What irritates you?

[Highlands John]

Oh, let's add to the list....
Not just makeup on the towels, but red lipstick and smeared across.
Breaking items and not being honest enough to either own up to it, or have asked in the first place how to use something so that they don't break it.
Telling me of an allergy or intolerance just before breakfast (too damn bad! Have toast or a banana)
Blood on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Pee on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Not properly disposing of their Poise pad (panty liner for incontinence). It comes with a blue plastic pouch to dispose of it.... use it!
Guests who open the window that is holding the AC in.
Stealing anything, including water bottles and an banana to have later. It's stealing, no matter how you justify it to yourself.
I have USB chargers in every room and yet people insist on having four adapters in a row so they can plug in their own USB charger that is drooping off from the circuit because of the weight.
Going into private areas that are clearly marked as private, in two official languages.
Commenting online on private areas that are clearly marked as private because they are just rude.
Rude guests talking American politics at the breakfast table (especially right wing, since it upsets all my Canadian and European guests).
Guests asking private questions of ourselves and other guests. It's no one's business what your marital status is, how you know the person or frankly what sexual positions you like (yes... I've had it asked!)
Married guests who ask me how to find bars, clubs or saunas that they clearly shouldn't be going to and counting on my discretion to point them to their happy ending.
Guests who think that this is France and that we are French and that they want me to point them at: Bistros, but obviously not knowing what a bistro actually is; Creperies, because the locals haven't been to one since the 1970s but since we speak the language we must have them, go to them and of course have magnificient ones; and finally guests who seem to think that I can't be local because I speak English without an accent... damn it, I was born here, grew up here, live here, get over it!
Reviewers who lie and not just white lies, big fat ones! We have had two in a year.
Guests who think that the country just shuts down for the winter and we just go into hibernation. They are surprised that we are open year round, that we have guests year round and that we don't die each year at the end of autumn just to be reborn in the spring.
I'll probably think of a dozen more before the day is done..

Guests who expect that somehow a free street parking spot is going to be available. I live in a large metropolitain city with all kinds of parking restrictions!
Guests who expect that everyone is going to be happy to take foreign currency (inspite of it not being legal tender) and give them a great exchange rate. The banks take 3%, $2.50 per deposit and 75c to use a teller.... I'm going to be passing on that inconvenience, sorry.
Guests who ask the same question three times because they think if they ask it often enough, the answer will change. (See Albert Einstein re definition of insanity).
Guests who want me to plan their day and tell them what they will enjoy doing, eating, seeing and buying. I can help plan your day by making suggestions... I am not making decisions for you.
Guests who put cloth napkins on their plate that still has maple syrup (or anything else gooey) still on the plate.
Guests who take my fine china to their rooms without asking. That cup is $35 to replace and you are responsible for it until it returns to my dining room.
Guests who wear wet, muddy or snowy shoes into the house. Do you really want me wearing my muddy shoes into your house, because I'm coming over in two weeks and I'm walking through Mr. Ed's home before I come into your place.
Guests who leave personal items in the shared bathroom. It's shared space, shouldn't someone have taught you to be considerate by now?
Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.
Guests who ask you to book a specific restaurant that is really tough to book... a restaurant that doesn't often return it's phone calls.. a restaurant that calls you back the same day to reconfirm... only to not honour their reservation!
Yup... it's official, I need a vacation! 15 more days, 15 more day....
.

Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.

That one drives me mad too. We had a guy stay for 5 days, he would go out after breakfast, maybe for 1-2 hours come back and not go out of his room again. It's a B&B for heavens sake, not a hotel. Sometimes I unplug the router from the telephone so the wifi stays on but there's no Internet connection. When they come down and complain I say "oh I'm sorry, the broadband is not very reliable living in a small Highland village". Having said that, I really think you need a break Eric We've just had 5 nights off, 4of which we spent in Amsterdam, so we're feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed at the moment. Although I've already had 3 requests for laundry in 2 days and we have a power cut at the moment so can't to laundry, can't Hoover, no water as it's all pumped......it may not last long.
.

Oh... I know that I need a break. 14 more days until I'm off to France for two weeks. But it is much better than previous years, since we started doing self check-in and I can leave the house at 6 PM if I want to, now. In fact, guests are surprised at how well our system works. Had a guest who's flight was delayed and only arrived at 2:30 AM to find a note on the door that got her in, the key on a hook with instructions and it all worked seemlessly.
I'm actually doing okay, though. But I know I'm overburdened at the moment. It's not just the B&B, it's my parents also and my sister who lives 8796 km away. (Isn't wolfram alpha fun!)
.

