Just plain rude

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

That is really rude to make such a mess like that!

Did you have the cereal & dishes and other supplies set out for them to use since they were getting up so early? Coffee on a timer or something?
If not, maybe if this were to happen again you could set out everything on your guest service island with a note that included something like, "We have reserved this breakfast just for your party. You can find your milk in the guest fridge. blah, blah, blah. Health Department regulations prohibit guests from using the inn kitchen."
You really do need to get a folding screen or something at least to set up a visual barrier for your kitchen with a BIG SIGN! I saw some nice screens recently at Pier 1..

That is really rude to make such a mess like that!

Did you have the cereal & dishes and other supplies set out for them to use since they were getting up so early? Coffee on a timer or something?
If not, maybe if this were to happen again you could set out everything on your guest service island with a note that included something like, "We have reserved this breakfast just for your party. You can find your milk in the guest fridge. blah, blah, blah. Health Department regulations prohibit guests from using the inn kitchen."
You really do need to get a folding screen or something at least to set up a visual barrier for your kitchen with a BIG SIGN! I saw some nice screens recently at Pier 1.

All of the supplies are on the GUEST side of the divider. There was no reason at all for them to be in the kitchen. They knew where everything was because they said they would be leaving early so we showed them where to find it. Not that it's hidden, it's all in plain sight. I know, here I am complaining about kitchen invaders again. I don't think a sign or screen would have stopped them.
.

It has nothing to do with complaining again, you are just venting over some very rude slobs...[/h3]I would just about be ready to blow....
Yes, I too would write them an letter, not per email, but certified mail and let them know that I would be tooo embaressed to even ever think about leaving such a mess...I don't want to see their house.
Definately "Not Welcome List " Number one....
.

It has nothing to do with complaining again, you are just venting over some very rude slobs...[/h3]I would just about be ready to blow....
Yes, I too would write them an letter, not per email, but certified mail and let them know that I would be tooo embaressed to even ever think about leaving such a mess...I don't want to see their house.
Definately "Not Welcome List " Number one....

I disagree 100%. Get angry and move on. People are slobs. We all know them, we all have them on ocassion. This is the way they are.
Write them a letter certified mail because they used all the milk? You MUST be kidding right? IF YOU ALLOW PEOPLE ACCESS TO STUFF EXPECT THEM TO NOT STOP AT THE BOUNDARIES YOU HAVE SET UP. IT HAS TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
KEEP OUT COMPLETELY and WORK OUT A WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. Get a hot water/cold water cooler so they have it for their needs. Do whatever it takes.
Don't provide self serve stuff. Take it ALL AWAY.
How much did they pay to stay there? They think they are entitled to help themselves. That is the way it is. You know they will do this.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

This is just all too strange. Yes, agreed BAD BAD GUESTS.
Breakfast begins at 8am. If you leave before then and want food at 5am GO TO MCDONALD'S! You don't have to do anything for them, not even cereal.
I am sure you already thought of all this and do not want to be this accomodating again.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I feel really bad for you. I would be upset too. I just had guests who helped themselves too. Not nearly as bad as your experience.. its kinda funny actually. I had cold bottled water in the refridgerator that I told them to help themselves to. On the back kitchen counter top I had two large bottles of water that my son had refilled from the garden hose and had kept in his car incase he needed water for his radiator, but he forgot them and so there they sat. My guests without even so much as a word helped themselves to the 'larger' bottles of (hose) water and didn't touch the "cold" bottled water in the refrigerator! Go figure. I didn't even notice they were missing until they brought them to the kitchen asking where to throw out the empty bottles! (No I did't tell them they just finished drinking "hose" water!)..

I feel really bad for you. I would be upset too. I just had guests who helped themselves too. Not nearly as bad as your experience.. its kinda funny actually. I had cold bottled water in the refridgerator that I told them to help themselves to. On the back kitchen counter top I had two large bottles of water that my son had refilled from the garden hose and had kept in his car incase he needed water for his radiator, but he forgot them and so there they sat. My guests without even so much as a word helped themselves to the 'larger' bottles of (hose) water and didn't touch the "cold" bottled water in the refrigerator! Go figure. I didn't even notice they were missing until they brought them to the kitchen asking where to throw out the empty bottles! (No I did't tell them they just finished drinking "hose" water!).

