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YellowSocks

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Gillum's post about her great guests hooking up her TV got me thinking about my great guests. I've only been open 4-5 years, and I have had some amazing people do really kind things... and I'm sure you have, too. A very short list of some of the things my guests have done...
Checked out the AC that wasn't working and told me how to fix it.
Stood upstairs while I flipped on a breaker downstairs, confirming that I had installed the light switch correctly and the house wasn't going to burn down.
Called around and found someone else to stay when one of my rooms cancelled.
Helped me move the fold out bed from the first floor to the third floor.
Returned a year after their first one night stay with two Nintendo DSs for my kids.
Other guests have given all kinds of gifts, including books they've written or edited, wine, sausage, coffee, a homemade vase, a really nice pair of wine glasses, and hats, shirts, and toys for the ds8x2.
Given my niece a ride to Wisconsin.
And in many ways, made it a lot easier to get through my divorce by their love and support.
It's the best part of being an innkeeper... the Great Guests. Tell us about yours!
=)
Kk.
 
Guests (2 rooms who did not know each other) who took bathroom sink plumbing apart to get the clog out (fortunately I had an air thingy they ended up using b ecause the clog was below floor level) at 10 PM on a weekend
Guest who figured out what was wrong with my computer and fixed it
Guest who told us about post-polio syndrome and told us DH had it (it explained WHY he had been having dificulties)
Guests who bring DH art books and me pieces of Pfaltzgraff
Guest who rescued us when our battery died while camping near her home - took me to my meeting then took DH to a gas station to get a battery (she apologized for leavig him at the station but she had a meeting with Senators - she is a lawyer for the Senate)
Guest who annually sends checks to our local food bank and the Chapel
Guests who blogged about us
There have been so many touching and thoughtful things over the 16 years.
 
None of the above, none have done things for us, only the other way round.
None has blogged about us for free, only the other way round.
None tries to sell rooms, only tries to sell service, marketing, pyramid schemes to us.
I don't think I have those same guests you have...
 
None of the above, none have done things for us, only the other way round.
None has blogged about us for free, only the other way round.
None tries to sell rooms, only tries to sell service, marketing, pyramid schemes to us.
I don't think I have those same guests you have....
I am with you. None of our guests ever did anything like what YS mentions. :-(
 
I'll have to mention again the guest who left DH the tractor. Then there are:
  • Guests who bring eggs from their chickens
  • Homemade jams
  • Invite us to stay with them or at least have dinner with them in their hometowns
  • Bring wine from vineyards near them
  • Bring chocolates from my fav chocolatier
  • Innkeepers (not on the forum) who have offered us to stay with them at a discount
  • First summer guests who weeded my garden
  • Lots of guests from around the world who have given us little tokens from their countries
  • Repeats who just keep us going every year
  • I'm sure I'm missing someone who did something that made us feel very appreciated
 
I'll have to mention again the guest who left DH the tractor. Then there are:
  • Guests who bring eggs from their chickens
  • Homemade jams
  • Invite us to stay with them or at least have dinner with them in their hometowns
  • Bring wine from vineyards near them
  • Bring chocolates from my fav chocolatier
  • Innkeepers (not on the forum) who have offered us to stay with them at a discount
  • First summer guests who weeded my garden
  • Lots of guests from around the world who have given us little tokens from their countries
  • Repeats who just keep us going every year
  • I'm sure I'm missing someone who did something that made us feel very appreciated
.
Madeleine said:
  • Lots of guests from around the world who have given us little tokens from their countries
  • Repeats who just keep us going every year
  • I'm sure I'm missing someone who did something that made us feel very appreciated
Me, too!!!
=)
Kk.
 
  • Guests who have brought us the most amazing chocolates
  • Guests who helped us figure out why we had no water being pumped into the house and went out in the snow (rare for us) to figure out we had to heat up the pump because it was frozen.
  • guests who brought us a beautiful ceramic olive server & olives
  • guests who have given us bottles of wine (the last one was from their own vinyard)
  • a guest who became our mortgage broker when we bought our retirement home and fought for us to be able to qualify
  • guests who have invited us to stay with them if we're ever in their area (we would never do that though)
  • guests who have sent heartfelt thank you cards in the mail after their stay
  • guests who have hugged me in tears because we somehow filled a hole in their heart because what we offered them here was something they really needed
 
