B&B Critique

[Madeleine]

The more I read about other experiences and reflect on my own, I am wondering how many places are perfect. I have come to the realization that there are flaws in almost all of our places. I am reminded of one guest that stays in B&B's exclusively who stated it is the uniqueness and little flaws that she loves.
Things that we see, notice even more because of our business. We want the industry to be perfect. I agree that things like nails in the wall are a bad reflection and the lack of electric outlets available shows lack of needs of guests and prices should be in tune with what you offer. But all in all it is the uniqueness that brings people to stay at B&B's.
B&B's are not for everyone and not for all occasions. I can't believe I am actually saying (writing) this. I have always thought the opposite..

I think we've all got a horror show hotel/motel story as well but we don't own those.
Nothing is perfect. But there's a bit of a standard that I think we expect.
Heat. Decent food. Cleanliness. Graciousness.
I know this is what I think when a place is 'similar' to mine but the service or something is just not right - if WE can do this then other people can too.
I'm sure lots of people look at our place and think how much nicer some other places are and vice versa. We've been told by guests who just came from other places that we do so much more. I've also listened to guests regaling the dining room with how wonderful some other place is.
Sigh.
I do know that the coffee bar and fridge definitely are not offered everywhere.

 

[Hillbilly]

We all know things we can do to make out properties better.
I do think that a property owner or manager should be given a chance to correct issues a guests might have. That said, the guest should speak up and let someone know there is an issue. An owner might look at a complaint or issue and never really noticed it before. Lime the nails in the wall. Or outlets not being available.
I was in a room today working and guys what. I found a nail in the wall that was not doing anything but looking like a nail in the wall.
Sometimes and hopefully I'm not the only one that is like this, but I get tunnel vision. Especially after 100+s days of working without a day off.
I really wish guests sometimes would be a little more compassionate about Innkeepers who will gladly fix or correct any issue that might arise. Give us a chance.
Now...if I ignore you and just say "Oh well!"
Than A review is in order.
Arkansawyer, thank you for posting this. I need to slow down and maybe look at myself and see what the guests might be seeing.
I know I found a nail....still bothering me.

 

[JBloggs]

I am looking at my WELCOME SHEET to see if it is rules or do nots versus DO's...I have gone over it from time to time, when we don't get lawbreakers I ease back off, when they are here I go full gusto again...in a nice way.

 

[Arks]

We all know things we can do to make out properties better.
I do think that a property owner or manager should be given a chance to correct issues a guests might have. That said, the guest should speak up and let someone know there is an issue. An owner might look at a complaint or issue and never really noticed it before. Lime the nails in the wall. Or outlets not being available.
I was in a room today working and guys what. I found a nail in the wall that was not doing anything but looking like a nail in the wall.
Sometimes and hopefully I'm not the only one that is like this, but I get tunnel vision. Especially after 100+s days of working without a day off.
I really wish guests sometimes would be a little more compassionate about Innkeepers who will gladly fix or correct any issue that might arise. Give us a chance.
Now...if I ignore you and just say "Oh well!"
Than A review is in order.
Arkansawyer, thank you for posting this. I need to slow down and maybe look at myself and see what the guests might be seeing.
I know I found a nail....still bothering me. .

Arkansawyer, thank you for posting this. I need to slow down and maybe look at myself and see what the guests might be seeing.

Here's a good place to start: what's the place where guests are most likely to be alone, with time on their hands to look around and find fault?
I suggest innkeepers occasionally lower a guest room toilet seat and sit down. Take some time to look around from near floor level. I'll bet you spot some things that could be improved upon, or cleaned better!

 

[Madeleine]

We all know things we can do to make out properties better.
I do think that a property owner or manager should be given a chance to correct issues a guests might have. That said, the guest should speak up and let someone know there is an issue. An owner might look at a complaint or issue and never really noticed it before. Lime the nails in the wall. Or outlets not being available.
I was in a room today working and guys what. I found a nail in the wall that was not doing anything but looking like a nail in the wall.
Sometimes and hopefully I'm not the only one that is like this, but I get tunnel vision. Especially after 100+s days of working without a day off.
I really wish guests sometimes would be a little more compassionate about Innkeepers who will gladly fix or correct any issue that might arise. Give us a chance.
Now...if I ignore you and just say "Oh well!"
Than A review is in order.
Arkansawyer, thank you for posting this. I need to slow down and maybe look at myself and see what the guests might be seeing.
I know I found a nail....still bothering me. .

