Why do I have to 'understand the situation'?

[Morticia]

Yes, there is a storm coming up the coast. Yes, it might hit here. Yes, it's definitely hitting places south of here. Why do I have to 'understand' that the guest has no control over the weather? I don't, either. I'm the one guaranteeing a port in the storm. I'm the one who is NOT closing up and leaving you low and wet (instead of high and dry!). Geez I'm tired of being told I have to understand and let the guest off the hook.

 

[MtnKeeper]

Guest called 2 days ago who has a 3 night res with us starting tomorrow. She's in Florida and said we should understand that they might want to stay home and make sure no damage happens to their house. I do understand that you have decided to change your mind and I will put your room back on and hope someone needs a let minute stay - but I'm not eating $1,200 when I'm over 1500 miles away and will be open and welcoming guests. Why don't people buy trip cancellation insurance? I'm going to an island in November and I bought insurance because I don't expect the condo owner to eat $2000 if there is a storm and we can't make it. They have taxes and mortgages to pay. I would like guests to understand that this is the only income for my family of four and I have a mortgage, employees, taxes, health insurance and I have kids to put through college - $1200 is a huge amount of money to ask me to throw away. So a storm that isn't affecting us cannot cost me $2000 because you were unlucky enough to have a storm hit Florida. She never called back so I assume she's coming. If she doesn't and didn't even give me the chance to rebook any of her nights then she's on the hook for the full 3 night stay. Buying insurance stinks for all of us but it's a choice to gamble and you win some and lose some!

 

[gillumhouse]

I agree - I hate it that they think the "little guy" who has the most to lose, should be the one to understand and lose money. The airlines do not care. A friend just had emergency treatment for a tear in her retina and the airline said tough toenails in a nice way. She had to buy a new ticket although the person she talked to was nice enough to transfer all the add-ons - $30 for carry-on,$15 to reserve HER seat, etc - to the new ticket.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

You all make sense.
During the crazy winter of 2015, we let people postpone their stays, but we did not allow cancellations.
The best guests were the ones who came anyway and enjoyed the isolation.

 

[EmptyNest]

Guest called 2 days ago who has a 3 night res with us starting tomorrow. She's in Florida and said we should understand that they might want to stay home and make sure no damage happens to their house. I do understand that you have decided to change your mind and I will put your room back on and hope someone needs a let minute stay - but I'm not eating $1,200 when I'm over 1500 miles away and will be open and welcoming guests. Why don't people buy trip cancellation insurance? I'm going to an island in November and I bought insurance because I don't expect the condo owner to eat $2000 if there is a storm and we can't make it. They have taxes and mortgages to pay. I would like guests to understand that this is the only income for my family of four and I have a mortgage, employees, taxes, health insurance and I have kids to put through college - $1200 is a huge amount of money to ask me to throw away. So a storm that isn't affecting us cannot cost me $2000 because you were unlucky enough to have a storm hit Florida. She never called back so I assume she's coming. If she doesn't and didn't even give me the chance to rebook any of her nights then she's on the hook for the full 3 night stay. Buying insurance stinks for all of us but it's a choice to gamble and you win some and lose some!.

I agree travel insurance is best to get. But unless you are doing a big trip to Europe etc...most don't even want to consider it. You need to be sure what her final plans are and confirm. She is in FL so we know she is going to be affected travel wise. I would not cause a big stink over it. Take the high road. Charge a cancellation fee but since it is fall season, you may be able to rebook the room.

 

[EmptyNest]

Guest called 2 days ago who has a 3 night res with us starting tomorrow. She's in Florida and said we should understand that they might want to stay home and make sure no damage happens to their house. I do understand that you have decided to change your mind and I will put your room back on and hope someone needs a let minute stay - but I'm not eating $1,200 when I'm over 1500 miles away and will be open and welcoming guests. Why don't people buy trip cancellation insurance? I'm going to an island in November and I bought insurance because I don't expect the condo owner to eat $2000 if there is a storm and we can't make it. They have taxes and mortgages to pay. I would like guests to understand that this is the only income for my family of four and I have a mortgage, employees, taxes, health insurance and I have kids to put through college - $1200 is a huge amount of money to ask me to throw away. So a storm that isn't affecting us cannot cost me $2000 because you were unlucky enough to have a storm hit Florida. She never called back so I assume she's coming. If she doesn't and didn't even give me the chance to rebook any of her nights then she's on the hook for the full 3 night stay. Buying insurance stinks for all of us but it's a choice to gamble and you win some and lose some!.

