I am becoming anti-B&B

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.

JBloggs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
17,744
Reaction score
9
The more guests I have over the years the more I don't want to be at a B&B, as a guest. I know how horrible it is to say such a thing, but for every guest who I find absolutely delightful, there is one who I think being stuck at the table listening to their dribble would be the death of me.
(For those with communal dining experiences, this applies, breakfast to the room or sitting outside at a private table, ignore these comments, I would enjoy that!)
Many are first timers so they have not had to endure this often, and they will leave with the pleasant breakfast experience, but for me, in my position now, day in and day out, I want to be left alone!
I have officially reach curmudgeon. Officially.
 
Im a bit like that - simply because I don't want to have to be nice to people all day when i am away! I do that all day in my day job I don't want to do it on holiday!
 
Interesting. There was a 'Hax' column today about sensory overload and how some people need more downtime than others and having kids guests constantly pulling at the person can make them shut down.
I'll wager your wife is the primary caregiver innkeeper. If so, then here's something to consider: Not everyone is comfortable with the abundance of noise, speech, color, smell, touch involved with small children guests. This affects men and women, introverts especially, older more than younger, and leads both men and women to withdraw.
So, maybe your wife is among those who have only so much sensory capacity on any given day, and by the end — with even the most beloved spouses wonderful guests— just wants solitude, silence and a cradle of cool sheets.
(Full story- http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2018762157_hax29.html)
 
Interesting. There was a 'Hax' column today about sensory overload and how some people need more downtime than others and having kids guests constantly pulling at the person can make them shut down.
I'll wager your wife is the primary caregiver innkeeper. If so, then here's something to consider: Not everyone is comfortable with the abundance of noise, speech, color, smell, touch involved with small children guests. This affects men and women, introverts especially, older more than younger, and leads both men and women to withdraw.
So, maybe your wife is among those who have only so much sensory capacity on any given day, and by the end — with even the most beloved spouses wonderful guests— just wants solitude, silence and a cradle of cool sheets.
(Full story- http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2018762157_hax29.html).
thumbs_up.gif

 
It happens, from time to time. It's how I know that I need a few hours off, a day off, a week off or longer. Our vacations tend to be longer than most, with at least 4 weeks a year if not 6 that we just shut down and go away. The summer is particularly hard, especially when you don't have guests that you particularly like. Personally, this year, the guests have been different than previous years.. a lot less Europeans. I miss the mix.
Sometimes. I just have to send reinforcements in and take a step back, let someone else do the chatting instead of me.
 
One of the reasons why we got rid of the big table in our breakfast room and put in individual tables is that to me the thought of staying in a B&B and having to make conversation with people I just met and will probably never meet again, over breakfast, fills me with dread and loathing.
We stayed in a B&B recently that had a big table and this (probably very nice) eastern European couple were the only others at the table so we felt we had to make small talk, even though their English wasn't very good. We alternated between deathly silence waiting for someone else to say something, to difficult small talk in broken English and it was just awful and uncomfortable.
Our dining room is small enough that people can talk between tables if they choose, but indiviual tables mean they don't have to talk or feel obliged to if they don't.
This is not a B&B thing, I've always hated small-talk. Let's talk about how you coped with the passing of your mother, or how you climbed the north face of the igor or your charity work....but please, not the weather!!!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
 
