One bad apple, or why guests force policy changes

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Alibi Ike

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I know I said last week that we rarely change policy because of one guest, but sometimes that one guest is a doozy.
Checked in on Sunday with pet. Did not leave the room for 2 days except to go to dinner. (Note the 'did not leave room'.) Called yesterday to extend stay. (Right, did not knock on door or ring bell, they called.) Did not show for breakfast either day altho today we didn't even bother setting up for breakfast. Today called again at 10:40 and asked for a late checkout. We said no. At 11:30 we heard the water running for a shower. At noon the ride arrived. I saw the driver coming into the house with a can of carpet cleaner. Not good. At 12:30 I heard the hair dryer going. (They're trying to dry whatever they cleaned.) At 12:31 I was knocking on the door. At 1:00 they left. (So, they got their late checkout, didn't they. Bastards.) We went to clean.
Dog had not been outside for 2 days except when they left for dinner. Dog peed all over carpet and bed.They had not been outside to smoke for 2 days. They smoked in the room for 2 days.
They sprayed perfume all over trying to cover the smell of the cigs. My lips are swollen from the chemicals in the perfume. My throat is raw. My breathing is almost non existent.
We had to strip the room down to the mattresses. It will take me 2 days just to get thru the laundry. I have 2 washers and 3 dryers going right now.
We had to clean the carpets. We've sprayed the whole room with magic zymes, opened all the windows, sprayed the zymes in the exhaust vent in the bathroom and it still reeks. Luckily, the mattresses are entirely encased so we were able to wash the plastic covers down with lysol before replacing the bedding.
What we're changing in the (in house) policies...strict enforcement of the 'overstayed your welcome fees,' no dogs allowed that are not 'outside' dogs, no letting any room go unattended EVER (we WILL be in your room inspecting even if we are not cleaning), if we've decided we're taking a day off, we're taking it off (we had decided to not take anyone Sunday night so we could finish our reno work).
We suspected they were smoking in the room and reminded them of the policy. That was, according to them, no problem. Had we gone to check the room yesterday when they left for dinner, we would have told them to leave.
Still comtemplating charging for the excessive cleaning we had to do.
 
charge away and send an itimised bill! We put clear signs up in every room no smoking in the room or $500 fine. Ive got a room must be inspected every day policy due to a young man vomiting in his room on day 1 of a two day stay and not telling us and trying to clean it up himelf and wouldn't let the chamber maid in so it dried in never again. If I hadn't had the carpet booked to be replaced i would have been livid! so never again.
 
plus how do you let a dog pee on the bed you are sleeping in? and how do you call yourself a responsible dog owner who never lets the dog out?
 
CHARGE THEM. Smoking fee, excess cleaning fee. This is just not acceptable, absolutely disgusting. Your health is no small matter either. You specifically reminded them of the no smoking policy and they blatantly disregarded it.
I'll just add here that our first year here for the college's Parents' Weekend we had a family check in at 8 pm (2 hours after check-in ends, back when we let the place run us) with an extra person than they said they'd have. Pulled the roll-a-way out in the rain, set it up, got them set. The extra person was an adult child with special needs...long story short housekeepers go in next day and the roll-a-way bed is SATURATED with urine. Had to throw out the comforter. They left early next morning, we never saw them after the check-in. I charged them $250 to replace the comforter and extra cleaning. Never heard a word back from them.
 
charge away and send an itimised bill! We put clear signs up in every room no smoking in the room or $500 fine. Ive got a room must be inspected every day policy due to a young man vomiting in his room on day 1 of a two day stay and not telling us and trying to clean it up himelf and wouldn't let the chamber maid in so it dried in never again. If I hadn't had the carpet booked to be replaced i would have been livid! so never again..
Once had a college age kid vomit from alcohol poisoning in the room. I paid the housekeeper extra to clean it and told him so. I also told him how lucky he was that she agreed, because if she had refused I would have had no choice but to call a hazmat team to clean it. It's part of the worker's safety commission laws around here. It's a biological hazard.
I have bronchitis and allergies, people specifically book because I cater to allergies. I don't allow pets. I don't allow smoking. Not much I can do about perfume... I have many guests from France. We go into the rooms each day, if only to clean the garbage. And if it means that I have to do it when they go for dinner, then so be it. Even if they tell me they want no housekeeping, we still go in to check the trash.
 
