The Breakfast From Hell + 2

[Generic]

Well, breakfast was supposed to be 4 and 8... 12 total, manageable. One room that had booked for 3 told us that they would be 4 yesterday and 2 today (so, total 6 breakfasts over 2 days, covered.) Nope. They were 4. I baked breakfast for 12. Thankfully one turned down the baked main, so I could give it to another guest but had to make an emergency omelet. Had to miraculously make two extra fruit cups and had to sit 8 at a table for 6.
Yes, I charged for the two extra as if it was an extra person sleeping in the room (as per our policy). And of course all he wanted to do was pay me while I was trying to serve.
The good news is... "They stayed, they paid, they went away." I have 45 minutes before the housekeeper arrives. The towels are in the dryer and there are so many rooms to turn over. But all my check-ins today are self check-in... so I get a nap. Yes, a nap. And it's so deserved. It's a heatwave here. The humidex is set to reach 40c today. I'm staying in my nice A/C home

 

[TheBeachHouse]

nap sounds good.
pat yourself on the back for pulling a couple of fruit cups out of your.....imagination. good job!

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

A nap would be awesome! The one-nighters are about to kill me! I've had multiple turn-overs every day this week and fitting that in with Mom's doctor's appointments and my physical therapy has just beaten me down. Spousling has been gone every night but one this week and the offspring has been trying to work more hours at the mall since she'll be returning to school in two weeks.
fortunately, I don't have to figure out how to fit PT into the schedule because we've decided to go with orthotics which means only one more hour-long visit for casting. I don't have time for this.

 

[Morticia]

A nap would be awesome! The one-nighters are about to kill me! I've had multiple turn-overs every day this week and fitting that in with Mom's doctor's appointments and my physical therapy has just beaten me down. Spousling has been gone every night but one this week and the offspring has been trying to work more hours at the mall since she'll be returning to school in two weeks.
fortunately, I don't have to figure out how to fit PT into the schedule because we've decided to go with orthotics which means only one more hour-long visit for casting. I don't have time for this..

LOTS of one-nighters for ten days. Gomez has to go help his mother next week, I'm going to NY to help my dad the following week. We're lucky we were able to get decent help this year.

 

[GoodScout]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?

 

[Lee2014]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

We usually let two room be one nighters but our new website you had to have all one night or all two night, etc. One thing we don't see eye to eye. So my aunt decided to let all room go as one night until she realized that we had June full of Saturday nights only. She made everything two night stay immediately…. So if they want one night they had call us to which we quoted them a higher price to make up for maybe not being able to book the other night. This also helps us to have more control of what rooms we flip constantly. Its the smallest with the least amount of work.

They can also book an one night on those special one night room on air.

 

[Morticia]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.

 

[Lee2014]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.

 

[Morticia]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

I'm a fan of hotels with big budgets telling people to book direct! We've been educating guests this month about the additional fees they are paying, in part because I'm not paying that entire commission myself. (I don't say it quite like that!)
One guest had no idea she paid a 12% commission to air for every room she booked. She kept telling me there are no fees. Ok.
Repeat guest who decided to book thru air instead of calling me paid $10 more for the room (plus the additional tax) and then an additional $19 commission. And she knows us! Another one thru booking paid an additional $16 for the room. They also could just have called us and gotten an upgraded for less!

 

[Lee2014]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

I'm a fan of hotels with big budgets telling people to book direct! We've been educating guests this month about the additional fees they are paying, in part because I'm not paying that entire commission myself. (I don't say it quite like that!)
One guest had no idea she paid a 12% commission to air for every room she booked. She kept telling me there are no fees. Ok.
Repeat guest who decided to book thru air instead of calling me paid $10 more for the room (plus the additional tax) and then an additional $19 commission. And she knows us! Another one thru booking paid an additional $16 for the room. They also could just have called us and gotten an upgraded for less!
.

