Evening Turn Down Service

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Do you provide an evening turn down service?
Each evening or only the first?
Every Room or by request only? Do you have a PLEASE TURN DOWN MY ROOM or DO NOT DISTURB for guests on the door knobs?
What do you do other than turning down the bed, lamps on low, chocolates on pillow?

 

[Morticia]

No.
Reason- it would take too much effort on my part to figure out who is here and who is gone out. By 'turn down time' I am beat and only waiting for my own turn in time! Also, once I have cleaned a guest room I do not wish to go back in to 'reclean' if they have made a mess of things in the meantime. And how could you NOT reclean if you were leaving behind some sort of treat? (Just asking, I know some would just step out of the room, but if you've set up the expectation that there is a turn down service, you HAVE to do something!)
However, having been the recipient of a turndown service at Tipsy's, it was very nice to come back to relaxing music playing and a treat awaiting.

 

[Willowpondgj]

I agree with Bree, after doing fluffs, I would feel like I'm stalking my guests if I had to go in the room again to do turn downs and try to figure out who's still here... But I also agree, it is a nice touch, I kind of try to give that feel, by having the room look and feel that way upon check-in, bed already turned down, warming or cooling the room, setting lights, etc.
I don't know about music, I am not comfortable choosing music for others since it's such a personal preference, some people hate classical, bluegrass/country, rap, I've had guests who hate music- period, I couldn't live without it myself, but-whatever, how can you know???!

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I usually do it once..on the first night they are here. I do this to take the decorative quilt and pillow off the bed so they don't get damaged. When I come in to clean the room the next day and if they are a stay over I don't put those back on the bed. It is a lot of work to come back and turn the beds down at night trying to figure out when people are coming and going.

 

[NW BB]

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash..

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash.

or found a g-string on the floor with the covers tossed everywhere (so I need to actually MAKE the bed to turn it down). This is the #1 reason I don't do turn down. (Altho I have done it on ocassion when I was assured the guests were officially out and it was a very special ocassion - only to find they had enjoyed the sheets before I got to the room - she could not look at me the next morning from embarrassment.)
#2 So many one night guests - like tonight. They oftentimes don't get here til very late. I should turn it all down for them if I KNOW THIS IN ADVANCE but I usually don't. One time I did this pre their arrival and the guests looked at me odd, and I felt like the look said "Who has been sleeping in my bed?"
Do you feel turn down service is an amenity within a certain price range? Is it something you would expect if you paid $250+? Your thoughts?

 

[Morticia]

I agree with Bree, after doing fluffs, I would feel like I'm stalking my guests if I had to go in the room again to do turn downs and try to figure out who's still here... But I also agree, it is a nice touch, I kind of try to give that feel, by having the room look and feel that way upon check-in, bed already turned down, warming or cooling the room, setting lights, etc.
I don't know about music, I am not comfortable choosing music for others since it's such a personal preference, some people hate classical, bluegrass/country, rap, I've had guests who hate music- period, I couldn't live without it myself, but-whatever, how can you know???!.

I don't know about music, I am not comfortable choosing music for others since it's such a personal preference, some people hate classical, bluegrass/country, rap, I've had guests who hate music- period, I couldn't live without it myself, but-whatever, how can you know???!

Oh, that Tipsy is tricky...she gets you talking about yourself as she explains everything and then voila! she's paying your favorite '40's station when you come back from dinner! And your friends who you're on vacation with? Their favorite '50's station is playing in their room!

 

[Morticia]

I usually do it once..on the first night they are here. I do this to take the decorative quilt and pillow off the bed so they don't get damaged. When I come in to clean the room the next day and if they are a stay over I don't put those back on the bed. It is a lot of work to come back and turn the beds down at night trying to figure out when people are coming and going..

I usually do it once..on the first night they are here. I do this to take the decorative quilt and pillow off the bed so they don't get damaged. When I come in to clean the room the next day and if they are a stay over I don't put those back on the bed. It is a lot of work to come back and turn the beds down at night trying to figure out when people are coming and going.

