Phone Calls

[Samster]

Are you getting more unusual phone calls lately? I get very few calls as a rule, all my bookings come in online. Now, I'm getting things like:
"Do you have a Federal Government discount?" - we don't, only MIlitary
"How many rooms do you have?" - uh, it's right there in several places on the web site
"Can I book a room tonight for tonight?" - call after 9 PM, website says to call between 8 am & 9 pm.
"Do you host weddings there?" - We don't "Can you tell me about such & such place? How much do they charge?" Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???

 

[muirford]

DH took one yesterday looking for a room for Saturday; we're full. The person wanted to know where else he could recommend on the water. Um, the local independent hotel has a river view but it's not really on the water. "Not the river, you know somewhere else on the lake." No lake here, dude. Some people are particularly clueless.
We get the government rate question all the time. If I gave a discount to everyone employed by the government who stayed here I'd be broke. And I know they get better benefits than I do!!
After 9 now, I let it go to voicemail. No good thing has ever come from one of us answering the phone after 9:00 p.m.

 

[Tony]

Why do government employees feel that they are entitled to a discount? I'd hardly consider a pencil pusher in a cushy workplace a noble profession that warrants special treatment.

 

[gillumhouse]

Why do government employees feel that they are entitled to a discount? I'd hardly consider a pencil pusher in a cushy workplace a noble profession that warrants special treatment..

Because it is thre. They know hotels accept the per diem and think all they have to do is say government employee to get the per diem that is ridiculously low.

 

[JBloggs]

They ask for gvmt rate then bring their fling along for a two night getaway.
I had a call for two rooms for one night. They are going to a wedding (5 minute drive from here) which begins at 5pm and they need to check in at 1pm. I told the caller what time check in begins. She said "We will only book these rooms if we can check in at 1pm" me, trying to be reasonable explain the rooms are not ready til check in...or should I tell her about the cleaning fairies?
She insisted she will only book these rooms with a 1pm check in. She then said "Tell me what OTHER BnB's are in the area!?"
I said "Maybe the ho liday inn express will let you check in at 1pm? Good luck."

 

[Samster]

DH took one yesterday looking for a room for Saturday; we're full. The person wanted to know where else he could recommend on the water. Um, the local independent hotel has a river view but it's not really on the water. "Not the river, you know somewhere else on the lake." No lake here, dude. Some people are particularly clueless.
We get the government rate question all the time. If I gave a discount to everyone employed by the government who stayed here I'd be broke. And I know they get better benefits than I do!!
After 9 now, I let it go to voicemail. No good thing has ever come from one of us answering the phone after 9:00 p.m..

It wasn't much past nine and I was dozing on the couch after getting up super early. Yes, live & learn....don't answer even if I'm semi-conscious ;-)
This guy kept insisting on the government rate AFTER I asked what kind of room did he need and he said for he & his wife. Huh??? I told him that I have a corporate stay for a single biz traveler Sun-Thurs. This was an inquiry for this weekend and I now only have one room left! Maybe one of the other B&Bs gave him a "government rate". I can't afford to have 2 people in one of our rooms for that rate. Good grief.....

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

We are having a big music festival in our area this weekend. My phone is ringing off the hook. Kids looking for a place to crash. I'm getting questions like how many people can I get in a room, do I have anything in the $40 -$80 dollar range and can I just crash on your couch for $20?
Uh....no ....sorry Dude. *rolls eyes in exasperation*

 

[Breakfast Diva]

We are having a big music festival in our area this weekend. My phone is ringing off the hook. Kids looking for a place to crash. I'm getting questions like how many people can I get in a room, do I have anything in the $40 -$80 dollar range and can I just crash on your couch for $20?
Uh....no ....sorry Dude. *rolls eyes in exasperation*.

We are having a big music festival in our area this weekend. My phone is ringing off the hook. Kids looking for a place to crash. I'm getting questions like how many people can I get in a room, do I have anything in the $40 -$80 dollar range and can I just crash on your couch for $20?
Uh....no ....sorry Dude. *rolls eyes in exasperation*

Are you full? If so, I would change my voice mail to say there are no rooms available until xyz date. If you're calling about other available dates please check our website at xyz or please leave a message and the innkeeper will get back to you promptly. Then don't answer the phone!
I did this last year the last 2 weeks before Labor Day and it worked great. I go so sick of all the calls you're getting now. If it's a guest calling about directions or something else, they'll leave a message and you can call them right back.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

One of my phone calls from yesterday is checked in, I spent over an hour on the phone yesterday after being out in the hot sun, the last thing I wanted was to be stuck on the phone. Babying guests. I was gone from 2 to 4pm at an event and she calls and says "Where have you been! I have been calling and calling!"
This morning she banged on the family room door here and saw J unie and walked right in and said "I want to come in there and see that dog" Yes she is an adult, but not from this country, I am not sure if that is the reason for the lack of boundaries. ?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?.