I agree travel insurance is best to get. But unless you are doing a big trip to Europe etc...most don't even want to consider it. You need to be sure what her final plans are and confirm. She is in FL so we know she is going to be affected travel wise. I would not cause a big stink over it. Take the high road. Charge a cancellation fee but since it is fall season, you may be able to rebook the room.

 

[Jcam]

A lot of UK bank accounts throw it in anyway - so its always worth claiming!

 

[Hillbilly]

Insurance is one of those things, "You don't need it until you need it!" We have in our cancellation policy that we strongly recommend buying travel insurance. There is no refunds because of bad weather. After we changed this policy we have not had any issues. We even give numbers to the insurance companies we recommend. If someone calls to cancel we ask if they purchased the insurance. A few have and it saved them. Most do not but it then falls on them and not us. It was their choice. They then have no one else to blame but themselves.

 

[Generic]

That is why I have a CC with travel insurance. That's the point. You don't have to understand. Offer them a copy of the receipt so they can claim it on their travel insurance. If they say they don't have any, then you can point out that's the point of travel insurance and they should check if their CC has coverage for it. Maybe it will make them think twice about it in the future.
I pay $150 a year for my CC with the travel insurance including trip cancellation and health insurance up to 21 days. Okay, it also has a lot of other things on it including 4 lounge visits and 2% back in travel.

 

[MtnKeeper]

Guest called 2 days ago who has a 3 night res with us starting tomorrow. She's in Florida and said we should understand that they might want to stay home and make sure no damage happens to their house. I do understand that you have decided to change your mind and I will put your room back on and hope someone needs a let minute stay - but I'm not eating $1,200 when I'm over 1500 miles away and will be open and welcoming guests. Why don't people buy trip cancellation insurance? I'm going to an island in November and I bought insurance because I don't expect the condo owner to eat $2000 if there is a storm and we can't make it. They have taxes and mortgages to pay. I would like guests to understand that this is the only income for my family of four and I have a mortgage, employees, taxes, health insurance and I have kids to put through college - $1200 is a huge amount of money to ask me to throw away. So a storm that isn't affecting us cannot cost me $2000 because you were unlucky enough to have a storm hit Florida. She never called back so I assume she's coming. If she doesn't and didn't even give me the chance to rebook any of her nights then she's on the hook for the full 3 night stay. Buying insurance stinks for all of us but it's a choice to gamble and you win some and lose some!.

I agree travel insurance is best to get. But unless you are doing a big trip to Europe etc...most don't even want to consider it. You need to be sure what her final plans are and confirm. She is in FL so we know she is going to be affected travel wise. I would not cause a big stink over it. Take the high road. Charge a cancellation fee but since it is fall season, you may be able to rebook the room.
.

Why is any innkeeper supposed to "take the high road" and take a $25 cancellation fee and eat $1175. Why doesn't the guest take the high road and pay me what they agreed to because they didn't want to purchase trip insurance like I do when I book my trips. She never called back after she heard she wasn't getting her money back unless someone rebooks the nights so as far as I know she's coming tomorrow for 3 nights. If she doesn't show, she's paying anyway since she didn't at least give me a chance to fill them. There is the cost of doing business when people break things, etc. but I don't consider someone canceling because they didn't buy insurance my problem or COB.

 

[Highlands John]

That is why I have a CC with travel insurance. That's the point. You don't have to understand. Offer them a copy of the receipt so they can claim it on their travel insurance. If they say they don't have any, then you can point out that's the point of travel insurance and they should check if their CC has coverage for it. Maybe it will make them think twice about it in the future.
I pay $150 a year for my CC with the travel insurance including trip cancellation and health insurance up to 21 days. Okay, it also has a lot of other things on it including 4 lounge visits and 2% back in travel..

We're both fit and healthy and we pay £60 a year for world wide travel insurance for both of us.
It's not expensive.