I'm a fan of hotels with big budgets telling people to book direct! We've been educating guests this month about the additional fees they are paying, in part because I'm not paying that entire commission myself. (I don't say it quite like that!)
One guest had no idea she paid a 12% commission to air for every room she booked. She kept telling me there are no fees. Ok.
Repeat guest who decided to book thru air instead of calling me paid $10 more for the room (plus the additional tax) and then an additional $19 commission. And she knows us! Another one thru booking paid an additional $16 for the room. They also could just have called us and gotten an upgraded for less!

Then PS' guest throws a fit because he tacked on a tip…. Go figure!

 

[Flower]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.

 

[MtnKeeper]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

We're currently not on OTAs, just use TripConnect on my listing. Have done great. Was approached by booking to reup a listing I had a couple years back. I've been arguing for two weeks over the ridiculous description they created for my property while another one up the street sounds like it was written from a marketing genius. They told me that it's all generic and that I can't change my description, they have control. So I told him I wouldn't add inventory until they fixed it. They did a couple changes but it still sounds stupid to me so I'm not responding. If they want my listing back up (only for midweeks in the summer by the way), then they can work with me, if not I told them I'd do more PPC ads on Google and run specials on my own social media and website. Right now I'm just not returning emails because I want some control - it's my property so I'm going to get what I want or walk. If no B&Bs were on these OTAs and just back on their own listings and B&B directories then this wouldn't be an issue because B&B people will still search for a B&B - they won't be sucked into a hotel because they don't want that experience. And what I've heard is that "hotel people" that you get just aren't the B&B guests that you want so in the end commissions have been paid and you get guests that don't fit your property!

 

[Morticia]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

We're currently not on OTAs, just use TripConnect on my listing. Have done great. Was approached by booking to reup a listing I had a couple years back. I've been arguing for two weeks over the ridiculous description they created for my property while another one up the street sounds like it was written from a marketing genius. They told me that it's all generic and that I can't change my description, they have control. So I told him I wouldn't add inventory until they fixed it. They did a couple changes but it still sounds stupid to me so I'm not responding. If they want my listing back up (only for midweeks in the summer by the way), then they can work with me, if not I told them I'd do more PPC ads on Google and run specials on my own social media and website. Right now I'm just not returning emails because I want some control - it's my property so I'm going to get what I want or walk. If no B&Bs were on these OTAs and just back on their own listings and B&B directories then this wouldn't be an issue because B&B people will still search for a B&B - they won't be sucked into a hotel because they don't want that experience. And what I've heard is that "hotel people" that you get just aren't the B&B guests that you want so in the end commissions have been paid and you get guests that don't fit your property!
.

Not having inventory listed gets you help a lot faster! I'm amazed at how quickly they realize they are not making money. And, yes, whoever writes their blurbs is awful and not a speaker of English as a first language.

 

[gillumhouse]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.

Exactly - B& Bs have GIVEN the power to the OTAs. The OTAs are using YOUR money to bury you in the marketing world and therefore control YOUR business.
Yes, my case is different.I only have 3 rooms and am old. I do have loans that total a mortgage payment - not as large as I would guess most of you have, but for my income, just as hard to come up with. I am surrounded by new hotels all up and down the Interstate - there are at least 4 NEW hotels in the last 5 years just at the exit my guests use to get to me.
A successful B & B is measured in many ways. For me, it is not my occupancy and revenue, it is that I am still open and bringing people in to my City. It pays the expenses of the house and that is all I ever expected it to do. I have come up with ideas that may not have worked as well for me as I would have liked, but have worked for others.
Where you talk of weeks and months with no break, I can go a couple weeks with nothing - even in summer. I still refuse to use the OTAs because I once worked for Corporate who told me what to do and when because they "owned" my livelihood at the time and I am not going to allow a corporation to use my own money to defeat me as they tell ME what to do about and how to communicate with the people I am taking care of. IF that is your business model, it IS your business and I am not dissing you, it is YOUR business. I am just stating how I look at it. in my own bull-headed, stubborn way.
And as long as B & Bs For Vets continues in the States and Canada and now is getting started (with luck to be a success)in the UK as Thanking Our Forces, I call me a success - broke perhaps, but a success.

