Sometimes ya just want to slap 'em

Conversation with guest about where we go when we go on vacation. We like to take 2 days right here in state to get to meet other innkeepers. We don't plan to spend a lot doing this so we go off season. Laughing over one disastrous, low-cost getaway guest says this:
Maybe you should try an upscale place. See how they do things. Get some ideas for here.
Really? I think we do a fine job at the level of accommodations we want to be at.

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!

That's just RUDE. That would have gotten an "excuse me?" from me. And any Canadian or Brit knows that "excuse me" is damn insulting!

Incidentally, last night one of the guests comes down to tell us that the soap dispenser is off the wall, broken and the soap is everywhere in one of the two common bathrooms. I was dealing with guests, so I finished with them and went up. It was all over the place. I grabbed a load of towels and cleaned it all up, then I went and mopped and finished.
The other guest who obviously must have done it... didn't say a single word about it. Didn't tell us that they had don't it. Didn't tell us about the mess. Didn't breath a word! What's happened to common decency?

Maddie, after the 'upscale remark, I would (and have) said something like "and I could charge you twice what you just paid!"

Eric Arthur Blair said:

Incidentally, last night one of the guests comes down to tell us that the soap dispenser is off the wall, broken and the soap is everywhere in one of the two common bathrooms. I was dealing with guests, so I finished with them and went up. It was all over the place. I grabbed a load of towels and cleaned it all up, then I went and mopped and finished.
The other guest who obviously must have done it... didn't say a single word about it. Didn't tell us that they had don't it. Didn't tell us about the mess. Didn't breath a word! What's happened to common decency?.

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Eric Arthur Blair said:

Incidentally, last night one of the guests comes down to tell us that the soap dispenser is off the wall, broken and the soap is everywhere in one of the two common bathrooms. I was dealing with guests, so I finished with them and went up. It was all over the place. I grabbed a load of towels and cleaned it all up, then I went and mopped and finished.
The other guest who obviously must have done it... didn't say a single word about it. Didn't tell us that they had don't it. Didn't tell us about the mess. Didn't breath a word! What's happened to common decency?

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I just had someone over the holiday drive off the gravel driveway onto the lawn and run over the new $150 driveway monitor box. Crunch! Yep, nobody took responsibility for that one either. grrrrr.

It's getting so I just dread the holiday weekends. Had 100% full occupancy for the weekend and one room with an extra person. Most guests polite and considerate...except for the two from that state to the East of PA where they have lots of gardens. UGH! SUCH A PITA!

I will say that we had wonderful guests over the weekend. Seriously. Not a PITA in the bunch. One who actually used the expression 'making lemonade with lemons' when her husband missed his flight TWICE and she ended up just calling a girlfriend to share the room with her.
We thought for sure she was just going to leave early but she stayed the whole time and the impromptu gf getaway went really well.

Helpful comments like that I can do without!!!!
Eric, 'excuse me?' in that special tone is understood here as well. I would have had to swallow hard not to use that tone if I had been Maddie. I just usually remain silent while I am sure my face tells them how I really feel! And of course I think of thousands of comeback lines after I calm down and they are no where around to hear.

copperhead said:

Helpful comments like that I can do without!!!!
Eric, 'excuse me?' in that special tone is understood here as well. I would have had to swallow hard not to use that tone if I had been Maddie. I just usually remain silent while I am sure my face tells them how I really feel! And of course I think of thousands of comeback lines after I calm down and they are no where around to hear..

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The comment was from a guest who was treating herself to a very expensive getaway. (NOT our part of it, the rest of it.) She kept telling me how liberating it was to spend money on herself. Then she left the 'housekeeper' several Bible quotes (tucked into the tip envelope). Plus hiding tracts around the room (in the desk, under the bed and between the covers of the magazines).
After I saw that I realized she needed my sympathy more than anything else.

Madeleine said:

I will say that we had wonderful guests over the weekend. Seriously. Not a PITA in the bunch. One who actually used the expression 'making lemonade with lemons' when her husband missed his flight TWICE and she ended up just calling a girlfriend to share the room with her.
We thought for sure she was just going to leave early but she stayed the whole time and the impromptu gf getaway went really well..

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Lucky you.... I guess they were here for the weekend. Had the liquid soap dispenser on the floor thing (below), a wet glass on wood furniture and a family that reminded me of the french word for snow peas.... mange-tout (eat everything)! Not a fruit left in the fruit basket, not a pastry left on the table! And last night they decided to do a self-tour. Let's just say that when they jiggled my bedroom door, I wasn't a happy camper.