I'm torn... normally I would say to charge it, but I would also have told you to take pictures of all the damages and to keep records of everything, in case they balk at paying for the damages, you have proof for court or if they write a nasty review.
But if you didn't take pictures for proof, it's you against them and a nasty review can really hurt your business.
Do you think you could call them and discuss the damages and agree on a cost?
 
Yep...go into the room every day!!! Even if you don't do anything but change towels and empty the wastebasket. It is your home and even though they are paying for the room, you still have the right to do it at least in my opinion. Charge them!!!! If you didn't get photos this time make sure you do if there is a next tim.
PEOPLE...WHAT ARE THEY THINKING!!!!! My friend had a similar experience this weekend..not with pet but uppity ups who trashed his entire place!
 
I'm torn... normally I would say to charge it, but I would also have told you to take pictures of all the damages and to keep records of everything, in case they balk at paying for the damages, you have proof for court or if they write a nasty review.
But if you didn't take pictures for proof, it's you against them and a nasty review can really hurt your business.
Do you think you could call them and discuss the damages and agree on a cost?.
Other than the damp carpet, which is hard to photgraph, there was not much to take pix of. You can't smell the stench in a photo!
Not even a cig butt or an ash anywhere in the room.
 
CHARGE THEM. Smoking fee, excess cleaning fee. This is just not acceptable, absolutely disgusting. Your health is no small matter either. You specifically reminded them of the no smoking policy and they blatantly disregarded it.
I'll just add here that our first year here for the college's Parents' Weekend we had a family check in at 8 pm (2 hours after check-in ends, back when we let the place run us) with an extra person than they said they'd have. Pulled the roll-a-way out in the rain, set it up, got them set. The extra person was an adult child with special needs...long story short housekeepers go in next day and the roll-a-way bed is SATURATED with urine. Had to throw out the comforter. They left early next morning, we never saw them after the check-in. I charged them $250 to replace the comforter and extra cleaning. Never heard a word back from them..
People like that drive me mad couldn't they have told you so you could put plastic covers on, old bedding etc? Mind you they think we won't tell you do you can't turn us away when we get there. But they can't know they child doesn't do it so If it was me would take my own bedding wouldn't expect the B&B to cope. people are so selfish.
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash.
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
 
Oh my God, that is SO awful and utterly disgusting and disrespectful - not to mention they clearly shouldn't be allowed to own a dog.
So sorry these hideous, vile people put you through the gut-churning job of cleaning up their revolting filth.
I'm with Camberley - charge with an itemized bill.
I bet when you start to list the things you had to do and put appropriate charges next to them you'll be shocked by how much it comes to.
I had a friend who did this, with perfectly reasonable figures, and it came to a really big number - so she rounded it off with the phrase "As a gesture of goodwill I am willing to charge you just half this figure".
I thought that was a stroke of genious because half of it was still a worthwhile amount, but it also meant the guest was way less likely to argue about it.
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
.
Alibi Ike said:
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
SLAP THEIR MAMAS!
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
.
Alibi Ike said:
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
SLAP THEIR MAMAS!
.
Well, slap my mama then, I don't make my bed. As far as I know, I never have. In fact that was one of the hysterical things my mother laughed about when we bought this biz...'You've never made a bed in your life.'
I really don't expect guests to make the bed.
 
