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muirford

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You know how we all sometimes check out what others do for reservations policies? A link to the Seven Bridges Hotel in Amsterdam was posted on the PAII forum. Be sure to check out the Reservation Policies page (that should be the link). It is some interesting reading!
 
Oh well. leave it to the Europeans. The mastery of English in not that good either. I don't think I will be booking here any time soon anyway:-(
 
Yowza! That is a pretty extensive policies page. I especially liked that YOU have to CALL, not your secretary or anyone else, no online booking. And this was nice to add (note the 'most probably'
wink_smile.gif
):
YOUR PERSONAL CHOICE IS ALL IMPORTANT: It's YOU who will be staying with us ... most probably not your secretary.
It must be nice to be so busy you can have rules like those...
 
...doesn't suffer from the well-known sterility of many a conventional 4 or 5 -star hotel - our house is highly personalized and definitely no soulless place...

is this a warning that they have dust bunnies?
tounge_smile.gif

looks like a rather beautiful place...i has to read a few times to figure out how early in advance i am NOT allowed to make a reservation & then how early i have to cancel that reservation.
cannot make a reservation more than 5 month out but, if i remember right, have to cancel no less than 7 weeks out? (among other date minimums)
i'm not the brighteset bulb on the tree but i was kinda confused by the reservation/cancellation policies...anyone else?...no? just me?
 
...doesn't suffer from the well-known sterility of many a conventional 4 or 5 -star hotel - our house is highly personalized and definitely no soulless place...

is this a warning that they have dust bunnies?
tounge_smile.gif

looks like a rather beautiful place...i has to read a few times to figure out how early in advance i am NOT allowed to make a reservation & then how early i have to cancel that reservation.
cannot make a reservation more than 5 month out but, if i remember right, have to cancel no less than 7 weeks out? (among other date minimums)
i'm not the brighteset bulb on the tree but i was kinda confused by the reservation/cancellation policies...anyone else?...no? just me?.
mollysmom said:
...doesn't suffer from the well-known sterility of many a conventional 4 or 5 -star hotel - our house is highly personalized and definitely no soulless place...

is this a warning that they have dust bunnies?
tounge_smile.gif

looks like a rather beautiful place...i has to read a few times to figure out how early in advance i am NOT allowed to make a reservation & then how early i have to cancel that reservation.
cannot make a reservation more than 5 month out but, if i remember right, have to cancel no less than 7 weeks out? (among other date minimums)
i'm not the brighteset bulb on the tree but i was kinda confused by the reservation/cancellation policies...anyone else?...no? just me?
Me, too. A t-shirt I saw today said it all..."I'm an English major- you do the math!"
 
the whole sterility thing brought back memories of the germaphobe topic a few days back.
 
the whole sterility thing brought back memories of the germaphobe topic a few days back..
mollysmom said:
the whole sterility thing brought back memories of the germaphobe topic a few days back.
I think these folks meant 'sterility' in a whole other sense...not in the 'germy' sense we were talking about, but, rather, the lack of homey touches. I saw some of the room pix and there was a lot going on in this place. Looking like you were staying at someone's pied a terre, instead of a hotel room.
 
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!
 
amazing. how did you find them? i agree, i'd have to call so i got it right. their place, their rules.
wink_smile.gif

i got a kick out of this on one of the room pictures ''Please, kindly keep in mind that some photos are made with wide angle lenses from Sigma (14mm analog and 10-20mm digital).That makes the room look larger than it is.''
i love the rooms! and the little radio on the website so you can listen to 'music from the hotel'
 
amazing. how did you find them? i agree, i'd have to call so i got it right. their place, their rules.
wink_smile.gif

i got a kick out of this on one of the room pictures ''Please, kindly keep in mind that some photos are made with wide angle lenses from Sigma (14mm analog and 10-20mm digital).That makes the room look larger than it is.''
i love the rooms! and the little radio on the website so you can listen to 'music from the hotel'.
The pix are rather extensive, too. I'd like to stay there. Kinda pricey, tho. But it IS right in town.
 
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
 
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
.
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!
 
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
.
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!
.
I think all of reasons are quite valid (as if you needed me to tell you that :) ).
I agree wholeheartedly with you, but I wonder: would your revenue from them make up for the hassle?
 
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
.
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!
.
I think all of reasons are quite valid (as if you needed me to tell you that :) ).
I agree wholeheartedly with you, but I wonder: would your revenue from them make up for the hassle?
.
NO!!!!!!
 
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
.
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!
.
I think all of reasons are quite valid (as if you needed me to tell you that :) ).
I agree wholeheartedly with you, but I wonder: would your revenue from them make up for the hassle?
.
NO!!!!!!
.
Did you originally offer them and then stop? Or have you never offered them at all?
I am on the fence for when it's my turn. I read your post and nodded the whole time. Where I work, we offer them, so I am familiar with the usage of them, but not the "un-used" one's hassles.
 
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
.
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!
.
I think all of reasons are quite valid (as if you needed me to tell you that :) ).
I agree wholeheartedly with you, but I wonder: would your revenue from them make up for the hassle?
.
NO!!!!!!
.
Did you originally offer them and then stop? Or have you never offered them at all?
I am on the fence for when it's my turn. I read your post and nodded the whole time. Where I work, we offer them, so I am familiar with the usage of them, but not the "un-used" one's hassles.
.
Oh yes, I did originally offer them. I also donated nights to charities which were even more bothersome. I just don't want the hassle now.
 
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
.
We don't do gift certificates either. For a variety of small reasons, but mainly for a big one that we decide year to year whether we are going to stay open for another year. So we feel it would be misleading to sell "future" stays.
 
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