Innkeeper woke up on the wrong side of the bed

[Morticia]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.

 

[undersea]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

CALLS --> I want to reduce phone calls and problem calls, I do not delude myself thinking that I do not have to talk to people on the phone ever. But I will not be answering incoming calls. They will go through the machine to scrape off robocalls and annoyance calls with suggestion for booking online, and we will answer left messages shortly thereafter. Any messages I do not feel like responding to, I will not.
I am also considering hiring (and training) someone to pre-handle calls that get through, on a per call basis.
FREE STAYS --> I have noticed a huge difference in people since I was young (that was a long time ago). There were handshake agreements, word was your bond kind of thing. There was a lot more civility and chivalry. Now people are pumping and scraping for every dollar, businesses are pimping people for their personal contact info to slam them with marketing and giving away identities by the hundreds of millions. People will sue you at the drop of the hat (and many times, will set up fake lawsuits). It requires heavy insurance and 5 page contracts. A lot of people will steal you blind if they can...
What goes on with Booking . com and other things here only illustrate.
I do not see the general goodness in people any more, although there is still a lot of random kind acts.
So I smile, but do what I can to avoid being milked or robbed, as much as I can.
As my business philosophy, every transaction should at least breakeven from a personal energy and financial point of view. If I choose to give to charity, it needs to be well thought out.

 

[Generic]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

Cranky? Ma'am, I'm sorry that we can't accommodate you for dates. Please try again next year, it opens for booking at ____ date. Have a great day. And hang up.
I don't tolerate cranky well.

 

[gillumhouse]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

I am really sorry your Vets experience has not been the greatest. There were several reasons for this beginning. I am saying this for those who have joined us since 2010.
Jay Karen started a Keynote speech with the question, "What is the #1 reason people do not book at a B & B?" After all the stereotypical answers had been given, each with a negative answer, I said to myself, that will never happen again with at least one segment of the population. I did it at my B & B in 2008 and 9 others from the West Virginia B & B Assoc joined me in 2009. So in 2010 it was taken nationwide. I started e-mailing State and small Associations and then Muirford & her DH being IT people, set up web site that looked like a spreadsheet where participating B & Bs & inns could be found.
The purpose was #1 to bring the B & B industry into the limelight and the method was #2 to add warm & fuzzie AND in what would, for most, be a shoulder season - Veterans Day. A program does no one any good if no one knows about it. #3 To get the needed publicity (and the word out) it had to be big. It was also a thank you to the Military. MANY innkeepers were retired or Veterans themselves and thought it was great.
The program was for a minimum of one (1) room be made available FREE with no strings (such as a buy one/get one) for one (1) night on November 10 to anyone with a valid Military ID (Veterans Admin was added in 2011). Once the AP reporter hit the send key (and I heard her hit it), it went viral. Web site developers were telling their clients to get on this - we were getting more traffic than ALL the directories combined. Over the years, it has gotten a bit sideways. In 2010, there were 900 B & Bs in the US, 11 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, and 1 each in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Namibia in Africa participating. In 2011, Canada started it for Remembrance Day - also Nov 11. MANY B & Bs told me they had received PAID bookings later because they had participated (as is usual for me, I was not one of them).
This is the 5 year anniversary - time for another push with the Media. I posted on FB and on my home page last night that we are now taking calls for B & Bs For Vets.

 

[Morticia]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

Cranky? Ma'am, I'm sorry that we can't accommodate you for dates. Please try again next year, it opens for booking at ____ date. Have a great day. And hang up.
I don't tolerate cranky well.
.

Cranky? Ma'am, I'm sorry that we can't accommodate you for dates. Please try again next year, it opens for booking at ____ date. Have a great day. And hang up.
I don't tolerate cranky well.

When I said pretty much exactly that she came back with, "it's obvious I can't get a room calling this late in the year!"
This year we happen to be on vacation that week with our good friends. (Look for more adventures in the travels with Mort series.) Next year we're not doing it. I'll be explaining the reason why if I get any more push back on this.

 

