Three ring circus

[Willowpondgj]

OK, we all know that bookings through certain directories make the PITA magnet appear...
Got a reservation request from a certain bandb directory, for a 6 night stay. We had all but one night, so we made some calls and were able to place a one nighter at another inn to make it all work and we had the "go" from the directory PITA. Long story short, after they gave us the ok to book the 6 nights, after we had made arrangements to book our other guest at another inn (and pay for them to stay there, because we are so nice!) the directory PITA calls back and says they decided to book at the RAMADA!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! NEVER AGAIN!!! AND THAT DIRECTORY IS FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LAST STRAW!!!!!!! They should be called PITA . com
(We then started all the calls to fix it all. LESSON LEARNED.)

There..... anyone like to join me out back for a glass of wine?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

You have us on a hook here? Which one? Give us a clue.

 

[Willowpondgj]

You have us on a hook here? Which one? Give us a clue..

Read my posts, you'll figure it out.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I can't. There is not function to say "show me all willowponds posts"

 

[Willowpondgj]

I can't. There is not function to say "show me all willowponds posts".

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Sorry about your bad experience. Haven't had the best of luck with some of these either, but hard times require flexibility on our part to keep the doors open.
The third party, B&B directory, online reservation gods must have been smiling on us at your expense this weekend.
Got a two night booking earlier in the week from a third party booking engine, but too close to have the guest get any cancellation fees waived. Guest sends a note requesting a "queen bed, smoking" and leaves a phone number. Anyone participating in any of these third party booking engines understands that even getting a freakin' phone number out of a guest is more info than unsaid booking engine wants forwarded to us.
I call and explain that there is no smoking inside the B&B, but we've set up several designated outdoor smoking areas. Fine, she says.
The next morning, first the phone is blinking with a message from guest asking to be called back. Message states that she didn't realize property was 100% smoke free and wanted to cancel. Out of our hands, but it was worth a shot on her part I guess.
You can't have it both ways. Cut us out of the loop by using the booking engine, then expect us to waive the rules put in place to make sure guests make reservations they intend to honor.
Then just minutes later it rings with a call from the rep from unsaid B&B.com directory asking to let guest out of reservation without any charges because of "confusion" over the smoking policy.
Well, response was "Guest was called last night and told where outside she could smoke, but that care had to be taken to not offend or impact other guests".
So in the end, we get paid, Schmotels.com eats it and who knows where the guest ended up staying. I know of no B&Bs or even better quality hotels in our area that still offer in room smoking.

 

[Morticia]

We've learned that lesson as well, altho not associated with any particular directory. Once you start moving guests around, the ones you moved them for back out. If anyone needs to move, I move the ones who are last in the booking line up. Sometimes I luck out and I can move a long time repeat who just wants to stay and doesn't care what room.

 

[JBloggs]

We were listed with hote ls.com and had nothing positive come from it. Live and learn.

 

[Copperhead]

After reading your post and some of the responses are assuming that this reservation was through a 3rd party online booking (like hotel dot com or such) but your post was not clear on that..
I am with Bree here...move the last one to book! If the reservation would put you over booked, you have the choice to not take the reservation or place them in another inn for the overbooked night. If this is through one of the 3rd party online reservation websites, you must take the reservation if you showed availability on their system but, if the system had a glitch, the 3rd party service is responsible for picking up the tab at the other inn.
I would never move (to another inn) a reservation that most likely booked directly with me to be able to accommodate a reservation no matter how that reservation came to me. Again, if I had to take it due to my obligations with the directory, that guest would go to the other inn - on you!

 

[Morticia]

After reading your post and some of the responses are assuming that this reservation was through a 3rd party online booking (like hotel dot com or such) but your post was not clear on that..
I am with Bree here...move the last one to book! If the reservation would put you over booked, you have the choice to not take the reservation or place them in another inn for the overbooked night. If this is through one of the 3rd party online reservation websites, you must take the reservation if you showed availability on their system but, if the system had a glitch, the 3rd party service is responsible for picking up the tab at the other inn.
I would never move (to another inn) a reservation that most likely booked directly with me to be able to accommodate a reservation no matter how that reservation came to me. Again, if I had to take it due to my obligations with the directory, that guest would go to the other inn - on you!.

I am with Bree here...move the last one to book! If the reservation would put you over booked, you have the choice to not take the reservation or place them in another inn for the overbooked night. If this is through one of the 3rd party online reservation websites, you must take the reservation if you showed availability on their system but, if the system had a glitch, the 3rd party service is responsible for picking up the tab at the other inn.

I do have to say that I sometimes don't follow my own advice. I have it on the website that I reserve the right to move guests who only book one night in season so I request that they tell me they HAVE to have certain amenities, if they HAVE to have them...2 beds, bathtub vs shower, 1st floor vs 2nd floor, etc. It has worked.
I upgraded one guest because they were blocking a 9 night stay (3 rooms, 3 nights) by having one room for one night that the later party needed (first floor). Little did I know that the reason the first party had never booked the upgraded room was because of the staircase. This room has a spiral staircase that the guest was terrified of for some reason. It wasn't until they arrived that we found that out. She was a real trouper and stayed in the room and actually overcame her fear of open railings during her stay. But, it didn't have to work out so well, it could have been much worse for me.
But, I have also tried standing on my head to make a rez work only to have the guest then cancel. So, I find it better to NOT go to extreme measures to get someone in here. We have changed our vacation plans only to have the guest cancel. No more. I make that decision on the fly, tho. If it requires little effort on my part, I'll move someone. But if it involves moving too many guests I won't.