Welcome (but not too early) sign - how to say 'no early checkins' while sounding welcoming

[Lee2014]

My favorite early check ins are the ones who call ahead and request to check in at 1. Then they arrive at 3 having effectively wasted my day because I was stuck in the house waiting for them..

My favorite early check ins are the ones who call ahead and request to check in at 1. Then they arrive at 3 having effectively wasted my day because I was stuck in the house waiting for them.

For us its more like 7pm when the early arrivals show up. We have stopped letting early arrivals come unless they have a good reason why they need the room like a wedding to attend and want to freshen up, etc.

 

[Highlands John]

We don't have the in town traffic some of you have, so it isn't common to have early check-in requests. I have this thing against signs at B&B. On front door we only have a sign "If there is no answer, call 541- ....". Mornings we unlock door so guests can load car, midday we lock until we are expecting guests.
If one of us is around, we'll answer the door, if not, we'll answer the phone. If the room is ready, they can check in, but if not, I let them use the toilet in the "powder room" by the front door and leave luggage in the coat room for later. The availability of the toilet is pretty important since most of our arrivals have been in a car for a long time..

The availability of the toilet is pretty important since most of our arrivals have been in a car for a long time.

Our biggest reason for not answering the door. If the rooms are not ready, the guest can't use the bathroom there. If the room is ready BUT I AM NOT, the guest COULD use the bathroom but then they won't leave.
We have a toilet in the laundry room. It's rarely cleaned. It is not a pleasant introduction for the guest. I could add it to the housekeeper's list if things to clean but there's no sink. So the guest has to come in the kitchen. Where I don't want them.
Attention newbies - ADD A SPARE BATHROOM BY THE FRONT DOOR!
Other than our tiny kitchen it's the biggest peeve I have.
.

We have 3 rooms all ensuite, we have 1 bathroom downstairs and it's ours. I get requests to use the bathroom, sorry, no. Not letting guests into our bathroom, partly because it's never up to the level of cleanliness that we would provide guests and partly because it feels like the worst sort of invasion of our privacy. So go use the public toilets next to the Inn down the road and come back at the published check-in time.

 

[Jcam]

A perfect example of this is today - Room 3 here decide 11am check out does not apply to them, we are desperate to get out to the shops and a million things to do, drags on till 11.30am. Then room 7 arriving for the lodge arrives - big sign on the lodge front and back doors (please phone X phone number or come to the X next door for check in) - guest rings phone we are at the lodge for check in but it seems to be closed - Me "sorry we are busy dealing with check out but I will be right there) - DH has gone next door and is doing rooms but has not taken his ruddy phone or I could have called ahead - locked all keys in the laundry room and not answering me shouting like an idiot and has room 7 key in his pocket! Guest "and where do we go for breakfast" we are a non breakfast property and we only sell room only so sorry we don't do breakfast as per our guest information and your confirmation email and the email we sent you yesterday asking when you will be arriving you didn't answer. DH does not like doing bathrooms so has half finished 8 and 7 and is messing about - he takes twice the time I do to clean a room drives me mad! Was probably a bit snippy but really! due to further pratting about on DH's part we didn't get out of the house till 12.30 - its a bank holiday weekend here so all shops the country wide are shut tomorrow all day and Sunday opening hours on Monday so We HAD to get everything done today. New Sunday person starts tomorrow but then I have to train her which I hate wish me luck. Plus pretty sure have a no show which card declined - priceless. Have been unable to pre charge cards as my blasted card machine is up the squiff so have to use an Izettle as back up which doesn't do customer not presents and wont be sorted till tuesday at the latest due to the ruddy bank holiday when everything grinds to a ruddy halt!

 

[gillumhouse]

A perfect example of this is today - Room 3 here decide 11am check out does not apply to them, we are desperate to get out to the shops and a million things to do, drags on till 11.30am. Then room 7 arriving for the lodge arrives - big sign on the lodge front and back doors (please phone X phone number or come to the X next door for check in) - guest rings phone we are at the lodge for check in but it seems to be closed - Me "sorry we are busy dealing with check out but I will be right there) - DH has gone next door and is doing rooms but has not taken his ruddy phone or I could have called ahead - locked all keys in the laundry room and not answering me shouting like an idiot and has room 7 key in his pocket! Guest "and where do we go for breakfast" we are a non breakfast property and we only sell room only so sorry we don't do breakfast as per our guest information and your confirmation email and the email we sent you yesterday asking when you will be arriving you didn't answer. DH does not like doing bathrooms so has half finished 8 and 7 and is messing about - he takes twice the time I do to clean a room drives me mad! Was probably a bit snippy but really! due to further pratting about on DH's part we didn't get out of the house till 12.30 - its a bank holiday weekend here so all shops the country wide are shut tomorrow all day and Sunday opening hours on Monday so We HAD to get everything done today. New Sunday person starts tomorrow but then I have to train her which I hate wish me luck. Plus pretty sure have a no show which card declined - priceless. Have been unable to pre charge cards as my blasted card machine is up the squiff so have to use an Izettle as back up which doesn't do customer not presents and wont be sorted till tuesday at the latest due to the ruddy bank holiday when everything grinds to a ruddy halt!.