I feel stressed at the moment but its outside the B&B that is partly the problem Im helping my mother in law move house as she is a widow and has never done it before either the legal side or the physical side and due to a lot of legal probate stuff it is a complete nightmare. Plus DH because we are quiet is helping out at one of the local hotels as their 3rd night porter in 3 months has disappeared and they are left in a very difficult position so he is sleeping all the time or out or cranky plus my chamber maid is on holiday for a week and a half which she deserves as she has been having a field day with her family as well. But it means my mum has been helping me who means well but I can only cope with her so many hours a day! plus have work men in who are room only which helps but are like herding cats as they never know when they are going or staying or who is paying or its Im paying for 2 nights then jim is paying for the last one etc and they are supposed to pay the evening before they go but catching them is a hassel so I end up faffing about in the morning with them. But it keeps us ticking over money wise and thats what matters.
.

I got tired just reading that, Cambs. Hang in there!
.

Oh and I totally forgot I am helping start a trade association with independant local shops and helping build a web site (www.harrogateindependantshops.com) and have just been starting a facebook page Commercial Street cos I blatently do not have enough to do! lol and redoing all my guest info folders.
.

Oh, I need to redo my guest folders as well, they are looking tatty and worn in some of the rooms, and the information needs updating.

 

[Madeleine]

Guests who don't listen. Guests who wander all over while you are explaining things to them and then 5 minutes later they are all in your face because they don't know how to get back in the house because they were too busy looking at the silverware and the coffee machine to hear how the door works.
Tonight should be a real feast. One guest is coughing up a lung in the living room and another is snoring so loudly I can hear him with the room door closed and me downstairs. I think I'm going to sleep on the couch in my living room tonight where I can't hear a thing.

 

[gillumhouse]

Was upstairs making beds tonight and remembered one that irritates the crap out of me - the idjits who either remove or turn off my emergency safety lights - the ones that only light up if the power goes off! All are located at the "escape window" of the rooms!

 

[Madeleine]

Guests who don't listen. Guests who wander all over while you are explaining things to them and then 5 minutes later they are all in your face because they don't know how to get back in the house because they were too busy looking at the silverware and the coffee machine to hear how the door works.
Tonight should be a real feast. One guest is coughing up a lung in the living room and another is snoring so loudly I can hear him with the room door closed and me downstairs. I think I'm going to sleep on the couch in my living room tonight where I can't hear a thing..

I think these guests are going to rack up a few irritations...how about guests who try to browbeat other guests into their opinion. In this case the guest has an issue with a newspaper he doesn't happen to like which another guest asked if I had a copy of. He kept hammering at his opinion of the newspaper until the other guest just left the room. This had better not be how breakfast goes tomorrow.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

Guests who sleep on TOP of the flat sheet! What is with that??! I want to know what they're thinking. Do they think that I didn't put a flat sheet on the bed for them? Who wants to sleep right under the blanket? That's weird.

 

[Madeleine]

Guests who sleep on TOP of the flat sheet! What is with that??! I want to know what they're thinking. Do they think that I didn't put a flat sheet on the bed for them? Who wants to sleep right under the blanket? That's weird..

Guests who sleep on TOP of the flat sheet! What is with that??! I want to know what they're thinking. Do they think that I didn't put a flat sheet on the bed for them? Who wants to sleep right under the blanket? That's weird.

Guests who sleep on top of everything. Don't pull back the quilt even. Or, who sleep on top of the blanket and tell me they saved me some work because they didn't use the sheets. Do they really think I'm not going to now have to wash everything?

 

[InnBloom]

Young guests who ask where the elevator is when my 85 year old guests jog up the stairs. Young guests who decline to stay when they realize there is no elevator..

its the ones that come and then look at the building and then ask where the lift is make me laugh! Mind you the general incompetance continues to surprise me. The group that stayed last weekend (all disabled) their secretary emailed to say she had paid when she booked so why did I charge all the guests? said we do not charge on booking and we did tell you when you booked it was just for security you did not auhorise us to use the card details which you would not be allowed to do as you are not named on the card. We did not receive signed authorisation from the card holder so if we had charged it then this would be fraud. Therefore we charged each individual as they assured us they would be able to claim it back. I pointed out we are not a travel lodge that charges you in full on point of booking and then is non refundanble. Hope that she got it in the ear from them all the complete idiot.
.

Can I go on a little more about the stairs and the elevator? It's really bothering me. Given the number of complaints and eye-rolling I've witnessed this year, my guess is that 90% of this country must live either in a ranch house or an apartment house with an elevator. When they leave their enclaves to travel, they should account for places that do not have, never will have and think it is ludicrous to have an elevator for a 2 storey home. And I'm not even talking about guests with mobility issues, I'm talking about lazy people. You know who they are, too- the ones who drive to their mailbox at the end of their 30' driveway, drive around for 20 minutes until the lone non-handicap parking spot opens up in front of WalMart, who won't walk 2 blocks to go out for ice cream. (People with mobility issues have my sympathy when they travel to New England. It's all old houses here, houses with narrow hallways, steep stairs, twisty-turny corners everywhere.)
And who do they think is running up and down those same stairs 50 times/day cleaning those rooms? Fairies with wings? No, the old people who made your breakfast, that's who.
.

