We have a life too...(Fail Proof Remedy to Avoid Late Check-outs?)

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Northern Dreamer

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Best Remedy to Avoid Late Check-outs (is this even possible?!!?)
I am sure there has been a discussion on this topic before, but I cannot find it. I am looking for ideas (a best practice, or fail-proof tactic) to help guests get their booties moving on the morning of check-out...does a written warning for assessing a fee work?
I wait on you, I feed you, provide good recommendations the entire time you are here, and I am repaid by you checking-out an hour late so I miss my event...!
Pretty much done with it! Most recent guest left late to attend church service (which was a 5 min drive for them...) but we missed ours because ours is a 35 min drive...We do allow a 45 min buffer for us for those who drag a little...and we try to be kind hearted, but you got to attend the service of your choice (I'd like to also!), but we had to leave after you did so we missed ours completely...
Repeating it over and over seems like we want rid of them and I cannot bring myself to do that as we do enjoy their company while they are here...we just want them out at the agreed upon time...
 
Try setting breakfast time on Sunday an hour earlier (or 30 min).
Quite honestly, when I have to leave, now that Himself is no longer here to take care of things, I let them know I have something that requires me to leave at ____. I lock up my office and my side of the house and leave. I collected payment the night before as it was an EARLY leave for me (if you collect at check-in that is eliminated). Remind (and make certain it is on website and everywhere else that check-out is at ___ on Sunday.
Either that or take turns going to Church when guests leave late. It really is one of the trade-offs of being in business. I go to church when I do not have guests. I figure GOD understands one must make a living and this is mine. It is how I live my life day-to-day that is important.
 
Thank you, I agree...and we do have it displayed pretty much everywhere. We understand it is also a trade-off.
Funny how it only seems to be those occasional guests that happen to dilly-dally on the same day it really matters to us! Am still earning to relax and assess what really matters at/in the moment...
I like the idea of taking turns as well - we actually just talked about that!
 
Honesty is the best policy. Sunday as you chat over breakfast , say something like," oh! I wanted to tell you, we have an appointment this morning so we'll have to be super strict on check out time. We are usually pretty casual, but we need to lock the house at 11 today."
 
We have it on our check in registration form that late check out is assessed a $50/hour fee. If you're still here after 1, I assume you're staying an additional night and charge that, too.
We are not gracious about late check out. We don't give guests 45 minutes of leeway. At 11:10 I'm knocking on the door asking if they want me to add the late check out fee to their bill.
You'd be amazed how fast guests leave.
In your case you need to be somewhere, preferably as a family. Different scenario than me just wanting to get the laundry done!
So, earlier breakfast? Earlier check out time? Payment in advance and leave the guests alone? (I could not do this one.) Stop being lenient on other days? Gives you more practice getting the laggards out!
I'm not a fan of telling guests you need them to leave on time. I think too many people feel this is the bum's rush and it's their last interaction before they depart. Plus, it then assumes that everyone behaves this way.
Or, you could just become heathens, like we are, and not worry about church. (I AM joking.)
 
we have some regular guests always late checking out - have them trained now to pay on arrival so we can go out and they ring me as they leave so I know to tell the chamber maid to go and clean the room but not to bother them till I give the go signal. - win for everyone.
Do you have a cleaner that can supervise them leaving or is it just yourselves? if just you is there any way to lock up everything but the way they need to get out and they have to just leave their keys as they go?
 
Honesty is the best policy. Sunday as you chat over breakfast , say something like," oh! I wanted to tell you, we have an appointment this morning so we'll have to be super strict on check out time. We are usually pretty casual, but we need to lock the house at 11 today.".
TheBeachHouse said:
Honesty is the best policy. Sunday as you chat over breakfast , say something like," oh! I wanted to tell you, we have an appointment this morning so we'll have to be super strict on check out time. We are usually pretty casual, but we need to lock the house at 11 today."
I find this to be the best approach. Make an announcement and no one should feel like it's aimed at them. This technique has always worked for us.
 