Oh my God, that is SO awful and utterly disgusting and disrespectful - not to mention they clearly shouldn't be allowed to own a dog.
So sorry these hideous, vile people put you through the gut-churning job of cleaning up their revolting filth.
I'm with Camberley - charge with an itemized bill.
I bet when you start to list the things you had to do and put appropriate charges next to them you'll be shocked by how much it comes to.
I had a friend who did this, with perfectly reasonable figures, and it came to a really big number - so she rounded it off with the phrase "As a gesture of goodwill I am willing to charge you just half this figure".
I thought that was a stroke of genious because half of it was still a worthwhile amount, but it also meant the guest was way less likely to argue about it..
SGS you are an enigma.
And this line, and I am so serious you must be standing right beside me half the time here:
According to Louis Armstrong “when you’re smilin’…the whole world smiles with you”. Well he obviously never met the couple I just checked in.
I had the couple with no personality Sun and Mon and it was killing me! I even told some innmates off forum, ya know I can do a pretty good rat tat tat routine, but I need audience feedback. When I get a blank stare it is a show stopper, I cannot force people to smile and be happy. Little did I know that WAS THEM BEING HAPPY!
Gloomathon, is that a term for the innkeeper glossary? When they came to the door to find out about a boat cruise IN A THUNDERSTORM they stared back like deer in the headlights not understanding why there was no cruise? I said, well it doesn't begin until summer time, when it warms up. They stood and stared. I began again, "Do you need dinner recommendations?" I mean it was like talking to a couple of rocks.
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
.
Alibi Ike said:
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
SLAP THEIR MAMAS!
.
Well, slap my mama then, I don't make my bed. As far as I know, I never have. In fact that was one of the hysterical things my mother laughed about when we bought this biz...'You've never made a bed in your life.'
I really don't expect guests to make the bed.
.
Alibi Ike said:
Well, slap my mama then, I don't make my bed. As far as I know, I never have. In fact that was one of the hysterical things my mother laughed about when we bought this biz...'You've never made a bed in your life.'
I really don't expect guests to make the bed.
Shame on you. I was not raised to make my bed, my mother is still 'untidy.' Shewill leave half empty coffee cups all over the house, never vacuum, doesn't do dishes until someone comes over. She actually has made me this way - you know you are the same or polar opposite to your parents.
It is funny, today I had so much to do and still had the feather down doona on the bed and it just looks so untidy that is was adding to my stress, so I climbed up on this tall shelf/storage thing to get the comforter down. Now it is smooth and tidy on my bed, instead of a pile. Beds made. Shoes put away. Towels hung up. Everything in it's place. Ship shape.
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
.
Alibi Ike said:
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
SLAP THEIR MAMAS!
.
Well, slap my mama then, I don't make my bed. As far as I know, I never have. In fact that was one of the hysterical things my mother laughed about when we bought this biz...'You've never made a bed in your life.'
I really don't expect guests to make the bed.
.
Alibi Ike said:
Well, slap my mama then, I don't make my bed. As far as I know, I never have. In fact that was one of the hysterical things my mother laughed about when we bought this biz...'You've never made a bed in your life.'
I really don't expect guests to make the bed.
Shame on you. I was not raised to make my bed, my mother is still 'untidy.' Shewill leave half empty coffee cups all over the house, never vacuum, doesn't do dishes until someone comes over. She actually has made me this way - you know you are the same or polar opposite to your parents.
It is funny, today I had so much to do and still had the feather down doona on the bed and it just looks so untidy that is was adding to my stress, so I climbed up on this tall shelf/storage thing to get the comforter down. Now it is smooth and tidy on my bed, instead of a pile. Beds made. Shoes put away. Towels hung up. Everything in it's place. Ship shape.
.
My mother has a cleaning lady come by to put order to the disaster. It's an over-reaction to my grandmother's incesant tidiness. I wish I could blame her bad cooking on the same over-reaction, but frankly, she just didn't care to learn to cook. To this day these is no ketchup in my house, because of personal trauma. (Spaghetti and ketchup does not bolognese make.)
When I was growing up I hated top sheets. Instead of fighting me, my mother had them made into fitted sheets. Today, you wouldn't catch me in a bed without a top sheet. And I wouldn't put my head down on a sham even if it came with a band saying "sanitized for your protection."
 
Oh my God, that is SO awful and utterly disgusting and disrespectful - not to mention they clearly shouldn't be allowed to own a dog.
So sorry these hideous, vile people put you through the gut-churning job of cleaning up their revolting filth.
I'm with Camberley - charge with an itemized bill.
I bet when you start to list the things you had to do and put appropriate charges next to them you'll be shocked by how much it comes to.
I had a friend who did this, with perfectly reasonable figures, and it came to a really big number - so she rounded it off with the phrase "As a gesture of goodwill I am willing to charge you just half this figure".
I thought that was a stroke of genious because half of it was still a worthwhile amount, but it also meant the guest was way less likely to argue about it..
SGS you are an enigma.
And this line, and I am so serious you must be standing right beside me half the time here:
According to Louis Armstrong “when you’re smilin’…the whole world smiles with you”. Well he obviously never met the couple I just checked in.
I had the couple with no personality Sun and Mon and it was killing me! I even told some innmates off forum, ya know I can do a pretty good rat tat tat routine, but I need audience feedback. When I get a blank stare it is a show stopper, I cannot force people to smile and be happy. Little did I know that WAS THEM BEING HAPPY!
Gloomathon, is that a term for the innkeeper glossary? When they came to the door to find out about a boat cruise IN A THUNDERSTORM they stared back like deer in the headlights not understanding why there was no cruise? I said, well it doesn't begin until summer time, when it warms up. They stood and stared. I began again, "Do you need dinner recommendations?" I mean it was like talking to a couple of rocks.
.
EXACTLY! I have a whole "comedy" routine - same "gags" in the same places, usually provokes the same smiles and chuckles, but every once in a while you'll just get a couple who're dead behind the eyes.
How ever these people meet and are attracted to each other I have no idea.
Have been a bit out of the loop with blogging and foruming lately due to B&B madness, just have a couple of hours to catch up and am so utterly horrified by Alibi Ike's story (am LOVING the new Polly avatar tho).
And people not in the biz wonder why we feel badly treated sometimes - seriously SO many people wouldn't last 24 hours in this industry with people treating us, our homes and belongings they way they do.
 
