S.A.D.

[Alibi Ike]

It's that time of year. The shadows are long too early in the day. The flowers are all pretty much past. I start to notice that summer is fading. The lights come on earlier. Time to fire up the happy light again. (I'm fine once the transition is done, it's the transitory period where I'm grumpy.)

 

[April]

Do not get me started.

 

[JBloggs]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back"

 

[Samster]

Hope you make it through it OK. We seem to miss this since we llive so far South.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

We just had guests who go to the same hotel every year and she said, 'The beds are horrible and the pillows are worse, but the location is great!'

 

[Don Draper]

Sorry Ike, the transitions are rough I know. It'll probably pass soon. At least it won't be "loony August" week for long!

 

[InnBloom]

Transition time doesn't grumpy me....except for that underlying panic that summer's already fading and it might snow tomorrow. I don't get the SAD until it's been gray awhile.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Transition time doesn't grumpy me....except for that underlying panic that summer's already fading and it might snow tomorrow. I don't get the SAD until it's been gray awhile..

I prefer the snow to the heat so it's just the light change. I know the snow is coming...it's back to being in the 60's in the morning!

 

[birdwatcher]

yup the transition does not make me happy either and we are moving to NJ in october and sometimes i get depressed for weeks...

 

[April]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city

 

[JBloggs]

I am innsulted by those type of questions, really I am.
Many times I try to educate and tell them that our rooms are eithr a) cleaned by the owners themselves, so attention to detail is super high, or b) owners live on site and inspect all work done by housekeepers and have their guests comfort 100% in focus, vs a hotel where they ...well we don't need to go there!
Let's see buy houseful of antiques, guest areas, furniture, this that and the other and then yeah we serve you crap, or we offer you crappy beds. NOT!

 

[Samster]

I am innsulted by those type of questions, really I am.
Many times I try to educate and tell them that our rooms are eithr a) cleaned by the owners themselves, so attention to detail is super high, or b) owners live on site and inspect all work done by housekeepers and have their guests comfort 100% in focus, vs a hotel where they ...well we don't need to go there!
Let's see buy houseful of antiques, guest areas, furniture, this that and the other and then yeah we serve you crap, or we offer you crappy beds. NOT!.

I was inn-sulted by those types of questions as well, but unfortunately there are some B&Bs out there that have not kept up renovations, or replaced mattresses since they opened their doors back in the day. The owners are tired and don't invest the energy in their biz anymore. That isn't true of the folks here on the forum, of course, who are highly invested in their businesses.
Like anything else, a few bad apples don't make it easy for the rest of the bushel....

 

[Alibi Ike]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
.

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
I understand this, unfortunately. We have stayed places with excellent reviews that were totally unkempt with stuff, dust, cobwebs everywhere. One 'high end' inn I stayed at had vintage dead bugs on the decorative pillows on the third bed in the room and the windowsills were covered with bugs and spiderwebs. The shower/tub was moldy. I am not picky about a little dust. But year's worth does get to me.
We left the shades up and moved the pillows around but those bugs were never cleaned up the whole time we were there. I DID mention that at check-out.
And there was the place with the washable bathroom floor mats that were totally matted down when we arrived. Looked like thye hadn't been washed or even shaken out in forever.
We know how much time this takes. This week the spouse has been going around to every shower and scrubbing the textured floors and safety strips to bring them back to white. You need a scrub brush and some sort of gritty cleaner. A rag is not going to do this. We also pick a week to clean out the overhead lights. And another to do the A/C units.

 

[April]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
.

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
I understand this, unfortunately. We have stayed places with excellent reviews that were totally unkempt with stuff, dust, cobwebs everywhere. One 'high end' inn I stayed at had vintage dead bugs on the decorative pillows on the third bed in the room and the windowsills were covered with bugs and spiderwebs. The shower/tub was moldy. I am not picky about a little dust. But year's worth does get to me.
We left the shades up and moved the pillows around but those bugs were never cleaned up the whole time we were there. I DID mention that at check-out.
And there was the place with the washable bathroom floor mats that were totally matted down when we arrived. Looked like thye hadn't been washed or even shaken out in forever.
We know how much time this takes. This week the spouse has been going around to every shower and scrubbing the textured floors and safety strips to bring them back to white. You need a scrub brush and some sort of gritty cleaner. A rag is not going to do this. We also pick a week to clean out the overhead lights. And another to do the A/C units.
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

 

[Alibi Ike]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
.

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
I understand this, unfortunately. We have stayed places with excellent reviews that were totally unkempt with stuff, dust, cobwebs everywhere. One 'high end' inn I stayed at had vintage dead bugs on the decorative pillows on the third bed in the room and the windowsills were covered with bugs and spiderwebs. The shower/tub was moldy. I am not picky about a little dust. But year's worth does get to me.
We left the shades up and moved the pillows around but those bugs were never cleaned up the whole time we were there. I DID mention that at check-out.
And there was the place with the washable bathroom floor mats that were totally matted down when we arrived. Looked like thye hadn't been washed or even shaken out in forever.
We know how much time this takes. This week the spouse has been going around to every shower and scrubbing the textured floors and safety strips to bring them back to white. You need a scrub brush and some sort of gritty cleaner. A rag is not going to do this. We also pick a week to clean out the overhead lights. And another to do the A/C units.
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

Do you ask callers if they have read your reviews before asking you those questions? I don't think most of us get that far. I think a fair number of guests don't get that far. They find the website, they call.
We cringe when guests tell us how clean this place is. We know where all the dust bunnies are hiding and we wonder 'if this is clean, what the heck did they see the night before?'

 

[JBloggs]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
.

