open for that day?
I say jump on it and get another room filled if they want to get there so badly and have already booked for the rest of the nights.

This was the BOOKING call, one night, my least expensive room. They just thought they could munch off us for 2 morning instead of one..after all they would be here 2 DAYS!!! Freaking unbelievable! I think the economy is drawing some of this out...People who would not normally book a B&B, choosing to have a short 'getaway' not too far from home but still have to penny pinch.
What I told her was that check in was not until 3PM, if she would like she COULD book for 2 nights and then she could join us for breakfast both mornings...just as I thought...she only wanted one night.
Think I have another penny pincher here now, booked last night late. Got here this afternoon and tried to sneak in a 40gal. Ice chest...for ONE lousey night - what in the H...L could be in that thing??? I do not think it is food, they stopped for lunch before arriving and asked about a place for dinner. If it is full of beer and they get roudy, neither of us will be happy....because I will not let my other guests be affected by their need to party all night...
.

We had a couple with an electric cooler one day. He goes to haul it up to the room asking if there's an outlet he can plug it into. I'm picturing this thing humming all night and vibrating the floors and walls in the room. Told him he could plug it in the dining room where it wouldn't bother anyone.

 

[Copperhead]

Ok - here we go again! And this time with repeat guests that know better (or so I thought) Grrr.
It's 12:57pm and we are out grocery shopping and the cell rings: "Ah, we are the "today's guests" here to check in but can not get an answer at the door. Are you here?" Me - "Well hi, we did not expect you as I have down a late check in noted. Your hubbs said he would call if he were able to slip away from the family and pick up the key during the day." "Oh!" with a sound that I surmise as steam escaping from her mouth.
So we rush home to provide them with the key...but they have all their luggage at the door, too. "Sorry your room will not be ready until 3 but you can leave your bags inside and we will bring them to the room." Wife stated she needed to use the restroom - which I pointed to (thinking it was for 'necessary' reasons - NO she wanted to freshen up and began to dig through the luggage to find items she wanted. After a couple more huffs etc, she decided to put it all back in and said they will bring their luggage back with them tonight.
While both of them smiled, it was strained. I am unsure if her underlying anger was at me or at her husband...neither are good though as I am sure WE will get the ugly end of this tomorrow AM...At least they are only here one night.

 

[JBloggs]

I had a very rough night sleep, had to make up a room, laundry grocery shop - heat indeax is 95 right now amongst other things today. Guests showed up at 2pm just as I put the groceries away and stretched out with an aching back on the bed. I have the door note on there. I spoke to this man LAST NIGHT and told him check in BEGINS at... and he said okay that is when they would get here.
I am not a robot. I did end up scheduling a much needed massage for tomorrow afternoon - and if I am not here, what will guests do? See for those who think we are not rope and chained to these places...well WE ARE!

We have these policies as it makes EVERYONE happier.