I had the loveliest booking a couple of days ago which makes up for the nonsense I've been writing about in a PITA thread. This was a man in his late 70's who was brought to town to speak at an important function. His 93 year old sister came along. When the organization booked, I made sure three times that everyone knows we have NO elevator. And everyone nodded and said the lady is "spry". Well I guess so! She didn't RUN up the stairs, but she sure was steady. And friendly. And enthusiastic.
I had her in a room with a tall bed....you know, frame, plus big box spring plus deep mattress....and I made sure they knew they could switch rooms as his bed was lower. But she LOVED her room and hoisted herself up there just fine!
I loved them both.

 

[Generic]

What irritates me is no reviews or I should say just a hand full. They all write very nice things in the guest books I have in the rooms but has only gotten 2 on B&B dot com ( but not listed with them any more) and 4 reviews on face book but will be losing then at the end of this month. What does everyone do beg or pay guest to do a review? The only complaint I ever got was that we had no reviews but no one does them. Do you all know something I don't? Maybe I should get rid of the guest books? HELP! ! !.

Are you asking? Are you sending them a reminder email after they return home with hotlinked URLs? (And be picky, don't send to everyone.)

 

[Generic]

Guests saying they are not sure they can stay the full time they booked, but they'll let us know 'later on'..

Guests saying they are not sure they can stay the full time they booked, but they'll let us know 'later on'.

My suggestion... change your policy. Cancellation with less than 24 hours notice, no shows and early departures are payable in full. That seems to get them to decide... at least 24 hours ahead of time, if not 7 days ahead.

 

[Generic]

Guests letting us know they'll be arriving late because they have decided to stop and have dinner. 'You do live there, right, we're not keeping you by arriving late?'
No, not keeping me from having any kind of a life, no not at all..

Been there, done that and now... stopped it. When they call, we tell them that they will have to do self check-in because it is after our official check-in hours. Here is the code for the numeric keypad at the door. We leave a note on the door and a note on the hook holding their key. And an SOS telephone number. Now, enjoy your dinner and we will see you at breakfast.
I used to wait around... I had to stop, for my sanity.
I created a 5 cm (2") form that we fold and has a hole on the hook with all the info we need and they need to do self check-in procedures and find the room. We had to handhold it for a while, until we go to the point where all the questions were answered. Two days ago someone arrived from the airport after a delayed flight at 2:45AM, got in and to their room all on their own. Woohoo!

 

[Joey Camb]

Guests who don't listen. Guests who wander all over while you are explaining things to them and then 5 minutes later they are all in your face because they don't know how to get back in the house because they were too busy looking at the silverware and the coffee machine to hear how the door works.
Tonight should be a real feast. One guest is coughing up a lung in the living room and another is snoring so loudly I can hear him with the room door closed and me downstairs. I think I'm going to sleep on the couch in my living room tonight where I can't hear a thing..

Yup! I tell every guest here are the glasses for the juice and then 2 mins later "can we have some glasses for the juice?"

 

[Joey Camb]

Oh, let's add to the list....
Not just makeup on the towels, but red lipstick and smeared across.
Breaking items and not being honest enough to either own up to it, or have asked in the first place how to use something so that they don't break it.
Telling me of an allergy or intolerance just before breakfast (too damn bad! Have toast or a banana)
Blood on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Pee on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Not properly disposing of their Poise pad (panty liner for incontinence). It comes with a blue plastic pouch to dispose of it.... use it!
Guests who open the window that is holding the AC in.
Stealing anything, including water bottles and an banana to have later. It's stealing, no matter how you justify it to yourself.
I have USB chargers in every room and yet people insist on having four adapters in a row so they can plug in their own USB charger that is drooping off from the circuit because of the weight.
Going into private areas that are clearly marked as private, in two official languages.
Commenting online on private areas that are clearly marked as private because they are just rude.
Rude guests talking American politics at the breakfast table (especially right wing, since it upsets all my Canadian and European guests).
Guests asking private questions of ourselves and other guests. It's no one's business what your marital status is, how you know the person or frankly what sexual positions you like (yes... I've had it asked!)
Married guests who ask me how to find bars, clubs or saunas that they clearly shouldn't be going to and counting on my discretion to point them to their happy ending.
Guests who think that this is France and that we are French and that they want me to point them at: Bistros, but obviously not knowing what a bistro actually is; Creperies, because the locals haven't been to one since the 1970s but since we speak the language we must have them, go to them and of course have magnificient ones; and finally guests who seem to think that I can't be local because I speak English without an accent... damn it, I was born here, grew up here, live here, get over it!
Reviewers who lie and not just white lies, big fat ones! We have had two in a year.
Guests who think that the country just shuts down for the winter and we just go into hibernation. They are surprised that we are open year round, that we have guests year round and that we don't die each year at the end of autumn just to be reborn in the spring.
I'll probably think of a dozen more before the day is done..

