Accepting Babies (again) - NO

[Mini]

Now that I have the new rule - no babies
I just told a guest who wanted my last room for next weekend (and wanted to bring her baby) that we do not accept small children because we are adult oriented and guests are often here for a quiet romantic getaway. I also told her of incident where a baby cried all night and the other guests were not happy.
An hour later this email was in my in box from her and her husband.
You know, I just got off the phone with you and I must say I've never felt so
humiliated nor discriminated against in my life. My husband and I could really use a
relaxing weekend away with our 1 year old (as it is my birthday), and we have no
family within 2000 km of here (to leave our baby with and get away). And you
essentially tell us we are not welcome at your bed and breakfast because we have a
child. Not all children are brats you know. Some parents actually parent and take
care of their children.
I should report you to the better business bureau.

 

[Morticia]

OK, so keep the policy, but perhaps change the way it is presented! I think the crying baby story is what set them off. If you have a policy, there is absolutely NO need to explain why. 'I'm sorry, we do not accept children under the age of 12. Here is the name of another inn in the area that does.'
Or, 'Our B&B is an adult getaway and therefore we do not accept children.' (And give them the number of a place that does.)

 

[egoodell]

We don't accept children either and that's that. This is our home and our business. People spend a lot of money to have their children taken care of while they vacation, and it would not be fair for them to have to listen to kids crying etc.
What I have learned to do is not to explain as you did. I used to do that and it never works. What I tell them now is that we are not equipped to take children, and are a romantic getaway, and I have learned to stop there. It's like sales, the first one that speaks loses!
Others have used the response that the rooms can only accommodate two and they would have to rent two rooms which they won't do.
Don't let them get you down! They are not your demographic anyway!
Riki

 

[swirt]

As Bree and Egoodell mentioned, explaining the why's of policies just invites people to try to persuade you out of them. (or feign being offended by them)

 

[Mini]

this woman keeps sending me nasty letters telling me all her friends stay with us and she will make sure they never do again.
I am not answering her any more.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

How could they have a "relaxing weekend with their 1 year old" away from home?? It's always harder to travel with your baby since you can't bring everything they need. I would agree, just stick to your age policy and don't state why.
When me and my daughter were looking for places to stay on a previous trip we came across a B&B in Ct. that for some reason fit our needs. I filled out the reservation request and put down my daughter would be coming with me, I didn't state the age since I didn't see anything noted on the website about age requirement (she was then about 16). We almost immediately got a long reply back about how they don't take young kids since they have lots of very expensive antiques all over the house and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. Then at the very end they asked what her age was....well it ticked me off so I told them her age but said if the innkeepers where that uptight that I would never want to stay at their Inn and give them my money. They replied back with something snotty about not needing my money. If they would have just replied and said they do not accept kids under the age of ___ but if you daughter is over that they would be happy to continue with the reservation we would have stayed there.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Keep us posted Lo.
Stick to your policies. We had guests tell us how peeved they were when they arranged a sitter or family member to FLY IN so they could getaway for an anniversary only to find the owners bent the rules and let other children stay there.
Also the niche thing. Is the place selling romance? If so, KIDS DO NOT FIT INTO THAT EQUATION.
Sorry kids, but you are kidlike - I sit here after my 'kid' vacuumed up POOP from the outside of the catbox. Yes, the smell is deeeeelightful as we take apart the vacuum to get to it and remove it. I am not pleased. Kids do kidlike things, stupid things that we cannot understand. Not always purposefully annoying, but annoying nonetheless.

 

[Willowpondgj]

Keep us posted Lo.
Stick to your policies. We had guests tell us how peeved they were when they arranged a sitter or family member to FLY IN so they could getaway for an anniversary only to find the owners bent the rules and let other children stay there.
Also the niche thing. Is the place selling romance? If so, KIDS DO NOT FIT INTO THAT EQUATION.
Sorry kids, but you are kidlike - I sit here after my 'kid' vacuumed up POOP from the outside of the catbox. Yes, the smell is deeeeelightful as we take apart the vacuum to get to it and remove it. I am not pleased. Kids do kidlike things, stupid things that we cannot understand. Not always purposefully annoying, but annoying nonetheless..