Chipped paint in one room that I keep forgetting to fix. Must make guests think we don't care.
Someone just slammed into the door frame last week with a metal frame back pack and took a big chunk of paint off, haven't had time to fix that either.
It's times like these when I think of every little thing that needs doing that I get really stressed. If I did every little thing that is on my list I still wouldn't ever finish.

 

[gillumhouse]

I have told this story before but the newbies will not have heard it.
There is a lady who used to come fairly frequently - life changes have deemed that not so these days although we are frequently in touch via e-mail. She is a very "non-bending" personality, wants everything just so and is very critical of others but for some reason gives me a pass. For some ungodly reason she liked us and this place - even back in the days of the 3 with shared! She considered one of the rooms "her room".
One visit, DH is coming through the hall on his way to his "cave" and he spots Sandy butt up in the corner by the hat rack. "S, what are you doing?" he asked. S looked around and replied, "I'm cleaning this corner. It needs cleaning and Kathleen doesn't give a sh*t." and went back to the cleaning.
She is coming in again on Tuesday.
Sometimes it is just how you make the guest feel. When she is here, she is pampered (in summer she likes breakfast on the porch and that is where I serve her and leave her to her book). She NEEDS to feel needed - so I let her find places I missed so she can help me clean. Her daughter is a lawyer and has helped not only me, but my Association and will not let me pay so I tell Mama (S) to keep her checkbook in her pocket. After she leaves - I find a check on the table. She is at heart a kind and overly generous lady and I consider myself fortunate to have her as a friend.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I don't care where you stay, there is always something you can find wrong. We can't stress out over the tiny things. People overlook a minor flaw, but when it's one thing after another, that's when it becomes a problem with the guest experience.
I love it when guests comment about our attention to details. If you have the thoughtful touches and create an environment where the guest feels cared for, then that tiny bit of dust in the corner or a nick in the wall will be overlooked.
Just do the best you can. Nobody's perfect.

 

[gillumhouse]

I don't care where you stay, there is always something you can find wrong. We can't stress out over the tiny things. People overlook a minor flaw, but when it's one thing after another, that's when it becomes a problem with the guest experience.
I love it when guests comment about our attention to details. If you have the thoughtful touches and create an environment where the guest feels cared for, then that tiny bit of dust in the corner or a nick in the wall will be overlooked.
Just do the best you can. Nobody's perfect..

I don't care where you stay, there is always something you can find wrong. We can't stress out over the tiny things. People overlook a minor flaw, but when it's one thing after another, that's when it becomes a problem with the guest experience.
I love it when guests comment about our attention to details. If you have the thoughtful touches and create an environment where the guest feels cared for, then that tiny bit of dust in the corner or a nick in the wall will be overlooked.
Just do the best you can. Nobody's perfect.

That is what is so funny about my place. I get told all the time about how wonderfully I pay attention to details and how wonderful everything it. Me? Details? But that is how the guests see it and I bless them for it.

 

[JBloggs]

I just removed the line about "if you cannot make breakfast please let us know by..."
Which is one of those annoy those who do make breakfast, as those who no show no show anyway...
I am rearranging the list...I tell guests about the wifi, then they come down to ask about it. The info is on this sheet, which they are told, but it was not the first line.
So I will put them in order from experience...