Guests who expect that somehow a free street parking spot is going to be available. I live in a large metropolitain city with all kinds of parking restrictions!
Guests who expect that everyone is going to be happy to take foreign currency (inspite of it not being legal tender) and give them a great exchange rate. The banks take 3%, $2.50 per deposit and 75c to use a teller.... I'm going to be passing on that inconvenience, sorry.
Guests who ask the same question three times because they think if they ask it often enough, the answer will change. (See Albert Einstein re definition of insanity).
Guests who want me to plan their day and tell them what they will enjoy doing, eating, seeing and buying. I can help plan your day by making suggestions... I am not making decisions for you.
Guests who put cloth napkins on their plate that still has maple syrup (or anything else gooey) still on the plate.
Guests who take my fine china to their rooms without asking. That cup is $35 to replace and you are responsible for it until it returns to my dining room.
Guests who wear wet, muddy or snowy shoes into the house. Do you really want me wearing my muddy shoes into your house, because I'm coming over in two weeks and I'm walking through Mr. Ed's home before I come into your place.
Guests who leave personal items in the shared bathroom. It's shared space, shouldn't someone have taught you to be considerate by now?
Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.
Guests who ask you to book a specific restaurant that is really tough to book... a restaurant that doesn't often return it's phone calls.. a restaurant that calls you back the same day to reconfirm... only to not honour their reservation!
Yup... it's official, I need a vacation! 15 more days, 15 more day....
.

Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.

That one drives me mad too. We had a guy stay for 5 days, he would go out after breakfast, maybe for 1-2 hours come back and not go out of his room again. It's a B&B for heavens sake, not a hotel. Sometimes I unplug the router from the telephone so the wifi stays on but there's no Internet connection. When they come down and complain I say "oh I'm sorry, the broadband is not very reliable living in a small Highland village". Having said that, I really think you need a break Eric We've just had 5 nights off, 4of which we spent in Amsterdam, so we're feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed at the moment. Although I've already had 3 requests for laundry in 2 days and we have a power cut at the moment so can't to laundry, can't Hoover, no water as it's all pumped......it may not last long.
.

Oh... I know that I need a break. 14 more days until I'm off to France for two weeks. But it is much better than previous years, since we started doing self check-in and I can leave the house at 6 PM if I want to, now. In fact, guests are surprised at how well our system works. Had a guest who's flight was delayed and only arrived at 2:30 AM to find a note on the door that got her in, the key on a hook with instructions and it all worked seemlessly.
I'm actually doing okay, though. But I know I'm overburdened at the moment. It's not just the B&B, it's my parents also and my sister who lives 8796 km away. (Isn't wolfram alpha fun!)
.

I feel stressed at the moment but its outside the B&B that is partly the problem Im helping my mother in law move house as she is a widow and has never done it before either the legal side or the physical side and due to a lot of legal probate stuff it is a complete nightmare. Plus DH because we are quiet is helping out at one of the local hotels as their 3rd night porter in 3 months has disappeared and they are left in a very difficult position so he is sleeping all the time or out or cranky plus my chamber maid is on holiday for a week and a half which she deserves as she has been having a field day with her family as well. But it means my mum has been helping me who means well but I can only cope with her so many hours a day! plus have work men in who are room only which helps but are like herding cats as they never know when they are going or staying or who is paying or its Im paying for 2 nights then jim is paying for the last one etc and they are supposed to pay the evening before they go but catching them is a hassel so I end up faffing about in the morning with them. But it keeps us ticking over money wise and thats what matters.
.

I got tired just reading that, Cambs. Hang in there!
.

Oh and I totally forgot I am helping start a trade association with independant local shops and helping build a web site (www.harrogateindependantshops.com) and have just been starting a facebook page Commercial Street cos I blatently do not have enough to do! lol and redoing all my guest info folders.
.

Oh, I need to redo my guest folders as well, they are looking tatty and worn in some of the rooms, and the information needs updating.
.

What I did last year and it seems to work is I have a hard plastic folder (from Rymans) which is opaque and the front sheet says guest info on it so they can see it through the folder. Then I laminate the pages and that seems to hold off the corners getting tatty. Depends how far you want to go with it mind as I find no one ever reads them. I have started putting out a welcome letter with all what I call the highlights on it and that seems to work though they do seem to go missing at an alarming rate.

