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Joey Camb

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My guests keep letting other people in ie other guests who have not checked in yet or even people off the street! do other people have this problem and what do you do about it? The whole point is to have the door locked for security and also so they have to ring the bell so I know people are there and need checking in I can't know this if they have been let in by someone else! GRRR 2 actually checked themselves in though I was only across the hall! (They are a regular group and I had left the list of rooms they were meant to be in out, so they filled in reg cards, took the appropriate keys and pottered off!!!!!)
 
You are not alone. I am small enoguh that I have not had the problem, but others have - usually inns in cities. I am in a city, but it is small also (pop about 2300). I DID have a woman just walk in 2 weeks ago when my daughter was here - it was a beautiful day and they were in the living room. It is such a rare thing here that we often allow the day to shine in the front door. She was chased off and did not come back as she said she would.
 
OK, I've had that exact scenario happen but it was with guests who used to come with the PO's. (Previous Owners)
They used to let themselves in, take their keys and go off to their rooms. We'd wait up for them thinking they hadn't arrived!
Anyway, that all stopped when we got the keypad for the door and started telling guests, 'Everyone who belongs in here has the code. Please do not let anyone in, just ring the bell and we'll come.'
A couple of them just did not get it. They let walk-ins come in and showed them around. Then they left them standing there. No one rang the bell, so the poor walk-ins just milled around until we went out for something and there they were. I had to tell them, 'Look, you let them in then you take care of them.' They try to be helpful.
I have a note in the guest book that says it is perfectly ok to leave strangers standing on the steps and to ring the bell if they want to let us know someone is waiting.
Maybe guests are more careful now? I don't know but letting in anyone has mostly stopped.
 
I do not usually (knocking on wood now) have this problem but have run across this in my travels to other places.
One place I stayed most recently has a big speil they went through regarding the security of the place. This place was on a well traveled city street so they made sure the door was locked at all times. They told us that even if we knew the people behind us were staying at the inn, we were to come in and shut the door behind us. "If they are supposed to be here, they have their own key. And if they don't, they can ring the bell so I know someone is here." And also told how this protects everyone staying there.
Maybe you could come up with your own speil on this... (Not that everyone will hear you as we all know of the selective hearing of our guests.)
An additional thought is to have a self locking door. (But will not help if they are holding the door open for them to walk in!)
 
Yes, Camberley, it's a common problem. And sadly there's no good solution for it. Some guests will do it no matter what you do to try to avoid it.
Keeping all the roomkeys locked up and inaccessible to guests (and whoever the guests might let in) is a good plan at all times. I like self check-ins (with a key left securely somewhere) for late arrivals but access to roomkeys should not be possible otherwise.
 
Yes, Camberley, it's a common problem. And sadly there's no good solution for it. Some guests will do it no matter what you do to try to avoid it.
Keeping all the roomkeys locked up and inaccessible to guests (and whoever the guests might let in) is a good plan at all times. I like self check-ins (with a key left securely somewhere) for late arrivals but access to roomkeys should not be possible otherwise..
We have always kept the keys by the back door on a shelf as this is what the previous owers did (because of a very casual self check in policy of we leave the back door open help youself to a key system) I am now considering keeping them out of view as I agree with your advice as well as investing in a lock box system as I need my beauty sleep!
 
Yes, Camberley, it's a common problem. And sadly there's no good solution for it. Some guests will do it no matter what you do to try to avoid it.
Keeping all the roomkeys locked up and inaccessible to guests (and whoever the guests might let in) is a good plan at all times. I like self check-ins (with a key left securely somewhere) for late arrivals but access to roomkeys should not be possible otherwise..
We have always kept the keys by the back door on a shelf as this is what the previous owers did (because of a very casual self check in policy of we leave the back door open help youself to a key system) I am now considering keeping them out of view as I agree with your advice as well as investing in a lock box system as I need my beauty sleep!
.
The last lock boxes I had installed cost about $40 each. A bargain when you consider how much peace of mind they bring.
 
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