This is something I don't understand...why do innkeepers (and there are a lot who do this) have 'precious' items in the rooms that guests are allowed to look at but not touch? If bedding is so fragile that it must be removed before guests turn in for the night, why not save some grief and anxiety and replace those items with things the guests can touch?
We've had a number of times on a few forums where innkeepers make a mad dash to get their 'nice' things out of the way and leave the guest wondering where the bedding went!
In this case, what does the bedding get replaced with? Does the guest only get a sheet and blanket?
This would make me crazy as an innkeeper and insulted as a guest.
Now, this is not to say that I don't have 'secondary' bedding that goes on the beds when there are dogs in the house. But the guest sees only this bedding and not the 'firsts' bedding that goes on when no dogs are in the room. It wouldn't be an issue to have the 'firsts' bedding on except they're very heavy quilts that take forever to dry. The 'secondary' bedding is lightweight and easy to wash. And because I wash all the bedding when dogs are in the room, this makes life easier for everyone. Altho more laundry, the room cleanup is a matter of stripping and remaking beds with the other set of bedding, then wash the 'dog room' bedding at leisure.

 

[NW BB]

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash..

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash.

or found a g-string on the floor with the covers tossed everywhere (so I need to actually MAKE the bed to turn it down). This is the #1 reason I don't do turn down. (Altho I have done it on ocassion when I was assured the guests were officially out and it was a very special ocassion - only to find they had enjoyed the sheets before I got to the room - she could not look at me the next morning from embarrassment.)
#2 So many one night guests - like tonight. They oftentimes don't get here til very late. I should turn it all down for them if I KNOW THIS IN ADVANCE but I usually don't. One time I did this pre their arrival and the guests looked at me odd, and I felt like the look said "Who has been sleeping in my bed?"
Do you feel turn down service is an amenity within a certain price range? Is it something you would expect if you paid $250+? Your thoughts?
.

My perspective is different than most people because with my previous career as a musician, I've spent more nights in hotels (some very expensive & some not) than I care to think about. Maybe that's why I have an emphesis on privacy. When I was working on the road I would always put the do not disturb sign on my door after check-in. I dreaded the thought of housekeeping entering my room when I was not there. Especially when I had to leave my amazingly expensive viola in the room. If I couldn't take it with me, I would put it in the bed as if it were a person under the covers and make the bed look like someone was sleeping!
If in my life now, if I were staying at a $250+ place I might appreciate the turn down service, but I would love to have the option of the sign on the door that I could request the turn down service. That way it would be my choice.

 

[The Tipsy Butler]

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash..

There are 2 reasons I don't do turndown service. The first one is selfish...I don't want to be tied to the inn after my guests have all arrived. I want to be able to go out to dinner or just plain relax. The second reason is that since we market as the "private" and "romantic" B&B, the type of guest that typically stays with us doesn't want us around as much as most B&B goers. Since we don't do turndown service, we have chocolate mints next to their bed on arrival and each day of their stay
I also am one that wouldn't be able to not clean/straighten up if I went to do a turndown and saw things a mess or trash.

or found a g-string on the floor with the covers tossed everywhere (so I need to actually MAKE the bed to turn it down). This is the #1 reason I don't do turn down. (Altho I have done it on ocassion when I was assured the guests were officially out and it was a very special ocassion - only to find they had enjoyed the sheets before I got to the room - she could not look at me the next morning from embarrassment.)
#2 So many one night guests - like tonight. They oftentimes don't get here til very late. I should turn it all down for them if I KNOW THIS IN ADVANCE but I usually don't. One time I did this pre their arrival and the guests looked at me odd, and I felt like the look said "Who has been sleeping in my bed?"
Do you feel turn down service is an amenity within a certain price range? Is it something you would expect if you paid $250+? Your thoughts?
.

My perspective is different than most people because with my previous career as a musician, I've spent more nights in hotels (some very expensive & some not) than I care to think about. Maybe that's why I have an emphesis on privacy. When I was working on the road I would always put the do not disturb sign on my door after check-in. I dreaded the thought of housekeeping entering my room when I was not there. Especially when I had to leave my amazingly expensive viola in the room. If I couldn't take it with me, I would put it in the bed as if it were a person under the covers and make the bed look like someone was sleeping!
If in my life now, if I were staying at a $250+ place I might appreciate the turn down service, but I would love to have the option of the sign on the door that I could request the turn down service. That way it would be my choice.
.

