The Art of the Depart

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The Farmers Daughter

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Do you have a successful process for getting people to check out in a timely manner?
When guests arrive, I go through all the details with them. Show them around, show them how to use the gas fireplaces, jacuzzis, keyless entrys everything and tell them about check out time and dropping off their key at the office.
I am flying solo here and have only until 2 pm to turn around my rooms/suites/cottages before check in time.
How do you GRACEFULLY get people to depart on time?
 
I leave it till 15 mins after check out time (we have it as eleven but each to their own) and pop up to the room and say would you like some help with your bags or anything? as a subtle hint. Most people are fine and check out before time but some leave it till even an hour later. You could think about putting in your policies that there is a charge for late check out and even if you never charge it you can always say oh did you want to have the charge for late check out added to your bill and that seems to get them moving. I am afraid some people are just pig ignorant I am afraid.
 
Oh my..I didn't realize you were doing it ALL by yourself. Sometimes Gracefully just doesn't work :-( But try the nice approach first...if they aren't out by 15 min past check out, I too would knock on the door and tell them,I am sorry, but we have guests checking in at..... and I need to get this room cleaned.
 
I give them 15 minutes after check-out time before knocking. Then I ask if they need "a few extra minutes" and if they say yes, I let them know that they can have 15 minutes more.
The thing to getting them out tactfully is to give them an actual time and stick with it. If I give them until 11:30, I knock again at 11:30 and then let them know that we really need to get into the room to clean and just can't give them any more time than we already have.
Most of the time if there's just 1 room running late, an extra 30 minutes doesn't make much difference; there are other rooms to get to. But still I make a point to knock if they're even 15 minutes late and start the clock running.
 
You could always tell them if they stay any later they'll have to help you clean the room for the next guests...
jk... :wink:
=)
Kk.
 
We've tried standing outside their door running the vacuum, but that's too subtle (and you haven't heard my vacuum!)
So, a knock at 11:15 asking if they need help with bags, etc. Pretty much what everyone else says. But, that's only if I need to get at that room. If I have the other 6 to clean, I let it go. I did have one guest who was still not showered at 11:30. They thought checkout was noon.
Another guest left the house at 10 AM and deliberately came back at 1 PM. She was a bitch anyway so I calmly bid her good day and let her stew as she wanted a fight.
 
Those who don't check out on time, in my estimation, are "busy" in the room after breakfast. This makes is doubly difficult to go to their door and knock. They go back to the room and then after being "busy" decide to shower after check out time.
Add a line on the confirmation about a late check out fee.
It is a catch 22 when a guest is really enjoying their stay and doesn't want to race out, but it is also disrespectful. Guests know we have things to do and stuff to take care of, but remember we make it sound like the world revolves around them, so they are not wrong to continue this mind set.
Gotta roll with the punches some time. I get mad when it happens weekend after weekend as they are now stealing my family time. Once in a while is okay.
 
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