again, too late to be helpful this time
but ... go out to the area 20 minutes before closing and announce that you'll be closing the deck and hot tub in 20 minutes. then return 10 minutes later and start shutting down or gathering up or putting away chairs or turning off decorative lighting or doing small tasks indicating that it's closing time and STAY THERE. if anyone grumbles, you remind them it's a town ordinance or whatever speech you prepare. turn off the bubbles, hand out towels, whatever you need to do. all the while, smiling and helpful and AUTHORITATIVE.
people having a good time often don't want to stop.
people talking and laughing in a pool or tub don't realize how loud they might be and how their voices and laughter carry.
if you don't enforce an exit time, they will think it's negotiable or doesn't matter or that you are making an exception.
let us know how it turned out..
seashanty said:
...if you don't enforce an exit time, they will think it's negotiable or doesn't matter or that you are making an exception.
Not to hijack this thread, but this also applies to enforcing your stated check-in and check-out times. You give 'em an inch, they'll take a mile.
It's human nature to act the way guests act sometimes. Heck, most of us probably do it ourselves when we're not cognisant of it. However, as seashanty indicated, most individuals will accept the rules being enforced when done in a pleasant authoritative manner.....unless they are stinking drunk.
Don't make it about you or the guests. Make it about the stated policy. If they refuse to comply, don't confront them, call the cops. You'd be surprised how well they behave after that.
.