Odd comments or questions

[JBloggs]

He will only reserve a room if I promise there are no trees in our parking lot. He said he is bringing up his corvette and doesn't want sappy stuff getting on his car. I guess my word is not enough, I had to promise him. Do you ever get a caller who asks something that may seem normal to them, but seems odd to you? I have to "promise you?" Even though we have no trees in our parking area, I am not promising you anything.
I have been taking calls all day today and have had one odd comment/question or request after another. TMI.
[h2]
What are some of the odd comments or questions you hear from callers? [/h2]

 

[JimBoone]

Is it going to snow (or rain) during my visit?
How much is a room at your place, but not sure how many people or when they are coming.
Are the roads going to be clear/safe when I visit?
Late at night, I'm stuck in the snow (30 miles away) can you help me?
People are fun.

 

[Arks]

Somebody requiring such a promise is just setting you up to get the blame if ANYTHING happens to that car, even birds flying over. I wouldn't have promised either.
Right off hand, I can't recall any strange requests, but I'll sit back and wait for Morticia's list ;-)

 

[Lee2014]

Do you offer a full refund for the weekend if it rains at all while we are there?
No. They didn't book. We didn't care.

 

[Lee2014]

We had one guy ask about trees around the parking lot. We sent him to google to satisfy him on the tree issue, but they were bringing in about ten classic cars for a show down the street. They didn't stay but I wonder how the show went since that place had more trees than we did.

 

[Flower]

Is it going to snow (or rain) during my visit?
How much is a room at your place, but not sure how many people or when they are coming.
Are the roads going to be clear/safe when I visit?
Late at night, I'm stuck in the snow (30 miles away) can you help me?
People are fun..

Do you dust my car in the morning?
I have an old car it is my baby! Can I park it where there is nobody around that can or might scratch or hit it. ? I
I have a truck and a boat do you have enough room to park it in your drive way. Sir I am not sure depends how long your truck is and your boat!

 

[2cat_lady]

Where can I get to the water?
I' m on a narrow neck on a peninsula--I'm surrounded by water.
No, no. Get down INTO the water. It's November, about 5C outside. These people were from Finland and Siberia. They wanted to go swimming.
I said they could walk down any hill pretty much, and dive right in. I showed them a causeway from the dining room window where it would be the least amount of climbing and told them that no one would stop the. I think they were more concerned about trespassing than anything.

 

[Jcam]

we get a lot of "do you have rooms avaliable?" type emails - what type and when would be a start
today it was "I think your fire exit sign is the wrong way round" - we have 2 stair cases so which you would use depends on where the fire is ie you can exit this way or that way - she had not seen the massive second staircase.

 

[Silverspoon]

The one I love is "Are your beds comfortable?" Ah, no. We charge you all that money to sleep on an army cot.
And I am always amazed at "We know your web site says you don't take children but we have a very well behaved 2 year old. Can you make an exception for us?" Wahhhhhhh, sorry.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Do we need to bring our own linens?

 

[JBloggs]

The one I love is "Are your beds comfortable?" Ah, no. We charge you all that money to sleep on an army cot.
And I am always amazed at "We know your web site says you don't take children but we have a very well behaved 2 year old. Can you make an exception for us?" Wahhhhhhh, sorry..

The one I love is "Are your beds comfortable?" Ah, no. We charge you all that money to sleep on an army cot.
And I am always amazed at "We know your web site says you don't take children but we have a very well behaved 2 year old. Can you make an exception for us?" Wahhhhhhh, sorry.

That reminds me of the "It says two night minimum but we only want to stay one night" I am sure this is across the board, we all get that question.
Followed by:
Can't you make an exception?

 

[JBloggs]

Sorry to say, even though our name is Bed and BREAKFAST we get "Is breakfast included?" too often.

 

[Copperhead]

Tis the season here:
1)Do you think it will rain next Friday? We are only coming if it isn't going to rain.
2)I'm in school training to be a chef (guess he didn't think I would know what culinary means?) Can I have a kitchen tour? Can I watch you cook breakfast? I have some little tricks I may can show you! (last email of several) I do make a killer buttermilk biscuit, just sayin'!
3)And if breakfast isn't enough: I'm going fishing while there can I cook it in your kitchen? Hopefully I'll catch enough for all of us.
This guy does not take 'Sorry' for an answer. I have offered the grill if he wants to cook the fish.
4)I have 9 bridal bouquets for my wedding tomorrow where is a refrigerator I can store them? Note: I didn't even know this was a bride til the week before. Boo kin g.com - Who books through a OTA if you are planning things to happen during your stay - Someone who doesn't want you to know their plans! (Another thread for another day)

 

[GoodScout]

The one I love is "Are your beds comfortable?" Ah, no. We charge you all that money to sleep on an army cot.
And I am always amazed at "We know your web site says you don't take children but we have a very well behaved 2 year old. Can you make an exception for us?" Wahhhhhhh, sorry..

The one I love is "Are your beds comfortable?" Ah, no. We charge you all that money to sleep on an army cot.
And I am always amazed at "We know your web site says you don't take children but we have a very well behaved 2 year old. Can you make an exception for us?" Wahhhhhhh, sorry.

That reminds me of the "It says two night minimum but we only want to stay one night" I am sure this is across the board, we all get that question.
Followed by:
Can't you make an exception?
.