Actually, you have to admire the ingenuity there JBJ! When I was a kid, my cat got so fed up with noone cleaning the box that she trained herself to use the toilet!

Seriously.

 

[happyjacks]

I agree, don't explain. The less detail the better. However I did once have a lady ask me flat out why I don't take children (I could hear her toddler screeching in the background and she still had to ask?). my answer was: The presence of children can interfere with other guests' enjoyment of the property and as such our policy is not to take them.
And as others mentioned, keep a phone number handy for a family-friendly alternative nearby, even if it's a big box hotel instead of a B&B.

 

[Morticia]

this woman keeps sending me nasty letters telling me all her friends stay with us and she will make sure they never do again.
I am not answering her any more..

this woman keeps sending me nasty letters telling me all her friends stay with us and she will make sure they never do again.
I am not answering her any more.

Wow. Talk about emotional blackmail. She's just waiting for you to cave. How much you wanna bet even her friends don't want to be around that kid!

 

[DaisyMae]

{ ...and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. }
a long time ago when i was reading a how-to innkeeper book, it suggested that if you put out a very special item, for use or display,expect that the worst coud possibly happen. that very easily could have accidently been broken by an adult or child.
for me personally, i don't have any decorative items that "cost thousands of dollars" because of reasons like that. if i did have a prized item, it would stay put in my quarters. however...to each his own.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

{ ...and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. }
a long time ago when i was reading a how-to innkeeper book, it suggested that if you put out a very special item, for use or display,expect that the worst coud possibly happen. that very easily could have accidently been broken by an adult or child.
for me personally, i don't have any decorative items that "cost thousands of dollars" because of reasons like that. if i did have a prized item, it would stay put in my quarters. however...to each his own..

{ ...and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. }
a long time ago when i was reading a how-to innkeeper book, it suggested that if you put out a very special item, for use or display,expect that the worst coud possibly happen. that very easily could have accidently been broken by an adult or child.
for me personally, i don't have any decorative items that "cost thousands of dollars" because of reasons like that. if i did have a prized item, it would stay put in my quarters. however...to each his own.

Let's put it this way - it all costs thousands. Perhaps that innkeeper only SAID that to scare the parent away (you know, parent thinking, If we break it we pay for it!)
Every time you have to REPAIR and REPLACE - it costs time, money, effort that the guest will never PAY for. Normal wear and tear is one thing. A single sweet little innocent lad with a matchbox car running and gauging it down your hallway walls is another!
I can see someone mentioning EXPENSIVE antiques only to put OFF parents with young kids. Seriousely. They might not have any at all!

 

[egoodell]

this woman keeps sending me nasty letters telling me all her friends stay with us and she will make sure they never do again.
I am not answering her any more..

this just goes to show you that you would not want her in your B&B with or without the child. Stick to your guns and try not to read any of her emails.
RIki

 

[user 26]

ohboy ... tread lightly ...
i don't know how many rooms you have, what your laws are where you are ... i was required to accept children because of state laws and how many guest rooms. didn't matter that i lived onsite. i would take them but i did not encourage them ... no baby equipment, restrictions on occupancy per room, we were not set up for children, lots of stairs, etc. so we had the occasional infant and/or toddler. if i knew in advance, i put them in the only guest room on the first floor - away from other rooms - no reason to go up and down stairs. but sometimes a couple would arrive with newborn in arms. i did my best to make them comfortable.
do you know what the laws are in your state and how they apply to your place (number of rooms, owner-occupied, etc)?

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

{ ...and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. }
a long time ago when i was reading a how-to innkeeper book, it suggested that if you put out a very special item, for use or display,expect that the worst coud possibly happen. that very easily could have accidently been broken by an adult or child.
for me personally, i don't have any decorative items that "cost thousands of dollars" because of reasons like that. if i did have a prized item, it would stay put in my quarters. however...to each his own..