I don't like staying at b&b's because I'm always looking at what I think they are doing wrong...of course, I really mean they are not doing it like I would do it. The last 3 I stayed were too dusty, too dirty, needed repairs, etc. Just bad choices though no way to have known by their website or reviews. Visiting with others at the breakfast table is the best part to me.
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
Honey you know what you need to do with the lodge? - whatever it is you want to do! I listen cos sometimes guests have a fricking genious idea - which was the case with one of my regulars - she always has the same room and I was telling her the improvements we were making and I was trying to decide where to put the tv and was complaining because whereever you put it there was a blind spot ie you could see from the chair but not from the bed and so on - she said why don't you get one of those stands with a bendy arm and put it in the corner then no blind spot! was a fricking genious plan! so when she came she was really chuffed we had done the idea!. This time she suggested we put in a corner rack in the shower as her husband dropped his shower gel and when he bent over to get it got wedged in the shower and she had to open the doors to pull him out! like a carry on film.
I will admit freely some people are idiots, had a chap who was going oh you should play music in the breakfast room - explained in this country to play recorded music you need a special liscence we don't have and it went on and on he's nearly written a report!
It also annoys me that they think you are made of money - ie my neighbour has just spent $30,000 on new electrics and so doesn't have much in the renovation budget - Visit britain inspector was like - oh its a shame you spent all that money - you could have put illuminated mirrors in all the bathrooms! if I was her I would not have been "responsible"
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
Honey you know what you need to do with the lodge? - whatever it is you want to do! I listen cos sometimes guests have a fricking genious idea - which was the case with one of my regulars - she always has the same room and I was telling her the improvements we were making and I was trying to decide where to put the tv and was complaining because whereever you put it there was a blind spot ie you could see from the chair but not from the bed and so on - she said why don't you get one of those stands with a bendy arm and put it in the corner then no blind spot! was a fricking genious plan! so when she came she was really chuffed we had done the idea!. This time she suggested we put in a corner rack in the shower as her husband dropped his shower gel and when he bent over to get it got wedged in the shower and she had to open the doors to pull him out! like a carry on film.
I will admit freely some people are idiots, had a chap who was going oh you should play music in the breakfast room - explained in this country to play recorded music you need a special liscence we don't have and it went on and on he's nearly written a report!
It also annoys me that they think you are made of money - ie my neighbour has just spent $30,000 on new electrics and so doesn't have much in the renovation budget - Visit britain inspector was like - oh its a shame you spent all that money - you could have put illuminated mirrors in all the bathrooms! if I was her I would not have been "responsible"
.
We have feedback forms in the rooms and for every 100 stupid comments we do get a good idea.
 
I am with you JB. No B & B's for us any more. I tend to be very picky and I am usually disappointed. Like you, i do not want to carry on chit chat at the breakfast table.
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
Honey you know what you need to do with the lodge? - whatever it is you want to do! I listen cos sometimes guests have a fricking genious idea - which was the case with one of my regulars - she always has the same room and I was telling her the improvements we were making and I was trying to decide where to put the tv and was complaining because whereever you put it there was a blind spot ie you could see from the chair but not from the bed and so on - she said why don't you get one of those stands with a bendy arm and put it in the corner then no blind spot! was a fricking genious plan! so when she came she was really chuffed we had done the idea!. This time she suggested we put in a corner rack in the shower as her husband dropped his shower gel and when he bent over to get it got wedged in the shower and she had to open the doors to pull him out! like a carry on film.
I will admit freely some people are idiots, had a chap who was going oh you should play music in the breakfast room - explained in this country to play recorded music you need a special liscence we don't have and it went on and on he's nearly written a report!
It also annoys me that they think you are made of money - ie my neighbour has just spent $30,000 on new electrics and so doesn't have much in the renovation budget - Visit britain inspector was like - oh its a shame you spent all that money - you could have put illuminated mirrors in all the bathrooms! if I was her I would not have been "responsible"
.
We have feedback forms in the rooms and for every 100 stupid comments we do get a good idea.
.
its the ones that come out with things like " wish the bathroom was a different shape" and how is this to be achieved exactly?
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
Honey you know what you need to do with the lodge? - whatever it is you want to do! I listen cos sometimes guests have a fricking genious idea - which was the case with one of my regulars - she always has the same room and I was telling her the improvements we were making and I was trying to decide where to put the tv and was complaining because whereever you put it there was a blind spot ie you could see from the chair but not from the bed and so on - she said why don't you get one of those stands with a bendy arm and put it in the corner then no blind spot! was a fricking genious plan! so when she came she was really chuffed we had done the idea!. This time she suggested we put in a corner rack in the shower as her husband dropped his shower gel and when he bent over to get it got wedged in the shower and she had to open the doors to pull him out! like a carry on film.
I will admit freely some people are idiots, had a chap who was going oh you should play music in the breakfast room - explained in this country to play recorded music you need a special liscence we don't have and it went on and on he's nearly written a report!
It also annoys me that they think you are made of money - ie my neighbour has just spent $30,000 on new electrics and so doesn't have much in the renovation budget - Visit britain inspector was like - oh its a shame you spent all that money - you could have put illuminated mirrors in all the bathrooms! if I was her I would not have been "responsible"
.
We have feedback forms in the rooms and for every 100 stupid comments we do get a good idea.
.
its the ones that come out with things like " wish the bathroom was a different shape" and how is this to be achieved exactly?
.
Those are the worst kinds of comments! Had a woman last week tell me what a wonderful stay they had, then said "I just have 2 little complaints and there nothing you can do about them". Well then honey, keep them to yourself!! But no, she had to tell me about the physical arrangement of toilet & shower in their bathroom. UGH!!!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
.
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
Honey you know what you need to do with the lodge? - whatever it is you want to do! I listen cos sometimes guests have a fricking genious idea - which was the case with one of my regulars - she always has the same room and I was telling her the improvements we were making and I was trying to decide where to put the tv and was complaining because whereever you put it there was a blind spot ie you could see from the chair but not from the bed and so on - she said why don't you get one of those stands with a bendy arm and put it in the corner then no blind spot! was a fricking genious plan! so when she came she was really chuffed we had done the idea!. This time she suggested we put in a corner rack in the shower as her husband dropped his shower gel and when he bent over to get it got wedged in the shower and she had to open the doors to pull him out! like a carry on film.
I will admit freely some people are idiots, had a chap who was going oh you should play music in the breakfast room - explained in this country to play recorded music you need a special liscence we don't have and it went on and on he's nearly written a report!
It also annoys me that they think you are made of money - ie my neighbour has just spent $30,000 on new electrics and so doesn't have much in the renovation budget - Visit britain inspector was like - oh its a shame you spent all that money - you could have put illuminated mirrors in all the bathrooms! if I was her I would not have been "responsible"
.
We have feedback forms in the rooms and for every 100 stupid comments we do get a good idea.
.
its the ones that come out with things like " wish the bathroom was a different shape" and how is this to be achieved exactly?
.
The two most stupid comments we've had are:
1) Where it says "Are there any improvements you would like in the bedroom" one woman wrote "A little less pine maybe". Silly cow, did the tree the furniture was made from not reach your expections??
2) Next to the question "Is there anything else you would like at breakfast" one woman wrote "Omlette Arnold bennett"......... I had to look it up. It's a recipe the chef at the Savoy hotel in London perfected for Arnold Bennett when he came to stay, involving smoked haddock, cream and sauces. You don't want much for your £75 when you stop at a B&B, do you? Just Savoy standard breakfasts. Sheeesh!!!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
.
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
.
white pine said:
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
Well you could paint the walk way with different colors and have a guide: follow the yellow line to the lodge, follow the blue line to rooms .... the green line to rooms ....
NO don't do THAT!!!!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
.
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
.
white pine said:
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
Well you could paint the walk way with different colors and have a guide: follow the yellow line to the lodge, follow the blue line to rooms .... the green line to rooms ....
NO don't do THAT!!!!
.
You know what would be cool - depending on how much it cost - is you can get coloured concrete make it a yellow brick road to the lodge!
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
.
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
.
white pine said:
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
Well you could paint the walk way with different colors and have a guide: follow the yellow line to the lodge, follow the blue line to rooms .... the green line to rooms ....
NO don't do THAT!!!!
.
We went to a place with multiple doors facing the parking lot. NO signs on any of the doors. BUT, they had painted footprints on the parking lot going toward one of them. We keep saying we're going to do that.
 
