I'm sorry. My air conditioners are not installed yet.

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One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
Because this house is cold enough in winter without the upstairs windows open. The sides "fan out" to hold the window units in place. I muscle them in and out by myself - it is not easy, they are heavy, but they have been in since our first warm-up. Each room has control of the temp in that room - window A/C and electric baseboard heat. We have central downstairs.
You are fortunate to not experience the highs and lows we get. Winter of 93/94 was a strange one for here, they had recorded temps of -30 (not unusual in Chicago but it is here) and the normal winter we may have zero one or two nights a winter but it will be in the 30s or 40s in the afternoon. Normal here in Summer is 80s or low 90s and not a lot of humidity but we have had Summers of crushing heat and humidity. I agree with you and JB, if I am renting the room, I will do all in my power to make it comfortable. (Power outages, I cannot control.)
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
Because this house is cold enough in winter without the upstairs windows open. The sides "fan out" to hold the window units in place. I muscle them in and out by myself - it is not easy, they are heavy, but they have been in since our first warm-up. Each room has control of the temp in that room - window A/C and electric baseboard heat. We have central downstairs.
You are fortunate to not experience the highs and lows we get. Winter of 93/94 was a strange one for here, they had recorded temps of -30 (not unusual in Chicago but it is here) and the normal winter we may have zero one or two nights a winter but it will be in the 30s or 40s in the afternoon. Normal here in Summer is 80s or low 90s and not a lot of humidity but we have had Summers of crushing heat and humidity. I agree with you and JB, if I am renting the room, I will do all in my power to make it comfortable. (Power outages, I cannot control.)
.
(Power outages, I cannot control.)
That's why we installed a generator...so guests could at least flush the toilet and take a shower and have a light on in their room.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
Because this house is cold enough in winter without the upstairs windows open. The sides "fan out" to hold the window units in place. I muscle them in and out by myself - it is not easy, they are heavy, but they have been in since our first warm-up. Each room has control of the temp in that room - window A/C and electric baseboard heat. We have central downstairs.
You are fortunate to not experience the highs and lows we get. Winter of 93/94 was a strange one for here, they had recorded temps of -30 (not unusual in Chicago but it is here) and the normal winter we may have zero one or two nights a winter but it will be in the 30s or 40s in the afternoon. Normal here in Summer is 80s or low 90s and not a lot of humidity but we have had Summers of crushing heat and humidity. I agree with you and JB, if I am renting the room, I will do all in my power to make it comfortable. (Power outages, I cannot control.)
.
I don't know how you do it all by yourself! I don't know if I could even lift it by myself let alone hoist it up!
Interesting how different east/west is. I've lived in the west all my life (CA & OR) and I can't remember anyone removing their window units. Covering and insulating, but not removing. I guess it makes sense if you have such extreme cold.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
We remove the A/C units because the heat loss in the winter is astronomical.
.
Morticia said:
We remove the A/C units because the heat loss in the winter is astronomical.
Heat loss. And they're ugly.
=)
Kk.
.
Yeah, but they're ugly in the summer, too! We have the ones that are thru the wall as well as the ones that go in the windows. The breeze that comes in around the wall units is bad as well but those get covered on the inside (which is likewise ugly).
They're awkward, ugly, noisy, a thankless seasonal task and I would do without them if I could. But it is not possible to just run fans any longer.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
Because this house is cold enough in winter without the upstairs windows open. The sides "fan out" to hold the window units in place. I muscle them in and out by myself - it is not easy, they are heavy, but they have been in since our first warm-up. Each room has control of the temp in that room - window A/C and electric baseboard heat. We have central downstairs.
You are fortunate to not experience the highs and lows we get. Winter of 93/94 was a strange one for here, they had recorded temps of -30 (not unusual in Chicago but it is here) and the normal winter we may have zero one or two nights a winter but it will be in the 30s or 40s in the afternoon. Normal here in Summer is 80s or low 90s and not a lot of humidity but we have had Summers of crushing heat and humidity. I agree with you and JB, if I am renting the room, I will do all in my power to make it comfortable. (Power outages, I cannot control.)
.
I don't know how you do it all by yourself! I don't know if I could even lift it by myself let alone hoist it up!
Interesting how different east/west is. I've lived in the west all my life (CA & OR) and I can't remember anyone removing their window units. Covering and insulating, but not removing. I guess it makes sense if you have such extreme cold.
.
I have small wood thingys with wheels that I put them on to get from the storage room to the room window it will reside in for the season. Having grown up on a farm and then over 20 years of hoisting boxes of computer paper plus being the family muscle man (DH could not lift things) is how I do it. Ya do what ya gotta do......
In winter they take up the bottom shelves of my shelf units so my room upstairs turns into a Fibber Magee specil!
 
