Spanish guest numbers and contract in Spanish

For topics that are specific to Spain, please go here.
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Spanish guest numbers and contract in Spanish

Post by Sunbeam »

We would like to welcome Spanish guests but have not yet had an enquiry that does not exceed our guest limit, show shock that children are charged or that they would be expected to pay the price advertised.

We have drawn up the basic bullet points of our contract in Spanish to send out for a legitimate enquiry.

What are other people's experiences of Spanish guests? Are there measures that have worked to make for a happy experience for both parties and avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings?
Last edited by Sunbeam on Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

What are other people's experiences of Spanish guests?
I get a feeling we are about to have nation bashing thread again. :x
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

We love Spanish people - don't want to bash a whole nation. Interested in if putting strict measures in place is what is needed. We have come to expect Northern European and American guests to behave as we would do, without having to be particularly hard line. Is being hard-line more normal for Spanish guests. We notice, for example, getting things done in the town hall does require putting aside being all polite and nice, and demanding that something is done, and there don't seem to be any hard feelings.
User avatar
Mouse
Posts: 7277
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Balearics
Contact:

Post by Mouse »

casasantoestevo wrote:
What are other people's experiences of Spanish guests?
I get a feeling we are about to have nation bashing thread again. :x
I don't think so...it just seems to back up the experience I've had and others I know, including 2 spanish owned villas I managed and my spanish neighbours place.
Plus we lived opposite a rental apartment for 6 yrs when we first lived here and I can tell you that although it was a sleep 4 with no sofa bed, it was regularly filled with 5-8 :shock: Lilo beds were very popular :lol:

Mousie
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
alifrank1
Posts: 546
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:56 am
Location: Spain

Post by alifrank1 »

Mouse wrote: I don't think so...it just seems to back up the experience I've had and others I know, including 2 spanish owned villas I managed and my spanish neighbours place.
Plus we lived opposite a rental apartment for 6 yrs when we first lived here and I can tell you that although it was a sleep 4 with no sofa bed, it was regularly filled with 5-8 :shock: Lilo beds were very popular :lol:

Mousie
x
Yes, I agree. When I had a rental apartment, my Spanish friend (who was also an agent) and looked after it for me, warned me off. As well as lilos, the bath was quite a common place to have an extra "bed". :lol:
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

This over occupancy happens a lot. It is not only Spanish.
Some results
viewtopic.php?p=338060
viewtopic.php?p=333225
viewtopic.php?t=25777
www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=331218
www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25004
https://community.homeaway.com/thread/22895
http://www.schofields.ltd.uk/blog/721/h ... occupancy/

PS under EU laws you cannot discriminate within your regulations between one country and the rest. You would have to write same rules that would have to apply to everyone no matter which country they are from.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
User avatar
Casscat
Posts: 2692
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:43 pm

Post by Casscat »

casasantoestevo wrote: PS under EU laws you cannot discriminate within your regulations between one country and the rest. You would have to write same rules that would have to apply to everyone no matter which country they are from.
I cannot see any suggestion in Sunbeam's post that she is planning to 'discriminate' against Spanish guests - in fact she kicks off by saying that she would really like to welcome Spanish guests. Sunbeam has purely asked for details of other people's experiences and how the issue of over-occupation might be avoided.
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

casasantoestevo - thank you for all the links re over occupancy (not just by the Spanish). We do have terms in our contract re over-occupancy and day-visitors - interesting that in one of the links the owners were within their rights to ask a whole group to leave for over-occupancy for just a night. We do of course realise that we can't discriminate - it is more a case, we are thinking, of 'emphasising' certain terms and perhaps coming from a native or fluent spanish speaker might be taken more seriously.

We also know we'd need to get all the house notes translated into Spanish.

But Casscat is right - we would like to have Spanish guests and are guessing that someone out there must have some experience - using a slightly different approach. Or perhaps someone on LMH is married to a Spaniard who can give some insight into what might work.

I was chatting to a Spanish guy recently who was interested in our house, looked at photos on his smart phone, made suitably admiring noises etc and when he asked how many Spanish guests we'd had i was a bit embarrassed that we'd had (virtually) none. I did say that we got enquiries but for more than we accommodated and he just laughed. With the benefit of hindsight I wish I'd probed a bit more into the psyche of a Spanish self-catering house renter.

