walk ins - rooms available, but not ready

[ukmaineiac]

thanks everyone...
but what happens if it's after 'check in' time ... and for whatever reason you still don't have your available rooms clean and ready.
i'm the only one at my b&b ... so sometimes, when i have 'free time' i may use it to accomplish other things rather than cleaning rooms i don't 'need' at the moment.
..... or maybe my first priority, no matter what, should be getting all available rooms cleaned?
this situation doesn't happen a lot, but usually happens when i'm least prepared. i'm a target sign for murphy's law. haha..

I have definitely had this happen. The rooms that have to done are ready, the other rooms are "almost there" - beds made, bathroom stripped - ie presentable but not yet finished. Need to vacuum, dust and finish cleaning the bathroom. BUT it's a beautiful day outside and I've decided that R&R is on the agenda (while also changing out laundry etc).
If someone arrives under those circumstances I'll let them look inside the room and explain that I need 30 minutes to get the room where I need it to be. At that point they either have the choice to settle into the living room with a cup of coffee or take a walk into town. Guests usually choose to stay.
The other thing is that walk-ups have been some of my absolutely most wonderful, delightful guests ever (all hyperbole intended). They got me my only yelp review and I recently "found" The Tipsy Butler mentioned in an on-line mystery novel writing blog - another walk-up
... then there was the couple that had just got married and drove up in a Beetle-Bug. She steps out in her wedding dress, he is in a natty hounds-tooth suit. I had one room available (our 4 poster). Lots of laughter and happiness all round.

 

[Alibi Ike]

thanks everyone...
but what happens if it's after 'check in' time ... and for whatever reason you still don't have your available rooms clean and ready.
i'm the only one at my b&b ... so sometimes, when i have 'free time' i may use it to accomplish other things rather than cleaning rooms i don't 'need' at the moment.
..... or maybe my first priority, no matter what, should be getting all available rooms cleaned?
this situation doesn't happen a lot, but usually happens when i'm least prepared. i'm a target sign for murphy's law. haha..

I have definitely had this happen. The rooms that have to done are ready, the other rooms are "almost there" - beds made, bathroom stripped - ie presentable but not yet finished. Need to vacuum, dust and finish cleaning the bathroom. BUT it's a beautiful day outside and I've decided that R&R is on the agenda (while also changing out laundry etc).
If someone arrives under those circumstances I'll let them look inside the room and explain that I need 30 minutes to get the room where I need it to be. At that point they either have the choice to settle into the living room with a cup of coffee or take a walk into town. Guests usually choose to stay.
The other thing is that walk-ups have been some of my absolutely most wonderful, delightful guests ever (all hyperbole intended). They got me my only yelp review and I recently "found" The Tipsy Butler mentioned in an on-line mystery novel writing blog - another walk-up
... then there was the couple that had just got married and drove up in a Beetle-Bug. She steps out in her wedding dress, he is in a natty hounds-tooth suit. I had one room available (our 4 poster). Lots of laughter and happiness all round.
.

The walk-in thing tends to run that way here, too, with notable, horrible exceptions. But walk-ins seem to work better than calls from the road. Mostly because I think the guests have seen the place and know what they are getting if they are walk-ins. Walk-ins work better for me than road calls because I can also get a sense of the guest and then ratchet up the price if I'd rather they went elsewhere.
We've had walk-ins who turned into repeats the following years. Altho, most of the time they still don't reserve, they walk-in again! We get quite a lot of 'walk-ins' who are repeats. They just wander in.

 

[sandynn]

We are seeing more and more last minute not walk ups but call at the very last minute. This is because of the I Phone's and such. They wait until they want to stop then look for a bed and breakfast near where they are. This is why I turn over room ASAP because this has happened to me and the one and only time I didn't turn a room it came back to get me in the end.

 

[Generic]

We only have two rooms, but dh is also running wine tours and I'm still working outside the business for another year.
That said, when we get walk ins in our area they are usually problem people. Usually not B&B people, and frankly not worth a last minute rush to ready the rooms. Our sanity is worth more.
And like was said before, will force them to think ahead hopefully.
We seem to be getting people trying to pull one over on us who won't book ahead. I have had reservations for six night stay starting today since November 2010. Yesterday afternoon I got a call to check reservations (this has maybe happened twice in three years?). They were not sure which name the res was made. I had no such reservation. I told him the names that had booked. Not them. I asked if he had a confirmation "no, I just printed it off your website" I asked if he maybe had the wrong inn "Is there another Arcady?" no...I asked when he made the booking "two days ago". So I told him I'm not sure what happened, but my booking system would not have allowed him to even pull up the reservation request form to fill out, much less send.
DH thinks he does not understand we are not a hotel and thought he could get us to think we made an error and come up with a room for him.
RIki.

...I told him the names that had booked. Not them....

On my list of lessons learnt... NEVER give out the name of a guest. Not only is it a violation of privacy in Canada (I would assume the US as well) but you never know if a guest may have a stalker. We had one and he would call day and night to ask us information about the guest's whereabouts. Apparently they called every B&B in town to find out where the guest was staying. We won't even confirm that someone is a guest without their permission.