One thing I have changed is that I now tell guests that I'm going to do "turn-down". That gives them a chance to shudder and say "no thank you".
Hasn't happened yet though - a lot of our new guests have heard about it through word of mouth and look forward to it. All I can say is that it's part of my "every B&B is different" philosphy and if there are the occasional guests who don't like it, the majority of MY guests do and I guess those are the ones that will come back.
Like most of what I do, I have fun with it and as Bree says, if something comes up in conversation, I'll see what I can do to incorporate it (setting up a game of scrabble on the table for instance).
I do understand that it can be overly personal for some people, but that's kind of my thing ..... and yes - "Privacy Please" signs are high on my to-do list, simply because it will make things much simpler for me.

 

[The Tipsy Butler]

I agree with Bree, after doing fluffs, I would feel like I'm stalking my guests if I had to go in the room again to do turn downs and try to figure out who's still here... But I also agree, it is a nice touch, I kind of try to give that feel, by having the room look and feel that way upon check-in, bed already turned down, warming or cooling the room, setting lights, etc.
I don't know about music, I am not comfortable choosing music for others since it's such a personal preference, some people hate classical, bluegrass/country, rap, I've had guests who hate music- period, I couldn't live without it myself, but-whatever, how can you know???!.

I love having a "formal" room when they arrive and a completely different look to it when they get back from dinner.
If I can't get a feel for the right kind of music then I'll leave a very low-key classical station on (chamber music as opposed to symphonies). If they don't like music they can turn it off I remember one summer running back up the hill to change a guest's music to a Swing Station when I saw them dancing their hearts out to a local live band. I guess I'm just a sucker for a smile

 

[The Tipsy Butler]

I do it every night (including new bottled water every day) because I'd rather have multi-night stays and I somehow don't feel it's fair that if you stay one night you get as much as you do if you stay for more nights. I do my best to have a different treat for each night they're with us and I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing.

 

[Penelope]

I do it every night (including new bottled water every day) because I'd rather have multi-night stays and I somehow don't feel it's fair that if you stay one night you get as much as you do if you stay for more nights. I do my best to have a different treat for each night they're with us and I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing..

The more comments I read about you, the more I admire your class. You do what I aspire to do. I, too, am a sucker for the smile. Keep up the great job and the great attitude about your prefession!

 

[muirford]

I do it every night (including new bottled water every day) because I'd rather have multi-night stays and I somehow don't feel it's fair that if you stay one night you get as much as you do if you stay for more nights. I do my best to have a different treat for each night they're with us and I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing..

I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing

OMG, I would so much rather have those than chocolates on my pillow!!

 

[The Tipsy Butler]

I do it every night (including new bottled water every day) because I'd rather have multi-night stays and I somehow don't feel it's fair that if you stay one night you get as much as you do if you stay for more nights. I do my best to have a different treat for each night they're with us and I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing..

I keep "kid friendly" treats on hand, like pop rocks, sour candy tubes - that kind of thing

OMG, I would so much rather have those than chocolates on my pillow!!
.

Cool - now I know what to do WHEN you come and stay

 

[gillumhouse]

I do not turn-down and unless requested, I do not enter the room during the visit. I tell my guests that I look at it as this is their home while they are here, and I would not enter their home without permission. If they need maid service, please tell me. Most tell me everything is fine. Many have told me they appreciate that, some have even said they do not like someone going into their room when they are out. So far, the only one to ever "disrespect" my house ws the jerk who wanted to canel a 3-night reservation when he arrived and expected me to smile and say goodbye (I would have been better off but he would have thought he could do that to someone else..)

 

[Samster]

I do turndown service and our guests really like it. I also have the room ready at check-in - lights on, TV to guide channel with volume turned down, etc. The bed is made up with decorative shams, pillows, etc. It's not that these things are too fancy or precious, but it's the look of the room when they arrive & then they are moved out of the way (all our beds have 4 pillows on them plus the shams, etc.) for slumber. When they go to dinner - drapes or blinds are closed, shams & decorative pillows are removed, lights are lowered, and a turndown treat is left with a note that says, "Sweet Dreams, Your Innkeeper ~ Samster". I try to do a different treat every night for multiple night stays. Our guests comment that they feel pampered. I mention a turndown service & if they say it's not necessary (rare), I respect that. I also remind them of the "Privacy" hanger for the door if they don't want their room turned down. It only takes a very few minutes. The only other thing that I do at turndown is remove trash if needed. We do it every night if we know when they're out.
Late arriving guests get some combination of their room ready for check-in & a turndown service. We also leave small baskets of snacks in each room for check-in - 100 cal snack crackers, a granola bar, maybe a piece of fruit, package of peanuts, and a homemade treat. Just part of the service here...