You were just proving a point, that bottled water is really tap water.

 

[Morticia]

That is really rude to make such a mess like that!

Did you have the cereal & dishes and other supplies set out for them to use since they were getting up so early? Coffee on a timer or something?
If not, maybe if this were to happen again you could set out everything on your guest service island with a note that included something like, "We have reserved this breakfast just for your party. You can find your milk in the guest fridge. blah, blah, blah. Health Department regulations prohibit guests from using the inn kitchen."
You really do need to get a folding screen or something at least to set up a visual barrier for your kitchen with a BIG SIGN! I saw some nice screens recently at Pier 1..

That is really rude to make such a mess like that!

Did you have the cereal & dishes and other supplies set out for them to use since they were getting up so early? Coffee on a timer or something?
If not, maybe if this were to happen again you could set out everything on your guest service island with a note that included something like, "We have reserved this breakfast just for your party. You can find your milk in the guest fridge. blah, blah, blah. Health Department regulations prohibit guests from using the inn kitchen."
You really do need to get a folding screen or something at least to set up a visual barrier for your kitchen with a BIG SIGN! I saw some nice screens recently at Pier 1.

All of the supplies are on the GUEST side of the divider. There was no reason at all for them to be in the kitchen. They knew where everything was because they said they would be leaving early so we showed them where to find it. Not that it's hidden, it's all in plain sight. I know, here I am complaining about kitchen invaders again. I don't think a sign or screen would have stopped them.
.

It has nothing to do with complaining again, you are just venting over some very rude slobs...[/h3]I would just about be ready to blow....
Yes, I too would write them an letter, not per email, but certified mail and let them know that I would be tooo embaressed to even ever think about leaving such a mess...I don't want to see their house.
Definately "Not Welcome List " Number one....
.

It has nothing to do with complaining again, you are just venting over some very rude slobs...[/h3]I would just about be ready to blow....
Yes, I too would write them an letter, not per email, but certified mail and let them know that I would be tooo embaressed to even ever think about leaving such a mess...I don't want to see their house.
Definately "Not Welcome List " Number one....

I disagree 100%. Get angry and move on. People are slobs. We all know them, we all have them on ocassion. This is the way they are.
Write them a letter certified mail because they used all the milk? You MUST be kidding right? IF YOU ALLOW PEOPLE ACCESS TO STUFF EXPECT THEM TO NOT STOP AT THE BOUNDARIES YOU HAVE SET UP. IT HAS TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
KEEP OUT COMPLETELY and WORK OUT A WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. Get a hot water/cold water cooler so they have it for their needs. Do whatever it takes.
Don't provide self serve stuff. Take it ALL AWAY.
How much did they pay to stay there? They think they are entitled to help themselves. That is the way it is. You know they will do this.
.

I disagree 100%. Get angry and move on.

This is what I like to do. I got mad, I ranted here, I'm over it. It will happen again because I will continue to provide milk for guests to use in their coffee. I won't put the cereal away because most guests, 99%, are really nice and don't take advantage of anything.I will continue to not have a closed kitchen. And I'll have to rant again sometime...

 

[Morticia]

OK folks, just to let you know that after last night's late arriving guests nuked their McD's in the kitchen, I printed up a sign and it is prominently placed on the counter (in a lovely, silver Ralph Lauren frame):
STOP![/h3]Due to Health Department regulations, guests are NOT allowed in the kitchen.
Thank you for respecting this notice.
All I have to do now is get hubs to stop telling them they can fill up on water from the tap.

 

[Samster]

OK folks, just to let you know that after last night's late arriving guests nuked their McD's in the kitchen, I printed up a sign and it is prominently placed on the counter (in a lovely, silver Ralph Lauren frame):
STOP![/h3]Due to Health Department regulations, guests are NOT allowed in the kitchen.
Thank you for respecting this notice.
All I have to do now is get hubs to stop telling them they can fill up on water from the tap..

