Late Arrival

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
Llanthony
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:01 pm
Location: Monmouthshire UK
Contact:

Late Arrival

Post by Llanthony »

So I'm wondering how you would handle this. We have a booking where the guests were due to arrive today. On the booking confirmation form, it states they can arrive from 4pm. I then email them about a week before and remind them of this and ask them to let us know if they will arrive later than 4pm.

It is now 11:45pm and I'm being told they are still 15 minutes away. I have called them throughout the day as my housekeeper has been on standby all day waiting for them. I am not local, she finally gave up at 10am and left the doors open. These guests seem to think it just doesn't matter what time they arrive as they decided to stop for a long meal on the way knowing we were waiting. They seem to think I'm a Hilton and they can just show up whenever.

I've been doing this for 10 years and the guests just seem to get worse but I've never had one this late. Its not like the flight was late, they were just sightseeing and could care less.
newtimber
Posts: 1945
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Location: Brighton
Contact:

Re: Late Arrival

Post by newtimber »

Llanthony wrote: On the booking confirmation form, it states they can arrive from 4pm. I then email them about a week before and remind them of this and ask them to let us know if they will arrive later than 4pm.
Did you make an error in your post or your email with the 4pm?
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

From 4pm could mean anything to be honest, 4, 6 10pm. Do they know the housekeeper will be sitting waiting for them? If you want them there at 4 then say that.
I've now got a window of 4-6pm, and ask if they are going to arrive outside these times that they contact M well in advance of arrival to arrange it. Then contact her again on the day when they are about an hour away (I give easily recognisable landmarks for this from all directions).
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

I'm also an off site owner. I don't expect visitors to arrive at a prearranged time. The cleaners leave the key in a key safe so visitors can let themselves in at any time after 3pm. I telephone in the evening to make sure that they are happy with the accomodation and deal with any queries. Do you actually need the housekeeper to let them in?

I do have a local housekeeper/maintenance couple who deal with any emergencies during visitors' stays.
The best things in life are free
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

We’re onsite but don’t make a point of meeting guests when they arrive - in fact our experience is that most guests would rather be left to themselves when they first arrive, and met later or even the next day.
We have codelocks on the entrance doors and if guests choose to arrive at midnight that’s fine.
User avatar
Cymraes
Posts: 519
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:31 pm
Location: North Wales

Post by Cymraes »

I use a keysafe - in fact I make a virtue of it, telling guests that they can make the journey part of their holiday and stop off if they wish without having to worry about getting to the cottage at a set time.
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

Cymraes wrote:I use a keysafe - in fact I make a virtue of it, telling guests that they can make the journey part of their holiday and stop off if they wish without having to worry about getting to the cottage at a set time.
+1
The best things in life are free
Marks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:16 am
Location: Costa Blanca

Post by Marks »

Key safe every time. I have never done a meet and greet in 17 years :wink:
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

Cymraes wrote:I use a keysafe - in fact I make a virtue of it, telling guests that they can make the journey part of their holiday and stop off if they wish without having to worry about getting to the cottage at a set time.
If I was a guest, I’d welcome that flexibility. I really wouldn’t want to be worrying about meeting a deadline for arrival.
Okay, it’s not possible to have a keysafe or codelocks on the entrance doors in every property, but if it is possible - do it.
kg1
Posts: 2347
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:23 pm

Post by kg1 »

Marks wrote:Key safe every time. I have never done a meet and greet in 17 years :wink:
Me neither. We post the keys out 1 week beforehand.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I can't have a key box. I would actually like to, as it might save me some money for a trip up the valley from M. I could one put on on my terrace, as i am ground floor, but it may be inaccessible from the car park in the winter if it snows hard.
The Olive Grove
Posts: 750
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:19 pm

Post by The Olive Grove »

We are on site, and do meet and greet, and don't mind late arrivals, which we clearly tell guests. My husband is a late person anyway. We just ask they telephone us (or text) with some indication of when they may be arriving. Not a specific time, just an idea.

If they arrive late, which many do, we just say "I am sure you are tired after your journey. I will pop down some time tomorrow to deal with any questions you may have. You can always reach us using the internal phone if you have any problems"
Sam V
Posts: 1707
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:45 pm
Location: Villa in Gale, Algarve, Portugal. At home in Fetcham, Surrey, UK
Contact:

Post by Sam V »

Keysafe for the front doors of both my properties, but I post a key to the pedestrian gate for the villa as there is an electric gate with the clicker fob on front door keys.

I'd wouldn't want to arrive at a specific time to access a self catering property.
TA lurkers walk among us; the LMH Walking Dead

dont mess in the affairs of cats for they are subtle and will p on your computer.

www.algarvevillatrinity.co.uk
www.facebook.com/villatrinity
www.gardenerscottage.promotemyplace.com
User avatar
AngloDutch
Posts: 727
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:25 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by AngloDutch »

Marks wrote:Key safe every time. I have never done a meet and greet in 17 years :wink:
We've done around 500 'meet and greets' over the last 12 years. This started out as a compulsory tour of the rental for guests, as requested by agencies here in the NL. As we started out with all our bookings via these agencies, it was often a bi-weekly occurrence for us. After gradually replacing the agency bookings with bookings from other sites, we decided not to drop the tours, as we found it was a good moment to answer questions, offer advice and check whether guests were interested in renting bikes, etc.

Depending on how keen guests are on receiving a tour of the property, it will either be a quick 10 minutes showing them the facilities of the farmhouse, or up to several hours if they are interested in a walking tour of the village and surrounding areas. The extended tour is something we normally do if the weather is good (Americans especially appreciate this and are very good tippers :) although we enjoy showing guests the history of our village tip or no tip).
User avatar
AngloDutch
Posts: 727
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:25 pm
Location: Netherlands

Re: Late Arrival

Post by AngloDutch »

Llanthony wrote:So I'm wondering how you would handle this. We have a booking where the guests were due to arrive today. On the booking confirmation form, it states they can arrive from 4pm. I then email them about a week before and remind them of this and ask them to let us know if they will arrive later than 4pm.
....... They seem to think I'm a Hilton and they can just show up whenever.

I've been doing this for 10 years and the guests just seem to get worse but I've never had one this late. Its not like the flight was late, they were just sightseeing and could care less.
Llanthony, yes, we agree that this seems to be happening on a more regular basis. We recently had a last minute via ABB and even though arrival/departure times clearly stated on our listing there, we also email the arrival details separately, the same arrival details which are also sent by ABB to the guests as well in the confirmation.

In our arrival details we specifically ask to be informed if the guests intend to arrive after 6 p.m. as we are on site. Well, we heard nothing from these guests and couldn't get through to them via phone either when they failed to show by 7 p.m.
At 10 p.m. they called to say, 'We're not coming today, we'll be there tomorrow.' I asked them what time they would be arriving tomorrow. 'Around 4 p.m.', they replied.
They actually arrived the next day at 6.30 p.m. But they did text us to let us know that they were running late for the second time - at 6.30 p.m. - 'We're in the village now', came by text. Sheer discourtesy and arrogance :evil:
Post Reply