"What time can I check-in?"

[Morticia]

Called yesterday and asked this question. Was told 3 PM. Showed up at the door at 11:30 AM and asked again. Is here again at 2 PM.
I am overhearing the conversation...wants to bring someone to breakfast in the morning. Wants to use the kitchen while he is here. Heaven help me.

 

[hawley]

I took check in times off my web site and say arranged. Most people fly in and I make arrangements for their arrival time. It is something I can do.
Where you have walk ins and so many rooms, you have to stick to check in times in order to get rooms turned.

 

[Morticia]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning...

 

[hawley]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning....

Is this a business meeting? Or is he trying to treat friends on your dime?

 

[muirford]

Unfortunately this time of year brings all the business but all the problems - B&B newbies, the people who wanted to stay at the big fancy resort but didn't get in, the people who take whatever they can get at the last minute whether it suits them or not. All rookies.
We have a wedding party booked - friends of the bride. I'm sure there will be some issues since we haven't spoken to any of them personally yet. Plus we're full on Sunday night because of the holiday, so the wedding group will linger and I will need to push them out the door.

 

[swirt]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning....

Tell him he can, but you will have to charge each of them the room rate

 

[EmptyNest]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning....

WHAT???? I thought you said you only had PITA's in the SUMMER?????

You know what you are telling him don't you????? NO!!!!! AND NO to the Kitchen as well. I am telling you once again..get that folding screen for your kitchen area as a deterrant!!!!! Along with a sign...Health Dept does not permit guests to use our kitchen facilities. ..... It is not a solid door..but they have to have alot of nerve to move it....Oh well knowing some of your guests...they will:-(

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

The difference in your place Bree to most of us, most of our guests arrive LATE, not even within the check in time.
Why are yours all early, is it cuz they are old folks who leave at the crack of dawn and don't want to drive in the dark? Sometimes they do that here enroute to their next B&B and I tell them "What time is check in? You can't get in before 3pm" Oh, they always say.

 

[Morticia]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning....

Is this a business meeting? Or is he trying to treat friends on your dime?
.

Is this a business meeting? Or is he trying to treat friends on your dime?

He volunteered to pay for breakfast, which would be fine if we weren't full. We just don't have the room for 'extras' who may or may not show up and who may or may not vacate the table on time.

 

[Morticia]

Wants to bring 3-4 extra people to breakfast in the morning....

WHAT???? I thought you said you only had PITA's in the SUMMER?????

You know what you are telling him don't you????? NO!!!!! AND NO to the Kitchen as well. I am telling you once again..get that folding screen for your kitchen area as a deterrant!!!!! Along with a sign...Health Dept does not permit guests to use our kitchen facilities. ..... It is not a solid door..but they have to have alot of nerve to move it....Oh well knowing some of your guests...they will:-(
.

WHAT???? I thought you said you only had PITA's in the SUMMER?????

You know what you are telling him don't you????? NO!!!!! AND NO to the Kitchen as well. I am telling you once again..get that folding screen for your kitchen area as a deterrant!!!!! Along with a sign...Health Dept does not permit guests to use our kitchen facilities. ..... It is not a solid door..but they have to have alot of nerve to move it....Oh well knowing some of your guests...they will:-(

The sign is up, he didn't see it when he asked. He said he totally understood and would abide by the rules. Like Muirford said, it's the weekend. LOTS of weddings here in town.

 

[Morticia]

The difference in your place Bree to most of us, most of our guests arrive LATE, not even within the check in time.
Why are yours all early, is it cuz they are old folks who leave at the crack of dawn and don't want to drive in the dark? Sometimes they do that here enroute to their next B&B and I tell them "What time is check in? You can't get in before 3pm" Oh, they always say..

The difference in your place Bree to most of us, most of our guests arrive LATE, not even within the check in time.
Why are yours all early, is it cuz they are old folks who leave at the crack of dawn and don't want to drive in the dark? Sometimes they do that here enroute to their next B&B and I tell them "What time is check in? You can't get in before 3pm" Oh, they always say.

He said he's a teacher and they had an early release day today. He went away at 11:30, shopped or ate or whatever.

 

[Proud Texan]

We just tell them no, if they want something we are neither equipped to handle or ready to handle. If you lose them as a repeat customer, you're ahead of the game.

 

[DaisyMae]

i guess i can somewhat understand someone showing up an hour before check in but we have had people show up at 9:30 in the a.m. before! breakfast is just ending & they say they were in the area so they thought we wouldn't mind if they checked in early! Uh, well, we do mind & i'm sure the people in the guestroom mind even more!

 

[Samster]

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??

 

[YellowSocks]

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??.