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
I understand this, unfortunately. We have stayed places with excellent reviews that were totally unkempt with stuff, dust, cobwebs everywhere. One 'high end' inn I stayed at had vintage dead bugs on the decorative pillows on the third bed in the room and the windowsills were covered with bugs and spiderwebs. The shower/tub was moldy. I am not picky about a little dust. But year's worth does get to me.
We left the shades up and moved the pillows around but those bugs were never cleaned up the whole time we were there. I DID mention that at check-out.
And there was the place with the washable bathroom floor mats that were totally matted down when we arrived. Looked like thye hadn't been washed or even shaken out in forever.
We know how much time this takes. This week the spouse has been going around to every shower and scrubbing the textured floors and safety strips to bring them back to white. You need a scrub brush and some sort of gritty cleaner. A rag is not going to do this. We also pick a week to clean out the overhead lights. And another to do the A/C units.
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

Do you ask callers if they have read your reviews before asking you those questions? I don't think most of us get that far. I think a fair number of guests don't get that far. They find the website, they call.
We cringe when guests tell us how clean this place is. We know where all the dust bunnies are hiding and we wonder 'if this is clean, what the heck did they see the night before?'
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

Do you ask callers if they have read your reviews before asking you those questions? I don't think most of us get that far. I think a fair number of guests don't get that far. They find the website, they call.
We cringe when guests tell us how clean this place is. We know where all the dust bunnies are hiding and we wonder 'if this is clean, what the heck did they see the night before?'

Sadly I have seen a bed and breakfast that was filthy. For all the "BE WARNED" reviews there were equally great reviews saying how wonderful and clean the place was. I didn't stay there.
I remember a hotel room where after flying across the country - all day travel by the time we go to seatac and left - then driving 3 hours - from RDU and so tired I was death warmed over - with two young kids - in the dark - and seeing what appeared to be shriveled up raisins near the bed head on the floor, and saying "Dear God let those be raisins and not roaches!"
And friends, that was the uncomfort inn in MY TOWN, yes the very same, right here.
It's always good to stay at some of your "competition" so you can accurately describe it in the future.

 

[Proud Texan]

Speaking of sad and why I hate answering the phone and being drilled over every little detail "And...the beds are comfortable?" Now what sort of answer would she expect me to say as an innkeeper who sells rooms/beds? "Terrible, just terrible you will wake up with a sore back".

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
.

What gets me is when they ask if the house/bedroom is clean. No! - we like our rooms dirty, dusty and smelly. That's why we are number 2 in the city
I understand this, unfortunately. We have stayed places with excellent reviews that were totally unkempt with stuff, dust, cobwebs everywhere. One 'high end' inn I stayed at had vintage dead bugs on the decorative pillows on the third bed in the room and the windowsills were covered with bugs and spiderwebs. The shower/tub was moldy. I am not picky about a little dust. But year's worth does get to me.
We left the shades up and moved the pillows around but those bugs were never cleaned up the whole time we were there. I DID mention that at check-out.
And there was the place with the washable bathroom floor mats that were totally matted down when we arrived. Looked like thye hadn't been washed or even shaken out in forever.
We know how much time this takes. This week the spouse has been going around to every shower and scrubbing the textured floors and safety strips to bring them back to white. You need a scrub brush and some sort of gritty cleaner. A rag is not going to do this. We also pick a week to clean out the overhead lights. And another to do the A/C units.
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

Do you ask callers if they have read your reviews before asking you those questions? I don't think most of us get that far. I think a fair number of guests don't get that far. They find the website, they call.
We cringe when guests tell us how clean this place is. We know where all the dust bunnies are hiding and we wonder 'if this is clean, what the heck did they see the night before?'
.

Almost all reviews we have mention how exceptionally clean our place is. If somebody finds our place on the Webb and asks me if the bedrooms are clean - I feel insulted

Do you ask callers if they have read your reviews before asking you those questions? I don't think most of us get that far. I think a fair number of guests don't get that far. They find the website, they call.
We cringe when guests tell us how clean this place is. We know where all the dust bunnies are hiding and we wonder 'if this is clean, what the heck did they see the night before?'

Sadly I have seen a bed and breakfast that was filthy. For all the "BE WARNED" reviews there were equally great reviews saying how wonderful and clean the place was. I didn't stay there.
I remember a hotel room where after flying across the country - all day travel by the time we go to seatac and left - then driving 3 hours - from RDU and so tired I was death warmed over - with two young kids - in the dark - and seeing what appeared to be shriveled up raisins near the bed head on the floor, and saying "Dear God let those be raisins and not roaches!"
And friends, that was the uncomfort inn in MY TOWN, yes the very same, right here.
It's always good to stay at some of your "competition" so you can accurately describe it in the future.
.

It's always good to stay at some of your "competition" so you can accurately describe it in the future.

We had a meth lab being run out of a local motel. I'm not sure if that costs extra when staying there. Needless to say, we won't be trying them out.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

Just said goodbye to a house -full (and then some) of guests. Last day off was over a month ago.
YAY FOR RAIN!! Not only do we desparately need it, but my two check-ins for tomorrow have both called today to ask if they could postpone their arrivals by one day (one of the couples has a hot air balloon ride that will not go if it's raining). No problem...I'm actually going to get a day off!! Hooray for Monday!
Doin' the happy dance!!

 

[Don Draper]

Just said goodbye to a house -full (and then some) of guests. Last day off was over a month ago.
YAY FOR RAIN!! Not only do we desparately need it, but my two check-ins for tomorrow have both called today to ask if they could postpone their arrivals by one day (one of the couples has a hot air balloon ride that will not go if it's raining). No problem...I'm actually going to get a day off!! Hooray for Monday!
Doin' the happy dance!!.

Woo Hoo, winning!

We are glad for the rain too, our corn was about to literally bite the dust but this should save it.