 

[Highlands John]

Oh, let's add to the list....
Not just makeup on the towels, but red lipstick and smeared across.
Breaking items and not being honest enough to either own up to it, or have asked in the first place how to use something so that they don't break it.
Telling me of an allergy or intolerance just before breakfast (too damn bad! Have toast or a banana)
Blood on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Pee on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Not properly disposing of their Poise pad (panty liner for incontinence). It comes with a blue plastic pouch to dispose of it.... use it!
Guests who open the window that is holding the AC in.
Stealing anything, including water bottles and an banana to have later. It's stealing, no matter how you justify it to yourself.
I have USB chargers in every room and yet people insist on having four adapters in a row so they can plug in their own USB charger that is drooping off from the circuit because of the weight.
Going into private areas that are clearly marked as private, in two official languages.
Commenting online on private areas that are clearly marked as private because they are just rude.
Rude guests talking American politics at the breakfast table (especially right wing, since it upsets all my Canadian and European guests).
Guests asking private questions of ourselves and other guests. It's no one's business what your marital status is, how you know the person or frankly what sexual positions you like (yes... I've had it asked!)
Married guests who ask me how to find bars, clubs or saunas that they clearly shouldn't be going to and counting on my discretion to point them to their happy ending.
Guests who think that this is France and that we are French and that they want me to point them at: Bistros, but obviously not knowing what a bistro actually is; Creperies, because the locals haven't been to one since the 1970s but since we speak the language we must have them, go to them and of course have magnificient ones; and finally guests who seem to think that I can't be local because I speak English without an accent... damn it, I was born here, grew up here, live here, get over it!
Reviewers who lie and not just white lies, big fat ones! We have had two in a year.
Guests who think that the country just shuts down for the winter and we just go into hibernation. They are surprised that we are open year round, that we have guests year round and that we don't die each year at the end of autumn just to be reborn in the spring.
I'll probably think of a dozen more before the day is done..

Guests who expect that somehow a free street parking spot is going to be available. I live in a large metropolitain city with all kinds of parking restrictions!
Guests who expect that everyone is going to be happy to take foreign currency (inspite of it not being legal tender) and give them a great exchange rate. The banks take 3%, $2.50 per deposit and 75c to use a teller.... I'm going to be passing on that inconvenience, sorry.
Guests who ask the same question three times because they think if they ask it often enough, the answer will change. (See Albert Einstein re definition of insanity).
Guests who want me to plan their day and tell them what they will enjoy doing, eating, seeing and buying. I can help plan your day by making suggestions... I am not making decisions for you.
Guests who put cloth napkins on their plate that still has maple syrup (or anything else gooey) still on the plate.
Guests who take my fine china to their rooms without asking. That cup is $35 to replace and you are responsible for it until it returns to my dining room.
Guests who wear wet, muddy or snowy shoes into the house. Do you really want me wearing my muddy shoes into your house, because I'm coming over in two weeks and I'm walking through Mr. Ed's home before I come into your place.
Guests who leave personal items in the shared bathroom. It's shared space, shouldn't someone have taught you to be considerate by now?
Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.
Guests who ask you to book a specific restaurant that is really tough to book... a restaurant that doesn't often return it's phone calls.. a restaurant that calls you back the same day to reconfirm... only to not honour their reservation!
Yup... it's official, I need a vacation! 15 more days, 15 more day....
.

Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.

That one drives me mad too. We had a guy stay for 5 days, he would go out after breakfast, maybe for 1-2 hours come back and not go out of his room again. It's a B&B for heavens sake, not a hotel. Sometimes I unplug the router from the telephone so the wifi stays on but there's no Internet connection. When they come down and complain I say "oh I'm sorry, the broadband is not very reliable living in a small Highland village". Having said that, I really think you need a break Eric We've just had 5 nights off, 4of which we spent in Amsterdam, so we're feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed at the moment. Although I've already had 3 requests for laundry in 2 days and we have a power cut at the moment so can't to laundry, can't Hoover, no water as it's all pumped......it may not last long.
.

Oh... I know that I need a break. 14 more days until I'm off to France for two weeks. But it is much better than previous years, since we started doing self check-in and I can leave the house at 6 PM if I want to, now. In fact, guests are surprised at how well our system works. Had a guest who's flight was delayed and only arrived at 2:30 AM to find a note on the door that got her in, the key on a hook with instructions and it all worked seemlessly.
I'm actually doing okay, though. But I know I'm overburdened at the moment. It's not just the B&B, it's my parents also and my sister who lives 8796 km away. (Isn't wolfram alpha fun!)
.

I feel stressed at the moment but its outside the B&B that is partly the problem Im helping my mother in law move house as she is a widow and has never done it before either the legal side or the physical side and due to a lot of legal probate stuff it is a complete nightmare. Plus DH because we are quiet is helping out at one of the local hotels as their 3rd night porter in 3 months has disappeared and they are left in a very difficult position so he is sleeping all the time or out or cranky plus my chamber maid is on holiday for a week and a half which she deserves as she has been having a field day with her family as well. But it means my mum has been helping me who means well but I can only cope with her so many hours a day! plus have work men in who are room only which helps but are like herding cats as they never know when they are going or staying or who is paying or its Im paying for 2 nights then jim is paying for the last one etc and they are supposed to pay the evening before they go but catching them is a hassel so I end up faffing about in the morning with them. But it keeps us ticking over money wise and thats what matters.
.