[Morticia]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

I am really sorry your Vets experience has not been the greatest. There were several reasons for this beginning. I am saying this for those who have joined us since 2010.
Jay Karen started a Keynote speech with the question, "What is the #1 reason people do not book at a B & B?" After all the stereotypical answers had been given, each with a negative answer, I said to myself, that will never happen again with at least one segment of the population. I did it at my B & B in 2008 and 9 others from the West Virginia B & B Assoc joined me in 2009. So in 2010 it was taken nationwide. I started e-mailing State and small Associations and then Muirford & her DH being IT people, set up web site that looked like a spreadsheet where participating B & Bs & inns could be found.
The purpose was #1 to bring the B & B industry into the limelight and the method was #2 to add warm & fuzzie AND in what would, for most, be a shoulder season - Veterans Day. A program does no one any good if no one knows about it. #3 To get the needed publicity (and the word out) it had to be big. It was also a thank you to the Military. MANY innkeepers were retired or Veterans themselves and thought it was great.
The program was for a minimum of one (1) room be made available FREE with no strings (such as a buy one/get one) for one (1) night on November 10 to anyone with a valid Military ID (Veterans Admin was added in 2011). Once the AP reporter hit the send key (and I heard her hit it), it went viral. Web site developers were telling their clients to get on this - we were getting more traffic than ALL the directories combined. Over the years, it has gotten a bit sideways. In 2010, there were 900 B & Bs in the US, 11 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, and 1 each in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Namibia in Africa participating. In 2011, Canada started it for Remembrance Day - also Nov 11. MANY B & Bs told me they had received PAID bookings later because they had participated (as is usual for me, I was not one of them).
This is the 5 year anniversary - time for another push with the Media. I posted on FB and on my home page last night that we are now taking calls for B & Bs For Vets.
.

That year and the next 2 were good. We had some who didn't understand what was being done but most 'got it' and thanked us.
Then it became a gimme for the people who called starting in June.

 

[Morticia]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?

 

[gillumhouse]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

I am really sorry your Vets experience has not been the greatest. There were several reasons for this beginning. I am saying this for those who have joined us since 2010.
Jay Karen started a Keynote speech with the question, "What is the #1 reason people do not book at a B & B?" After all the stereotypical answers had been given, each with a negative answer, I said to myself, that will never happen again with at least one segment of the population. I did it at my B & B in 2008 and 9 others from the West Virginia B & B Assoc joined me in 2009. So in 2010 it was taken nationwide. I started e-mailing State and small Associations and then Muirford & her DH being IT people, set up web site that looked like a spreadsheet where participating B & Bs & inns could be found.
The purpose was #1 to bring the B & B industry into the limelight and the method was #2 to add warm & fuzzie AND in what would, for most, be a shoulder season - Veterans Day. A program does no one any good if no one knows about it. #3 To get the needed publicity (and the word out) it had to be big. It was also a thank you to the Military. MANY innkeepers were retired or Veterans themselves and thought it was great.
The program was for a minimum of one (1) room be made available FREE with no strings (such as a buy one/get one) for one (1) night on November 10 to anyone with a valid Military ID (Veterans Admin was added in 2011). Once the AP reporter hit the send key (and I heard her hit it), it went viral. Web site developers were telling their clients to get on this - we were getting more traffic than ALL the directories combined. Over the years, it has gotten a bit sideways. In 2010, there were 900 B & Bs in the US, 11 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, and 1 each in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Namibia in Africa participating. In 2011, Canada started it for Remembrance Day - also Nov 11. MANY B & Bs told me they had received PAID bookings later because they had participated (as is usual for me, I was not one of them).
This is the 5 year anniversary - time for another push with the Media. I posted on FB and on my home page last night that we are now taking calls for B & Bs For Vets.
.

That year and the next 2 were good. We had some who didn't understand what was being done but most 'got it' and thanked us.
Then it became a gimme for the people who called starting in June.
.

Unfortunately there are TAKERS in every stripe that manage to ruin things for everyone else. I TOTALLY understand your position. So far, I have only had the nice ones. May it continue........
I hope you and your Vet enjoy your trip. You both earned it.

 

[undersea]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

 

[undersea]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

I am really sorry your Vets experience has not been the greatest. There were several reasons for this beginning. I am saying this for those who have joined us since 2010.
Jay Karen started a Keynote speech with the question, "What is the #1 reason people do not book at a B & B?" After all the stereotypical answers had been given, each with a negative answer, I said to myself, that will never happen again with at least one segment of the population. I did it at my B & B in 2008 and 9 others from the West Virginia B & B Assoc joined me in 2009. So in 2010 it was taken nationwide. I started e-mailing State and small Associations and then Muirford & her DH being IT people, set up web site that looked like a spreadsheet where participating B & Bs & inns could be found.
The purpose was #1 to bring the B & B industry into the limelight and the method was #2 to add warm & fuzzie AND in what would, for most, be a shoulder season - Veterans Day. A program does no one any good if no one knows about it. #3 To get the needed publicity (and the word out) it had to be big. It was also a thank you to the Military. MANY innkeepers were retired or Veterans themselves and thought it was great.
The program was for a minimum of one (1) room be made available FREE with no strings (such as a buy one/get one) for one (1) night on November 10 to anyone with a valid Military ID (Veterans Admin was added in 2011). Once the AP reporter hit the send key (and I heard her hit it), it went viral. Web site developers were telling their clients to get on this - we were getting more traffic than ALL the directories combined. Over the years, it has gotten a bit sideways. In 2010, there were 900 B & Bs in the US, 11 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, and 1 each in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Namibia in Africa participating. In 2011, Canada started it for Remembrance Day - also Nov 11. MANY B & Bs told me they had received PAID bookings later because they had participated (as is usual for me, I was not one of them).
This is the 5 year anniversary - time for another push with the Media. I posted on FB and on my home page last night that we are now taking calls for B & Bs For Vets.
.

