Super Late Arrival - How would you handle this?

[Audrey Forrest]

I am going to stomp on toes for a moment. Let's discuss this...
If you are a B&B and do not have anything personal on the website about yourselves, then you are simple a place to sleep and it is not very personal.
It doesn't even enter the guests minds that there is a real person waiting for them to check in. The same reason you suggest meeting the person and not allowing a self check in is the same exact reason you need to have a more personal side of your website, after all people are sleeping in your beds..

We are absolutely on the same page!

 

[Audrey Forrest]

I am going to stomp on toes for a moment. Let's discuss this...
If you are a B&B and do not have anything personal on the website about yourselves, then you are simple a place to sleep and it is not very personal.
It doesn't even enter the guests minds that there is a real person waiting for them to check in. The same reason you suggest meeting the person and not allowing a self check in is the same exact reason you need to have a more personal side of your website, after all people are sleeping in your beds..

Agree.
We're in the nothing personal about us on the website camp. DH doesn't want it, and I suspect most really aren't interested in the innkeepers, but rather the experience they as guests will have at the inn.
For us check in is anytime after 3p. That means anytime. It was a decision we made at the start, and because we're small, fairly easy to stick too.
I feel its the expectation of the guests. They're on vacation, they do not want to keep track of time. They want a break from that. So I'll sit up or DH will. They are all greeted, with luggage help if they need/want it. We do ask when they would like their breakfast, then tell them the coffee will be outside their door an hour before that.
I try to provide as much of a 'hotel' experience as is possible in a small inn. So it is not expected for the guests to think about us the innkeepers. It's their vacation, we are happy they have chosen us for part of it.
This doesn't mean we don't get our fair share of hugs at departure. It just depends on the level of interaction, or level of consideration with each set of guests.
And that is a very wide spectrum!
.

Hope you're charging $500.00 night for the services you are providing! LOL. Experienced Innkeepers do put some information about themselves on website because it creates a friendly atmosphere and many are interested.
Unless you live in a really isolated area, or are desperate for the money, it seems to me you are putting yourselves out to the extreme.
Most Innkeepers have basic rules about time of check-in and check-out.

 

[Anon Inn]

I am going to stomp on toes for a moment. Let's discuss this...
If you are a B&B and do not have anything personal on the website about yourselves, then you are simple a place to sleep and it is not very personal.
It doesn't even enter the guests minds that there is a real person waiting for them to check in. The same reason you suggest meeting the person and not allowing a self check in is the same exact reason you need to have a more personal side of your website, after all people are sleeping in your beds..

Agree.
We're in the nothing personal about us on the website camp. DH doesn't want it, and I suspect most really aren't interested in the innkeepers, but rather the experience they as guests will have at the inn.
For us check in is anytime after 3p. That means anytime. It was a decision we made at the start, and because we're small, fairly easy to stick too.
I feel its the expectation of the guests. They're on vacation, they do not want to keep track of time. They want a break from that. So I'll sit up or DH will. They are all greeted, with luggage help if they need/want it. We do ask when they would like their breakfast, then tell them the coffee will be outside their door an hour before that.
I try to provide as much of a 'hotel' experience as is possible in a small inn. So it is not expected for the guests to think about us the innkeepers. It's their vacation, we are happy they have chosen us for part of it.
This doesn't mean we don't get our fair share of hugs at departure. It just depends on the level of interaction, or level of consideration with each set of guests.
And that is a very wide spectrum!
.

Hope you're charging $500.00 night for the services you are providing! LOL. Experienced Innkeepers do put some information about themselves on website because it creates a friendly atmosphere and many are interested.
Unless you live in a really isolated area, or are desperate for the money, it seems to me you are putting yourselves out to the extreme.
Most Innkeepers have basic rules about time of check-in and check-out.
.

We did raise the prices this year!
And we have found more considerate guests, fewer cancellations, fewer one-nighters and more advance bookings.

