Hello!
have been reading a very long and sometimes feisty thread elsewhere on this forum regarding large party bookings...
I'm wondering as B&B owners how do you turn folks away for whatever the reason. Saying we are booked for that day surely must be sufficient, as who can prove that it's not so.
How often do you have negative experiences with your guests....
This might seem like a silly question and perhaps I'm not wording it correctly. Am attempting to get a feel of how to handle reservations....
regards, aasta
political correct reservation taking
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La Chouette
- Posts: 392
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:36 am
- Location: Formerly in the Limousin, Central France
political correct reservation taking
I've not been following that particular thread all that closely, but here's my 3p worth.
We sometimes have bookings from large groups, normally bikers as they seem the ones to travel together most frequently to our 'great for biking' area in France. Sometimes the groups are all men, sometimes partners come too.....and it's never been a problem. In fact we've had some of our most enjoyable meals around our communal table with large groups who already know each other.
On the other hand, we've recently had protracted correspondence with a potential French guest who obviously mistook us for a gite and wanted to bring 20 adults and 3 children when she first enquired! The more I spoke to her, the more I had bad feelings about the whole thing, even when she'd brought her numbers down to the maximum we could accommodate. I didn't have to refuse her booking though because they obviously wanted to self cater, and I made it abundantly clear that the only food that could be eaten in our dining room was food that we'd prepared and served. That knocked the whole thing on the head!
As you say, you can always say there's no room at the inn, and after a while you develop a second sense about potential problems. I'm not so sure you get problem guests in B & Bs to the extent you might in self catering accommodation.
Jan
We sometimes have bookings from large groups, normally bikers as they seem the ones to travel together most frequently to our 'great for biking' area in France. Sometimes the groups are all men, sometimes partners come too.....and it's never been a problem. In fact we've had some of our most enjoyable meals around our communal table with large groups who already know each other.
On the other hand, we've recently had protracted correspondence with a potential French guest who obviously mistook us for a gite and wanted to bring 20 adults and 3 children when she first enquired! The more I spoke to her, the more I had bad feelings about the whole thing, even when she'd brought her numbers down to the maximum we could accommodate. I didn't have to refuse her booking though because they obviously wanted to self cater, and I made it abundantly clear that the only food that could be eaten in our dining room was food that we'd prepared and served. That knocked the whole thing on the head!
As you say, you can always say there's no room at the inn, and after a while you develop a second sense about potential problems. I'm not so sure you get problem guests in B & Bs to the extent you might in self catering accommodation.
Jan
Touch wood we have been very lucky with our guests , With time i think you can get a gut feeling at the enquiry stage if the guests is going to be a problem or not
Its different I think for a B&B owner , simply because the guests are sharing your house and you are there all the time.
I had one problem enquiry which I knew I should have refused at the time but did not, lady was not happy when she arrived and just found faults, suggested that as she was not happy then it would be best if she moved on, needless to say she did not, think its important to stand you ground when you know your product is 100%. Had another guest who I found was smoking in the room, so I asked them to leave or respect my no smoking rule. At the end of the day you are the boss
Its different I think for a B&B owner , simply because the guests are sharing your house and you are there all the time.
I had one problem enquiry which I knew I should have refused at the time but did not, lady was not happy when she arrived and just found faults, suggested that as she was not happy then it would be best if she moved on, needless to say she did not, think its important to stand you ground when you know your product is 100%. Had another guest who I found was smoking in the room, so I asked them to leave or respect my no smoking rule. At the end of the day you are the boss
Nessie