That year and the next 2 were good. We had some who didn't understand what was being done but most 'got it' and thanked us.
Then it became a gimme for the people who called starting in June.
.

This is the Groupon mentality. Giving away stuff rarely brings long-term success or desirable long-term customers and it is expensive for the owner

 

[undersea]

I'm sorry your day started out that way. I want to commiserate -

• Guest comes to the kitchen sink to rinse out their water bottle all over the peach peels I was accumulating and planning to keep to make jelly.
• Guest shows up 5 minutes after breakfast time (9am) saying "I just wanted to be courteous and let you now that my wife & I won't be joining you for breakfast." Meanwhile, I'm plating their food and their fruit & muffin were already on the table. But, he couldn't say anything about it to us 1.5 hours ago when he stopped us on the way in to babble about some nonsense.

Some day's there's no winning, no matter how good of a mood you might have come to work with. Good luck!.

Our kitchen will have a lock. No way i want anyone near our fridge, food prep and heating equipment...

 

[Morticia]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...
.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.

 

[Morticia]

And one more: caller for a free night for veteran's day giving me a hard time because we don't have any rooms open for the TWO days she wanted. Asked to book for NEXT year, which I declined to do. Got cranky again with me.
Call someone else. We're not the only place that does this!
I need to get some sleep. These calls are getting to me!.

I cannot imagine giving away free nights for any reason - a modest discount maybe. People appreciate an experience they pay for. They often take advantage of programs like this. There is enough hassle trying to reach breakeven; this program does not hold interest for me. Charity for me is $$$ to church or truly remarkable charities.
And you continue to strengthen my intent to let a machine answer for me. Being a slave to the phone is enough to kill my interest in opening an inn...
.

I think we're done with the free stay thing. Too many people think we get to write it off or that some organization pays us to do this or whatever.
Gomez is a disabled vet and he did this out of the goodness of his heart. But he's been discouraged by the lack of graciousness on the part of the folks we've hosted.
The one year that it was really fun we had a group of female vets here who were donating their time to build some houses in town. Other than that it's been a crap shoot.
In spite of what I mostly write on here, I'm an optimist so these kinds of phone calls sadden me. I don't think 'well, of course, that's how people are' I'm just saddened that some people are so grasping that they make it hard to offer this.
But I'm still answering the phone! Still returning calls. When 50% of your biz comes from either answering the phone or the door, you kind of have to calculate that into your day.
.

I am really sorry your Vets experience has not been the greatest. There were several reasons for this beginning. I am saying this for those who have joined us since 2010.
Jay Karen started a Keynote speech with the question, "What is the #1 reason people do not book at a B & B?" After all the stereotypical answers had been given, each with a negative answer, I said to myself, that will never happen again with at least one segment of the population. I did it at my B & B in 2008 and 9 others from the West Virginia B & B Assoc joined me in 2009. So in 2010 it was taken nationwide. I started e-mailing State and small Associations and then Muirford & her DH being IT people, set up web site that looked like a spreadsheet where participating B & Bs & inns could be found.
The purpose was #1 to bring the B & B industry into the limelight and the method was #2 to add warm & fuzzie AND in what would, for most, be a shoulder season - Veterans Day. A program does no one any good if no one knows about it. #3 To get the needed publicity (and the word out) it had to be big. It was also a thank you to the Military. MANY innkeepers were retired or Veterans themselves and thought it was great.
The program was for a minimum of one (1) room be made available FREE with no strings (such as a buy one/get one) for one (1) night on November 10 to anyone with a valid Military ID (Veterans Admin was added in 2011). Once the AP reporter hit the send key (and I heard her hit it), it went viral. Web site developers were telling their clients to get on this - we were getting more traffic than ALL the directories combined. Over the years, it has gotten a bit sideways. In 2010, there were 900 B & Bs in the US, 11 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, and 1 each in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Namibia in Africa participating. In 2011, Canada started it for Remembrance Day - also Nov 11. MANY B & Bs told me they had received PAID bookings later because they had participated (as is usual for me, I was not one of them).
This is the 5 year anniversary - time for another push with the Media. I posted on FB and on my home page last night that we are now taking calls for B & Bs For Vets.
.

That year and the next 2 were good. We had some who didn't understand what was being done but most 'got it' and thanked us.
Then it became a gimme for the people who called starting in June.
.

This is the Groupon mentality. Giving away stuff rarely brings long-term success or desirable long-term customers and it is expensive for the owner
.

