Things you keep hoping for that never happen...

[JBloggs]

Vent laugh cry chat whatever you want this to be - your comments from you
After 6 years I keep hoping for a guest from CA to say thank you when I remove their plate. "Thank you" or "That was nice, thank you" still waiting...
My southern guests, bless their hearts, their Mama's raised them right! "Honey, you ah the greatest cook, that was thee best dawg-on breakfahst we have eva had! Thank y'all so much!"

 

[Don Draper]

OMG thank you SO much for this post. Our travel agent nightmare guests from yesterday are of course from CA. They didn't say TWO WORDS during check-in OR at breakfast...just sat there and ate mechanically. It was obvious when they checked in yesterday that they were not happy but I could not tell you what their problem was other than wanting an ice machine and a vending machine.
They were scheduled to stay for three nights and asked if they could check out this morning. I told them they could, they would forfeit their deposit but I wouldn't charge the remainder. So essentially I'm eating 1.5 room nights. Hubs is SO mad at me, he wanted to charge them the whole amount but I think if they had they would have opted to just stay for the three days and I want them OUT of here because their presence is like a death pall. I don't see it as a loss, I'm hoping I will re-rent the room for tomorrow and I'll come out ahead, but I really don't care even if I don't. Good bye!

 

[EmptyNest]

OMG thank you SO much for this post. Our travel agent nightmare guests from yesterday are of course from CA. They didn't say TWO WORDS during check-in OR at breakfast...just sat there and ate mechanically. It was obvious when they checked in yesterday that they were not happy but I could not tell you what their problem was other than wanting an ice machine and a vending machine.
They were scheduled to stay for three nights and asked if they could check out this morning. I told them they could, they would forfeit their deposit but I wouldn't charge the remainder. So essentially I'm eating 1.5 room nights. Hubs is SO mad at me, he wanted to charge them the whole amount but I think if they had they would have opted to just stay for the three days and I want them OUT of here because their presence is like a death pall. I don't see it as a loss, I'm hoping I will re-rent the room for tomorrow and I'll come out ahead, but I really don't care even if I don't. Good bye!.

Yep sometimes the money doesn't even matter...just get them out the door! They obviously are not B & B people, especially if they had a travel agent book the place for them...that's a bad sign in my book.....send them on their way gladly. Good luck.

 

[JBloggs]

I think if it is OUR choice and we have control then we are fine with losing $ on a booking. We know what they are like and don't want them here. Nothing worse for you well being than happing unhappy guests with you.
I will never forget the group of 4 who thought we were somewhere else - they arrived and were ticked off. Big burley ugly men, I let them walk, did not want them here. Whose fault was it? Mine? NO. Do I say I am 2 hours from where we are? NO WAY, NEVER. I never misrepresent anything here...what you see is what you get.
These CA guests are very nice to the other guests.

 

[JBloggs]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly.

 

[EmptyNest]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly..

Totally agree. Which is what we knew it would turn into so we opted NOT to buy our B & B there:-( I often think..let's go for a visit..then I RETHINK it real quick...NOT!!! My husband won't go near there any more. We went after the holidays 3 years ago to enjoy the lights before they turned them off....after everyone had gone home.

 

[Don Draper]

This afternoon we are trying to get yard work done, couple shows up who are scheduled to stay tomorrow night but want to stay tonight instead. Fine, we have a room so we get them settled. A thank you? A smile? Nope...guess where from?
These people really just need to stay the hell home if everything on their travels is so far down their noses. I've had it.

 

[gillumhouse]

Several kids today asked the question,"Have you had bad guests?" and "Do you ever worry about having strangers in the house?"
I told them we pass the PITA AWARD aroud among the innkeepers on a forum I am on - but truthfully I have only had one guest I will not rent to again and no, I am not ever uncomfortable with strangers in the house.

 

[Morticia]

I'm going to have to go sort out my reservations by state and see if I can recall any of them...you've all got me wondering.
OK, 4 in the past 2 weeks...one traded Fawlty Towers lines with us one after the other and talked to everyone, very nice. The others were a group and I could see where the attitude might show a bit, but they were also very pleasant and they did thank us when we brought them things and when they left.