Thank you for the comments and insight, as always, and will stop waffling on.
Last edited by Sunbeam on Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Marks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:16 am
Location: Costa Blanca

Post by Marks »

When I first moved to Spain my newly acquired Spanish friends all said never rent to Spanish. Read into that what you will.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
lorca
Posts: 2358
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: The Axarquia, Spain

Post by lorca »

We've had many fantastic Spanish guests. In our experience, lots of Spanish people like to go away in a large family group, particularly in the summer. My advice would be to make it very clear upfront in the copy of your adverts/website what your maximum is and that this includes children and babies. Many people of all nationalities do not read the TandCs before making an enquiry. As you say, if you want Spanish guests you need to advertise in Spanish....
If not now, when?
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

Thank you Lorca - good to hear positive experiences. I'll put a note in Spanish about numbers etc on TA and OD - to make it extra clear.

I hear you Marks.

I'm guessing at some point we will have a Spanish booking and we would never discriminate and turn one down. Will report back on the experience.
User avatar
Cas & Irene
Posts: 252
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:19 am
Location: Barcelona - Spain
Contact:

Post by Cas & Irene »

We had in 4 years (approx 500 bookings) only 1 Spanish guest. He booked with Booking. Unfortunately he didn´t reply our emails and refused to pay the 35% down payment with PayPal.

After some Google search we found out, that he was a quit famous professor from the Madrid area. He came for a medical congress in the CCIB, next to the marina.

Two weeks before arrival we send him an email that the booking would be cancelled if he didn´t pay the down payment within 24 hrs. We got the payment and a very unfriendly email.

When he came on board, I checked him in. In his cabin, he looked around and asked me (in English) “ Is this what I get for my money? I didn’t book this cabin, it was showed as a bigger one on the website”
I got my computer and showed him his booking including the picture. He say, “I don´t stay here” . I told him that´s was OK, give him all the money back (also the deposit) and brought his suitcase to the jetty. Told him were the hotels are (Marriot, Zero and Princess), close to the marine but he grumbled, “To expensive”, and left the marina …..
I was very happy that he left, this was a lost game on forehand and could only result into a bad review.

Further we get many phone enquiries from Spanish speaking people but after telling them the rate, they hang up without saying “Thanks” or something like that!
Now we don´t give anymore prices by phone and forward them to the website with the best prices and last minutes!
It never result in an enquiry.
Sail with the wind from today and count your blessings!
http://www.Bed-and-Breakfast-Barcelona.com
St. Katharine B&B-Hotel Boat in Barcelona!
Follow us on Twitter : @Yacht_Barcelona

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BedandBreakfastBoatBarcelona
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

Casscat wrote:
I cannot see any suggestion in Sunbeam's post that she is planning to 'discriminate' against Spanish guests - in fact she kicks off by saying that she would really like to welcome Spanish guests. Sunbeam has purely asked for details of other people's experiences and how the issue of over-occupation might be avoided.
this bit
What are other people's experiences of Spanish guests? Are there measures that have worked to make for a happy experience for both parties and avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings?
It sounds as if the wording could be different to suit cultural differences.
You have to use one size fit all methodology. We have done for over 12 years now.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
costa-brava
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:57 am
Location: costa brava spain
Contact:

Post by costa-brava »

You ask for experience. I sure have experience of Spanish (and Catalan) guests and also of families who are South American and now resident in Spain. It's not a question of discrimination just a plain fact that traditionally Spanish people add folding beds, use the sofa etc and feel entitled to have as many guests as they want.
But, Sunbeam, you appear to be in Andalucia and I'm fairly sure that with all the new laws down there you have to get all the guests details and pass this to the police register. Am I wrong on that one? We have had this requirement for the last few years in Catalunya and it has practically stamped out the overloading problem.
But really the crux of your problem is that you advertise for 12. That, inevitably, will bring enquiries from the amorphous groups. One person is the organiser and finds it well nigh impossible to get positive answers from the rest of the group. Then at the last minute everybody comes. Not only do you get 15-20 but you also get 10 cars and 6 babies etc. And don't forget the dogs.
You can do what you like with contracts. They make no real difference. Once all these people have arrived you have incredible problems trying to reduce the number. The law protects their rights more than yours. If it goes down to a dispute involving the police there is a very high chance that the bobbies will put a police tape round your property and not even you are allowed to enter till the dispute is settled by a judge.
On one occasion a group of 12 young people occupied our little house for 6. Instead of the police supporting me they threatened to charge me with illegal entry because I had gone in to check how many there were.
Nowadays we ask for DNI/passport details before arrival and in the last couple of years we've had no problems.
Last word that may help you. These badly planned groups are usually on the "puentes". That's where the public holiday falls in such a way as to give an elongated weekend.
But the bottom line is that with a property for 12 persons you will ALWAYS be inviting trouble.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I have a Spainish family stay very winter. Apart from the first year when they wished to cancel as they thought there wasn't any snow, they've been perfect guests, although they are a bit miffed this year as we are already booked for New Year.
Post Reply