Innkeepers staying at other B&Bs

[TheBeachHouse]

Well, my experience with the B&B I reserved last week was a doozy. It was the first time ever in all my 20+ years of traveling that I turned around and left. We were greeted with a note on the front door telling us to call for the entrance code, despite telling the innkeeper our approximate arrival time. We were instructed via phone that our room was the first on the left. The room contained a queen bed, toilet in one corner with no door, and a tiny shower in the other corner. I've never seen anything like it. "Private bath" indeed! Additionally, the entire B&B smelled like an ashtray. I'm sensitive to smoke and my throat hurt from being in there for 15 minutes.
I had reserved their largest room with a king bed and jetted tub. I double-checked my email exchange with the owner to be certain I'd made it very clear which room I wanted. I called the housekeeper back and told her it was not the correct room. She says she needs to call the owner. The housekeeper calls back and tells me the other room isn't ready. She then changes her story and says the other room has been reserved by someone else over a week ago. I tell her that I'm looking right at the emails I exchanged with the owner and that it was *me* who reserved it a week ago. She calls the owner again, then she calls back and says she can have the room ready for us in 2 hours. I tell her not to bother and that we're leaving.
I forwarded the owner the email exchange. He emailed me back an hour later saying, "I am sorry, I have been in Louisiana for 7 months working and I am still shocked that I did not get this correct."
Needless to say, this innkeeper did not go out of his way to impress me. To top it off, this inn has a perfect 5-star rating on google and a perfect 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, both with 35 reviews. I am stunned!.

Ok, wait. The toilet was IN the bedroom? Like a prison cell?

 

[notAgrandma]

Well, my experience with the B&B I reserved last week was a doozy. It was the first time ever in all my 20+ years of traveling that I turned around and left. We were greeted with a note on the front door telling us to call for the entrance code, despite telling the innkeeper our approximate arrival time. We were instructed via phone that our room was the first on the left. The room contained a queen bed, toilet in one corner with no door, and a tiny shower in the other corner. I've never seen anything like it. "Private bath" indeed! Additionally, the entire B&B smelled like an ashtray. I'm sensitive to smoke and my throat hurt from being in there for 15 minutes.
I had reserved their largest room with a king bed and jetted tub. I double-checked my email exchange with the owner to be certain I'd made it very clear which room I wanted. I called the housekeeper back and told her it was not the correct room. She says she needs to call the owner. The housekeeper calls back and tells me the other room isn't ready. She then changes her story and says the other room has been reserved by someone else over a week ago. I tell her that I'm looking right at the emails I exchanged with the owner and that it was *me* who reserved it a week ago. She calls the owner again, then she calls back and says she can have the room ready for us in 2 hours. I tell her not to bother and that we're leaving.
I forwarded the owner the email exchange. He emailed me back an hour later saying, "I am sorry, I have been in Louisiana for 7 months working and I am still shocked that I did not get this correct."
Needless to say, this innkeeper did not go out of his way to impress me. To top it off, this inn has a perfect 5-star rating on google and a perfect 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, both with 35 reviews. I am stunned!.

Ok, wait. The toilet was IN the bedroom? Like a prison cell?
.

Ok, wait. The toilet was IN the bedroom? Like a prison cell?

YUP! I wish I'd taken pictures.

 

[notAgrandma]

Well, my experience with the B&B I reserved last week was a doozy. It was the first time ever in all my 20+ years of traveling that I turned around and left. We were greeted with a note on the front door telling us to call for the entrance code, despite telling the innkeeper our approximate arrival time. We were instructed via phone that our room was the first on the left. The room contained a queen bed, toilet in one corner with no door, and a tiny shower in the other corner. I've never seen anything like it. "Private bath" indeed! Additionally, the entire B&B smelled like an ashtray. I'm sensitive to smoke and my throat hurt from being in there for 15 minutes.
I had reserved their largest room with a king bed and jetted tub. I double-checked my email exchange with the owner to be certain I'd made it very clear which room I wanted. I called the housekeeper back and told her it was not the correct room. She says she needs to call the owner. The housekeeper calls back and tells me the other room isn't ready. She then changes her story and says the other room has been reserved by someone else over a week ago. I tell her that I'm looking right at the emails I exchanged with the owner and that it was *me* who reserved it a week ago. She calls the owner again, then she calls back and says she can have the room ready for us in 2 hours. I tell her not to bother and that we're leaving.
I forwarded the owner the email exchange. He emailed me back an hour later saying, "I am sorry, I have been in Louisiana for 7 months working and I am still shocked that I did not get this correct."
Needless to say, this innkeeper did not go out of his way to impress me. To top it off, this inn has a perfect 5-star rating on google and a perfect 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, both with 35 reviews. I am stunned!.

"To top it off, this inn has a perfect 5-star rating on google and a perfect 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, both with 35 reviews."
--- I would just like to note that the most recent TA review was left yesterday, stating that the innkeeper "sat and chatted with us during our stay", and the review says they stayed there in November 2017. Oh really? How did he do that from Louisiana?

