One is the loniest number

Guests tell me again of an inn where the innkeepers didn't live onsite and they were freaked out the whole time. They did not know this in advance, and said they would not do that again. Every noise was amplified as they felt so alone there.

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again...

K9 said:

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again....

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I slept in one of our rooms one night. In order to not have to clean the bathroom, too, I went downstairs to our laundry room. Holy cow! It is relatively bright here because of street lights and other people's outdoor lighting but walking by all the open rooms that were just yawning darkness freaked me out! And I live here!
So, all doors closed now.
We stayed at an old antebellum mansion where the innkeeper warned us about leaving the front door unlocked for even a minute. We were the only guests. The downstairs was one huge ballroom with a little settee at one end and a mile away the dining table.
In the middle of the night the innkeeper was taken away by ambulance. Her dog howled for the rest of the night. We couldn't open the windows, didn't know how to turn on the A/C, oh it was miserable.

K9 said:

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again....

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Then (yes, same vacation) we stayed at a place where the innkeepers were not only not on site, they were on vacation! The cook/housekeeper came in in the morning but that was it. No idea what we would have done if there was a problem.

K9 said:

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again....

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So how do you handle it K-9, give them a # to call you if they need anything? I didn't know you did not live onsite (but of course, really I did cuz you have the pups!). Don't tell the health dept or powers that be, many locales it is a requirement to have the innkeepers onsite. I know our insurance requires it.
Actually the place they mentioned if halfway between you and I. Oddly enough, not knowing that inn, I never knew there were no innkeepers living there. Of course, the last thing you want is to tell that online so you get robbed/burgled. People let people in here, not often but on occasion. Like the salesman they let in while I was in the kitchen on my own cooking and I found him out here drinking coffee...bless his heart.

Had a woman leave last year because there weren't enough people here. I didn't charge her any fees, I didn't want anyone here who didn't want to be here. I told her others were due in, and that there were going to be four parties in all, but she was freaked out. Don't know where she went, but I was happy to let her go.

Joey Bloggs said:

K9 said:

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again....

Click to expand...

So how do you handle it K-9, give them a # to call you if they need anything? I didn't know you did not live onsite (but of course, really I did cuz you have the pups!). Don't tell the health dept or powers that be, many locales it is a requirement to have the innkeepers onsite. I know our insurance requires it.
Actually the place they mentioned if halfway between you and I. Oddly enough, not knowing that inn, I never knew there were no innkeepers living there. Of course, the last thing you want is to tell that online so you get robbed/burgled. People let people in here, not often but on occasion. Like the salesman they let in while I was in the kitchen on my own cooking and I found him out here drinking coffee...bless his heart.
.

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We let them know that the Inn's main # is always forwarded to our cel 24/7 (we have one particular cel that's just for the Inn) and they can always reach us at that #. We live 4 miles down the highway and can be there in 5-10 minutes. Most people don't care. They leave for dinner & to enjoy the town then come back and retire to their rooms. When we only have one room for the night, 99% of the time we've put them in our main floor room at the front of the house. They are right at the front entrance (which no one else uses but the guests in that room), they're across the hall from the main parlor for hanging out & watching TV and they don't have to venture into other parts of the house that are dark or spooky.
There is always someone there during the day 7a-6p anyways. Typically guests will venture out for the day and come back to rest and one of us is still there. And on weekends I'm usually there late (10-ish) baking or prepping breakfast. So, we have a presence except during sleeping hours.
You're right - we definitely don't want to put on the website that we don't live on-site. It's rarely an issue, but we're willing to stay if needed without hesitation.

Madeleine said:

K9 said:

We have had few instances where someone was concerned because we were not on-site, but it was always a woman by herself. In that situation, one of us did stay there for her. This past weekend, it was a married couple and the wife totally looked freaked out when she learned that we weren't on-site. We were planning to stay, but then got another walk-in and all was ok with another group in the house.
Our house is big & scary & quiet when no one is there. Once everyone goes back into their rooms for the night it's big & scary & quiet again....

Click to expand...

I slept in one of our rooms one night. In order to not have to clean the bathroom, too, I went downstairs to our laundry room. Holy cow! It is relatively bright here because of street lights and other people's outdoor lighting but walking by all the open rooms that were just yawning darkness freaked me out! And I live here!
So, all doors closed now.
We stayed at an old antebellum mansion where the innkeeper warned us about leaving the front door unlocked for even a minute. We were the only guests. The downstairs was one huge ballroom with a little settee at one end and a mile away the dining table.
In the middle of the night the innkeeper was taken away by ambulance. Her dog howled for the rest of the night. We couldn't open the windows, didn't know how to turn on the A/C, oh it was miserable.
.

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Ugggh, that sounds like Disney's Haunted Mansion.

And then there are those that WANT to be alone. I have seen disappointment in several guests when they ask when we will be leaving for the night. Guess they either have never stayed at a B&B and think they have the entire place (?) or they have stayed at one that innkeeper lives off site. I always make it sound like a PLUS that we are here if they need us.
We have stayed at now 3 places where the innkeeper did not live on site. Only 1 of the 3 had things worked out to make you feel 'at home' and had the proper information if help was needed. One we needed heat, no one around to assist... it was freezing. No information to contact for help........
And then there was the one that turned on the alarm system because one sister did not tell the other we were there. We came back ~10p used the key to unlock the door & the alarm blared, then the police appeared. Then no one showed up to prepare breakfast. The 2nd morning there was a note to 'help ourselves to .......'

Both of the other larger places here did not have owners right in the building. They were in the neighborhood though.
We did get some of their guests who mentioned how they did not like the fact that the innkeepers were not on the property.
I also worked at a large inn that didn't have anyone onsite at night. The evening innkeeper left at 8 PM. Guests arriving after 8 PM had instructions for self check-in left for them.

My nextdoor neighbour is unmanned as is about 3 up (ie next door but 3) and with next door her system for their being a problem is for me to ring her and complain! ie fire alarm going off or fights in the car park - the one further up is a higher quality establishment mainly single business travelers - but even then she has been called out 3am with 2 rooms knocking 7 bells out of each other.

Our guests like that we are here on the property, but they seem to love that we don't live in the main house with them. The best of both worlds I think.

I don't live on site but I'm here when we have guest. I live 2 1/2 hrs away.

[email protected] said:

My nextdoor neighbour is unmanned as is about 3 up (ie next door but 3) and with next door her system for their being a problem is for me to ring her and complain! ie fire alarm going off or fights in the car park - the one further up is a higher quality establishment mainly single business travelers - but even then she has been called out 3am with 2 rooms knocking 7 bells out of each other..

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I had to call one of the owners when there were noise issues, etc. from the guests. I guess that they appreciated that I didn't call the cops!! I did have to call the police a couple of times when their guests were blocking my driveway though...

Breakfast Diva said:

Our guests like that we are here on the property, but they seem to love that we don't live in the main house with them. The best of both worlds I think..

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I agree, BD, I think that is really the best arrangement!!

Samster said:

Breakfast Diva said:

Our guests like that we are here on the property, but they seem to love that we don't live in the main house with them. The best of both worlds I think..

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I agree, BD, I think that is really the best arrangement!!
.

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Yes that is the best arrangement - for both of them!