Arrivals before check in time.

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Sam V
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Arrivals before check in time.

Post by Sam V »

How do you handle/feel about guests arriving early while cleaners are still busy, to drop off their cases prior to check in time while the cleaners are still preparing.

I used to feel ok about allowing this but no longer mention it in our 'Arrival Pack' after we had a situation where the departing guests insisted on not leaving the villa until later and arriving guests potentially arriving before the departing guests and more recently, guests arriving to drop cases off and then later claiming the villa wasn't ready on their arrival.

Now, If guests are arriving early (or departing late) via our booked taxi service they are taken to a nearby restaurant with pool and the owner has a taxi transfer service to later bring the guests to the villa at our check in time. I also suggest that guests arriving via hire car or their own taxi do the same or go shopping, to lunch, etc. This is all described in the pack.

Now I've had a booking this week and the guests wants to be (amongst other instructions) collected via our taxi from a hotel near the airport at midday (hotel check out) and taken to the villa to drop off cases so they can go to the beach, which I'm assuming will also mean they may want to get changed etc.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Oh dear...that all sounds a but complicated to me Sam. We don't offer a collection service (we aren't permitted to) so we operate quite simply;
I take all incoming flight details which allows me to estimate arrival at the villa
If they are arriving early, before check in time, then I tell them that once the previius guests have checked out (at 10amish) they are welcome to arrive and leave their cases. If they want to use a loo then I explain it won't have been cleaned. I only allow changing outside (usually its the kiddies) as the cleaners are usually in all the rooms.
I give them 1 set of keys and take a mobile no. Which I then call when the villa is prepped.
They make their own way back from wherever.

In 10 yrs nothing has gone wrong and the closest shave we had was some guests leaving as the next arrived. None if them minded and ended up chatting together!

I also like the fact that they can see we are working hard to get them in early and it always gives me leeway to say we might have missed something in the rush so to let us know.

Sounds to me like you need to decide where the cut off is. Is it taking them to the pool/restaurant? Or taking them to leave their cases. After that they're on their own with arrangements.

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COYS
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Post by COYS »

We have suffered similar issues with early arrivals & late checkouts in the past & ended up having to switch service teams as we felt our house wasn't always getting the care we expected due to rushing, out of hours charges etc.
We have always had a fairly standard arrive/depart policy (4pm/11am) that is clearly set out in booking contracts & is now politely imposed by our new team at the vast majority of changeovers. They use common sense & discretionary flexibility & have a little more leeway if we don't have same day swaps but it has worked out for the best by not bending over backwards trying to accommodate every early/late request as was often the case before. Worse still if they just turn up 3 or 4 hours early without warning or are still 'busy' relaxing around the pool when the cleaning & service team turn up!
However, since licensing was modernised in our area, we are bound by the terms of that to adhere to the booking contract for a whole raft of requirements. Although I've never heard of it being monitored we were also alerted that our 3rd party & PL insurance may not cover us or guests that are in occupation outside of contract.
As said, occasionally the 'rules' are relaxed & secure bag storage is always offered along with suggestions of how/where to kill a few hours locally & so far, so good. For us, our house & indeed our service team, a return to a certain amount of rigidity has worked well thus far & we've had no negative feedback from guests who are all aware well in advance of booking.
Always a difficult one though.
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

In your booking for next week SamV is there any reason why they couldn't get ready at the hotel before they checkout there, then simply do a bag drop at yours? I've no idea what the distance is between airport hotel and your villa, but if I was the guest, that would work for me.

As the others have said, I would be be really clear in what you can and can't offer and then hopefully the guests will fall in line. Remember it's their prerogative to ask and yours to say no. :wink:
RichardHenshall
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Re: Arrivals before check in time.

Post by RichardHenshall »

Sam V wrote:... Now I've had a booking this week and the guests wants to be (amongst other instructions) collected via our taxi from a hotel near the airport at midday (hotel check out) and taken to the villa to drop off cases so they can go to the beach, which I'm assuming will also mean they may want to get changed etc.
Couldn't they change for the beach at the hotel and have the hotel look after their cases while they go out? You could arrange the taxi for a normal 4pm or so from the hotel. Only one of the party would need to be at the hotel - the rest could come straight to your villa from the beach.
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kevsboredagain
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Post by kevsboredagain »

I'll allow people to drop off luggage with the cleaners as sometimes they cannot help arriving many hours before check in time. They don't however get access to inside the property unless by special arrangement and with no preceding booking.
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AngloDutch
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Post by AngloDutch »

We never understand guests who want just to drop their bags off, as if they just want to get a foot (bag) through the door.

If they're worried about theft, wouldn't it be easier just to place towels,etc. over the cases if they are visible in the car?

If it's a matter of making room in the car, we always think, well they've just driven 12 hours here with all the bags in the car - another hour or two surely won't hurt, especially as we're not asking them to remain in their car.
Or, if coming by rental car from the airport, they've only had to put up with the bags around them for 2 hours in the car?!

I suppose it's difficult for us owners to get our heads around this. When we ourselves go to other people's villas on holiday, even if we have arrived much earlier than we thought, then we just make sure that we go for a wander in the nearest village, etc. and always turn up after the designated arrival time...

The last cleaning job we have before new guests arrive on a same-day changeover is washing down our laminated floors and we can never do that properly if there is a stack of luggage in the hall...
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edinburgh
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Post by edinburgh »

I do not publicise late checkout or early checkin, however, I do offer it when I know more about their plans.

Thankfully, Edinburgh has a left luggage facility at the railway station, so if I can't accommodate the checkin / departure times, I direct them towards this - and I've never had a negative reaction to that.