My opinion is this ... Guest comfort is CRITICAL.
As innkeeper, you HAVE to do something about it. ASAP. I was in your situation ... sudden spike in temp ... huge, bulky (dirty) a/c's in storage ... and we had very few hot days and nites where I was each summer. But i had to pay some local guys to come over and lug the a/c's out for me. I stopped everything to get them cleaned and then we got them up the stairs (3 flights) and into the rooms. I had to go out and buy another unit also. I had to wait on my pay to get it done to pay these guys I 'borrowed' from the general store and the loading dock.
A few guest vouchers for future stays and discounts for room discomfort and unhappy guests is NOT the way to go ... not for me. That would have cost me more in the long run.
Innkeepers are very fond of saying 'we offer everything a hotel does and we are better than hotels because we offer so much that is complimentary' ... but the crummiest hotel/motel rooms i've stayed in had a/c. And I'm not exaggerating. So many guests would call me and say 'your place looks great, but don't you have a/c in all the rooms?' and they would decline to stay with me because it was on their must have list.
By the way, have you noticed how we have these weird weather spikes and dips and then BAM the season just changes abruptly? Two days ago in a suburb outside Boston, I was working in 58 degree weather. Today, it was 92! I worked with a box fan blowing on me for some relief. If I checked in to a place and my room was sweltering, I'd have to leave.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
Congratulations on doing the new systems. I know it must have been difficult. I bet you don't miss dealing with the old units!
I've experienced these units while traveling in very tropical hot & humid places and they work really well in those conditions. I'm really a sissy when it comes to humidity and heat.
omg_smile.gif
I would be one of those guests who choose a hotel over a b&b if I wasn't sure there was adequate air conditioning.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
Congratulations on doing the new systems. I know it must have been difficult. I bet you don't miss dealing with the old units!
I've experienced these units while traveling in very tropical hot & humid places and they work really well in those conditions. I'm really a sissy when it comes to humidity and heat.
omg_smile.gif
I would be one of those guests who choose a hotel over a b&b if I wasn't sure there was adequate air conditioning.
.
Breakfast Diva said:
Congratulations on doing the new systems. I know it must have been difficult. I bet you don't miss dealing with the old units!
I've experienced these units while traveling in very tropical hot & humid places and they work really well in those conditions. I'm really a sissy when it comes to humidity and heat.
omg_smile.gif
I would be one of those guests who choose a hotel over a b&b if I wasn't sure there was adequate air conditioning.
It is just one of those things that is expected in America in 2010. Just like air conditioning in a car.
I lived in Australia and when it was stinkin' hot no one had a/c, they also have cold temps overnight in winter and no one had heat (where I was or relatives). I grew up in Southern CA and when it was stinkin' hot rarely did anyone have a/c back then. It has nothing to do with climate change, it was hot then, hot now. Cold then cold now.
But that was then, this is now. If you paid to stay some where you had a/c, you had heat. We can't explain it away, if you have guests in, you need running water, heat or a/c or whatever it takes to make them comfortable. If your guest water heater goes out, clue the guests in and make allowances for those guests to make them happy.
Strange to even be discussing this really, seems to be expected. Unless you say you do not have central heat or a/c on your website and yours guests understand this before coming to stay with you.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
.
What about portable units? I've seen these in b&bs before. I saw one b&b that had each room with a vent in the wall (think dryer vent) which was not unsightly. When it was hot, they would just wheel in the unit and attach it to the wall vent. These units can also be vented out a window. They also act as a dehumidifier.
It may not be practical for places with extreme heat.
Have any of you ever used them? I'm considering one for my upstairs suite which gets a bit warm in the summer.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
.
What about portable units? I've seen these in b&bs before. I saw one b&b that had each room with a vent in the wall (think dryer vent) which was not unsightly. When it was hot, they would just wheel in the unit and attach it to the wall vent. These units can also be vented out a window. They also act as a dehumidifier.
It may not be practical for places with extreme heat.
Have any of you ever used them? I'm considering one for my upstairs suite which gets a bit warm in the summer.
.
We have never used them at the Inn but have one in the little house that we own that's a long-term rental. They are very effective, because of the dehumifying aspect as well as the cooling. Also somewhat more expensive, in the $300 to $400 range. They are easier to find these days; I think even Target has them.
If you have the floor space for them and you can arrange the window vent so it's not unsightly, I would go for it as a supplemental a/c source (when you don't need something more permanent).
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
.
What about portable units? I've seen these in b&bs before. I saw one b&b that had each room with a vent in the wall (think dryer vent) which was not unsightly. When it was hot, they would just wheel in the unit and attach it to the wall vent. These units can also be vented out a window. They also act as a dehumidifier.
It may not be practical for places with extreme heat.
Have any of you ever used them? I'm considering one for my upstairs suite which gets a bit warm in the summer.
.
We have never used them at the Inn but have one in the little house that we own that's a long-term rental. They are very effective, because of the dehumifying aspect as well as the cooling. Also somewhat more expensive, in the $300 to $400 range. They are easier to find these days; I think even Target has them.
If you have the floor space for them and you can arrange the window vent so it's not unsightly, I would go for it as a supplemental a/c source (when you don't need something more permanent).
.
muirford said:
We have never used them at the Inn but have one in the little house that we own that's a long-term rental. They are very effective, because of the dehumifying aspect as well as the cooling. Also somewhat more expensive, in the $300 to $400 range. They are easier to find these days; I think even Target has them.