1. WIFI
2. BREAKFAST TIMES and INFO
3. etc

I have gone virtually NOTE free in this place...I have still not put out directions on how to operate the keurig, I told you it was an experiment, so far so good! (I bought the simplest model though, no cup sizes, nothing to do other than put it in and push a button)

 

[BananaE29]

I have told this story before but the newbies will not have heard it.
There is a lady who used to come fairly frequently - life changes have deemed that not so these days although we are frequently in touch via e-mail. She is a very "non-bending" personality, wants everything just so and is very critical of others but for some reason gives me a pass. For some ungodly reason she liked us and this place - even back in the days of the 3 with shared! She considered one of the rooms "her room".
One visit, DH is coming through the hall on his way to his "cave" and he spots Sandy butt up in the corner by the hat rack. "S, what are you doing?" he asked. S looked around and replied, "I'm cleaning this corner. It needs cleaning and Kathleen doesn't give a sh*t." and went back to the cleaning.
She is coming in again on Tuesday.
Sometimes it is just how you make the guest feel. When she is here, she is pampered (in summer she likes breakfast on the porch and that is where I serve her and leave her to her book). She NEEDS to feel needed - so I let her find places I missed so she can help me clean. Her daughter is a lawyer and has helped not only me, but my Association and will not let me pay so I tell Mama (S) to keep her checkbook in her pocket. After she leaves - I find a check on the table. She is at heart a kind and overly generous lady and I consider myself fortunate to have her as a friend..

That just about brought a tear to my eye. Seriously. As burned out as I am, I recognize that some people just need to feel that love and attention because they can't get it elsewhere. It's funny how some people will irk me to no end with their grumpy attitudes, but some I just want to embrace.

I saw this quote the other day. I know of maybe two people in my life that can do this consistently, day in and day out. I tried it all day on Saturday and it damn near exhausted me!

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life."
- Mary Kay_Ash 1918-2001, Founder of Mary_Kay Cosmetics

 

[JBloggs]

I have told this story before but the newbies will not have heard it.
There is a lady who used to come fairly frequently - life changes have deemed that not so these days although we are frequently in touch via e-mail. She is a very "non-bending" personality, wants everything just so and is very critical of others but for some reason gives me a pass. For some ungodly reason she liked us and this place - even back in the days of the 3 with shared! She considered one of the rooms "her room".
One visit, DH is coming through the hall on his way to his "cave" and he spots Sandy butt up in the corner by the hat rack. "S, what are you doing?" he asked. S looked around and replied, "I'm cleaning this corner. It needs cleaning and Kathleen doesn't give a sh*t." and went back to the cleaning.
She is coming in again on Tuesday.
Sometimes it is just how you make the guest feel. When she is here, she is pampered (in summer she likes breakfast on the porch and that is where I serve her and leave her to her book). She NEEDS to feel needed - so I let her find places I missed so she can help me clean. Her daughter is a lawyer and has helped not only me, but my Association and will not let me pay so I tell Mama (S) to keep her checkbook in her pocket. After she leaves - I find a check on the table. She is at heart a kind and overly generous lady and I consider myself fortunate to have her as a friend..

That just about brought a tear to my eye. Seriously. As burned out as I am, I recognize that some people just need to feel that love and attention because they can't get it elsewhere. It's funny how some people will irk me to no end with their grumpy attitudes, but some I just want to embrace.

I saw this quote the other day. I know of maybe two people in my life that can do this consistently, day in and day out. I tried it all day on Saturday and it damn near exhausted me!

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life."
- Mary Kay_Ash 1918-2001, Founder of Mary_Kay Cosmetics
.

Thanks Banana!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I am guilty of not ironing the sheets. BUT they are brand new sheets. The ones that came with the Inn were obviously old and tired.
And we have rugs in some of the bathrooms and I've wondered if they would be perceived as dirty. (they also came with the Inn, so I figured they were a standard.) I will remove them. We do have washable/replaced bath mats in every room also.
And every room has a space heater - so we ahead on that one. (Three rooms have electric fireplaces, the others have brand new, good looking efficient space heaters.)
And we removed the countless thumbtacks that were in the walls.

 

[Arks]

Good to get rid of the rugs, BeachHouse. People will assume hundreds of bare feet have stood on them since the last washing, leading to a certain "ick" factor. People these days expect the washable bath mats like hotels use. Glad you have those available.

 

[BananaE29]

Good to get rid of the rugs, BeachHouse. People will assume hundreds of bare feet have stood on them since the last washing, leading to a certain "ick" factor. People these days expect the washable bath mats like hotels use. Glad you have those available..