I got tired just reading that, Cambs. Hang in there!
.

Oh and I totally forgot I am helping start a trade association with independant local shops and helping build a web site (www.harrogateindependantshops.com) and have just been starting a facebook page Commercial Street cos I blatently do not have enough to do! lol and redoing all my guest info folders.
.

Oh, I need to redo my guest folders as well, they are looking tatty and worn in some of the rooms, and the information needs updating.
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What I did last year and it seems to work is I have a hard plastic folder (from Rymans) which is opaque and the front sheet says guest info on it so they can see it through the folder. Then I laminate the pages and that seems to hold off the corners getting tatty. Depends how far you want to go with it mind as I find no one ever reads them. I have started putting out a welcome letter with all what I call the highlights on it and that seems to work though they do seem to go missing at an alarming rate.
.

I have just printed sheets which I bind together with a comb binder. I then put White card on the front and back with our name and a title on the front card and then put a sheet of acetate in front of that.
It got too big a couple of years ago so I now have two, one about us and the services we offer and the other of things to see and do.
They do get tatty fairly quickly but are easy to reproduce. I usually do them once a year or more often if necessary.
It does say in the front not to take them out of the house and that we can print any pages theyd like copies of. Only once have they gone walkies. Had a call front the local inn saying they'd found one of our information packs in the bar.

 

[Joey Camb]

Oh, let's add to the list....
Not just makeup on the towels, but red lipstick and smeared across.
Breaking items and not being honest enough to either own up to it, or have asked in the first place how to use something so that they don't break it.
Telling me of an allergy or intolerance just before breakfast (too damn bad! Have toast or a banana)
Blood on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Pee on the sheets/mattress pad, etc. YUCK!
Not properly disposing of their Poise pad (panty liner for incontinence). It comes with a blue plastic pouch to dispose of it.... use it!
Guests who open the window that is holding the AC in.
Stealing anything, including water bottles and an banana to have later. It's stealing, no matter how you justify it to yourself.
I have USB chargers in every room and yet people insist on having four adapters in a row so they can plug in their own USB charger that is drooping off from the circuit because of the weight.
Going into private areas that are clearly marked as private, in two official languages.
Commenting online on private areas that are clearly marked as private because they are just rude.
Rude guests talking American politics at the breakfast table (especially right wing, since it upsets all my Canadian and European guests).
Guests asking private questions of ourselves and other guests. It's no one's business what your marital status is, how you know the person or frankly what sexual positions you like (yes... I've had it asked!)
Married guests who ask me how to find bars, clubs or saunas that they clearly shouldn't be going to and counting on my discretion to point them to their happy ending.
Guests who think that this is France and that we are French and that they want me to point them at: Bistros, but obviously not knowing what a bistro actually is; Creperies, because the locals haven't been to one since the 1970s but since we speak the language we must have them, go to them and of course have magnificient ones; and finally guests who seem to think that I can't be local because I speak English without an accent... damn it, I was born here, grew up here, live here, get over it!
Reviewers who lie and not just white lies, big fat ones! We have had two in a year.
Guests who think that the country just shuts down for the winter and we just go into hibernation. They are surprised that we are open year round, that we have guests year round and that we don't die each year at the end of autumn just to be reborn in the spring.
I'll probably think of a dozen more before the day is done..

Guests who expect that somehow a free street parking spot is going to be available. I live in a large metropolitain city with all kinds of parking restrictions!
Guests who expect that everyone is going to be happy to take foreign currency (inspite of it not being legal tender) and give them a great exchange rate. The banks take 3%, $2.50 per deposit and 75c to use a teller.... I'm going to be passing on that inconvenience, sorry.
Guests who ask the same question three times because they think if they ask it often enough, the answer will change. (See Albert Einstein re definition of insanity).
Guests who want me to plan their day and tell them what they will enjoy doing, eating, seeing and buying. I can help plan your day by making suggestions... I am not making decisions for you.
Guests who put cloth napkins on their plate that still has maple syrup (or anything else gooey) still on the plate.
Guests who take my fine china to their rooms without asking. That cup is $35 to replace and you are responsible for it until it returns to my dining room.
Guests who wear wet, muddy or snowy shoes into the house. Do you really want me wearing my muddy shoes into your house, because I'm coming over in two weeks and I'm walking through Mr. Ed's home before I come into your place.
Guests who leave personal items in the shared bathroom. It's shared space, shouldn't someone have taught you to be considerate by now?
Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.
Guests who ask you to book a specific restaurant that is really tough to book... a restaurant that doesn't often return it's phone calls.. a restaurant that calls you back the same day to reconfirm... only to not honour their reservation!
Yup... it's official, I need a vacation! 15 more days, 15 more day....
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Guests who stay in all day (and underfoot). We had one guy who was out of the house maybe 4 hours total on a one week stay. He even brought whey protein drinks so he would not have to go out for lunch or dinner. Sat at the shared PC all day long on FB with his friends. Finally convinced them to go out and they asked to coat check their jacket, so they came back immediately because it would have ruined the look.

