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InnBloom

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The "Inn the News" about stealing towels makes me want to ask.....what's your experience with theft? When we bought the house (over 3 years ago), we asked the PO's about their experiences with theft. They said they never had anything taken.....and to be truthful, we didn't really believe them. We figured they wanted us to be comfortable so they didn't really tell the truth. But in our experience, (thank goodness), we've lost practically nothing. I actually had a woman call one day to say that her husband "packed the bathroom, and he packed that bottle of lotion, thinking it was ours." She offered to mail it back. I said it would be fine if she just kept it. But really....have you lost anything important from your inn??
 
The only things that we had go missing were from guests sent to us from another much larger B&B that actually had higher rack rates. Guests that were booked by our website directly, never a problem with any loss. The other place's guests took small makeup mirrors, a pillow, a blow dryer and wiped out every amenity. They also brought in extra guests and used every sofa and chair cushion to make "beds" on the floors. I stopped taking guests from that place very early on.
 
Only once did I have something taken. Three brand new bottles of Bath and Body Works Soap, bubble bath and body lotion. These were really brand new and no the small ones. I wanted to think her hubby packed up and mistaken them for hers but cleaning up breakfast found that brand new mini salt and pepper shakers were also missing. This was the only couple that night. They didn't seem like the type that would take anything. I can say that was the only thing in ten years that was taken. I have an eye for what is missing and in the wrong place.
 
When we started we had the same cynical view as you, that people would take anything they thought they could get away with.
As it's turned out the only thing that springs to mind is 1 hand towel, and I'm not unconvinced that that was accidental. I suspect because we are a 3 rooms B&B and people get personal service as it's just the two of us and no staff so they feel less able to be anonymous than in a larger property or hotel. For example if they take a towel they know that we'd know exactly who took it, in a hotel the cleaners wouldn't have a clue who was in the room.
I always remember in the Holiday Inn in Santa Cruz, CA they had a notice in the bathroom which basically said:
"We hope you enjoy the luxury towels and bathrobes we have supplied. If you would like to keep any items we will be happy to charge them to your account".......followed by a list of prices of various items.
Which I thought was a wonderfully polite way of saying "If you steal stuff, we're gonna charge it to your card....Ya Ba****ds".
 
NEVER had anything taken...except...a husband packed up the Bath and Bodyworks products once thinking it was his wife's stuff. But that is it. Real true B & B people respect your home and your things. That's why I never took "bargain hunters"
 
Nothing that I have ever noticed.
I once thought guests took some wooden hangers, but come to find out he just grabbed everything from the closet and threw it into his bag and brought them back two weeks later when in the area.
Oh wait, they have taken them room keys, most of the time not realizing, and almost all return them as I say there is a $10 fee if not returned on their statement. Once, they were not returned so I charged the fee.
So not bad in 7 years with 6 rooms.
 
In 5 years we have lost two pictures (cheap prints worth about £3 from a charity shop) and a set of towels which belonged to the laundry. The towels are nice so could understand but the prints were worth nothing so was completely baffled. Don't think that's bad though consdering we have 12 bedrooms and operate at 85% occupancy so our sheer put through of people you would think more would walk. I think there may have been on or two hair dryers but we just buy the cheapest ones as husbands don't have a clue and just pack up everything.
 
We had two nice plug-in emergency lights disappear the first year we were in business - the kind that come on when the power goes off.
We first thought it was a 20-something guest, then thought it was the exterminator, then thought it was an older lady. We chalked it up to experience and now pay much more attention to things.
 
In all the years of our own Inn nothing was ever taken. Nothing has been missing in this B & B either.
 
I thought I would mention this...we stayed at Shenandoah State Park and were in brand new beautiful cabins. We noticed while there some of the other cabin guests had checked out and the housekeepers were there as well as maintenance staff. One of the head maintenance or Ranger (can't recall) had a camera and each time a cabin checked out he went in and took photos.
 
In 14 years, nothing other than keys and keyrings. Most times the keys return home, but the neat little train engine keyrings I started out using left the station early on to continue their journey I know not where. Other than the train keyrings, I think it has just been a case of forgetfulness.
 
We had an antique doll disappear from a room. DW sent the guest an email asking if perhaps the doll could have "fallen" into her suitcase as she was packing up and found its way home with her. Her reply was almost instant that that was exactly what had happened and she would mail it right back to us. She mailed the "fallen" doll back......she was an antique dealer who knew she was busted.....
 
We had an antique doll disappear from a room. DW sent the guest an email asking if perhaps the doll could have "fallen" into her suitcase as she was packing up and found its way home with her. Her reply was almost instant that that was exactly what had happened and she would mail it right back to us. She mailed the "fallen" doll back......she was an antique dealer who knew she was busted......
That is hysterical!! Busted indeed....
 
Nothing important, but I don't keep the important stuff out where it can be taken. Coffee mugs get swiped all the time, but I've been told it's because guests think it's ok to take anything with a logo.
We had someone else pack up a room for her sister and she took everything that wasn't nailed down, assuming it all belonged to sis. That same day, another one of the sisters LEFT all of her stuff. Fair swap?
 
Nothing important, but I don't keep the important stuff out where it can be taken. Coffee mugs get swiped all the time, but I've been told it's because guests think it's ok to take anything with a logo.
We had someone else pack up a room for her sister and she took everything that wasn't nailed down, assuming it all belonged to sis. That same day, another one of the sisters LEFT all of her stuff. Fair swap?.
Oh, and the hangers that came back with the same guests the following year.
 
Yes, logo's stuff was to be taken. That is why they spend the $ on the logo. Common mindset.
 
This has been a hearwarming response. Sometimes I can get cynical about things, but this is great. So many of us can say that most of our guests are respectful and honest and treat our places well. Isn't that great??
Now if we could only get them to TAKE their wire hangers away with them!! Do you know I took a bunch to GoodWill the other day and they said they were just going to throw them away because they won't use them either??
There used to be a dry cleaner near where I used to live (another state) that had a nice cardboard container they'd give you to store your wire hangers in and return them. Unfortunately the dry cleaners I've found here haven't heard of that, so they just pile up here til I go crazy. Does anyone have a tip about wire hangers???
 
This has been a hearwarming response. Sometimes I can get cynical about things, but this is great. So many of us can say that most of our guests are respectful and honest and treat our places well. Isn't that great??
Now if we could only get them to TAKE their wire hangers away with them!! Do you know I took a bunch to GoodWill the other day and they said they were just going to throw them away because they won't use them either??
There used to be a dry cleaner near where I used to live (another state) that had a nice cardboard container they'd give you to store your wire hangers in and return them. Unfortunately the dry cleaners I've found here haven't heard of that, so they just pile up here til I go crazy. Does anyone have a tip about wire hangers???.
InnBloom said:
Does anyone have a tip about wire hangers???
Can't they go to the recycle center with any other recycleables?
 
This has been a hearwarming response. Sometimes I can get cynical about things, but this is great. So many of us can say that most of our guests are respectful and honest and treat our places well. Isn't that great??
Now if we could only get them to TAKE their wire hangers away with them!! Do you know I took a bunch to GoodWill the other day and they said they were just going to throw them away because they won't use them either??
There used to be a dry cleaner near where I used to live (another state) that had a nice cardboard container they'd give you to store your wire hangers in and return them. Unfortunately the dry cleaners I've found here haven't heard of that, so they just pile up here til I go crazy. Does anyone have a tip about wire hangers???.
We take them to the recycle.
 
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