When it 'rains', it POURS!!

 

[Jcam]

A perfect example of this is today - Room 3 here decide 11am check out does not apply to them, we are desperate to get out to the shops and a million things to do, drags on till 11.30am. Then room 7 arriving for the lodge arrives - big sign on the lodge front and back doors (please phone X phone number or come to the X next door for check in) - guest rings phone we are at the lodge for check in but it seems to be closed - Me "sorry we are busy dealing with check out but I will be right there) - DH has gone next door and is doing rooms but has not taken his ruddy phone or I could have called ahead - locked all keys in the laundry room and not answering me shouting like an idiot and has room 7 key in his pocket! Guest "and where do we go for breakfast" we are a non breakfast property and we only sell room only so sorry we don't do breakfast as per our guest information and your confirmation email and the email we sent you yesterday asking when you will be arriving you didn't answer. DH does not like doing bathrooms so has half finished 8 and 7 and is messing about - he takes twice the time I do to clean a room drives me mad! Was probably a bit snippy but really! due to further pratting about on DH's part we didn't get out of the house till 12.30 - its a bank holiday weekend here so all shops the country wide are shut tomorrow all day and Sunday opening hours on Monday so We HAD to get everything done today. New Sunday person starts tomorrow but then I have to train her which I hate wish me luck. Plus pretty sure have a no show which card declined - priceless. Have been unable to pre charge cards as my blasted card machine is up the squiff so have to use an Izettle as back up which doesn't do customer not presents and wont be sorted till tuesday at the latest due to the ruddy bank holiday when everything grinds to a ruddy halt!.

When it 'rains', it POURS!!
.

fortunately not raining but it is very windy lol. Plus on the plus side got the comfy chair put together for the room 16, tv up their, small landing there carpet fitting done, TV up to the room and TV stand bought, new illuminated mirror up as other one stopped working and found the box of plastic bathroom glasses ive been looking for for a week for next door and got them all washed in my newly plumbed in dishwasher and got one half of the basement plastered looking good! and had another shout at the card machine people. Just got to get all the rubbish I can see out of the basement and off to the tip which is about 2 car loads, one stuffed and ready to go one more waiting and ill be a bit clearer down there.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Yesterday was weird. We only had one person. And she was all set and comfortable so we went out back to sip wine and grill steaks.
Door bell rings. I say hi. They look at me. I say, how can I help you, they (two women with backpacks, no car), say, "you rent a room." huh? nothing more.
I finally said, "Are you looking for a hotel room?" "Yes!" Oh, we are full, here is a lit of B&B's in town with their phone numbers. I start to point out which are actually open (it's still off season here.)
They are paying no attention at all. they walk away.
We decided they probably just wanted to see the house. Or, maybe use the bathroom.
We had plenty of space, but we had had a very busy day with a full house check out, Easter breakfast and all that goes with it, and we were enjoying our quiet evening. So, No, no walk ins.

 

[Morticia]

And after our vacation what time did our first guests arrive? This always happens so I don't know why I didn't just get up and get dressed earlier!
Noon.
I was still enjoying the vacation aura. Which I still have because we only had the one room!

 

[Silverspoon]

Yesterday was weird. We only had one person. And she was all set and comfortable so we went out back to sip wine and grill steaks.
Door bell rings. I say hi. They look at me. I say, how can I help you, they (two women with backpacks, no car), say, "you rent a room." huh? nothing more.
I finally said, "Are you looking for a hotel room?" "Yes!" Oh, we are full, here is a lit of B&B's in town with their phone numbers. I start to point out which are actually open (it's still off season here.)
They are paying no attention at all. they walk away.
We decided they probably just wanted to see the house. Or, maybe use the bathroom.
We had plenty of space, but we had had a very busy day with a full house check out, Easter breakfast and all that goes with it, and we were enjoying our quiet evening. So, No, no walk ins..

They sound like Europeans with limited English skills. We get mostly Germans coming to the door who sound like that.