 

[sandynn]

No.
Reason- it would take too much effort on my part to figure out who is here and who is gone out. By 'turn down time' I am beat and only waiting for my own turn in time! Also, once I have cleaned a guest room I do not wish to go back in to 'reclean' if they have made a mess of things in the meantime. And how could you NOT reclean if you were leaving behind some sort of treat? (Just asking, I know some would just step out of the room, but if you've set up the expectation that there is a turn down service, you HAVE to do something!)
However, having been the recipient of a turndown service at Tipsy's, it was very nice to come back to relaxing music playing and a treat awaiting..

I am glad I do a turn down. The night before last we did a turn down and I just peeked in the bath to see all was ok and we had a leak from the toilet. It was enough to see it woudl have been really bad if we had not caught it. DH fix it while they were out to dinner and all ended well. You never know what will go wrong with out you knowing it.
I have a tent sign on the bed that says "As part of your pampering we do a turn down while you are at dinner."
I smile and say if you don't go out we will not knock on your door and say turn down time. I feel this lets them know we will be in to turn down but if they stay here we won't bother them. If some one thinks they could say this better please tell me. I am always open for suggestions.

 

[EmptyNest]

I do turndown service and our guests really like it. I also have the room ready at check-in - lights on, TV to guide channel with volume turned down, etc. The bed is made up with decorative shams, pillows, etc. It's not that these things are too fancy or precious, but it's the look of the room when they arrive & then they are moved out of the way (all our beds have 4 pillows on them plus the shams, etc.) for slumber. When they go to dinner - drapes or blinds are closed, shams & decorative pillows are removed, lights are lowered, and a turndown treat is left with a note that says, "Sweet Dreams, Your Innkeeper ~ Samster". I try to do a different treat every night for multiple night stays. Our guests comment that they feel pampered. I mention a turndown service & if they say it's not necessary (rare), I respect that. I also remind them of the "Privacy" hanger for the door if they don't want their room turned down. It only takes a very few minutes. The only other thing that I do at turndown is remove trash if needed. We do it every night if we know when they're out.
Late arriving guests get some combination of their room ready for check-in & a turndown service. We also leave small baskets of snacks in each room for check-in - 100 cal snack crackers, a granola bar, maybe a piece of fruit, package of peanuts, and a homemade treat. Just part of the service here....

I LIKE YOUR STYLE Good way to do it. I too always told our guests I would do turndown when they go to dinner.

 

[Samster]

I do turndown service and our guests really like it. I also have the room ready at check-in - lights on, TV to guide channel with volume turned down, etc. The bed is made up with decorative shams, pillows, etc. It's not that these things are too fancy or precious, but it's the look of the room when they arrive & then they are moved out of the way (all our beds have 4 pillows on them plus the shams, etc.) for slumber. When they go to dinner - drapes or blinds are closed, shams & decorative pillows are removed, lights are lowered, and a turndown treat is left with a note that says, "Sweet Dreams, Your Innkeeper ~ Samster". I try to do a different treat every night for multiple night stays. Our guests comment that they feel pampered. I mention a turndown service & if they say it's not necessary (rare), I respect that. I also remind them of the "Privacy" hanger for the door if they don't want their room turned down. It only takes a very few minutes. The only other thing that I do at turndown is remove trash if needed. We do it every night if we know when they're out.
Late arriving guests get some combination of their room ready for check-in & a turndown service. We also leave small baskets of snacks in each room for check-in - 100 cal snack crackers, a granola bar, maybe a piece of fruit, package of peanuts, and a homemade treat. Just part of the service here....

I LIKE YOUR STYLE Good way to do it. I too always told our guests I would do turndown when they go to dinner.
.

oops...this reply got messed up from copying & pasting.