That one drives me mad too. We had a guy stay for 5 days, he would go out after breakfast, maybe for 1-2 hours come back and not go out of his room again. It's a B&B for heavens sake, not a hotel. Sometimes I unplug the router from the telephone so the wifi stays on but there's no Internet connection. When they come down and complain I say "oh I'm sorry, the broadband is not very reliable living in a small Highland village". Having said that, I really think you need a break Eric We've just had 5 nights off, 4of which we spent in Amsterdam, so we're feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed at the moment. Although I've already had 3 requests for laundry in 2 days and we have a power cut at the moment so can't to laundry, can't Hoover, no water as it's all pumped......it may not last long.
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Oh... I know that I need a break. 14 more days until I'm off to France for two weeks. But it is much better than previous years, since we started doing self check-in and I can leave the house at 6 PM if I want to, now. In fact, guests are surprised at how well our system works. Had a guest who's flight was delayed and only arrived at 2:30 AM to find a note on the door that got her in, the key on a hook with instructions and it all worked seemlessly.
I'm actually doing okay, though. But I know I'm overburdened at the moment. It's not just the B&B, it's my parents also and my sister who lives 8796 km away. (Isn't wolfram alpha fun!)
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I feel stressed at the moment but its outside the B&B that is partly the problem Im helping my mother in law move house as she is a widow and has never done it before either the legal side or the physical side and due to a lot of legal probate stuff it is a complete nightmare. Plus DH because we are quiet is helping out at one of the local hotels as their 3rd night porter in 3 months has disappeared and they are left in a very difficult position so he is sleeping all the time or out or cranky plus my chamber maid is on holiday for a week and a half which she deserves as she has been having a field day with her family as well. But it means my mum has been helping me who means well but I can only cope with her so many hours a day! plus have work men in who are room only which helps but are like herding cats as they never know when they are going or staying or who is paying or its Im paying for 2 nights then jim is paying for the last one etc and they are supposed to pay the evening before they go but catching them is a hassel so I end up faffing about in the morning with them. But it keeps us ticking over money wise and thats what matters.
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I got tired just reading that, Cambs. Hang in there!
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Oh and I totally forgot I am helping start a trade association with independant local shops and helping build a web site (www.harrogateindependantshops.com) and have just been starting a facebook page Commercial Street cos I blatently do not have enough to do! lol and redoing all my guest info folders.
.

Oh, I need to redo my guest folders as well, they are looking tatty and worn in some of the rooms, and the information needs updating.
.

What I did last year and it seems to work is I have a hard plastic folder (from Rymans) which is opaque and the front sheet says guest info on it so they can see it through the folder. Then I laminate the pages and that seems to hold off the corners getting tatty. Depends how far you want to go with it mind as I find no one ever reads them. I have started putting out a welcome letter with all what I call the highlights on it and that seems to work though they do seem to go missing at an alarming rate.
.

I have just printed sheets which I bind together with a comb binder. I then put White card on the front and back with our name and a title on the front card and then put a sheet of acetate in front of that.
It got too big a couple of years ago so I now have two, one about us and the services we offer and the other of things to see and do.
They do get tatty fairly quickly but are easy to reproduce. I usually do them once a year or more often if necessary.
It does say in the front not to take them out of the house and that we can print any pages theyd like copies of. Only once have they gone walkies. Had a call front the local inn saying they'd found one of our information packs in the bar.
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I should have clarified the packs never walk (touch wood) the welcome letters do which is weird as one is under the glass in room 10 ie chest of drawers with a glass protector. I figure people put straightening tongs on them then chuck them away. I sometimes if I have time put the sightseeing guide on as an attachment to their confirmation email and I keep a few printed out, as well as an emerdale one as we are just up the road from where they film and a fact sheet on where things are filmed locally for people who are into that kind of thing. We also have a heartbeat fact sheet if people are interested in that.

 

[Madeleine]

Guests saying they are not sure they can stay the full time they booked, but they'll let us know 'later on'..

Guests saying they are not sure they can stay the full time they booked, but they'll let us know 'later on'.

My suggestion... change your policy. Cancellation with less than 24 hours notice, no shows and early departures are payable in full. That seems to get them to decide... at least 24 hours ahead of time, if not 7 days ahead.
.

Guests saying they are not sure they can stay the full time they booked, but they'll let us know 'later on'.

