No Arrival Time

[JBloggs]

This is 2011, this is the trend this year - guests are now selecting nothing as their arrival time. I figured, heck at least they are being honest.
As you know this GPS fiasco has gotten totally out of hand, the 4pm check in is closer to 9pm now, people are wasting so much time being lost and sent on wild goose chases via Gertrude the Naggigational system.
I just wish they would travel with a map. An Atlas, preprinte yahoo maps or anything that shows where they are going and the basic direction to get there.
My guests now arrive later and later...

 

[Generic]

I have a few with no time. Is the GPS giving them the right location or the wrong location? We put a link to directions from major cities on our website, which we have modified to minimize turns. If you don't have it on your website, maybe you should add it. Or worse... start to make personal ones and email them.

 

[Alibi Ike]

I have a few with no time. Is the GPS giving them the right location or the wrong location? We put a link to directions from major cities on our website, which we have modified to minimize turns. If you don't have it on your website, maybe you should add it. Or worse... start to make personal ones and email them..

I had a link to Google maps early on. Set it up so my address is the 'finish' and the guests enter their address as the 'start'. Checked it out awhile after installing and Google (in its infinite wisdom) had moved my inn. BUT, you had to actually enter your address and hit 'get directions' for it to show the wrong location. It was fine just sitting there looking at it.
So, I removed it, emailed Google several million times, got my pin back where it belonged and reinstalled the map. I doubt anyone uses it. But, covering all the bases. There is also a 'local' printable map with directions. Rarely see that come thru the door either.
All of my reservations come thru with a time as there is a default time already in place. Most guests leave it at the default and show up whenever. It's just a suggestion, right, not really anything we NEED to know!

 

[Breakfast Diva]

On my Res Key I've made it made it required. I used a drop down menu and changed it to "approximate check-in time" and they can choose 3:00-6:00, 6:00-9:00 and after 9:00.
Works well for us.

 

[Generic]

I have a few with no time. Is the GPS giving them the right location or the wrong location? We put a link to directions from major cities on our website, which we have modified to minimize turns. If you don't have it on your website, maybe you should add it. Or worse... start to make personal ones and email them..

I had a link to Google maps early on. Set it up so my address is the 'finish' and the guests enter their address as the 'start'. Checked it out awhile after installing and Google (in its infinite wisdom) had moved my inn. BUT, you had to actually enter your address and hit 'get directions' for it to show the wrong location. It was fine just sitting there looking at it.
So, I removed it, emailed Google several million times, got my pin back where it belonged and reinstalled the map. I doubt anyone uses it. But, covering all the bases. There is also a 'local' printable map with directions. Rarely see that come thru the door either.
All of my reservations come thru with a time as there is a default time already in place. Most guests leave it at the default and show up whenever. It's just a suggestion, right, not really anything we NEED to know!
.

Several of my guests have come with the map printed and been happy about it.

 

[gillumhouse]

this week is Mou ta inF est - we are at this event every day until it closes Sunday. Today we set up. The 2 20-yard bolts of fabic I ordered for the drape on the chain link fence worked perfectly - I cut it in lengths the size of my dining room table. Paintings are hung.
Have 2 rooms coming in tomorrow and one Friday. ALL are cooperating with me on arrival time. Earliest arriving tomorrow around 7 and the other has my cell phone number to call me as she gets close but said she will not come before 8. Friday is coming for a family reunion and I told her we cannot be here before 8:30.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Guests showed up at the door at 1 PM. Laundry was everywhere so I explained we weren't quite ready. That they could come back in an hour. They just returned. 7 hours later and an hour after check-in ends. I can't win with the check-in times this summer.

 

[Alibi Ike]

On my Res Key I've made it made it required. I used a drop down menu and changed it to "approximate check-in time" and they can choose 3:00-6:00, 6:00-9:00 and after 9:00.
Works well for us..

On my Res Key I've made it made it required. I used a drop down menu and changed it to "approximate check-in time" and they can choose 3:00-6:00, 6:00-9:00 and after 9:00.
Works well for us.

I like that.