What guests have given me:
Many bottles of wine.
Taken me out to a nice restaurant for dinner.
Called me out of the blue to see how I am doing.
Given me gifts of Silpat baking sheets. (non stick cookie sheets)
Lots of thank you cards.
Sent many recipes in the mail they want me to try for breakfasts.
Many returning guests at least one a week.
A guest from Texas mailed me an OXO cherry pitter when they got home.
A guest from Florida sent a beautifully framed photograph they took of a landscape outside of the bed and breakfast.
A Manhatten Beach, Ca guest who used to stay 7 days at time gave me a candle and an angel figurine.
Received a beautiful oil painting of a street scene of my town. The guest called me after checking out at least a year later and wanted to donate the painting to the house.
Had a 75 year old lady with her 91 year old husband stay many times and when she was home she would like to send me emails just for fun. She would check the online availability to see if anyone was in "their" bedroom.
I've also received many hugs and teary eyes at check-out.
I think the best thing I have received is former guests refering new guests to the B & B.
 
We have been very blessed with wonderful guest! They are the best part of the whole B&B thing! DH is really enjoying this too. Had a repeat guest fix my computer One guest got the car that was stuck in the mud out for me. But the gift of their friendship it the best.
 
Thanks YS for this thread, it has made me smile thinking of some of the warm things over the years.
Our first gift was during our first month - a beautiful handmade doily (completed while here) and yes it is one of a very few I do use.
wink_smile.gif

Several sketches, paintings of the B&B etc. some came framed, some given prior to departure.
Will never forget the 70+ aged man that tryed to lasso a large banch that had broken and was lodged in the tree after a major storm. Or the 2 couples that cleared the drive after another storm broke some branches... this during a power outage - got flashlights from the cars. (yes we get some major storms here)
Guest that have taken us to dinner. (and on more than one occasion.
Several semi known musicians leaving autographed CD's
Guests from England who turned me on to some GREAT English tea!
And it is late so I must stop, but my heart has been warmed thinking of these and the many I have not written about.
heart.gif
 
We've only been doing this for about 5 months, but we've had some amazing guests!
  • Large bottle of Captain Morgan Tattoo
  • Thank you card & gift card to restaurant we enjoyed in their hometown
  • Treats from the local Amish store we suggested they visit
  • Large tip from woman (this weekend) who had to get out of town on the 1 year anniversary of her husband leaving her. We enjoyed her & her teenage daughter so much - took them tubing with us & hiking to a local hidden bridge.
  • Cupcakes from our local baker who was featured on Food Network's Cupcake Wars
  • Various bottles of wine
  • Invitations to stay with them in their hometowns
  • Sending family & neighbors to stay with us
  • Sending recipes for breakfasts & desserts
  • $100 tip =)
  • Great marketing tips from a woman who manages several hotels
  • a dozen fried fruit pies from the local orchard
  • Rewiring one of our antique lamps
  • Offers to put our brochures at their business
All of our guests show up happy and leave as friends. We've been very blessed to only have had one guest that was a bit of a grump - and even he was manageable.
 
I was hugging a guest at the table today.
I am going to wear a shirt "Hey how about me? Maybe I NEED a HUG!"
Yeah, she was in bawling and as I was scrambling eggs and making pancakes and bacon had to run in and hug her. --DR INNKEEPER, yeah that's me. The therapist is in.
 
3 months ago we had a last minute cancellation because the husband suddenly died. They had been coming here for a few years. This is one of the folks that really participates on FB and Pinterest with us. 2 nights ago the wife, their daughter and grandson came to stay with us because both Father's Day and what would have been the couple's 41st wedding anniversary was on Sunday. They wanted to spend the time together as a family and since the late husband loved staying with us and our area, they decided to bring some of his ashes to spread in the nearby ocean and spend the special day here where they had such great memories together. The wife told me that it was a special time for them (the 3 here) so they've decided to make it an annual stay for Father's Day.
It's these kind of moments that help wipe out the PITAs.
 