If someone hopes to arrive after midday, I'll let them know that I can give them keys, they can leave luggage, but I will need them to perhaps have a cup of tea and then leave me to get on with cleaning :)
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Post by JanB »

With ten years of holiday letting and also three years running a B&B, it has never ceased to amaze me at the requests to arrive early/depart late.

It did seem to me that the habit of pushing for extra time was becoming more prevalent in recent years.

Arriving early was always a huge problem and the excuse of dropping luggage was, I believe, just a ruse. What is the first thing people need after a journey? Yes, the bathroom - so they would arrive and then use it, so if it had already been cleaned, it would need doing again. Then would be the request for some water, so, now they all file into the pristine kitchen!

Plus, now they have deposited luggage, we have to clean around it.

In the end, I became very strict with arrival and departure times as it just compromised me too much and usually co-incided with some unforeseen problem or extra cleaning.

Many were the times I used to rush to make a cottage ready for early arrivals and then they decided to do something en route.

So, it was arrival from 4.00pm and departure before 10.30am. I had one recent guest very annoyed that I would not let her stay until midday but I stuck to my guns and felt justified as they left a filthy mess which took hours to clean - it would have been impossible to get the property ready had she had a late departure.

My final ever guests asked for an extra hour, which I agreed to. But, they were still there 45 minutes after new agreed time and the mess and muddle plus enormous piles of rubbish were incredible. They were not easy as they were not happy with the rubbish arrangements and I ended up collecting their refuse each and every day they were there (i live 30 minutes away, so was a real pain) I was jolly glad that was to be my last set of visitors......a great way to end.

As guests, we never push our luck and respect that hotels and other accommodation need to prepare for incoming guests, just as they did for our arrival.
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kevsboredagain
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Post by kevsboredagain »

I think there’s a big difference between people who simply want to arrive early or depart late for their own convenience, to those, travelling without a car, where being stranded with luggage or kids is a major problem. Sometimes I have people arriving in mid-winter, with skis and luggage on a very early flight. It could be snowing and -20C so they can’t exactly just wander around the village with their luggage, skis and kids until 4pm arrives. In this case, I allow them to leave their luggage in the cellar and then they can find somewhere safe to hang out in the village.
 
In Spain, it’s mostly a security thing. Leaving a car parked all day stacked full of luggage, temperatures up to 40C, is not a smart thing to do, so again, I allow them leave their bags somewhere and come back later. I only cater for individual requests and certainly do not advertise this service.
 
The ones that do annoy me are those that have made the complete journey by car or simply want an extra hour just to avoid sitting at the airport that clearly are not prepared to adjust their plans to suit the known arrival and departure times. Normally it’s possible to know if they are just trying to push their luck and I would then say it’s not possible, sorry.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

+ 1 with Kev. It is a security thing...so please don't be too harsh on them. Even we hate having suitcases in the car, and putting a towel over them just isn't enough of a deterrent I'm afraid.
We have guests who arrive by taxi, and don't want to be stuck with luggage trailing around a village. We also have guests with hire cars...and again I'm totally understanding of the worry of having all their electricals and cash stored in a tin box with easy enough access. We have gangs who turn up on this island for summer to take advantage of tourists.

I'm probably one of the few who actually sells this as a personal service. I don't push our cleaning team to get people in early, but most times it is possible....and people are grateful. I never allow guests leeway on the departure time; they have to leave at 10am.

It's something I don't over think. If someone uses a loo that has been cleaned....why reclean? They know it is their use. I wouldn't offer drink but have had ice lollies for the kids.

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Marks
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Post by Marks »

I've had one on to me this week about a booking later this month - 0930 flight arrival and 23.00 departure. When she booked the apartment she hadn't booked flights so knew only too well the departure and arrival times but went ahead with stupid o'clock flights. As it happens the apartment will be ready the day before so early access is not a problem. Departure day is a same day change over so she has to go at 10am "but we've got 2 small children" the old emotional blackmail....... :roll:
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Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

Thanks for all your responses. More great reading, I rarely pick up my kindle these days, although I really do want to concentrate on my latest download 'Do less, Get more' (although my life feels the opposte lately. ...that's why I should read it I guess... I digress!)

So, I have replied to him that 'yes' the £1 he sent to my account has cleared, so he is safe to pay the security deposit, despite the fact he paid instantly for his three night holiday on my EBay listing without even sending any message first to a) check it was still available, as requested in my description and b) that I am even legitimate. Then querying the security of the booking form via PIMs. :roll:

I have replied: There should be no problem with collecting you from the hotel at 12:00 and taking you direct to the villa, but I would ask that you are all ready and prepared for the beach from the hotel as you will only be able to drop your cases off and won’t have any access to the villa as our cleaners will be very busy cleaning inside and out from our previous guests.

Alternatively, the taxi could take you direct to *name withheld for search purposes* from your hotel, he has an area for storing luggage and there is a bar, restaurant, pool, sunbeds, etc. **name withheld for search purposes* is a fantastic host. He can then transfer you to the villa at 15.30.

I also checked all the info I have sent to him to date in case I'd left some mention of dropping off cases as we used to allow but no, he has just assumed its a done thing. I just state this in my email 'Please note check in is from 3.30pm on the day of your arrival. You must vacate the villa by 10.30am. These times are set to enable our cleaners to clean and prepare the villa on a same day changeover.'

Maybe I should add to that 'We are unable to allow any access to the villa between these times.' It has occurred to me there could be a (I hate to say this) 'Health and safety issue.' Wet floors, bedding and vacuum cleaners lying around, etc?

Right! Now I'm off to have my Friday night/only night, pre mixed G&T. Wish me well that I don't wake up tomorrow with a squeaking headache as seems to happen after just one drink these days
:cry:
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