{ ...and how they once had a guest break their very expensive dining room table decoration that cost thousands of dollars and they will not have that again. }
a long time ago when i was reading a how-to innkeeper book, it suggested that if you put out a very special item, for use or display,expect that the worst coud possibly happen. that very easily could have accidently been broken by an adult or child.
for me personally, i don't have any decorative items that "cost thousands of dollars" because of reasons like that. if i did have a prized item, it would stay put in my quarters. however...to each his own.

Let's put it this way - it all costs thousands. Perhaps that innkeeper only SAID that to scare the parent away (you know, parent thinking, If we break it we pay for it!)
Every time you have to REPAIR and REPLACE - it costs time, money, effort that the guest will never PAY for. Normal wear and tear is one thing. A single sweet little innocent lad with a matchbox car running and gauging it down your hallway walls is another!
I can see someone mentioning EXPENSIVE antiques only to put OFF parents with young kids. Seriousely. They might not have any at all!

.

Hopefully they have antiques....Their Inn is called Antiques and ______! It was the tone of her email and the words that she used that was so inappropriate. Even if I did have a small child I was traveling with she could have worded it different and not get so bent out of shape that I might actually want to stay there. She did leave an impression though, I have remembered the name of her Inn for several years now!

 

[EmptyNest]

If you are not in a state where you must accept them. Do not make apologies. State the facts politely.... We do not permit children in our Home/ B & B. that is it. If they don't like it TOUGH! I would not respond any further to her. It is your house, your property, your rules!!! iF you know of a place that takes kids, send her to them.
In our location, we have only one inn that takes children. If I got a request I would just tell them to call that inn,

 

[Morticia]

If you are not in a state where you must accept them. Do not make apologies. State the facts politely.... We do not permit children in our Home/ B & B. that is it. If they don't like it TOUGH! I would not respond any further to her. It is your house, your property, your rules!!! iF you know of a place that takes kids, send her to them.
In our location, we have only one inn that takes children. If I got a request I would just tell them to call that inn,.

They're not in a state...they're in a province...Canada.

 

[Samster]

I have had a few inquiries from people with young or small children. I tell them that we have no kid equipment, are not child-proof, and that we have a historic property with antiques. One prospective guest wrote how her 5 year old was like a little adult and would we make an exception to our "rule"?
I added this to my reply: "We find that parents usually don't think that a traditional bed and breakfast is suited for younger children than around 12 years old as we are in historic buildings with stairs, have antiques, and are not child-proof. We also serve a plated 3 course sit-down breakfast. If you think that your child would enjoy this experience and that other guests would enjoy her company as well, we'd be happy to have you join us."
I don't hear back from folks.

 

[Morticia]

I have had a few inquiries from people with young or small children. I tell them that we have no kid equipment, are not child-proof, and that we have a historic property with antiques. One prospective guest wrote how her 5 year old was like a little adult and would we make an exception to our "rule"?
I added this to my reply: "We find that parents usually don't think that a traditional bed and breakfast is suited for younger children than around 12 years old as we are in historic buildings with stairs, have antiques, and are not child-proof. We also serve a plated 3 course sit-down breakfast. If you think that your child would enjoy this experience and that other guests would enjoy her company as well, we'd be happy to have you join us."
I don't hear back from folks..

I have had a few inquiries from people with young or small children. I tell them that we have no kid equipment, are not child-proof, and that we have a historic property with antiques. One prospective guest wrote how her 5 year old was like a little adult and would we make an exception to our "rule"?
I added this to my reply: "We find that parents usually don't think that a traditional bed and breakfast is suited for younger children than around 12 years old as we are in historic buildings with stairs, have antiques, and are not child-proof. We also serve a plated 3 course sit-down breakfast. If you think that your child would enjoy this experience and that other guests would enjoy her company as well, we'd be happy to have you join us."
I don't hear back from folks.

Yeah, I think the 'sit down' part is what trips them up every time.

 

[user 26]

then what are the rules in Canada where the b&b is? i'm wondering about the 'report you to the better business bureau' comment