If you have the floor space for them and you can arrange the window vent so it's not unsightly, I would go for it as a supplemental a/c source (when you don't need something more permanent).
Thanks Muirford. We do have the floor space and I would probably do the permanent vent to the outside so I wouldn't have to use a window. There's only a few days a year where it getsa little uncomfortable upstairs (80 daytime, much less at night & no humidity). We do have an oscillating standing fan in the closet which has always been "enough", but if I had this option I'm sure the guests would really appreciate the cooler air. More importantly, I wouldn't be the old worry wart I usually am.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
.
What about portable units? I've seen these in b&bs before. I saw one b&b that had each room with a vent in the wall (think dryer vent) which was not unsightly. When it was hot, they would just wheel in the unit and attach it to the wall vent. These units can also be vented out a window. They also act as a dehumidifier.
It may not be practical for places with extreme heat.
Have any of you ever used them? I'm considering one for my upstairs suite which gets a bit warm in the summer.
.
We're all set with what we have so I really don't know anything about the portable ones. It sounds workable, tho, if there is floor space to accommodate it.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Morticia said:
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
You do control the weather, inside your inn, that is part of your job, absolutely. How strange to defend no a/c in hot temps and guests being miserable. People are paying to stay there, you must provide a comfortable experience. I totally disagree with what you said, why do you say 'trash the people' who is trashing, if a guest is uncomfortable it is our job to rectify this situation. If we have no a/c and the temps are in the 90's then we better start refunding their stay.
.
I have to agree with JB on this one. If you are charging the same price or more than a quality motel/hotel, the guests expect their room to be comfortable, no matter what time of the year it is. This could be a big reason why people choose to stay at a hotel rather than a B&Bs. If your rates are very low, then I think people are more understanding.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where we don't need air conditioning, but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
I know these comments may sound harsh to some, but the reality is that it's not just your home, people pay to stay.
.
I know it's common practice to remove the air conditioners in the cooler months, but I don't really understand why. Why not leave them in all year?
When we had window units we did leave them in BUT we are in a warmer climate than many here and the window units are not air tight. They allow quite a bit of heat to leak out while cool air works their way in. And additionally, here our 'open window' time frame is very, very short compaired to those to my north. So while your quesiton is a practical one, it does not work everywhere.
....but if this same house (which is very old) were located in an area where we needed it, I would install the split systems.
This is exactly what we have done and have removed our window units (yeah) and our guests now have total control of their own climate in all seasons. BUT these are not something that you can install in a whim and (at least here) we had a hard time finding an installer. We also had to save for a while in order to afford them and had to find areas for the outside units that would not be seen. We contemplated several choices - these split systems, another reg. house unit and the zone units available. The split system seemed to be the best answer for us and we have already recovered the cost of one of these units (note: we totally changed out all of our system - new central systems in our private area and common areas and then split systems for the guest rooms, so the savings is due to the total upgrade, not just the split systems.) Another note: these systems are nice for more moderate climates (best that we read) so do research their efficiency for your area.
Edited to add: these split systems are very quiet as well which is nice except for those needing 'white noise' so we have added sound machines in every room...
.
These are great but need wall space we don't have. They could not go thru the same holes the wall A/C units are in now. In most cases, they would be right over the bed so they could be on an outside wall. In the rooms that already have the thru the wall systems, all of that would have to be repaired (inside and outside). Because A/C was not around in 1888 any changes to the outside of the building would have to be approved. (Reapproved for changes to what is there now, approved for the new untis.) And the cost. I believe, for our size house, we'd be talking $20k and up. For the units. For the repair work another $10k to replace the siding, repaper or remove the wallpaper in every room, insulate, paint all the rooms, replaster, etc.
For the amount of time we use the A/C it's not worth it! Granted, it would be nice to not have the old A/C units that need to be installed and uninstalled. But I'd still probably need the ugly covers over the units in the winter.
Just commenting on the amount of work it would here to replace what we have now.
.
What about portable units? I've seen these in b&bs before. I saw one b&b that had each room with a vent in the wall (think dryer vent) which was not unsightly. When it was hot, they would just wheel in the unit and attach it to the wall vent. These units can also be vented out a window. They also act as a dehumidifier.
It may not be practical for places with extreme heat.
Have any of you ever used them? I'm considering one for my upstairs suite which gets a bit warm in the summer.
.
We had used these in 2 of our rooms prior to the split systems. I do not, repeat, do not recommend them for use for more than 3-4 hours at a time especially if you are in a hot, humid climate. If you do use them in a guest room, you will want a permanent drain for all the water it collects. All A/C units give off water (more so in humid areas) and these portable units do have a small collection compartment for the water and it is mentioned in the directions that this will need to be emptied (some have a full light that comes on).
These units were really designed to supplement a central system where a room just doesn't get cool enough or in areas that may only need air for a couple of hours. They were not designed to be used as a full room A/C unit, but many - including myself, have used them as such.
 
