Help! Unwanted guest!

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Country Girl

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
1,257
Reaction score
21
Please help! A former neighbor, whom I was not very fond of, moved 3 hours away. He just called to book a room for one night next week. Apparently he has on-going doctor's appointment here once a week indefinitely, so this could turn out to be a weekly visit. I DO NOT want this person staying with me! First, he never stops talking, he’s an obnoxious bore when he does talk, and I have the feeling he would hang around the house all day when he’s not at the doctor’s. How do I politely, yet firmly, let him know that I don’t think this would be a good situation? This is a very small town and he knows everyone so I have to be careful. This is when this job feels very stressful! Uggg!
 
Chicken's way out...how about letting him stay once and see how it goes. At least if he is true to form you can then say it won't work for you. If it's one night then it's not awful. If he would be the only person there then have a list of things you 'have' to do.
This is different as it's a business relationship now whereas before it was 'neighbors'.
Maybe whatever he is coming in for is serious enough that he's changed.
 
He probably wants a discount, don't give him one. He may go somewhere else...
I ran into local councilwoman who had to book a room for her cousin over race weekend and then cancel, she said "They only stayed one night anyway..." today at the grocery store.
You have to live there. Be careful with your decision.
 
Dont lock yourself into anything. You have a life..are your quarters private? If so, then you could just close and lock your doors. You aren't there to entertain. Do not encourag discussion. NO special discount either.
 
Find out if the Dr's appointments are at the beginning or end of the day, that might give you a better sense of how long this person might be hanging around the house.
You can still enforce your normal check-in and check-out times, too, especially if they have only booked a single night -- that helps limit how long this person would be hanging around.
 
This is one of the most difficult parts of this business as it is also your home. We have been brought up that our home is our safe haven.
Sometimes in business you have to bite the bullet and give it a try. Be business like and make sure he knows where he is welcome and where he is not. As others have said no discounts. Hopefully for your sake he will not feel 'special' and decide for himself that another lodging would suit him better.
It could be that even though he knows most of the people in your town, they may feel the same as you do about him.
Good luck!
 
Check him in and then say you have an appointment and leave. Presuming you can lock your quarters of course.
I have tolerated many a bore (when he gets started on one of his nostalgia runs I am married to one) in the name of revenue.
 
Check him in and then say you have an appointment and leave. Presuming you can lock your quarters of course.
I have tolerated many a bore (when he gets started on one of his nostalgia runs I am married to one) in the name of revenue..
gillumhouse said:
I have tolerated many a bore (when he gets started on one of his nostalgia runs I am married to one) in the name of revenue.
Amen! Bills to pay! Business before pleasure and all that.
 
Thanks everyone. This one has kept me up at night. I am really torn. I will give it a try once and see how it goes.
 
Someone needs to get working on that phone app that makes it ring when you discreetly hit a button! Pronto!
 
"I have bread in the oven!".
TheBeachHouse said:
"I have bread in the oven!"
Bread would fill the house with a wonderful aroma HOWEVER this gave me an idea - a timer in your apron pocket set for 5 minutes. You can start it with a discreet hand in the pocket and when it goes off shut it off with an "excuse me."
 
"I have bread in the oven!".
TheBeachHouse said:
"I have bread in the oven!"
Sounds better than 'I have a bun in the oven!'
.
along the potentially disastrous line of "I'll knock you up in the morning"
.
teeth_smile.gif
Still laughing over these two comments!! Made my day!
 
We have a sticky situation too. Acquaintances, who are friends with our best friends, but who we do not care for, have just e-mailed us to stay a night in the house this weekend. They know that we are not taking guests in the house and want to assure us that they do not need breakfast (she is organic, vegan...he has multiple diet issues) and we do not need to talk to them.
Imagine that. Why in the world would I want them in the house to ignore them? I'd be a wreck. So here is what I wrote back to them:
"Sounds like you caught the Seaside bug! Sorry to say, we have someone in the cottage this weekend and we really do have the house closed to guests. It was an exhausting B+B season, our 24th, and we are still seriously burnt out. There is no way we could have you in the house as B+B guests and ignore you!
There is a small B+B in the next town that is “green” and organic. Their web site shows vacancy so you might give them a call. I expect that they may have a 2-night minimum stay in the cottage, but it is the most private accommodation they have.
Also, there is a lovely B+B Inn, just renovated, called the ........

