How the public views B&Bs

[The Tipsy Butler]

A very interesting thread on Fodors about B&Bs. The misconceptions are incredible. It's a real eye-opener as to how people perceive B&Bs. It's currently topic #4 but that will of course change and you may need to scroll down a little. I'm not looking to suddenly deluge Fodors with bristling innkeepers, but it definitely gives me ideas for things to put on my website. Sometimes it's not just about pointing out what we have but what we DON'T have.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1

 

[ginocat]

We should be happy that we don't have those people as guests!!!

 

[Morticia]

I could just cry. My stomach is in knots. There are something like 60 replies now and almost 95% of them are 'Yuck, give me a non descript hotel everytime.' I signed up to post but I'm waiting for my account to be certified.
My guess? At least half of those people have never set foot in one.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I could just cry. My stomach is in knots. There are something like 60 replies now and almost 95% of them are 'Yuck, give me a non descript hotel everytime.' I signed up to post but I'm waiting for my account to be certified.
My guess? At least half of those people have never set foot in one..

Pretty scary when I can identify folks from this forum on there even with diff names! HA HA
That made me ill as well. Do we need to state other things to draw these people in? NO. They would not even be looking at staying at a B&B and GOOD RIDDANCE.
Sheesh some of the things GUESTS EXPECT are the things these people hate. Remember that man who wrote a nasty letter expressing HE XPECTED the innkeepers to do the song and dance routine to entertain the full table of guests. GET LOST BUD. A full table does NOT require my song and dance. PULEEZE

 

[Morticia]

I could just cry. My stomach is in knots. There are something like 60 replies now and almost 95% of them are 'Yuck, give me a non descript hotel everytime.' I signed up to post but I'm waiting for my account to be certified.
My guess? At least half of those people have never set foot in one..

Pretty scary when I can identify folks from this forum on there even with diff names! HA HA
That made me ill as well. Do we need to state other things to draw these people in? NO. They would not even be looking at staying at a B&B and GOOD RIDDANCE.
Sheesh some of the things GUESTS EXPECT are the things these people hate. Remember that man who wrote a nasty letter expressing HE XPECTED the innkeepers to do the song and dance routine to entertain the full table of guests. GET LOST BUD. A full table does NOT require my song and dance. PULEEZE
.

It wasn't really meant as a nom de plume, I was just wanting to be someone different. Altho, I really do like my other name!

 

[muirford]

We should be happy that we don't have those people as guests!!!.

I am already registered on Fodor's and that's exactly what I said - thank you for staying away.
Jeanne

 

[muirford]

I could just cry. My stomach is in knots. There are something like 60 replies now and almost 95% of them are 'Yuck, give me a non descript hotel everytime.' I signed up to post but I'm waiting for my account to be certified.
My guess? At least half of those people have never set foot in one..

Pretty scary when I can identify folks from this forum on there even with diff names! HA HA
That made me ill as well. Do we need to state other things to draw these people in? NO. They would not even be looking at staying at a B&B and GOOD RIDDANCE.
Sheesh some of the things GUESTS EXPECT are the things these people hate. Remember that man who wrote a nasty letter expressing HE XPECTED the innkeepers to do the song and dance routine to entertain the full table of guests. GET LOST BUD. A full table does NOT require my song and dance. PULEEZE
.

It wasn't really meant as a nom de plume, I was just wanting to be someone different. Altho, I really do like my other name!
.

I think of Desperate Housewives when I hear Bree...
Jeanne

 

[Morticia]

I could just cry. My stomach is in knots. There are something like 60 replies now and almost 95% of them are 'Yuck, give me a non descript hotel everytime.' I signed up to post but I'm waiting for my account to be certified.
My guess? At least half of those people have never set foot in one..

Pretty scary when I can identify folks from this forum on there even with diff names! HA HA
That made me ill as well. Do we need to state other things to draw these people in? NO. They would not even be looking at staying at a B&B and GOOD RIDDANCE.
Sheesh some of the things GUESTS EXPECT are the things these people hate. Remember that man who wrote a nasty letter expressing HE XPECTED the innkeepers to do the song and dance routine to entertain the full table of guests. GET LOST BUD. A full table does NOT require my song and dance. PULEEZE
.

It wasn't really meant as a nom de plume, I was just wanting to be someone different. Altho, I really do like my other name!
.

I think of Desperate Housewives when I hear Bree...
Jeanne
.

Not too far from actuality some days...

 

[Samster]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!

 

[Samster]

We should be happy that we don't have those people as guests!!!.

I am already registered on Fodor's and that's exactly what I said - thank you for staying away.
Jeanne
.

I joined & posted. I just can't believe some of the bizarre stories!! Swingers? Innkeepers waiting up for guests in their jammies?

 

[Morticia]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).

 

[Samster]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

I was really irked by the whole comment that he thought that B&Bs should be substantially less than hotels. Probably because of an idea of the overhead that they have for employees, blah, blah, blah. Heck, my A/C has been running non-stop for the last 2 days. Believe me, if we didn't have guests, it would not be set as low as it is!! They're just ignorant....