 

[Jcam]

Well, my experience with the B&B I reserved last week was a doozy. It was the first time ever in all my 20+ years of traveling that I turned around and left. We were greeted with a note on the front door telling us to call for the entrance code, despite telling the innkeeper our approximate arrival time. We were instructed via phone that our room was the first on the left. The room contained a queen bed, toilet in one corner with no door, and a tiny shower in the other corner. I've never seen anything like it. "Private bath" indeed! Additionally, the entire B&B smelled like an ashtray. I'm sensitive to smoke and my throat hurt from being in there for 15 minutes.
I had reserved their largest room with a king bed and jetted tub. I double-checked my email exchange with the owner to be certain I'd made it very clear which room I wanted. I called the housekeeper back and told her it was not the correct room. She says she needs to call the owner. The housekeeper calls back and tells me the other room isn't ready. She then changes her story and says the other room has been reserved by someone else over a week ago. I tell her that I'm looking right at the emails I exchanged with the owner and that it was *me* who reserved it a week ago. She calls the owner again, then she calls back and says she can have the room ready for us in 2 hours. I tell her not to bother and that we're leaving.
I forwarded the owner the email exchange. He emailed me back an hour later saying, "I am sorry, I have been in Louisiana for 7 months working and I am still shocked that I did not get this correct."
Needless to say, this innkeeper did not go out of his way to impress me. To top it off, this inn has a perfect 5-star rating on google and a perfect 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, both with 35 reviews. I am stunned!.

Ok, wait. The toilet was IN the bedroom? Like a prison cell?
.

Ok, wait. The toilet was IN the bedroom? Like a prison cell?

YUP! I wish I'd taken pictures.
.

one we looked at to buy had the Glass/open shower cublicle in the middle of the room - and it was a twin! ie two workmen sharing one would have to have stood outside or get an eyeful!

 

[Northern Dreamer]

Well we are traveling in December and it will be our first time staying in a B&B since being Innkeepers ourselves...I didn't mention we were also innkeepers. The first reservation we made was only an email receipt for the money that was already charged on our card from the card processor!!!
...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...! I had to call three times to ask for an email that listed all those items... and even though the gal said she would send it right away, it took another day and was just info she typed out and emailed...
At least I have it to go by when we arrive...Crossing my fingers!

 

[JimBoone]

Well we are traveling in December and it will be our first time staying in a B&B since being Innkeepers ourselves...I didn't mention we were also innkeepers. The first reservation we made was only an email receipt for the money that was already charged on our card from the card processor!!!
...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...! I had to call three times to ask for an email that listed all those items... and even though the gal said she would send it right away, it took another day and was just info she typed out and emailed...
At least I have it to go by when we arrive...Crossing my fingers!.

...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...!

Fortunately RK responds to reservations automatically and copies me so that I can check and know that emails are being sent out, but I confess the reservation # does not mean much to me as if there were a question I would be using dates and guest name to search.

 

[Northern Dreamer]

Well we are traveling in December and it will be our first time staying in a B&B since being Innkeepers ourselves...I didn't mention we were also innkeepers. The first reservation we made was only an email receipt for the money that was already charged on our card from the card processor!!!
...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...! I had to call three times to ask for an email that listed all those items... and even though the gal said she would send it right away, it took another day and was just info she typed out and emailed...
At least I have it to go by when we arrive...Crossing my fingers!.

...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...!

Fortunately RK responds to reservations automatically and copies me so that I can check and know that emails are being sent out, but I confess the reservation # does not mean much to me as if there were a question I would be using dates and guest name to search.
.

Still...to get nothing but a dollar amount of what my card was charged could leave me with having to take any room they gave me upon arrival...luckily she was compliant and sent all the info.
I love that my online reservation system through our own website does all that - and I can add my own (pre-set) personal note to the confirmation!!!

 

[JimBoone]

Well we are traveling in December and it will be our first time staying in a B&B since being Innkeepers ourselves...I didn't mention we were also innkeepers. The first reservation we made was only an email receipt for the money that was already charged on our card from the card processor!!!
...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...! I had to call three times to ask for an email that listed all those items... and even though the gal said she would send it right away, it took another day and was just info she typed out and emailed...
At least I have it to go by when we arrive...Crossing my fingers!.

...no reservation #, no room name, no dates...!

Fortunately RK responds to reservations automatically and copies me so that I can check and know that emails are being sent out, but I confess the reservation # does not mean much to me as if there were a question I would be using dates and guest name to search.
.

Still...to get nothing but a dollar amount of what my card was charged could leave me with having to take any room they gave me upon arrival...luckily she was compliant and sent all the info.
I love that my online reservation system through our own website does all that - and I can add my own (pre-set) personal note to the confirmation!!!
.

Still...could leave me with having to take any room they gave me upon arrival
I can add my own (pre-set) personal note to the confirmation!!!

We're different from most here on the forum (being a mom and pop motel) in that I state that we reserve the right to shift a guest to a different room, of course our rooms are pretty much uniform beyond wall color or number of beds. Any change would likely be an upgrade to a larger room and I do also say that I would try to honor any request for a particular room.
RK also lets us write our own confirmation emails, perhaps the place you are visiting needs a new booking system, although I confess that until friends here on the forum pushed me into adopting online booking a little over a year ago we were still using telephone calls and a paper book.