We have it on our check in registration form that late check out is assessed a $50/hour fee. If you're still here after 1, I assume you're staying an additional night and charge that, too.
We are not gracious about late check out. We don't give guests 45 minutes of leeway. At 11:10 I'm knocking on the door asking if they want me to add the late check out fee to their bill.
You'd be amazed how fast guests leave.
In your case you need to be somewhere, preferably as a family. Different scenario than me just wanting to get the laundry done!
So, earlier breakfast? Earlier check out time? Payment in advance and leave the guests alone? (I could not do this one.) Stop being lenient on other days? Gives you more practice getting the laggards out!
I'm not a fan of telling guests you need them to leave on time. I think too many people feel this is the bum's rush and it's their last interaction before they depart. Plus, it then assumes that everyone behaves this way.
Or, you could just become heathens, like we are, and not worry about church. (I AM joking.).
Morticia said:
We are not gracious about late check out. We don't give guests 45 minutes of leeway. At 11:10 I'm knocking on the door asking if they want me to add the late check out fee to their bill.
I'm not a fan of telling guests you need them to leave on time. I think too many people feel this is the bum's rush and it's their last interaction before they depart. Plus, it then assumes that everyone behaves this way.
I'm confused, Morticia. Did you mean you're not a fan of telling guests in advance that they need to leave on time? Wouldn't knocking on the door at 11:10 also be the guests' last interaction with you before they depart? I'm only asking for clarification, and definitely not dissing your method in any way.
At 11:15, I go up to the room with a basket full of clean linens. I give a cursory knock, then open the door (with keys if necessary). I then exclaim, "Oh! I'm so sorry. I thought you'd left already and I missed you. Did you purchase a late check-out? I hope I didn't forget about your request to stay past 11." Most guests then make their own apologies and reassure me they're leaving soon. I then reply, "Did you need any help bringing your luggage to your car? I'd be happy to help." That really gets the message across :D
It's posted in our rooms that check-out is 11. It's noted on our website, and our reservation form has the option to purchase a late check-out for $50.
 
We have it on our check in registration form that late check out is assessed a $50/hour fee. If you're still here after 1, I assume you're staying an additional night and charge that, too.
We are not gracious about late check out. We don't give guests 45 minutes of leeway. At 11:10 I'm knocking on the door asking if they want me to add the late check out fee to their bill.
You'd be amazed how fast guests leave.
In your case you need to be somewhere, preferably as a family. Different scenario than me just wanting to get the laundry done!
So, earlier breakfast? Earlier check out time? Payment in advance and leave the guests alone? (I could not do this one.) Stop being lenient on other days? Gives you more practice getting the laggards out!
I'm not a fan of telling guests you need them to leave on time. I think too many people feel this is the bum's rush and it's their last interaction before they depart. Plus, it then assumes that everyone behaves this way.
Or, you could just become heathens, like we are, and not worry about church. (I AM joking.).
Morticia said:
We are not gracious about late check out. We don't give guests 45 minutes of leeway. At 11:10 I'm knocking on the door asking if they want me to add the late check out fee to their bill.
I'm not a fan of telling guests you need them to leave on time. I think too many people feel this is the bum's rush and it's their last interaction before they depart. Plus, it then assumes that everyone behaves this way.
I'm confused, Morticia. Did you mean you're not a fan of telling guests in advance that they need to leave on time? Wouldn't knocking on the door at 11:10 also be the guests' last interaction with you before they depart? I'm only asking for clarification, and definitely not dissing your method in any way.
At 11:15, I go up to the room with a basket full of clean linens. I give a cursory knock, then open the door (with keys if necessary). I then exclaim, "Oh! I'm so sorry. I thought you'd left already and I missed you. Did you purchase a late check-out? I hope I didn't forget about your request to stay past 11." Most guests then make their own apologies and reassure me they're leaving soon. I then reply, "Did you need any help bringing your luggage to your car? I'd be happy to help." That really gets the message across :D
It's posted in our rooms that check-out is 11. It's noted on our website, and our reservation form has the option to purchase a late check-out for $50.
.
Not a fan of telling guests, as they are relaxing over breakfast, that the clock is ticking.
Our check out time is all over the place, including the required 'back of door location', same as hotels.
If I have to knock on the door to tell guests to leave, they kind of deserve for that to be the last interaction. Better me than the local constabulary.
Yet, still we have those 'I didn't know' conversations thru a crack in the door where the guest's eyeball is right up against the notice telling them when checkout is.
 
Lesson learned #17.
We started with a lot of background in business management and retail sales with some in restaurant work. So we learned a lot of lessons by living them.
One morning, a guest asked if a late checkout was possible. Since we had a full house checking out, I said, sure.
The lesson? Determine what "late checkout" means!
She didn't leave until 3!!!
After having learned Lesson #17, the response to, "May I have a late checkout?" is, "We can say 12 noon."
 
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