 

[Willowpondgj]

As a CA native, I'd like to offer a different perspective... While I can't explain the lack of common courtesy of a simple thank you, I can tell you that depending on where in CA they are from, they may simply be shell shocked and the warm Southern hospitality may be completely foreign to them!
We are from LA and it took us about 6 months to adjust when we moved to CO. We didn't realize how much city life really affected us.
I was shocked when the grocery clerk actually chatted me up on my first visit to the store, I actually looked around to see who she was talking to! Clerks in SoCal don't talk to you, they don't have time, too many people in line behind you. One time when someone pulled over to ask me directions, I freaked, my first response was, they are going to car jack me! We still lock all of our doors, but we know most people in CO don't...they even leave their keys in the ignition. You can't to that in LA! We lived a block from the country club and there were armed robberies, drug deals, attempted kidnappings - on a daily basis, in our "nice" neighborhood. The kicker in CO was was when we went to the DMV and didn't have to wait weeks to get our license and plates, they handed it right to us, and there was no wait! AND when I went to the county office to file my dad's medicare/medicaid forms, I was a name- not a number, I almost cried!
So, while they may not have the manners you hope for, it may be because they've had them scared out of them and have been conditioned into apathy and fear due to their surroundings! We get Californians all the time, and maybe it's because we are also from CA, but they have all been gracious guests for the most part.

 

[YellowSocks]

I whole-heartedly agree with the shell-shocked theory... and I think it applies to other (really) big city dwellers as well.
I keep hoping that dh will understand why I want the beverages put out a certain way... and he still puts the tray at the far end of the table. How does he think the guests will reach it from there?
=)
Kk.

 

[Don Draper]

As a CA native, I'd like to offer a different perspective... While I can't explain the lack of common courtesy of a simple thank you, I can tell you that depending on where in CA they are from, they may simply be shell shocked and the warm Southern hospitality may be completely foreign to them!
We are from LA and it took us about 6 months to adjust when we moved to CO. We didn't realize how much city life really affected us.
I was shocked when the grocery clerk actually chatted me up on my first visit to the store, I actually looked around to see who she was talking to! Clerks in SoCal don't talk to you, they don't have time, too many people in line behind you. One time when someone pulled over to ask me directions, I freaked, my first response was, they are going to car jack me! We still lock all of our doors, but we know most people in CO don't...they even leave their keys in the ignition. You can't to that in LA! We lived a block from the country club and there were armed robberies, drug deals, attempted kidnappings - on a daily basis, in our "nice" neighborhood. The kicker in CO was was when we went to the DMV and didn't have to wait weeks to get our license and plates, they handed it right to us, and there was no wait! AND when I went to the county office to file my dad's medicare/medicaid forms, I was a name- not a number, I almost cried!
So, while they may not have the manners you hope for, it may be because they've had them scared out of them and have been conditioned into apathy and fear due to their surroundings! We get Californians all the time, and maybe it's because we are also from CA, but they have all been gracious guests for the most part..

I should apologize for slamming all of CA today, and clarify that some of my absolutely favorite guests have been from CA too!
But honestly, 75% of any problem situations we have here arise with people from CA, no exaggeration. It really doesn't matter what you're used to in terms of living in a city, we deal with NYers all the time and they don't seem shell shocked. It's not even a matter of saying "Please" or "Thank you"...it's getting a reaction at all...I start to feel like I have three heads because they just stand there staring at me.
The problem CA people are just "I want what I want when I want it, and you are here to serve me so do it now." I wish I could just put that on my website...if you're looking for voiceless servants, please do not stay here!!!

 

[JBloggs]

Let me try to explain my comments...when we first moved here I would say all the time how the people are amazing! Then someone said to me (who also left CA) and lives in the Midwest "No, they are not amazing, they are normal."

NE travel to southern midwestern, se, sw states. When most CA travel East it is to big cities. It is a numbers game really.
It is absolutely A WAY OF LIFE. I am not saying those from CA are not nice, it is the way they live and how they live. My family goes back generations in CA, so can speak of these things, as I find "the ugly american" to be in this business "the ugly californian" in many instances. Americans overseas are not trying to offend, they have their own "culture" and this is how I can best explain CA or any other region or part of this country.
So saying thank you when someone takes your plate is not typical in their culture. LOL

 

[YellowSocks]

Let me try to explain my comments...when we first moved here I would say all the time how the people are amazing! Then someone said to me (who also left CA) and lives in the Midwest "No, they are not amazing, they are normal."