 

[muirford]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

The good news is the Fodor's topics drop off the page pretty quickly - it'll be gone by tomorrow night, if we (meaning me) can just keep our pea-picking fingers off the reply button. They go through rants like that every so often, then they go away.
Jeanne

 

[Morticia]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

I was really irked by the whole comment that he thought that B&Bs should be substantially less than hotels. Probably because of an idea of the overhead that they have for employees, blah, blah, blah. Heck, my A/C has been running non-stop for the last 2 days. Believe me, if we didn't have guests, it would not be set as low as it is!! They're just ignorant....
.

Yes, he DID mention the overhead was MUCH higher for a hotel so that made the higher prices acceptable. And this explains SO much doesn't it? The number of guests who gasp at the price and then book at an even higher price at a hotel because they can understand why it is so high there. The pool. The staff. The lights. Etc.
I did bring up the idea that I don't have 80% occ in over 100 rooms, but that won't count with guests who think like that. AND, of course, we don't want guests like that.
I wish I had thought to mention that if I DID charge $100/night everyone would say, 'Wonder what's wrong with THAT place?' and go on to book elsewhere. I know I get that response when I recommend the place down the street that is charging, according to their website, $65-$95. 'Why is it so cheap?' As far as I know it's so cheap because they've owned the building since the flood.
Oh dear, after I was done posting this I looked over their site. They have a guest book since before the flood and it was ok waaaaay back when, but now it is filled with spam links to all kinds of websites. I don't know why they would let those stay posted. It doesn't look good for them, not to mention that they post real guests' real email addies for all and sundry to grab.

 

[Samster]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

The good news is the Fodor's topics drop off the page pretty quickly - it'll be gone by tomorrow night, if we (meaning me) can just keep our pea-picking fingers off the reply button. They go through rants like that every so often, then they go away.
Jeanne
.

Yes, but it's really tough to hold back when the information is so erroneous! Then, those crazy stories, too. I have to wonder what kinds of places that these people are staying in? Are they $39/night "B&Bs"? It is just so odd that these people are so far off base!

 

[muirford]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

The good news is the Fodor's topics drop off the page pretty quickly - it'll be gone by tomorrow night, if we (meaning me) can just keep our pea-picking fingers off the reply button. They go through rants like that every so often, then they go away.
Jeanne
.

Yes, but it's really tough to hold back when the information is so erroneous! Then, those crazy stories, too. I have to wonder what kinds of places that these people are staying in? Are they $39/night "B&Bs"? It is just so odd that these people are so far off base!
.

Carole from Thurston House is on those boards - I think she might have been the one who told me about them. She posts under bnbtraveler there.
I rarely check Fodor's these days. It's the same stuff over and over. They have a core group of folks who are always there and the information is repetitive and not very useful for me.
Jeanne

 

[Samster]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

The good news is the Fodor's topics drop off the page pretty quickly - it'll be gone by tomorrow night, if we (meaning me) can just keep our pea-picking fingers off the reply button. They go through rants like that every so often, then they go away.
Jeanne
.

Yes, but it's really tough to hold back when the information is so erroneous! Then, those crazy stories, too. I have to wonder what kinds of places that these people are staying in? Are they $39/night "B&Bs"? It is just so odd that these people are so far off base!
.

Carole from Thurston House is on those boards - I think she might have been the one who told me about them. She posts under bnbtraveler there.
I rarely check Fodor's these days. It's the same stuff over and over. They have a core group of folks who are always there and the information is repetitive and not very useful for me.
Jeanne
.

I figured that was her when I saw 15 years in the biz and business repeats

The only stories that I've heard about B&Bs that are sub par were that they serve a horrible Continental breakfast or something like that. For the longest time, my innkeeper friend near Houston thought that they were doing waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for breakfast because every place they stayed served Sam's Club muffins and horrible coffee (and they were not cheap places!) Seems like a lot of negativity on that Fodor's board for sure.

 

[Morticia]

I thought that was her, too. It just sounded so much like her!

 

[Morticia]

I'm making my way through that Fodor's thread & it is making me angry...not ill. Where are these people staying???? Yeesch!.

For me it was 'ill' because of the number of people who read that who have never stayed at a B&B and now won't even try. I was thankful that some posted later on that they understood what I found upsetting (altho I think that post was from someone here). And then the $100/night guy. Just because he gets upgraded because he JOINED A CLUB, doesn't mean every traveler gets that service in a hotel. But, golly, they get snacks here. (No alcohol, but lets not start that again!) And breakfast. No Executive Suite, unless I upgrade them to our best room (which I do for repeats, which category he would fit).
.

The good news is the Fodor's topics drop off the page pretty quickly - it'll be gone by tomorrow night, if we (meaning me) can just keep our pea-picking fingers off the reply button. They go through rants like that every so often, then they go away.
Jeanne
.

You're right, I have to stop. I think the latest 'Nuke em all,' is a sign things are degenerating quickly...

 

[ginocat]

I thought that was her, too. It just sounded so much like her!.

The best way to deal with negative posts is with silence. I didn't bother to post and we should remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion even if it doesn't agree with ours.