 

[Copperhead]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?

Welcome to my world. I keep trying to make this place a 2 night stay kind of place but so far I am batting zero. Well not zero but close!

 

[Copperhead]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.

I have seen many hotel industry articles about the big push to book direct but as you point out, they are still giving inventory to the OTAs so as long as they continue to provide it, people will continue to book that way.
If all the big boys would pull out that would call it all to an end. But of course they aren't paying the % of commission that independents do.

 

[Lee2014]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.

Exactly - B& Bs have GIVEN the power to the OTAs. The OTAs are using YOUR money to bury you in the marketing world and therefore control YOUR business.
Yes, my case is different.I only have 3 rooms and am old. I do have loans that total a mortgage payment - not as large as I would guess most of you have, but for my income, just as hard to come up with. I am surrounded by new hotels all up and down the Interstate - there are at least 4 NEW hotels in the last 5 years just at the exit my guests use to get to me.
A successful B & B is measured in many ways. For me, it is not my occupancy and revenue, it is that I am still open and bringing people in to my City. It pays the expenses of the house and that is all I ever expected it to do. I have come up with ideas that may not have worked as well for me as I would have liked, but have worked for others.
Where you talk of weeks and months with no break, I can go a couple weeks with nothing - even in summer. I still refuse to use the OTAs because I once worked for Corporate who told me what to do and when because they "owned" my livelihood at the time and I am not going to allow a corporation to use my own money to defeat me as they tell ME what to do about and how to communicate with the people I am taking care of. IF that is your business model, it IS your business and I am not dissing you, it is YOUR business. I am just stating how I look at it. in my own bull-headed, stubborn way.
And as long as B & Bs For Vets continues in the States and Canada and now is getting started (with luck to be a success)in the UK as Thanking Our Forces, I call me a success - broke perhaps, but a success.
.

And as long as B & Bs For Vets continues in the States and Canada and now is getting started (with luck to be a success)in the UK as Thanking Our Forces, I call me a success - broke perhaps, but a success.

It is all about how you view it and what your goals are.

 

[Lee2014]

It's clearly a trend. We've had more one-nighters the past three weeks than we had the first half of the year. What the heck is going on?.

Inn hopping. Most of ours are on their last night and we're close to the airport. A lot are picking up kids from camp. Or, first night and they're off to the national park.
A lot have been booking or air guests. All paying more than the going rate. Go figure.
.

They just don't know better. We as innkeepers have to educate them. Add that to your list of things you do. Saw a whole back page ad on a magazine in the trash from Hyatt about saving money by booking direct with their website and phone number, etc. If every Hyatt owned hotel, motel, etc got off the OTAs, that would be a start to waking up the OTAs.
In reality all you have to do is stop using the service. They can't sell rooms if there are no rooms on their website to sell. Its a simple fix to the big problem. Get innkeepers world wide to stop using them and use the 15% money to advertise their own place, inn rewards, or create their own. Then the booking agencies will be ready to listen and take it to their mind slightly… or declare bankrupt.
.

Yes Yes. I have said this so often in the past 2 years. Stop selling out. Try and get your assn to pay for advertising just like the Hyatt is doing. If you are a large assn. And all chip into the program . I am sure you all will win in the long run.
Yes it is scary thought ... But you all survived before Ota's. Their way is a long slow death of your Inn or your accommodations. Duff where were you ? I tell you what your words are some thing I been saying for a while. But all are scared they would not make the income they once did .Hence why all switched to OTAs.
.

I'm right here!!!!!!

I'm in New England. We get our bills paid, food to eat, etc. We work hard and it works for us. It is doable. It works. We have guests in our rooms. I think the future for B&Bs is in something like Inn Rewards. We tried BBConnect but it wasn't what we thought it was going to be so we got off. OTAs are out for the hotels. Trip Ad showed that in their new app and set up. B&Bs are fine to fill in the gaps. Let's not be gap fillers!