This is the Groupon mentality. Giving away stuff rarely brings long-term success or desirable long-term customers and it is expensive for the owner

Let me say that giving away 'stuff' to guests who are long term customers does have its rewards. Not to first timers from very far away who will never be back.
And just because they demanded it, does not mean we'll provide it.

 

[Morticia]

I'm sorry your day started out that way. I want to commiserate -

• Guest comes to the kitchen sink to rinse out their water bottle all over the peach peels I was accumulating and planning to keep to make jelly.
• Guest shows up 5 minutes after breakfast time (9am) saying "I just wanted to be courteous and let you now that my wife & I won't be joining you for breakfast." Meanwhile, I'm plating their food and their fruit & muffin were already on the table. But, he couldn't say anything about it to us 1.5 hours ago when he stopped us on the way in to babble about some nonsense.

Some day's there's no winning, no matter how good of a mood you might have come to work with. Good luck!.

Our kitchen will have a lock. No way i want anyone near our fridge, food prep and heating equipment...
.

Our kitchen will have a lock. No way i want anyone near our fridge, food prep and heating equipment...

It'll be tough going if the door is locked during breakfast and you have to unlock it to serve anything. Or to answer a question. Or any of the myriad tasks that accompany breakfast.
But definitely once breakfast is over. I can vouch for that. Many times over!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?

"I'm sorry, our kitchen simply cannot accommodate several different menus. My suggestion is: (whatever you can serve to the whole family.) If that isn't sufficient, perhaps this inn isn't the right fit for you."

 

[EmptyNest]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?

"I'm sorry, our kitchen simply cannot accommodate several different menus. My suggestion is: (whatever you can serve to the whole family.) If that isn't sufficient, perhaps this inn isn't the right fit for you."
.

"I'm sorry, our kitchen simply cannot accommodate several different menus."
I agree.... I think that you need to start putting your foot down too. All of this special request stuff is for the birds. If they truly have an allergy to the food, that is one thing, but expecting you to cater to every whim just doesn't cut it. You state what you can do and they either book or they walk. Who needs this much grief in their life? Not me!

 

[Momma Smurf]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...
.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.
.

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.

Again, these issues seem to happen especially in your neck of the woods, hardly ever down here in the South. Not sure why your area is such a magnet for the irrational demanding inconsiderate folks that do not comprehend the concept of a B&B or Innkeeper? As Happy says, who are you attempting to attract?

 

[Momma Smurf]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...
.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.
.

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.

Again, these issues seem to happen especially in your neck of the woods, hardly ever down here in the South. Not sure why your area is such a magnet for the irrational demanding inconsiderate folks that do not comprehend the concept of a B&B or Innkeeper? As Happy says, who are you attempting to attract?
.

Speaking about attracting undesirable guests: folks in our suite just came down for breakfast and announced that there is a bat visiting in their room!!!

Trapped in the sunporch at the moment....

 

[undersea]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...
.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.
.

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.

Again, these issues seem to happen especially in your neck of the woods, hardly ever down here in the South. Not sure why your area is such a magnet for the irrational demanding inconsiderate folks that do not comprehend the concept of a B&B or Innkeeper? As Happy says, who are you attempting to attract?
.

Having lived down South for a few years (until recently), I find the quality and morality of the people significantly higher than the Northeast (currently and before).
I cannot begin to list all the examples. Southern hospitality creates a special breed of folks. And not just Old Timey!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

The difference in guests - family with highly allergic kids has told us the kids need to learn how to live in the world and we don't need to do anything to 'protect' them (like removing trigger foods from their reach). Obviously we won't serve them those trigger foods!
Second family is emailing demanding we provide them with certain foods because they can't eat the food we generally serve. We mentioned there is space for them to store whatever they want to eat, rather than us buying something no one else will want. No, WE are to buy the food and place it at their disposal. When it was explained that the whole family would be served the same meal (differing from what everyone else will get) we were told that some of their party won't want the 'special' meal.
Really?.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...
.

Mort, you are a walking litany of the things I need to create processes for...

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.
.

It's my goal in life to help other innkeepers avoid these issues by showing they do really happen.

Again, these issues seem to happen especially in your neck of the woods, hardly ever down here in the South. Not sure why your area is such a magnet for the irrational demanding inconsiderate folks that do not comprehend the concept of a B&B or Innkeeper? As Happy says, who are you attempting to attract?
.

Speaking about attracting undesirable guests: folks in our suite just came down for breakfast and announced that there is a bat visiting in their room!!!

Trapped in the sunporch at the moment....
.

Speaking about attracting undesirable guests: folks in our suite just came down for breakfast and announced that there is a bat visiting in their room!!!

Trapped in the sunporch at the moment....

Yuck!!!