NE travel to southern midwestern, se, sw states. When most CA travel East it is to big cities. It is a numbers game really.
It is absolutely A WAY OF LIFE. I am not saying those from CA are not nice, it is the way they live and how they live. My family goes back generations in CA, so can speak of these things, as I find "the ugly american" to be in this business "the ugly californian" in many instances. Americans overseas are not trying to offend, they have their own "culture" and this is how I can best explain CA or any other region or part of this country.
So saying thank you when someone takes your plate is not typical in their culture. LOL.

So saying thank you when someone takes your plate is not typical in their culture. LOL

I guess they're just too cool for that...
=)
Kk.

 

[Morticia]

Let me try to explain my comments...when we first moved here I would say all the time how the people are amazing! Then someone said to me (who also left CA) and lives in the Midwest "No, they are not amazing, they are normal."

NE travel to southern midwestern, se, sw states. When most CA travel East it is to big cities. It is a numbers game really.
It is absolutely A WAY OF LIFE. I am not saying those from CA are not nice, it is the way they live and how they live. My family goes back generations in CA, so can speak of these things, as I find "the ugly american" to be in this business "the ugly californian" in many instances. Americans overseas are not trying to offend, they have their own "culture" and this is how I can best explain CA or any other region or part of this country.
So saying thank you when someone takes your plate is not typical in their culture. LOL.

Odd about people, isn't it? I am not a naturally chatty person (except with friends) but I 'get' that B&B goers go to B&B's because they are mostly social people so I have to be social. I don't expect guests to tell me they liked the food, and I am still amazed when they do. Almost all of our guests say please and thank you, but it may be because ONE guest did and they think that's the way it's supposed to be done.
I will say, tho, that when WE travel and we use OUR manners, we get looks. So, are we getting looks because someone with my accent doesn't normally have manners (ha, ha) or because the people they are used to dealing with on a daily basis don't have manners?

 

[Iris]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly..

Absolutely. this is why the advent of the Internet is a godsend.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.
I had a guest this summer who called a few days before arrival and wanted to switch to a smaller cottage since her party had shrunk by 2 guests. I was booked up and had no other accommodations for her. She came into the office and had the nerve to say to me that the cottage looked nothing like it is portrait online and she was leaving. I told her to go but she had to pay. I charged her credit card and won the dispute.
Why would we purposely misrepresent our properties? People, blech!

 

[JBloggs]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly..

Absolutely. this is why the advent of the Internet is a godsend.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.
I had a guest this summer who called a few days before arrival and wanted to switch to a smaller cottage since her party had shrunk by 2 guests. I was booked up and had no other accommodations for her. She came into the office and had the nerve to say to me that the cottage looked nothing like it is portrait online and she was leaving. I told her to go but she had to pay. I charged her credit card and won the dispute.
Why would we purposely misrepresent our properties? People, blech!

.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.

I had guests tell me of a place in the Pocono's that is a neat old house in a gated community. The house is the same house on the website, the neighborhood is a sub-division now. There was a guard at the gate as INSIDE the gated community was the crime. The guests were ticked off! Demanded their money back and the man refused. In fact, took full payment 14 days in advance. No refunds. That was a red flag they ignored and regretted later. There was a shooting there (in the neighborhood) the first night and they left with no refund.
Sometimes the place is neat - but the surrounds are not. Others told me of a fantastic place in Texas! Next door was a pawn shop and liquor store. Bars on all windows of the B&B. They also left.

 

[Iris]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly..

Absolutely. this is why the advent of the Internet is a godsend.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.
I had a guest this summer who called a few days before arrival and wanted to switch to a smaller cottage since her party had shrunk by 2 guests. I was booked up and had no other accommodations for her. She came into the office and had the nerve to say to me that the cottage looked nothing like it is portrait online and she was leaving. I told her to go but she had to pay. I charged her credit card and won the dispute.
Why would we purposely misrepresent our properties? People, blech!

.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.

I had guests tell me of a place in the Pocono's that is a neat old house in a gated community. The house is the same house on the website, the neighborhood is a sub-division now. There was a guard at the gate as INSIDE the gated community was the crime. The guests were ticked off! Demanded their money back and the man refused. In fact, took full payment 14 days in advance. No refunds. That was a red flag they ignored and regretted later. There was a shooting there (in the neighborhood) the first night and they left with no refund.
Sometimes the place is neat - but the surrounds are not. Others told me of a fantastic place in Texas! Next door was a pawn shop and liquor store. Bars on all windows of the B&B. They also left.
.