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?

lol! yeah don'tcha love that? for some reason, I get that question all the time.

 

[muirford]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?.

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?

lol! yeah don'tcha love that? for some reason, I get that question all the time.
.

lol! yeah don'tcha love that? for some reason, I get that question all the time.

I believe it is code for 'we'd like the cheapest room available.'

 

[Samster]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?

 

[Somewhere in Paradise]

One of my phone calls from yesterday is checked in, I spent over an hour on the phone yesterday after being out in the hot sun, the last thing I wanted was to be stuck on the phone. Babying guests. I was gone from 2 to 4pm at an event and she calls and says "Where have you been! I have been calling and calling!"
This morning she banged on the family room door here and saw J unie and walked right in and said "I want to come in there and see that dog" Yes she is an adult, but not from this country, I am not sure if that is the reason for the lack of boundaries. ?.

I had some lady from Germany come into my quarters when I was in the bathroom to ask me how to open the remote for her car because it was not working. She was freaking out because she had no idea how she was going to get into the car if the remote did not work. I told her to use the KEY !!!
Maybe in Europe it is more common to allow guests in your quarters?
Needless to say I have learned to lock the door, especially if I don't want anyone to walk in on me when I really do need my privacy.
BTW same ladies were screaming bloody murder when they saw the ceiling fans. They had never seen such a thing and could not believe we would hang swinging blades from the ceiling. HA HA HA HA, Gosh I am still laughing about that one.

 

[Proud Texan]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?
.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?

Test that out by telling them that you have a smaller room for $50 more. See which one the pick then.

 

[egoodell]

Another caller asked if we have a room on saturday next week.
She asked what size the rooms are?
I was taken aback for a moment, Size?
Then she said, There are only two of us, so we don't need a large room. HUH?.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?
.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?

Test that out by telling them that you have a smaller room for $50 more. See which one the pick then.
.

I took that to mean that too....we can make do with a small room which is probably cheaper, right?

Test that out by telling them that you have a smaller room for $50 more. See which one the pick then.

They may get that from the hotel game. We were trained to quote a rack rate to a walk in, and if they went to leave saying it was too much, we were trained to say, "Oh, well there is a smaller room available at $25 less the rate" to close the deal
RIki

 

[Hangfive]

We have been getting a lot of wacky calls at all hours since we started showing up on GPS. Most of the callers don't even know what a B&B is.
In the past month though I have gotten a few strange calls from folks that had seen us on B&B.com. These people were looking for nightly rates that you'd be hard pressed to find even at a limited service hotel on the out skirts of town.

 

[user 26]

ugh ... small rooms ...
small rooms should have small stuff ... i am quite content with a small room, but not with BIG furniture.
i stayed in a little hotel with a queen size bed. fine. lovely. a great big bed for just me. it never occurred to me to note the room size. there was barely enough room on either side of the bed to open the door into the room or to open the door into the bathroom. there was a massive bureau beside the bed that blocked the window!

 

[Morticia]

I'd be happy to talk to anyone right now. We haven't had a guest phone call in 3 weeks.

 

[Morticia]

We are having a big music festival in our area this weekend. My phone is ringing off the hook. Kids looking for a place to crash. I'm getting questions like how many people can I get in a room, do I have anything in the $40 -$80 dollar range and can I just crash on your couch for $20?
Uh....no ....sorry Dude. *rolls eyes in exasperation*.

We are having a big music festival in our area this weekend. My phone is ringing off the hook. Kids looking for a place to crash. I'm getting questions like how many people can I get in a room, do I have anything in the $40 -$80 dollar range and can I just crash on your couch for $20?
Uh....no ....sorry Dude. *rolls eyes in exasperation*

I got an interesting call awhile ago asking about discounts for Columbus Day weekend. When I explained we don't discount on holidays the caller asked what holiday it was? OK, this was a caller from the US, who went on to explain a few things to me that led me to believe he was born here QUITE a long time ago. He said they don't celebrate that holiday in his state. Interesting.
Are there states that don't celebrate Columbus Day at all? No gov't holiday? No bank holiday?