What a day...

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Don Draper

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Every six weeks or so we do a marathon run to a small city about an hour away. Here we do Costco, Lowe's, Walmart, Petsmart, etc. basically try to stock up on everything we will need here as these are the closest stores to us. It is tiring, tonight we got home at 7:30 and just got everything unloaded before it started to pour.
I come in to check messages and there are two on the answering machine from two people who were trying to check in this afternoon. I'm puzzled, we picked this day because even though we are full we knew we had no one checking in. Check the book, and sure enough these guests are scheduled to arrive tomorrow and stay for two nights.
I call the couple back and explain to the husband that I'm sorry we weren't here when they were earlier, but the reason we weren't is that we had them scheduled to check in tomorrow. He says no, he scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. He made the reso online so I have the original request and the email confirmation in front of me, both of which say Thursday/Friday nights. He said they are definitely not staying for only one night so he wants to cancel the entire reservation and find somewhere else to stay. I explain that he is responsible for both nights, the room has been held for him.
He gets irate and says he is coming right over. Fine...hubs and I both dealt with him in front of other guests. I give him the initial reservation and his email confirmation (which was quite personalized, he had asked a bunch of questions which I took about 3 paragraphs to answer). He gets this nasty smile and says "Oh I'll be back tomorrow and you'll LOVE having me as a guest." Hubs just said "Ok sir, check in starts at 2 pm!" He slammed out the door.
Can't wait to see if he actually shows up tomorrow...geesh.
 
I am sorry to hear that. I would be dreading tomorrow. Maybe he will cool off by tomorrow. I hope things will work out for you.
 
I think he'll calm down overnight. After all, it is his error not yours.
After you receive an online reservation, do you call to confirm details?
 
Updated: Just heard from other guests that the "gentleman" was here this afternoon stomping around and generally acting irate and trying to get in the house. Thank goodness they didn't let him.
I totally understand being upset that no one was here, but good grief I had this day planned forever...he booked this in JULY. If it had been my mistake I would have gladly rectified it, I've had to do so in the past and I've paid for them to stay elsewhere. To top it all off the doofus messed up my weekend by booking Thursday/Friday nights in the first place and that room is yawning open for a single Saturday night. Man am I steamed...
 
wow! where are they staying tonite? a hotel? what a mess!
i'm so sorry.
 
I think he'll calm down overnight. After all, it is his error not yours.
After you receive an online reservation, do you call to confirm details?.
No. We started offering an online booking discount for this very reason...everything is in writing, they have to check the box to agree to the policies and if a mistake gets made it's on their end. We do very little by phone.
 
Updated: Just heard from other guests that the "gentleman" was here this afternoon stomping around and generally acting irate and trying to get in the house. Thank goodness they didn't let him.
I totally understand being upset that no one was here, but good grief I had this day planned forever...he booked this in JULY. If it had been my mistake I would have gladly rectified it, I've had to do so in the past and I've paid for them to stay elsewhere. To top it all off the doofus messed up my weekend by booking Thursday/Friday nights in the first place and that room is yawning open for a single Saturday night. Man am I steamed....
Can't wait to read the update on this one!
Random thought - "Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you are wrong" This guy at some point (probably while reading the confirmation you had in front of his face) realized he'd screwed up. Some people just don't know how to confess, apologize and move on.
I wish you luck!
 
Oh, Innsider, I hope this ends well for you. Maybe he'll be one of those guys that arrives snarly and then hugs you before he leaves. If anyone can make it so, it's you!
 
Thanks for listening. If they do show back up this afternoon I plan to start as if nothing ever happened...give them the same welcome any check-in would receive and try to get their visit back on track.
Talking to the guests who had to deal with them last night the guy was scary, ranting all over the parking lot. I feel so badly that these guests had to be subjected to that...but they are long time and frequent guests and I think they actually get a kick out of some of the "behind the scenes" things...if it had to be someone they were the right couple to handle it.
 
hmm...wait until the one irate guy meets the other irate guy!
Tweedle Dumb & Tweedle Dee!
Just to smooth things over, I would probably put a bottle of sparkling cider in an ice bucket in their room as a little something special. It's amazing how people react with a simple bottle of cider. This gesture is not to apologize since you've done nothing wrong, but only to acknowledge that you understand their frustration.
I would have handled it exactly as you did. I can't wait for the update!
 
sounds good ~ but also be careful. hopefully he's diffused by check in.
 
I forgot the best part...they are our only check-in today, so now we will be held hostage for our entire check-in period waiting for someone who may or may not show. If they do show, I hope it's sooner rather than later.
 
I forgot the best part...they are our only check-in today, so now we will be held hostage for our entire check-in period waiting for someone who may or may not show. If they do show, I hope it's sooner rather than later..
InnsiderInfo said:
I forgot the best part...they are our only check-in today, so now we will be held hostage for our entire check-in period waiting for someone who may or may not show. If they do show, I hope it's sooner rather than later.
Mother Murphy says they will show and they will be there the last possible minute to check in, just to punish you.
sad_smile.gif

 
This is one reason I started putting both the day of the week and date for arrival and departures.
 
This is one reason I started putting both the day of the week and date for arrival and departures..
I do that too and bold it. As we know, most people don't read.
I just had someone call yesterday to say the dates they had on their webervations were off by 1 day. They had originally booked a SatSun which I hate because it's nearly impossible to rent just a Fri night. Now It's back to Fri/Sat which works better for me.
Thankfully they read their confirmation!
 
Updated: They arrived at 5:20 pm, he with his tail tucked ALL the way between his legs. They are staying just for tonight. I already ran the balance due on their card earlier today. DH checked them in, I was actually on the phone when the doorbell rang.
Yeesh.
 
Updated: They arrived at 5:20 pm, he with his tail tucked ALL the way between his legs. They are staying just for tonight. I already ran the balance due on their card earlier today. DH checked them in, I was actually on the phone when the doorbell rang.
Yeesh..
Hope their stay goes without insident. He most likely came to his senses and feels badly but some people have too big of an ego to use the words 'I'm sorry'.
 
They just got up and left without eating breakfast. I gave him his invoice with receipts for the initial deposit and the balance due, told him we would try to resell him room for this evening and if we are able to he will receive a refund. He still was not very pleasant to me, he was more pleasant to DH yesterday. The wife stood there and said nothing.
Good riddance! If we can get the rest of the crazy out of the house without incident this morning I will be SO happy. It's been an incredibly long week.
 
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