Good job, Bree!! Maybe this will help. We'll all keep our fingers crossed for you
Can you put a jug of water in the guest area to help with the water filling issue?? I know, I know...something else on the counter.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

OK folks, just to let you know that after last night's late arriving guests nuked their McD's in the kitchen, I printed up a sign and it is prominently placed on the counter (in a lovely, silver Ralph Lauren frame):
STOP![/h3]Due to Health Department regulations, guests are NOT allowed in the kitchen.
Thank you for respecting this notice.
All I have to do now is get hubs to stop telling them they can fill up on water from the tap..

OK folks, just to let you know that after last night's late arriving guests nuked their McD's in the kitchen, I printed up a sign and it is prominently placed on the counter (in a lovely, silver Ralph Lauren frame):
STOP![/h3]Due to Health Department regulations, guests are NOT allowed in the kitchen.
Thank you for respecting this notice.
All I have to do now is get hubs to stop telling them they can fill up on water from the tap.

I am going to laugh pretty hard if you find it used as a coaster or something. Here is something cool, a guest just called to say she won't be here til 8pm. Nice, thank you I appreciate it.
She said, Is that going to be a problem? NO PROBLEM! PERFECTO!
Just the consideration is what means alot to us, isn't it.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Am I the only one seeing this thread upside down?

 

[Samster]

Am I the only one seeing this thread upside down?.

Yes...stop standing on your head. yuk yuk

 

[trishany]

OH no....Sorry to hear that..how rude and inconsiderate people are!!! I might be tempted to send them an email later telling them how disappointed you were that they did that to your kitchen. I would certainly put them on my DO NOT TAKE AGAIN list!.

What?! That is so bad. Sorry this happened.

 

[Morticia]

How the sign has worked so far...
One guest 'confessed' to going in the kitchen last night. Two other guests were standing in the guest area looking at the sign when I came out to check the water for tea pot. They said, 'That sign wasn't there the other day.'
Hmmmm. Anyway, they had leftovers they wanted to heat up, so guess who did that for them...
At least they didn't go in and do it themselves.

 

[swirt]

How the sign has worked so far...
One guest 'confessed' to going in the kitchen last night. Two other guests were standing in the guest area looking at the sign when I came out to check the water for tea pot. They said, 'That sign wasn't there the other day.'
Hmmmm. Anyway, they had leftovers they wanted to heat up, so guess who did that for them...
At least they didn't go in and do it themselves..

They said, 'That sign wasn't there the other day.'

Ooh that makes my toung hurt just from imagining how hard I would have to bite it to keep from having a smart aleck response.

 

[user 26]

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking.

 

[Morticia]

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking..

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking.

I'm installing one today. If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. I hate catering to the least common denominator (the 'cooler crowd') but I guess it's what people want.

 

[greyswan]

we installed a small microwave and a dorm frig in our dining room mainly for the med students cuz they wanted us of our kitchen, which I've been firm about. I pick up extra plasticware sets to keep in the drawer on the stand that the frig and microwave sit on for the students/guest use. Our first student used the microwave every evening.. this student is happy to eat out. Other guests have not even wanted to use it.

 

[Samster]

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking..

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking.

I'm installing one today. If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. I hate catering to the least common denominator (the 'cooler crowd') but I guess it's what people want.
.

Good deal! Cleaning it will probably be less aggravating than dealing with intruders in the kitchen. Does it have some idiot buttons for "reheat" and such? haha! That might help with burning leftovers.
Breathe, just breathe........

 

[Copperhead]

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking..

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking.

I'm installing one today. If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. I hate catering to the least common denominator (the 'cooler crowd') but I guess it's what people want.
.

Bree - Glad to hear that you are trying to make changes regarding your kitchen issues: the sign and now the microwave. But you state: If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. You are not dealing with your kids here, these are different guests each day. We all know there are guests that are not trainable so you must do all you can to provide items they need that prevents as much stress in your life as possible.
We all have issues we wish to correct but nothing will be a 100% cure to the problems. What YOU need to decide is what is the lesser of the 2 evils in YOUR work day - cleaning the guest microwave at your convenience, or waking to to find a total mess in the kitchen microwave you need to use for breakfast. Which is less stress for YOU!

 

[Morticia]

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking..

i still think you need a microwave for guests to use.
when that many guests are wanting to reheat leftovers, they are either going to try to find you at whatever time to ask about reheating or they are going to go around your signs and/or screens and/or other blocking devices and use your microwave when you aren't looking.