I have the fuzzy rugs, non skid backed rugs, but then also put the washable bath mats folded over the edge of the tub or shower rod. The tile floors get cold and I worry about someone slipping on just the washable type. I guess I don't think about that when I've stayed at a hotel, so why I'm worrying about it here, I don't know. Get rid of them, huh?

 

[Madeleine]

I just removed the line about "if you cannot make breakfast please let us know by..."
Which is one of those annoy those who do make breakfast, as those who no show no show anyway...
I am rearranging the list...I tell guests about the wifi, then they come down to ask about it. The info is on this sheet, which they are told, but it was not the first line.
So I will put them in order from experience...

1. WIFI
2. BREAKFAST TIMES and INFO
3. etc

I have gone virtually NOTE free in this place...I have still not put out directions on how to operate the keurig, I told you it was an experiment, so far so good! (I bought the simplest model though, no cup sizes, nothing to do other than put it in and push a button).

This is in the plastic frame on the bed. Something you have to move to get in the bed. Doesn't matter. Those who read will find info buried in back of a binder stuffed in a drawer. Those who don't never even see that there are words printed on this card:
Welcome!
We invite you to enjoy your stay with these complimentary amenities:
Breakfast (time)
Fridge & micro
Coffee, tea, etc
WiFi pw (bolded, in red)
How to contact us
Check out is at...
Thank you! Us.

 

[Madeleine]

I am guilty of not ironing the sheets. BUT they are brand new sheets. The ones that came with the Inn were obviously old and tired.
And we have rugs in some of the bathrooms and I've wondered if they would be perceived as dirty. (they also came with the Inn, so I figured they were a standard.) I will remove them. We do have washable/replaced bath mats in every room also.
And every room has a space heater - so we ahead on that one. (Three rooms have electric fireplaces, the others have brand new, good looking efficient space heaters.)
And we removed the countless thumbtacks that were in the walls. .

And we have rugs in some of the bathrooms and I've wondered if they would be perceived as dirty. (they also came with the Inn, so I figured they were a standard.) I will remove them. We do have washable/replaced bath mats in every room also.

We put bath rugs in 2 rooms that have really cold floors. We wash them after every guest. In stay we shake them out and flip them over. Yay 2-sided rugs!
Stayed at a place that had rugs that were completely mashed down. My guess was the housekeeping staff didn't even vacuum them much less send them out to be washed. I'm very careful to not even step on the mat once it is on the floor.

 

[Arks]

Good to get rid of the rugs, BeachHouse. People will assume hundreds of bare feet have stood on them since the last washing, leading to a certain "ick" factor. People these days expect the washable bath mats like hotels use. Glad you have those available..

I have the fuzzy rugs, non skid backed rugs, but then also put the washable bath mats folded over the edge of the tub or shower rod. The tile floors get cold and I worry about someone slipping on just the washable type. I guess I don't think about that when I've stayed at a hotel, so why I'm worrying about it here, I don't know. Get rid of them, huh?
.

I have the fuzzy rugs, non skid backed rugs, but then also put the washable bath mats folded over the edge of the tub or shower rod.

I furnish a single washable hotel-style bath mat, folded over the tub rim. I think I'll start furnishing 2, one for the tub and one for standing at the lavatory. The important thing, I guess, is to NOT have them already on the floor, but hung and folded when the guest arrives so they know they have been cleaned.
I have heated floors in the lavatory area, but still think people would prefer to stand with bare feet on a clean mat rather than directly on the tile.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I have 'fuzzy bath mats' on the floor in front of the tub. It's because our floors are hardwood...yes, even in the bathrooms. And not the standard hardwood with a protective coating, but the old, beautiful fir that has been stained and just a layer of floor wax (which I have to keep doing). They are not glossy at all. The water is a killer for those floors! If I had just the towel kind of bathmat, it would sit on that hardwood, soaking into the wood.
The bathmats are laundered between each guest. It's only been a couple of times where someone has placed a hand towel over the mat and stepped on that instead of our mat. I think that if a guest sees that our cleaning standards are high, they're at no risk that our mat is anything but clean.

 

[JBloggs]

Can someone show us a photo of a fuzzy bathmat?

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Here you go JB. These are what I consider 'fuzzy bathmats'. We don't use all the other stuff, but just the bathmat.