My suggestion... change your policy. Cancellation with less than 24 hours notice, no shows and early departures are payable in full. That seems to get them to decide... at least 24 hours ahead of time, if not 7 days ahead.

Right there in the confirmation, right there on the registration form, none of which they saw as they booked from the road and arrived after midnight.

 

[Samster]

Young guests who ask where the elevator is when my 85 year old guests jog up the stairs. Young guests who decline to stay when they realize there is no elevator..

its the ones that come and then look at the building and then ask where the lift is make me laugh! Mind you the general incompetance continues to surprise me. The group that stayed last weekend (all disabled) their secretary emailed to say she had paid when she booked so why did I charge all the guests? said we do not charge on booking and we did tell you when you booked it was just for security you did not auhorise us to use the card details which you would not be allowed to do as you are not named on the card. We did not receive signed authorisation from the card holder so if we had charged it then this would be fraud. Therefore we charged each individual as they assured us they would be able to claim it back. I pointed out we are not a travel lodge that charges you in full on point of booking and then is non refundanble. Hope that she got it in the ear from them all the complete idiot.
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Can I go on a little more about the stairs and the elevator? It's really bothering me. Given the number of complaints and eye-rolling I've witnessed this year, my guess is that 90% of this country must live either in a ranch house or an apartment house with an elevator. When they leave their enclaves to travel, they should account for places that do not have, never will have and think it is ludicrous to have an elevator for a 2 storey home. And I'm not even talking about guests with mobility issues, I'm talking about lazy people. You know who they are, too- the ones who drive to their mailbox at the end of their 30' driveway, drive around for 20 minutes until the lone non-handicap parking spot opens up in front of WalMart, who won't walk 2 blocks to go out for ice cream. (People with mobility issues have my sympathy when they travel to New England. It's all old houses here, houses with narrow hallways, steep stairs, twisty-turny corners everywhere.)
And who do they think is running up and down those same stairs 50 times/day cleaning those rooms? Fairies with wings? No, the old people who made your breakfast, that's who.
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And I thought all the lazy people lived here!

 

[Samster]

Guests who sleep on TOP of the flat sheet! What is with that??! I want to know what they're thinking. Do they think that I didn't put a flat sheet on the bed for them? Who wants to sleep right under the blanket? That's weird..

Aussie...menopausal people do that...it's easier to just throw the blanket off! lol!

 

[bc30md]

What irritates me is no reviews or I should say just a hand full. They all write very nice things in the guest books I have in the rooms but has only gotten 2 on B&B dot com ( but not listed with them any more) and 4 reviews on face book but will be losing then at the end of this month. What does everyone do beg or pay guest to do a review? The only complaint I ever got was that we had no reviews but no one does them. Do you all know something I don't? Maybe I should get rid of the guest books? HELP! ! !.

Maybe it's your demographic. If you have the 'older' set, they are less likely to write an online review unless they are blazingly mad at you. We get about 10 reviews/year. That's the same number we were getting when I was asking guests to write a review. We've had wonderful guests tell me on the way out the door, 'We just left you a review on TA!' those never show up.
If you have a newsletter or email marketing list, send a request out for reviews with your next newsletter. Explain how important reviews are for some guests and how you would appreciate if they could write a review like the one they left in the guest book.
Maybe that's my problem, too, I get emails, cards, wonderful stuff in the guest book but relatively nothing online.
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I recently had someone tell me that they would love to do TA reviews, but they refuse to "register" with TA in order to do so....

 

[Madeleine]

When guests are arriving separately and I've almost got one room organized and the next one shows up and they run off to the room and I can't herd the new arrivals back to check-in.
When a party of 8 shows up 2 hours early. I haven't even had lunch yet!

 

[April]

What irritates me is no reviews or I should say just a hand full. They all write very nice things in the guest books I have in the rooms but has only gotten 2 on B&B dot com ( but not listed with them any more) and 4 reviews on face book but will be losing then at the end of this month. What does everyone do beg or pay guest to do a review? The only complaint I ever got was that we had no reviews but no one does them. Do you all know something I don't? Maybe I should get rid of the guest books? HELP! ! !.

Maybe it's your demographic. If you have the 'older' set, they are less likely to write an online review unless they are blazingly mad at you. We get about 10 reviews/year. That's the same number we were getting when I was asking guests to write a review. We've had wonderful guests tell me on the way out the door, 'We just left you a review on TA!' those never show up.
If you have a newsletter or email marketing list, send a request out for reviews with your next newsletter. Explain how important reviews are for some guests and how you would appreciate if they could write a review like the one they left in the guest book.
Maybe that's my problem, too, I get emails, cards, wonderful stuff in the guest book but relatively nothing online.
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I recently had someone tell me that they would love to do TA reviews, but they refuse to "register" with TA in order to do so....
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Had that comment many times. Lots of people do not want to register