 

[egoodell]

We only have two rooms, but dh is also running wine tours and I'm still working outside the business for another year.
That said, when we get walk ins in our area they are usually problem people. Usually not B&B people, and frankly not worth a last minute rush to ready the rooms. Our sanity is worth more.
And like was said before, will force them to think ahead hopefully.
We seem to be getting people trying to pull one over on us who won't book ahead. I have had reservations for six night stay starting today since November 2010. Yesterday afternoon I got a call to check reservations (this has maybe happened twice in three years?). They were not sure which name the res was made. I had no such reservation. I told him the names that had booked. Not them. I asked if he had a confirmation "no, I just printed it off your website" I asked if he maybe had the wrong inn "Is there another Arcady?" no...I asked when he made the booking "two days ago". So I told him I'm not sure what happened, but my booking system would not have allowed him to even pull up the reservation request form to fill out, much less send.
DH thinks he does not understand we are not a hotel and thought he could get us to think we made an error and come up with a room for him.
RIki.

...I told him the names that had booked. Not them....

On my list of lessons learnt... NEVER give out the name of a guest. Not only is it a violation of privacy in Canada (I would assume the US as well) but you never know if a guest may have a stalker. We had one and he would call day and night to ask us information about the guest's whereabouts. Apparently they called every B&B in town to find out where the guest was staying. We won't even confirm that someone is a guest without their permission.
.

...I told him the names that had booked. Not them....

On my list of lessons learnt... NEVER give out the name of a guest. Not only is it a violation of privacy in Canada (I would assume the US as well) but you never know if a guest may have a stalker. We had one and he would call day and night to ask us information about the guest's whereabouts. Apparently they called every B&B in town to find out where the guest was staying. We won't even confirm that someone is a guest without their permission.

I do realize this but he was not interested in the names. I don't recall if I even actually told him the names but more said his name was not one of the two married couples booked. This was a situation where he was trying to say he had booked and wanted me to say I had a room for him. I think he wanted me to magically produce a room for him
RIki

 

[JBloggs]

Eric, there are a lot of things that are violations, in fact against the law in my state and this country and other countries that people seem to not worry about. Whether they are old laws or new laws, they break the laws. Stating violations of this and that doesn't hold water for me, sorry. Just thought I would say that and get it off my chest as you share this so often. My comment has nothing to do with this topic.

 

[Generic]

Eric, there are a lot of things that are violations, in fact against the law in my state and this country and other countries that people seem to not worry about. Whether they are old laws or new laws, they break the laws. Stating violations of this and that doesn't hold water for me, sorry. Just thought I would say that and get it off my chest as you share this so often. My comment has nothing to do with this topic.

.

Eric, there are a lot of things that are violations, in fact against the law in my state and this country and other countries that people seem to not worry about. Whether they are old laws or new laws, they break the laws. Stating violations of this and that doesn't hold water for me, sorry. Just thought I would say that and get it off my chest as you share this so often. My comment has nothing to do with this topic.

I understand that it doesn't hold water for you, but it does for me and it may for others. I live in a very bureaucratic country and even more so, province. They come in and weigh and measure my towels! As just one example. I deal with government too much in my life and the last thing I need is the privacy commissioner and consumer affairs on my back. (Never mind phone calls at 2AM from a stalker asking if the guest is in, when they got it and where they went.)

 

[Joey Camb]

The one time I left rooms I got caught out so i am a bit wary now! What happened it was a sunday and I was only expecting 6 rooms so said to the chamber maid just do 7 rooms and Ill give you hand and a lift home cos the weather was cold. At about 3pm after I had gotten back from dropping her off it started to snow. Now what you don't know is just accross the road was a 10,000 strong conference in a building with virtually no windows so they came out about 5pm and the snow was about 8 inches deep and had taken the council who do all the gritting by surprise so they hadn't done the roads or anything. So a lot of people were stranded ended up with a full house. First lady came with young daughter about 10 was supposed to be just helping pack up a stand and then going home so wanted a twin so I explained did have one but hadn't made it up yet said thats fine paid and registered etc and went back to pack up the stand. Thought when I finished that that I should make up a few more rooms just in case and basically was making them up ahead of people ringing the bell! could shuffle people round in the diary into rooms that were ready so could get them straight in but I was knackered. Was a tidy bit of money mind. But I always make sure I have at least 3 rooms ready when its a bad weather situation. At the moment we are having ash cloud in Iceland problems again so am worried in case that strands people here and abroad.

 

[Paradise]

We are seeing more and more last minute not walk ups but call at the very last minute. This is because of the I Phone's and such. They wait until they want to stop then look for a bed and breakfast near where they are. This is why I turn over room ASAP because this has happened to me and the one and only time I didn't turn a room it came back to get me in the end..

We also turn rooms asap as you never know when folks will turn up/call seeking a room. Plus, I just can't relax knowing it's a disaster anywhere, so once all the work is done/rooms-common spaces ready, then I'll get on to other things.

 

[Paradise]

We are seeing more and more last minute not walk ups but call at the very last minute. This is because of the I Phone's and such. They wait until they want to stop then look for a bed and breakfast near where they are. This is why I turn over room ASAP because this has happened to me and the one and only time I didn't turn a room it came back to get me in the end..

We also turn rooms asap as you never know when folks will turn up/call seeking a room. Plus, I just can't relax knowing it's a disaster anywhere, so once all the work is done/rooms-common spaces ready, then I'll get on to other things.