I totally "get it"! They've had problems with guests and now have really put things on paper. There are some language issues. They do not deal with travel agents and on-line reservations. I totally get that also.
Me, I want to talk to the person who is reserving and I do absolutely understand where they are coming from. This is why I don't do gift certificates either.
Sterility means it's not a cookie cutter situation. They talk about the stairs. Good for them!! The first time I encountered a stairway in a canal house in Amsterdam I was very dismayed. Fortunately the host was a strong guy who carried my suitcase up the stairs otherwise I couldn't have done it.
They time restrictions on taking reservations might mean that they travel a lot or something. Might also mean that they've had problems with people cancelling bookings made too far in advance.
Perhaps it all is rather confusing but then they want people to phone them so they will phone them to get everything explained a bit more clearly.
I love my Dutch guests and I love The Netherlands. The Dutch are hard-headed business people and that's one of the reasons I admire them. LOL!.
ginocat said:
Me, I want to talk to the person who is reserving and I do absolutely understand where they are coming from. This is why I don't do gift certificates either.
Would you mind sharing a little bit of your reasoning behind "no gift certificates"? I am curious.
Thanks
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It may sound strange but just don't like them. I'm not the only one here who doesn't do them anymore.
Firstly I've had them expire and then have the receiver want to come well after the expiry date and not pay the increased amount. (I used to give the purchaser the choice of putting the amount of $$ on the certificate or have it expire in one year).
Then I've had the experience of people coming with the GF who simply weren't BB people and were somewhat uncomfortable being in the bb situation and let me and everyone else know it.
Then there are the ones who have been given a gift and they are going to use every darn thing they can think of and make every conceivable mess. Yes, I know any guest can do that but ...
I've had GF guests arrive who are allergic to cats.
I like to have personal contact with my guests either by email or phone. I want them to know where they are coming to. Yes, the GF person has to contact me to make the booking but they have a free room so they will not always look at the web site or respect that the cat lives here, etc. etc.etc.
I also don't like the bookeeping aspect of GF's. I have enough trouble keeping track of my life. LOL!!
Having said all that I have a GF in right now!! Well, she has been here before and someone bought her a 3 night stay here for her honeymoon so that would be an exception to my NO GF RULE!
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