 

[InnBloom]

I have a few with no time. Is the GPS giving them the right location or the wrong location? We put a link to directions from major cities on our website, which we have modified to minimize turns. If you don't have it on your website, maybe you should add it. Or worse... start to make personal ones and email them..

I had a link to Google maps early on. Set it up so my address is the 'finish' and the guests enter their address as the 'start'. Checked it out awhile after installing and Google (in its infinite wisdom) had moved my inn. BUT, you had to actually enter your address and hit 'get directions' for it to show the wrong location. It was fine just sitting there looking at it.
So, I removed it, emailed Google several million times, got my pin back where it belonged and reinstalled the map. I doubt anyone uses it. But, covering all the bases. There is also a 'local' printable map with directions. Rarely see that come thru the door either.
All of my reservations come thru with a time as there is a default time already in place. Most guests leave it at the default and show up whenever. It's just a suggestion, right, not really anything we NEED to know!
.

All of my reservations come thru with a time as there is a default time already in place. Most guests leave it at the default and show up whenever. It's just a suggestion, right, not really anything we NEED to know!

Wow, I don't know what res system you use, but I'm sure glad mine doesn't have a default time in place. On mine, the default is ?? so at least I know they didn't bother to fill it in and I can try to follow up closer to the arrival day or even the morning of. But if it's the default, I wouldn't know if they had agreed with the default or just been lazy.
I agree that more and more folks are leaving it blank though, this year. Can't figure that out either.

 

[InnBloom]

I have a few with no time. Is the GPS giving them the right location or the wrong location? We put a link to directions from major cities on our website, which we have modified to minimize turns. If you don't have it on your website, maybe you should add it. Or worse... start to make personal ones and email them..

I had a link to Google maps early on. Set it up so my address is the 'finish' and the guests enter their address as the 'start'. Checked it out awhile after installing and Google (in its infinite wisdom) had moved my inn. BUT, you had to actually enter your address and hit 'get directions' for it to show the wrong location. It was fine just sitting there looking at it.
So, I removed it, emailed Google several million times, got my pin back where it belonged and reinstalled the map. I doubt anyone uses it. But, covering all the bases. There is also a 'local' printable map with directions. Rarely see that come thru the door either.
All of my reservations come thru with a time as there is a default time already in place. Most guests leave it at the default and show up whenever. It's just a suggestion, right, not really anything we NEED to know!
.

Several of my guests have come with the map printed and been happy about it.
.

 

[Joey Camb]

mine keep filling it in but don't come when they say so its a bit of a waste of time.

 

[JBloggs]

I am actually saying at least they are being honest, so no time means any time. I appreciate them saying "We don't really know"

 

[Don Draper]

I am actually saying at least they are being honest, so no time means any time. I appreciate them saying "We don't really know".

Me too. And I know exactly what I'm dealing with...I will sit here and wait for them all day and then leave a note at 6 pm. So if I get everyone else in early I just leave the note. I'm done with all this wait, wait, wait. I got things to do.

 

[Proud Texan]

Our place is very difficult to find after dark and I tell them so. Most guests endeavor to get here before dark. I also ask them to call if they will be later than their stated time and most of them do. I ALWAYS get a cell number and call them if they are running to far behind schedule and have not called us yet.

 

[agoodman]

When someone says "we don't really know" I follow with "approximately?" or "afternoon, evening"? I then always ask that they call 30-60 mins before arrival. I explain "so I can make sure I am home when you arrive"
I know some of you have an issue with this but MOST of my guests do call
And now if they are more than an hour past their stated time I call to check with them. Trust me, it will save you a lot of frustration if they tell you they are 2-3 hours away .. at least you know you can leave or change your plans.

 

[Copperhead]

There is NO winning this at least this year. I had an email confirming arrival -
"We will be arriving around NOON Saturday."
I write back "Check in is after 3 until 7, shall I expect you at 3?"
He writes back "as stated, we will be in TOWN at Noon. Can you provide us with things we can do for a few hours?"
They show up today at 2:35 just as my (dear) son is walking out the door, so he lets them in. I am still running around preparing for everyone. And these people were wanting to sit and chat. And this was the high light of my day - it went plumating from there. Uggg
Bring on tomorrow!