How many beds should I make up for smaller parties?

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Ocean Escape
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:59 am
Location: Cornwall

How many beds should I make up for smaller parties?

Post by Ocean Escape »

I’m interested to hear what other people’s thoughts are on whether to leave all the beds in the house made up when the party is stared as only needing one or two of the beds. We have a home that will accommodate 7 and recently had a booking for 2 adults - I made up all the beds and put throws over 3 of the beds - leaving the 2 doubles so they could choose which bedroom they wanted. A week later we go to prepare for the next guests thinking we will have a quick changeover with only one set of bedding to wash and one bed to makeup. Low and behold, the beds weren’t stripped as stated as a requirement by the agent and ever bed seemed to have been slept in and a very busy fraught day followed. When queried about this, the couple stated that ‘they’d had their grandchildren stay over’, but no indication as to which beds had been used.
Do other people only make up the beds for booked guests or every bed as they are renting the whole house?
We have now printed a reminder about stripping the beds and using the dishwasher though!
Using our house to plan for a comfortable retirement.
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J B
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:56 am
Location: We live in England and have rental properties in N Wales and Paphos, Cyprus
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Post by J B »

We always ask "which beds do you want" and leave the others unmade
Marks
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Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:16 am
Location: Costa Blanca

Post by Marks »

If they pay full price make up all the beds. If you offer a discount then you can include a proviso about which beds to be left unmade.

I explicitly tell my guests not to strip the beds as it easier to check for stains etc with everything in place.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
Karen&John
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Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:50 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post by Karen&John »

I explicitly tell my guests not to strip the beds as it easier to check for stains etc with everything in place
+1 - but I do not tell the guests why!

Our laundry does a good job of ironing but does not take stains out, so we pre-wash where necessary.

We make up all the beds, as they pay for a full house.

K&J
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greenbarn
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Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

Marks wrote:If they pay full price make up all the beds. If you offer a discount then you can include a proviso about which beds to be left unmade.
As Marks said, which is what we do in our 3 properties.

It suits us to offer a reduced rate for one couple occupancy which is a strong market for us, and with ensuites that does noticeably reduce our cleaning time. The ensuite bedrooms that are not required are locked off, so we can be certain they haven’t been used.

If guests want all bedrooms (2 in 2 properties, 3 in the other) they pay the full rate which allows for full clean and laundry.
We would of course require names if the guests were planning to have any friends/family staying overnight.
LotBoy47
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Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2019 12:40 pm
Location: SW France

Post by LotBoy47 »

As others have said : pay full rate = all beds made up.
Ocean Escape
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:59 am
Location: Cornwall

Post by Ocean Escape »

Thank you all for your replies and advice. A mixture of opinions, and I think my takeaway is really that it is not worth letting the house out in low season if we have to cover the costs of cleaning and laundry for 7, so won't let it out at this reduced rate next year and stick to the high income summer dates when the additional costs don't affect profit. However, I still feel it was a little disrespectful given current hygiene restraints to not have contacted our letting agents and added the additional guests to the booking.
Using our house to plan for a comfortable retirement.
My robotic lawnmower is my best friend
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greenbarn
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Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

Ocean Escape wrote: However, I still feel it was a little disrespectful given current hygiene restraints to not have contacted our letting agents and added the additional guests to the booking.
Disrespectful at any time. More than disrespectful, as we are always obliged to have the names of all adults staying over.
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