Oh my God, that is SO awful and utterly disgusting and disrespectful - not to mention they clearly shouldn't be allowed to own a dog.
So sorry these hideous, vile people put you through the gut-churning job of cleaning up their revolting filth.
I'm with Camberley - charge with an itemized bill.
I bet when you start to list the things you had to do and put appropriate charges next to them you'll be shocked by how much it comes to.
I had a friend who did this, with perfectly reasonable figures, and it came to a really big number - so she rounded it off with the phrase "As a gesture of goodwill I am willing to charge you just half this figure".
I thought that was a stroke of genious because half of it was still a worthwhile amount, but it also meant the guest was way less likely to argue about it..
SGS you are an enigma.
And this line, and I am so serious you must be standing right beside me half the time here:
According to Louis Armstrong “when you’re smilin’…the whole world smiles with you”. Well he obviously never met the couple I just checked in.
I had the couple with no personality Sun and Mon and it was killing me! I even told some innmates off forum, ya know I can do a pretty good rat tat tat routine, but I need audience feedback. When I get a blank stare it is a show stopper, I cannot force people to smile and be happy. Little did I know that WAS THEM BEING HAPPY!
Gloomathon, is that a term for the innkeeper glossary? When they came to the door to find out about a boat cruise IN A THUNDERSTORM they stared back like deer in the headlights not understanding why there was no cruise? I said, well it doesn't begin until summer time, when it warms up. They stood and stared. I began again, "Do you need dinner recommendations?" I mean it was like talking to a couple of rocks.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
I had the couple with no personality Sun and Mon and it was killing me! I even told some innmates off forum, ya know I can do a pretty good rat tat tat routine, but I need audience feedback. When I get a blank stare it is a show stopper, I cannot force people to smile and be happy. Little did I know that WAS THEM BEING HAPPY!
Gloomathon, is that a term for the innkeeper glossary?
Some of their relatives were here... had to be, same blank stare.
They were local wanted a break from home. I asked if they had children she said "yes, but not with us" blank stare, I nearly lost it. Then said we have another on the way... I said "well then you DO have one with you then" started laughing.... deer light stare. NOTHING. Some how DH had better luck... I'm not that in need of conversation!
 
If you could only photograph smells...
This is the way I look at it, I know some offer "no housekeeping, it is your home while here" but people are pigs in THEIR HOME, and THIS IS NOT THEIR HOME, this is OUR HOME! Chances are someone new will be in that home after you check out today!
If you say daily housekeeping then they KNOW YOU ARE COMING IN and for nothing else, no other purpose than that, they will be tidier. I believe this 100%.
Now easier said than done, I am not in anyone else's shoes, but have been there when people camped out all day. I remember the worst ever being the new bride and groom who were given their dinner of steak lobster and prawns in a togo box and it was in the waste basket and let me tell you - not a good smell to have in a room for the 2 days they occupied it. I nearly vomited! It was just the scraps in the box they put in the trash..
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
.
Alibi Ike said:
We do have a welcome note on the bed that states housekeeping will be by to tidy the room. I seriously do not think that deters the slobs from being slobs. 99% of my guests do not make their beds. Because they know someone else is going to come and do it? I don't know. Well, yes I do. Before we had that note we had the same experience. No bed-making going on here, everyone is on vacation!
SLAP THEIR MAMAS!
.
I don't make the bed when I go away but I always say don't bother making it to the chamber maid just fill up the tea and coffee stuff and leave everything else. (or maybe more towels) cos I know what its like to do the job so I try and make it easier for fellow sufferers!
 
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