Why do Bree's guest show up early??

Some of them show up late instead.
The rest take off in the morning, get there, and want to check in before they go shop til they drop.
=)
Kk.

 

[Samster]

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??.

Why do Bree's guest show up early??

Some of them show up late instead.
The rest take off in the morning, get there, and want to check in before they go shop til they drop.
=)
Kk.
.

This I know....I was asking her really for the myriad of reasons why they might feel that it's OK to show up early. Knock wood...I've never had a guest show up early that wasn't pre-arranged.

 

[Morticia]

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??.

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??

Here's the kicker...if this guy had once EXPLAINED why he wanted to check-in early I would not have had a problem. He just kept calling and ringing. He SAID he got out of work early so figured he'd just come over. Fine, then amuse yourself. If he had ONCE mentioned he was FOG and was getting ready to host 100 people at a dinner I would have let him in.
My guests get here early because of incoming flights or because they want to shop but also want to empty the car of luggage first.

 

[Samster]

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??.

I'm wondering how this all turned out since I'm tuning in late.
I just say that I'm the staff - this is the check-in range. I've only had one request for early check-in and that was a "fling". All of our check-ins that are outside the range are late check-ins. Just had one tonight get here at almost 9 PM. Has to do where the nearest really major airport is.
Why do Bree's guest show up early??

Here's the kicker...if this guy had once EXPLAINED why he wanted to check-in early I would not have had a problem. He just kept calling and ringing. He SAID he got out of work early so figured he'd just come over. Fine, then amuse yourself. If he had ONCE mentioned he was FOG and was getting ready to host 100 people at a dinner I would have let him in.
My guests get here early because of incoming flights or because they want to shop but also want to empty the car of luggage first.
.

Yeah, I figured it was the shoppers.....

 

[agoodman]

In one of my past lives I was a hotel trainer, if the room is clean and ready, why hold the guest back from checking in? I always tell guest 3pm, but if the room is ready earlier, you may go to the room, if not, you can use the public areas.
Same with late check out requests, we can't clean all the rooms at once, and if it's a reasonable time, and makes the guest happy, then do it. But be clear on your policies when they ask, ex: I would be happy to extend your check out time until 2pm, however please note that anytime after that I would need to charge you a 1/2 day rate until 6pm.
Now I am not saying you are always able to do this, but it truly amazes me that we sometimes forget what it's like to be a customer, and just think about "our policy"

 

[Morticia]

In one of my past lives I was a hotel trainer, if the room is clean and ready, why hold the guest back from checking in? I always tell guest 3pm, but if the room is ready earlier, you may go to the room, if not, you can use the public areas.
Same with late check out requests, we can't clean all the rooms at once, and if it's a reasonable time, and makes the guest happy, then do it. But be clear on your policies when they ask, ex: I would be happy to extend your check out time until 2pm, however please note that anytime after that I would need to charge you a 1/2 day rate until 6pm.
Now I am not saying you are always able to do this, but it truly amazes me that we sometimes forget what it's like to be a customer, and just think about "our policy".

Here's the deal in my case...there are 2 of us here doing all of the work from 5 AM to 11 PM. If I say 3 PM it is because I am worn out and need to be able to SIT and eat my breakfast before check in starts at 3. Answering the door sweaty, with arms filled with dirty sheets is not how I want to greet a guest. Having the dining room covered with laundry is not how I want the guest to see the inn for the first time.
When I get a housekeeper I will be happy to take guests whenever they show up because I will be fresh as a daisy and someone else will be seeing to the laundry. Until then, 'Policy' rules.
Late check-outs can stay until 11:30. That's the extent of what I can do for them. 2 PM is too close to check-in. After 1 PM you're paying for a full day because I will not be able to turn that room fast enough to accommodate everyone who shows up at noon for that same room. (Altho, this afternoon I did turn a room in 20 minutes, but I had had my breakfast, lunch and a walk by the time that guest left. And they DID pay full freight for the additional 5 hours they had the room.)
I do not want guests sitting in the common areas waiting for me to clean. Watching the dirty laundry going thru, the mops and buckets is not the image I want. I have made a LOT of concessions on what guests HAVE to see because there is not space to hide it from them, but to invite them in to watch is not on my game plan.
Obviously for a B&B that is well laid out with everything behind the scenes allowing guest to sit in the common areas and have tea and cookies (oh, right, I haven't had time to make those yet) is lovely. If a guest absolutely MUST check-in before hours, and they let me know this at booking, I will refer them to my comp, who have fulltime help. THEY can be gracious and dewy-fresh at noon, whereas I cannot.
Heck, they can even go out for lunch, something I haven't done since April.