 

[Morticia]

I am going to stomp on toes for a moment. Let's discuss this...
If you are a B&B and do not have anything personal on the website about yourselves, then you are simple a place to sleep and it is not very personal.
It doesn't even enter the guests minds that there is a real person waiting for them to check in. The same reason you suggest meeting the person and not allowing a self check in is the same exact reason you need to have a more personal side of your website, after all people are sleeping in your beds..

Agree.
We're in the nothing personal about us on the website camp. DH doesn't want it, and I suspect most really aren't interested in the innkeepers, but rather the experience they as guests will have at the inn.
For us check in is anytime after 3p. That means anytime. It was a decision we made at the start, and because we're small, fairly easy to stick too.
I feel its the expectation of the guests. They're on vacation, they do not want to keep track of time. They want a break from that. So I'll sit up or DH will. They are all greeted, with luggage help if they need/want it. We do ask when they would like their breakfast, then tell them the coffee will be outside their door an hour before that.
I try to provide as much of a 'hotel' experience as is possible in a small inn. So it is not expected for the guests to think about us the innkeepers. It's their vacation, we are happy they have chosen us for part of it.
This doesn't mean we don't get our fair share of hugs at departure. It just depends on the level of interaction, or level of consideration with each set of guests.
And that is a very wide spectrum!
.

Hope you're charging $500.00 night for the services you are providing! LOL. Experienced Innkeepers do put some information about themselves on website because it creates a friendly atmosphere and many are interested.
Unless you live in a really isolated area, or are desperate for the money, it seems to me you are putting yourselves out to the extreme.
Most Innkeepers have basic rules about time of check-in and check-out.
.

We did raise the prices this year!
And we have found more considerate guests, fewer cancellations, fewer one-nighters and more advance bookings.
.

We did raise the prices this year!
And we have found more considerate guests, fewer cancellations, fewer one-nighters and more advance bookings.

Love when that works the way we want it to!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I am going to stomp on toes for a moment. Let's discuss this...
If you are a B&B and do not have anything personal on the website about yourselves, then you are simple a place to sleep and it is not very personal.
It doesn't even enter the guests minds that there is a real person waiting for them to check in. The same reason you suggest meeting the person and not allowing a self check in is the same exact reason you need to have a more personal side of your website, after all people are sleeping in your beds..

Agree.
We're in the nothing personal about us on the website camp. DH doesn't want it, and I suspect most really aren't interested in the innkeepers, but rather the experience they as guests will have at the inn.
For us check in is anytime after 3p. That means anytime. It was a decision we made at the start, and because we're small, fairly easy to stick too.
I feel its the expectation of the guests. They're on vacation, they do not want to keep track of time. They want a break from that. So I'll sit up or DH will. They are all greeted, with luggage help if they need/want it. We do ask when they would like their breakfast, then tell them the coffee will be outside their door an hour before that.
I try to provide as much of a 'hotel' experience as is possible in a small inn. So it is not expected for the guests to think about us the innkeepers. It's their vacation, we are happy they have chosen us for part of it.
This doesn't mean we don't get our fair share of hugs at departure. It just depends on the level of interaction, or level of consideration with each set of guests.
And that is a very wide spectrum!
.

Hope you're charging $500.00 night for the services you are providing! LOL. Experienced Innkeepers do put some information about themselves on website because it creates a friendly atmosphere and many are interested.
Unless you live in a really isolated area, or are desperate for the money, it seems to me you are putting yourselves out to the extreme.
Most Innkeepers have basic rules about time of check-in and check-out.
.

We did raise the prices this year!
And we have found more considerate guests, fewer cancellations, fewer one-nighters and more advance bookings.
.

We did raise the prices this year!
And we have found more considerate guests, fewer cancellations, fewer one-nighters and more advance bookings.

Love when that works the way we want it to!
.

Not exactly a trend, but DH has been experimenting with lowering the price for the week if we have an empty room. This past weekend, it worked. The room got booked.
BB dot com gift certificate. No tip. Not our usual 'type.'
We'll see.