Otherwise, for just a bed, you could probably get a decent room at a reasonable rate for a night at the "local big chain hotel".
Good Luck with the House hunting!"
That did the trick. Hopefully we set some bounds without creating hard feelings.
 
We have a sticky situation too. Acquaintances, who are friends with our best friends, but who we do not care for, have just e-mailed us to stay a night in the house this weekend. They know that we are not taking guests in the house and want to assure us that they do not need breakfast (she is organic, vegan...he has multiple diet issues) and we do not need to talk to them.
Imagine that. Why in the world would I want them in the house to ignore them? I'd be a wreck. So here is what I wrote back to them:
"Sounds like you caught the Seaside bug! Sorry to say, we have someone in the cottage this weekend and we really do have the house closed to guests. It was an exhausting B+B season, our 24th, and we are still seriously burnt out. There is no way we could have you in the house as B+B guests and ignore you!
There is a small B+B in the next town that is “green” and organic. Their web site shows vacancy so you might give them a call. I expect that they may have a 2-night minimum stay in the cottage, but it is the most private accommodation they have.
Also, there is a lovely B+B Inn, just renovated, called the ........

Otherwise, for just a bed, you could probably get a decent room at a reasonable rate for a night at the "local big chain hotel".
Good Luck with the House hunting!"
That did the trick. Hopefully we set some bounds without creating hard feelings..
Very well done, Silverspoon. I'll bet you're really relieved now!
 
We have a sticky situation too. Acquaintances, who are friends with our best friends, but who we do not care for, have just e-mailed us to stay a night in the house this weekend. They know that we are not taking guests in the house and want to assure us that they do not need breakfast (she is organic, vegan...he has multiple diet issues) and we do not need to talk to them.
Imagine that. Why in the world would I want them in the house to ignore them? I'd be a wreck. So here is what I wrote back to them:
"Sounds like you caught the Seaside bug! Sorry to say, we have someone in the cottage this weekend and we really do have the house closed to guests. It was an exhausting B+B season, our 24th, and we are still seriously burnt out. There is no way we could have you in the house as B+B guests and ignore you!
There is a small B+B in the next town that is “green” and organic. Their web site shows vacancy so you might give them a call. I expect that they may have a 2-night minimum stay in the cottage, but it is the most private accommodation they have.
Also, there is a lovely B+B Inn, just renovated, called the ........

Otherwise, for just a bed, you could probably get a decent room at a reasonable rate for a night at the "local big chain hotel".
Good Luck with the House hunting!"
That did the trick. Hopefully we set some bounds without creating hard feelings..
Very well done, Silverspoon. I'll bet you're really relieved now!
.
When they have come and gone in the area without stopping in....then I'll be relieved! Some people just do not know how to take NO for an answer.
 
We have a sticky situation too. Acquaintances, who are friends with our best friends, but who we do not care for, have just e-mailed us to stay a night in the house this weekend. They know that we are not taking guests in the house and want to assure us that they do not need breakfast (she is organic, vegan...he has multiple diet issues) and we do not need to talk to them.
Imagine that. Why in the world would I want them in the house to ignore them? I'd be a wreck. So here is what I wrote back to them:
"Sounds like you caught the Seaside bug! Sorry to say, we have someone in the cottage this weekend and we really do have the house closed to guests. It was an exhausting B+B season, our 24th, and we are still seriously burnt out. There is no way we could have you in the house as B+B guests and ignore you!
There is a small B+B in the next town that is “green” and organic. Their web site shows vacancy so you might give them a call. I expect that they may have a 2-night minimum stay in the cottage, but it is the most private accommodation they have.
Also, there is a lovely B+B Inn, just renovated, called the ........

Otherwise, for just a bed, you could probably get a decent room at a reasonable rate for a night at the "local big chain hotel".
Good Luck with the House hunting!"
That did the trick. Hopefully we set some bounds without creating hard feelings..
Very nice response, considering they are not respecting your situation by asking about staying in the house when they know you're not taking guests in the house! I'd say that was very gutsy and rude of them. I think you went above and beyond, offering several other options. Good job :)
 
Back
Top