That reminds me of the "It says two night minimum but we only want to stay one night" I am sure this is across the board, we all get that question.
Followed by:
Can't you make an exception?

We never get the second part. They just tell me they only want to stay one night then leave it hanging there.
I've learned recently that silence is the best tool in negotiating.
Followed closely behind by the word "No."

 

[Anon Inn]

Haha. We get a repeat car show guest yearly. First year a lot of questions - what is the parking surface. Is there a hose available to wash the car. Can I make sure other cars are not parked so my could be scratched.
Gravel. yes, easy. We'll put up a sawhorse beside your car.
Well, he no longer wants the hose and no longer worries about scratching the car. He brings friends who park either side of his show baby.

 

[GoodScout]

Curious what kind of tips those of you who have car shows in the area can offer. We have one coming here in June, and I'm booked up. How do you handle guests with concerns over gravel parking lots, trees overhanging their parking spot, guests who want to wash their cars (the missus wants to charge them).
We have 3 bays in our garage/barn, and I'm thinking of offering them for the week for $50 extra. Will anyone want them, or do they prefer to just cover their cars.
Any experiences, suggestions and warnings will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jcam]

my personal favorites are
"is your mother here?"
"how do you have holidays?" or "do you just work all the time?"
"well you can have a nice break now we are all gone" - nope have 11 rooms to get changed, breakfast room to clear and wash up and might look at a bite to eat at 4pm and do the shopping.
"we are coming for the "mytown" show" - we average a conference a week, event at the show ground every 3 days and have 3 theatres you do have to be a bit more specific than that!
"do you get many bookings from the "MASSIVE CONFERENCE CENTER ACROSS THE ROAD" ?" lets hope so or my entire town will collapse!

 

[user 26]

The banana lady was the best! This was not a pre-booking request but a complaint/demand at breakfast. Complained that the bananas I served were TOO BIG and no, she did not want to eat half a banana, or part of a banana, she wanted a whole banana but smaller. Couldn't I go to the store and find smaller bananas? Other guests chimed in and we had quite a morning. Some of the guests got a little risque with their comments. There is an old thread on here somewhere about it. c.r.a.z.y.
Ahead of time I was asked for a scent free room - I understand the issue, but could not promise this.
She wanted scent free detergent used on the bed linens and towels (I used a laundry service and told her this), standard wash ... thought that would be the end of her request. But ... couldn't I wash her things at the b&b with my personal laundry? But I don't use scent free detergent. Couldn't I buy some?
I guess she took my silence as considering her request. She was on a roll ... she also requested no potpourri, no air freshener, no scented products of any kind .. no cleaning solutions just baking soda and vinegar used to clean all surfaces of her room before she checked in and during her stay. As well as throughout the inn. I'm not one to use multiple products with all kinds of scents and chemicals, but murphy's oil soap has a scent,, etc.
And could we also request that other guests refrain from using scented products ... huh? Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, perfume, and so on. No and no.
I don't know where she ended up going. This was years ago and I see in a search that you can find scent free rooms at some places - but nowhere do I see entire places with guests all agreeing to be 'scent free' .... I thought she must be joking, but she sounded sincere. I believe an innmate or twomentioned that they were scent sensitive and used very basic products. I'm more of a this will clean that gunk off the floor? person. Soon as the guests are out, open the windows, put on my gas mask and rubber gloves and go to it.

 

[Anon Inn]

Curious what kind of tips those of you who have car shows in the area can offer. We have one coming here in June, and I'm booked up. How do you handle guests with concerns over gravel parking lots, trees overhanging their parking spot, guests who want to wash their cars (the missus wants to charge them).
We have 3 bays in our garage/barn, and I'm thinking of offering them for the week for $50 extra. Will anyone want them, or do they prefer to just cover their cars.
Any experiences, suggestions and warnings will be greatly appreciated!.

I think my car show guy would have loved the option of a private bay. $50 for the week seems reasonable. As for washing, in our case it would have been pulling the hose out to the parking area and lending them a bucket. I would not charge for that.

 

[MtnKeeper]

Here are a few:
- We are bringing our road bikes and don't ever leave them outside. Can we bring them into the room. Nope (you can leave them outside the front door under the giant covered area but not bring them inside. (I don't want bikes taking up my entryway and would be horrified if the pedals scraped all along my hallways.)
- I know your website shows you are set back from the road but were those pictures doctored and you're really not in the woods? Can you take pictures and send them to me? Sorry, but go ahead and type our address into Google maps and turn on the satellite feature - voila, we're exactly what we say we are.
- We'll be bringing a bunch of food to cook, what time can we use the kitchen? Answer - NEVER, insurance company doesn't allow it.
- To my husband during breakfast - Here's my breast milk, can you put it in your kitchen refrigerator please!!! I'll have several more today as well. She handed him the warm milk she just pumped. This prompted me to get a small refrigerator for pumping women which I also setup for my diabetics.
- What do you mean we have to rent the entire place to bring a group. We only want half of the rooms. Sorry, groups rent the whole place or nothing. So you don't want my money? No, we know we'll be full that weekend like every year for the past 10 years so we're all set. So is that what you want the review to state - that you don't like groups? No, just that groups have to rent the entire place is fine. Thank you.