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent......
white pine said:
Today was THAT day....not even the "They stay they pay they go away" mantra was working. AND if one more person says what I REALLY need to do with the lodge is.....I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. Going to hide from guests in laundry now. Needed to vent.....
We got this a LOT our first year. My best response to any of it? 'That's a terrific idea! Thank you. I'm writing down all of the suggestions and we'll review them over the winter.'
I found that just allowing the person to tell me what they were thinking shut them up faster than anything else. Explaining why we couldn't/wouldn't be doing whatever it was never helped.
And, really? Some of the guests had excellent ideas. Yes, it got tiring hearing how badly we were doing everything and how well the guest would do it in our places, but, water off a duck's back once we understood and embraced that the way we were doing it was best for US first and the guest second.
But, hey, you're a terrific kid and you're doing a swell job!
.
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
.
white pine said:
Seven rooms out this am. Survived! Had some really good folks, just one couple visiting family in the area was driving me nuts. Then there was the couple that came in to the motel late. I told them I would leave the key in the door and the light on. They were in room 5. They called me at 11:00pm from the utility room between 4 and 5, couldn't find their room! Next morning they couldn't find the 10,000sq ft lodge for coffee! Handyman thinks we need to add on to the lodge so people can find it. Better today, new batch due in tomorrow! Off for supplies, again thanks all for your support!!!
Well you could paint the walk way with different colors and have a guide: follow the yellow line to the lodge, follow the blue line to rooms .... the green line to rooms ....
NO don't do THAT!!!!
.
We went to a place with multiple doors facing the parking lot. NO signs on any of the doors. BUT, they had painted footprints on the parking lot going toward one of them. We keep saying we're going to do that.
.
we have 2 doors on the back the one to use has a large sign pointing to it marked Entrance - people still walk round to the front - "we didn't know if we were allowed to use that door" well the large sign saying entrance would be a clue!
 
Back
Top