Great thread! One of the things I love about this business is that most of the time we get to see the best side of people. We get to see them when they're relaxed and happy, whether on a holiday or a getaway or just away from the daily grind. Believe me, when I worked in an ad agency in my previous life I was not seeing people's best sides every day!
Some of the things we've received from guests in our 7+ years:
The most expensive in terms of dollar value would be the apple laptop.
Typical gifts include: wine; chocolate; specialty/regional foods; artwork; thank you cards; photos; books; little momentos; treats for the dog.
We've also received books on the history of the area, or of flora/fauna. A Jamie Oliver cookbook came in the mail after talking about food and cooking styles. A dvd of a movie that makes them think of us. Another guest gave us a chess set.
I loved it when a repeat guest picked a bowl of wild strawberries for me (quite a labour as they are teensy tiny and hiding in the grass).
Another repeat gave us his used bushwacker/weed-eater. But it quit working after a couple uses (that might have more to do with my hubby than the machine!).
We also get the gifts that are harder to quantify: Invititations to visit them in their home cities/countries (and not just flippant, "holiday-head" remarks); musical performances; funny or moving stories; toasts; referrals. And as corny as it may sound: inspiration. We've been inspired by the things our guests have done or the way they live their lives and some of these things actually change what we do and the goals we have.
It's also incredibly gratifying to hear from guests how we have inspired them and they've made changes to their own lives (sometimes drastic) as a result.
It's a crazy, grand life. :)
 
3 months ago we had a last minute cancellation because the husband suddenly died. They had been coming here for a few years. This is one of the folks that really participates on FB and Pinterest with us. 2 nights ago the wife, their daughter and grandson came to stay with us because both Father's Day and what would have been the couple's 41st wedding anniversary was on Sunday. They wanted to spend the time together as a family and since the late husband loved staying with us and our area, they decided to bring some of his ashes to spread in the nearby ocean and spend the special day here where they had such great memories together. The wife told me that it was a special time for them (the 3 here) so they've decided to make it an annual stay for Father's Day.
It's these kind of moments that help wipe out the PITAs..
Awe, that is so sweet. What beautiful memories for that family!
 
I looked at my list and realized it's all about what 'things' guests have given us. There's a lot more to it than that. Great guests leave us feeling better about ourselves and what we do. When I walked in today there were 2 guests standing in the entryway who I was so happy to see. I had no idea from th rez that's who they were because I'm lousy with names until the 3rd or 4th visit. But I just wanted to sit down and talk with them. That's how nice they are and how good I feel after talking with them.
 
3 months ago we had a last minute cancellation because the husband suddenly died. They had been coming here for a few years. This is one of the folks that really participates on FB and Pinterest with us. 2 nights ago the wife, their daughter and grandson came to stay with us because both Father's Day and what would have been the couple's 41st wedding anniversary was on Sunday. They wanted to spend the time together as a family and since the late husband loved staying with us and our area, they decided to bring some of his ashes to spread in the nearby ocean and spend the special day here where they had such great memories together. The wife told me that it was a special time for them (the 3 here) so they've decided to make it an annual stay for Father's Day.
It's these kind of moments that help wipe out the PITAs..
We've also had a group here for a memorial service where they spread the ashes on the ocean in the deceased's favorite spot on the coast. We have his photographs hanging in our dining room. I put them there specially for the memorial and have returned to putting them up whenever the artists who hang their works here come and claim what hasn't sold.
 
I looked at my list and realized it's all about what 'things' guests have given us. There's a lot more to it than that. Great guests leave us feeling better about ourselves and what we do. When I walked in today there were 2 guests standing in the entryway who I was so happy to see. I had no idea from th rez that's who they were because I'm lousy with names until the 3rd or 4th visit. But I just wanted to sit down and talk with them. That's how nice they are and how good I feel after talking with them..
It is probably because we ALL have so many "warm & fuzzy" guests that when asked something like this we consider that like family - they are just there to be enjoyed and cherished individually and it is the things that come to mind because feelings are so personal.
 
We were only in business for 2 years but our guests were very generous to us with wine, small gifts, and thank you notes. I had the most unexpected holiday gift box arrive months after a mother and daughter stayed here filled with homemade goodies - that was pretty special! Hands down the best part of owning the B&B was the guests. I really miss them...
I never had guests help us fix things or do anything that would be "behind the scenes" so to speak.
 
We were only in business for 2 years but our guests were very generous to us with wine, small gifts, and thank you notes. I had the most unexpected holiday gift box arrive months after a mother and daughter stayed here filled with homemade goodies - that was pretty special! Hands down the best part of owning the B&B was the guests. I really miss them...
I never had guests help us fix things or do anything that would be "behind the scenes" so to speak..
Mine could see DH is handicapped and assumed I was trying to do it all - pity party. It is only in the last 6 or 7 years that he has been unable to DO.
 
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