Normally I have to agree with ensuring the comfort of guests regardless of weather. This was such an unexpected turn of events in my area. We don't usually get weather like this for another 4 months.
The guests went away happy and were gracious and appreciative of their lodging voucher. They are already talking about thier return trip.
Alls well that ends well. Next Weds. the AC units are coming out of storage.
 
Normally I have to agree with ensuring the comfort of guests regardless of weather. This was such an unexpected turn of events in my area. We don't usually get weather like this for another 4 months.
The guests went away happy and were gracious and appreciative of their lodging voucher. They are already talking about thier return trip.
Alls well that ends well. Next Weds. the AC units are coming out of storage..
The Farmers Daughter said:
Next Weds. the AC units are coming out of storage.
And it'll probably snow on Thursday ;)
 
we tried the portable a/c dehumidfying things on wheels with big hoses in the 2 third floor rooms. it gets so hot up there ... and i do mean in summer when it's hot for a brief window of time in the area, like going up into someone's attic bedroom (ugh) ... traditional a/c is needed up there - remember this is third floor. the trouble is old windows with no window sill to speak of for a small window a/c to sit, and no cross ventilation.
i think we paid $250 a unit and that was a few years back. very disappointing. but maybe they've been improved since then.
 
I am lucky in the UK realistically we have about 7 days a year where it is hot enough to need a fan or AC. We did however when it was an unusually warm summer dash out and buy Fans as it was cheeper than giving people a discount and then you always have them. But it depends if you have space to store them as well and how expensive they are ours were about $5.00 in the sale so it was worth the investment. Have seen the portable AC's for much lower prices on the internet but don't know how effective they are.
 
One room was squawking like wet hens, so I ended up giving them a lodging voucher to come again. Hopefully it will be sufficient damage control that they don't go trashing me with some online review..
You know, I realize people are paying for an experience, but good grief, open a window, read a book, go to a restaurant, cut the innkeeper some slack. (Remember, I'm the one who always ends up in places with no heat in the winter! And I have never written a bad review online as much as I may gripe here!)
And, yes, I've stayed in Savannah in a place where the heating/cooling unit was in the hallway and the windows didn't open and I was miserable. In January. When it was unexpectedly 80 degrees. I didn't trash the people or expect them to control the weather. Altho it would have been nice if the windows opened.
I do wish that guests would understand we don't control the weather. Not the rain, the snow, the sun, the heat, the freezing temps.
.
Sorry...if I'm paying a decent price to stay there, I expect to be comfortable in my room whether it's a hotel or B&B. It is indeed part of our jobs as innkeepers to try to make our guests comfortable here.
So, a good idea to have fans in the rooms that work fairly well to at least move air around if A/C isn't available when it becomes unseasonably warm. We had the A/C on here yesterday which is pretty early even for us. It was very HUMID and the temps crept up into the 80s. ugh.
 
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