Ooops, of course, I never thought of that possibility. I tell the truth, my website tells the truth. When we say yes, there is access to the beach but it means that you have to climb a dune, there are no stairs, that is what that means. No one can say that they were surprised that there were no stairs to get to the beach. that's where I was coming from. How come someone owns a b and b in such a neighborhood in the first place? what were they thinking? Ok, I am beginning to babble again.
But anyway, I thought we were talking about a place not suiting a guest, I never thought of the surroundings.

 

[JBloggs]

Just got an email from our Scotland guests who went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg after us.
Now here is something that might shock people - you can warn them it is the "Hillbilly Vegas" but until they are there in the traffic and congestion people they don't get it. They emailed to say this was the best part of their USA holiday with us, and they left PF/Gatl after only one day, telling the innkeeper they could not stand to stay there any longer!
So if you google and get the travel brochures it is just all Great Smoky Mountains and bears and fun! You get there and it is a cross between Disneyland and Vegas. A good lesson in representing what you have honestly..

Absolutely. this is why the advent of the Internet is a godsend.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.
I had a guest this summer who called a few days before arrival and wanted to switch to a smaller cottage since her party had shrunk by 2 guests. I was booked up and had no other accommodations for her. She came into the office and had the nerve to say to me that the cottage looked nothing like it is portrait online and she was leaving. I told her to go but she had to pay. I charged her credit card and won the dispute.
Why would we purposely misrepresent our properties? People, blech!

.

Unless one purposely posts pictures of rooms that do not exist in that state or one advertises falsely anything about the property, there cannot be any confusion.

I had guests tell me of a place in the Pocono's that is a neat old house in a gated community. The house is the same house on the website, the neighborhood is a sub-division now. There was a guard at the gate as INSIDE the gated community was the crime. The guests were ticked off! Demanded their money back and the man refused. In fact, took full payment 14 days in advance. No refunds. That was a red flag they ignored and regretted later. There was a shooting there (in the neighborhood) the first night and they left with no refund.
Sometimes the place is neat - but the surrounds are not. Others told me of a fantastic place in Texas! Next door was a pawn shop and liquor store. Bars on all windows of the B&B. They also left.
.

Ooops, of course, I never thought of that possibility. I tell the truth, my website tells the truth. When we say yes, there is access to the beach but it means that you have to climb a dune, there are no stairs, that is what that means. No one can say that they were surprised that there were no stairs to get to the beach. that's where I was coming from. How come someone owns a b and b in such a neighborhood in the first place? what were they thinking? Ok, I am beginning to babble again.
But anyway, I thought we were talking about a place not suiting a guest, I never thought of the surroundings.
.

Ooops, of course, I never thought of that possibility. I tell the truth, my website tells the truth. When we say yes, there is access to the beach but it means that you have to climb a dune, there are no stairs, that is what that means. No one can say that they were surprised that there were no stairs to get to the beach. that's where I was coming from. How come someone owns a b and b in such a neighborhood in the first place? what were they thinking? Ok, I am beginning to babble again.
But anyway, I thought we were talking about a place not suiting a guest, I never thought of the surroundings.

They were thinking "Hey let's rent out Suzie's old room and make big bucks like the innkeeping for dummies book says we can, we can cook and clean! We don't even need inspections or licensing here!"
We have talked about this. A B&B is nice, what else is there? I remember a guest who thought the term "Small southern town" meant impoverished, and that was what he assumed he would find here. Yeah, there are plenty of those, not this town however.
Someone was here from Chicago on Saturday who told us they looked at buying a B&B in Warrenton NC and they said there was absolutely NOTHING there. They couldn't figure out why anyone would go there, and how the innkeepers could live there. So it is all perspective I think.

 

[Iris]

I whole-heartedly agree with the shell-shocked theory... and I think it applies to other (really) big city dwellers as well.
I keep hoping that dh will understand why I want the beverages put out a certain way... and he still puts the tray at the far end of the table. How does he think the guests will reach it from there?
=)
Kk..

yes, maybe but don't they say "thank you" in California or in big cities?