I'm installing one today. If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. I hate catering to the least common denominator (the 'cooler crowd') but I guess it's what people want.
.

Bree - Glad to hear that you are trying to make changes regarding your kitchen issues: the sign and now the microwave. But you state: If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. You are not dealing with your kids here, these are different guests each day. We all know there are guests that are not trainable so you must do all you can to provide items they need that prevents as much stress in your life as possible.
We all have issues we wish to correct but nothing will be a 100% cure to the problems. What YOU need to decide is what is the lesser of the 2 evils in YOUR work day - cleaning the guest microwave at your convenience, or waking to to find a total mess in the kitchen microwave you need to use for breakfast. Which is less stress for YOU!
.

Bree - Glad to hear that you are trying to make changes regarding your kitchen issues: the sign and now the microwave. But you state: If the guests burn stuff in it and mess it up, it goes away again. You are not dealing with your kids here, these are different guests each day. We all know there are guests that are not trainable so you must do all you can to provide items they need that prevents as much stress in your life as possible.
We all have issues we wish to correct but nothing will be a 100% cure to the problems. What YOU need to decide is what is the lesser of the 2 evils in YOUR work day - cleaning the guest microwave at your convenience, or waking to to find a total mess in the kitchen microwave you need to use for breakfast. Which is less stress for YOU!

Both are stressful for me. One because I think it is the height of arrogance to think I am to provide all the comforts of home. The other is the arrogance that some people have that means any rules apply to everyone else but them. Because, even tho the sign clearly states 'Leave your dishes HERE' (in front of the sign), they were all piled in the kitchen anyway.
We have ADDED so much more to our guest amenities over the past year and there is a limit to what I think it is my place to provide. There is also a limit to the space I have to provide these things. The more crap I put out for guests to use the more cluttered and unattractive my ENTRYWAY becomes. Because the dining room/kitchen ARE the entryway. The first rooms you see when entering the building.
And the last thing I want is the smell of someone's burnt whatever greeting guests.
(This, BTW, is burned innkeeper right now.

) I am hauling laundry for the next week to the laundromat in the pouring rain everyday. Etc, etc.

 

[ginocat]

I do understand your frustrations. I do not have a microwave nor will I ever have one. I do not want smelly food, popcorn or anything else smelling up the common areas. In 16 years I've been asked twice to heat up food. I tell the guests up front that we have no cooking facilities whatsoever. I can thank the stars that I decided I couldn't function without a lockable kitchen door.
For a couple of years I had a little table in the guest pantry area. People started buying cold foods or bringing in hot foods, setting themselves up for dinner and eating. It disturbed other guests and brought some horrible smells into the common area and wafting to guest rooms. Smelly cheese, crab, etc. This year I took the table out and now I don't have that problem. Sure, they probably have their picnics in their room but at least it's not smelling up the house and other guest rooms. One of the worst smells IMHO is microwave popcorn and the smell will stay in a microwave forever!!
One major hotel here that has micros is forever cooking essential oils for a few minutes to get that nasty smell out.

 

[user 26]

i have not seen anyone else's places, so i don't know how your space feels and how your b&b operates in your locations.
my village is very small. the store closes at 7 (earlier come september) and EVERYTHING closes up by 9:30 -- again, in late september the restaurants will close up for the season --- so if someone arrives late (which can be only 6 pm in september - and too late to get a meal), they can't get something to eat around here. this makes it hard for me to get guests to come here. so, if they bring something along to eat, it is helpful for them to be able to heat it up. i have guest fridges on each floor and they are very good about sharing space for the most part.
in three years i have not had a problem with burnt food in the microwave. very little mess (so far). it's in the library next to the coffee makers and water cooler and i give it a quick wipe out each day. of course there is the possibility of such a problem, but these folks don't want to ruin their meal any more than i want the smell and mess of a burnt meal. so i will keep my fingers crossed.
i am not saying you have to cater to every whim and request of your guests. you can't possibly be all things to all people. but when guests are repeatedly asking for something, it is worth considering.
if it is more of a problem than a help, take it away.