Eric Arthur Blair said:

Madeleine said:

I will say that we had wonderful guests over the weekend. Seriously. Not a PITA in the bunch. One who actually used the expression 'making lemonade with lemons' when her husband missed his flight TWICE and she ended up just calling a girlfriend to share the room with her.
We thought for sure she was just going to leave early but she stayed the whole time and the impromptu gf getaway went really well..

Click to expand...

Lucky you.... I guess they were here for the weekend. Had the liquid soap dispenser on the floor thing (below), a wet glass on wood furniture and a family that reminded me of the french word for snow peas.... mange-tout (eat everything)! Not a fruit left in the fruit basket, not a pastry left on the table! And last night they decided to do a self-tour. Let's just say that when they jiggled my bedroom door, I wasn't a happy camper.
.

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Oh right. We did have a guest who sat a sweaty soda bottle on top of a paper coupon and the coupon was stuck to the dresser and the white ring is still there, too. But that was the worst of it!

[email protected] said:

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!.

Click to expand...

[email protected] said:

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!

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You should have reminded her how lucky SHE was that you had that availability!

Madeleine said:

Eric Arthur Blair said:

Madeleine said:

I will say that we had wonderful guests over the weekend. Seriously. Not a PITA in the bunch. One who actually used the expression 'making lemonade with lemons' when her husband missed his flight TWICE and she ended up just calling a girlfriend to share the room with her.
We thought for sure she was just going to leave early but she stayed the whole time and the impromptu gf getaway went really well..

Click to expand...

Lucky you.... I guess they were here for the weekend. Had the liquid soap dispenser on the floor thing (below), a wet glass on wood furniture and a family that reminded me of the french word for snow peas.... mange-tout (eat everything)! Not a fruit left in the fruit basket, not a pastry left on the table! And last night they decided to do a self-tour. Let's just say that when they jiggled my bedroom door, I wasn't a happy camper.
.

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Oh right. We did have a guest who sat a sweaty soda bottle on top of a paper coupon and the coupon was stuck to the dresser and the white ring is still there, too. But that was the worst of it!
.

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Well, the good news... everyone left today. The bad news.... I didn't give them my business card, I gave them yours

Madeleine said:

Maybe you should try an upscale place. See how they do things. Get some ideas for here.
Really? I think we do a fine job at the level of accommodations we want to be at.

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OMGeeeee, How rude can people get?
I had something in that direction happen this summer too.

[email protected] said:

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!.

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That is exactly what happened to me. 2 families got in here through a very rare cancellation. I asked them how they found us and the answer was :"we could not find anything available."
Pfffft. I knew that wasn't true, they only tried the Best Western...but they were pleasantly surprised and made ressies for the fall

gillumhouse said:

[email protected] said:

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!.

Click to expand...

[email protected] said:

We had a similar coment from a guest - we had late availability on a particular Thursday and got her in (1 family and 1 double) - said "you should think about doing more advertising as you had that late availability" - felt like saying (1) you are not an accommodation provider (2) you have no idea of the market here ie I was full that night vast majority of places were half empty) (3) what gives you the right to express your opinion on something you have absolutely no knowledge about at all?
My answer was we run at 85% occupancy if we do any more advertising we will be dead!

Click to expand...

You should have reminded her how lucky SHE was that you had that availability!
.

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thing was woman was really nice but whole reservation was a fricking nightmare
(1) made through a local booking agent and said they would be a little late but I knew they had a 3 year old with them so figured 11 at the latest - it was 1.30am
(2) allowed late check out as new arrivals were not coming till 6pm but said 1pm at the latest - aupair didn't come back with the child till 2pm so had to let the chamber maid go home as she was done by 12.45 and had no idea when these people were coming back because the aupair's mobile ran out of batteries
(3) said for all the trouble if I went to her stand at the show would give me a present - I am raising prizes for a local charity raffle and thought it might be handy - walked all the way up in blazing heat and then she didn't give me anything! what a waste of time!
(4) also helped her with a massive email - order signing thing which just wouldn't work which she needed to release the samples for her stand took at least and hour to sort and helped her with her artificial grass which her assistant had ordered incorrectly and didn't fit the stand!
and not even a good tripadviser!