Thank You For Staying

[Mozzie]

Some of my fellow LMH's are such eloquent writers, so please would you help me with some thank you for staying letters. I seem to get stuck when it comes to composing these and I think they are very important. Thanks you in anticipation of your help!

[Martha]

Someone asked this before, if you search around, because I remember incorporating some ideas from another thread into mine.

Dear ....

I hope you enjoyed your stay at the chalet and that your return
journey went smoothly!

I'd really appreciate your taking a few minutes to email a few
thoughts, as your opinions matter so much to us.

You might like to comment on the booking process, our location, presentation and level of comfort, facilities etc?
What was most enjoyable aspect of your stay?
Is there anything you'd like to see improved or added?

Many thanks for your time, and I hope very much to hear from you soon!

Best regards,

______________

Now I look at it again, there is some odd grammar in there, I might adjust a bit.

[French Cricket]

This is the bare bones of my English language one - I use it as a template, but personalise it heavily for each guest and add bits and pieces or anecdotes from their stay.

Hi xxx

This is just to say welcome home to you both - hope you had a good journey and everything went according to plan.

We're both really glad you enjoyed being here and in the Ariège. It was a real pleasure to share our home and our table with you. If you think of anything you think we could do better, or anything we could/should be providing or offering that we're not, I do hope you'll let us know. We won't be in the least offended - we really value feedback and see it as part of learning to do what we're doing here in the very best way we can.

Do stay in touch from time to time - if you're Facebook users I'd love to have you join our page - link below - where I post bits and pieces from daily life here and enjoy 'talking' to people! And if you ever fancy writing a guest piece for our blog, that would be wonderful - the floor is yours ...

Hope to see you again one day!

With our very warmest wishes

[Martha]

FC - I really like the tone of yours - I guess you're on site? and the prompt to keep in touch via social networks is a really good idea.

[French Cricket]

Thank you Martha!

We stayed in an apartment in Catalonia for 2 weeks last November. The owners lived in another apartment in the same house but we rarely saw them. It felt very strange to receive no 'welcome home' email, and no invitation for feedback (there weren't feedback sheets in the apartment and the guest info file didn't invite it either). I felt like a commodity, to be forgotten and dismissed as soon as I'd gone, one whose opinions didn't matter. It just reinforced how important post-stay contact actually is.

I do think being on site makes a difference to how we write - well, not just on site, but we've seen them at breakfast every day and eaten with them at least once (and often more) as well so there's usually something to remind them of or rib them for!

Quite a few of last year's (our first) guests have actually kept in touch and I find myself exchanging sporadic emails with them (some rather more often than I really have time for, but still!).

[pambon]

In the early years of renting I used to do a similar thing a month after the guests' departure. I also invited them to send me any photographs they had taken if they wished, for adding to my website gallery saying that their photos would be acknowledged on the site. I got no come back at all so gave up.

The same applied to Christmas cards and a returning guest discount (although this is not a 'returners' destination sadly.)

I have learnt over the years, that no matter how complimentary guests have been during their stay, once it's over it's over

[French Cricket]

I think a month is too long, Pambon. You've lost them by then. I send mine to arrive as they arrive home, or the next day at the latest.

[la vache!]

I think a month is too long, Pambon. You've lost them by then. I send mine to arrive as they arrive home, or the next day at the latest.

Yes, I agree (and I love your email too FC). I send out my email thanking guests for choosing to stay here, hoping they had a good journey home, thanking them for their comments in the guest book and inviting them to write a TA review etc. the Monday after the Saturday they leave. It has to be done quickly.

[Nemo]

I send a feedback request one week after their return. I need first to ensure there are no issues following the clean and departure from my cleaner. In reality, if it's something dramatic, she's on the phone straightaway.

Some of my guests email me immediately on their return, some have even posted a review whilst still on holiday! I find on my return from hols I'm in catch up mode with unpacking & washing etc, so the first few days are too soon for me.

I send something along these lines. Thank you for looking after the property so well for me - it is very much appreciated! I am always grateful for feedback, so perhaps you put a comment into the visitors book whilst you were there.

I then ask them to leave a review if they wish, or post recommendations, photos etc to my facebook page.

I finally ask if they've enjoyed their stay, would recommend me to their friends, and to contact me with any further feedback, breakages, faults etc.

[Nemo]

On seeing that FC & LV send theirs out sooner, I may experiment with that for a period of time to see if I get more reviews or feedback. I will also incorporate a statement about having a pleasant/safe/good journey home. Thanks.

[Maurmc]

I send out my email thanking guests for choosing to stay here

I thank them for choosing to stay in our apartment as well. I send an email a day or two after their departure, notifying them that I have refunded their security deposit into their bank account. I include a short questionnaire in the body of the email, asking for feedback about how I dealt with the booking, how were our representatives, was the apartment well equipped & clean, any suggestions and comments for our webpage. Almost everyone replies- far more than used to reply when the questionnaire was sent as an attachment.

Our most recent guests have invited us to visit them in Finland!

[Mozzie]

French Cricket I love it - it makes me want to come and stay with you. Thank you all for your comments. I really do feel if is very important to send a thank you - not to get feedback especially, but just to thank them for choosing my house. I am off site so don't get to meet them so it can be hard to think of things to say but you have given me some more things to mention - I do like the idea of the photos too. I will get to my writing - I do think a thank you needs to be sent soon after they arrive home too. Keep the ideas coming please.

[Moliere]

I think you have to exercise a little care about being too intrusive. We invited people to leave comments in a guest book, tho as we weren't on site, unless they were crucial (when our manager would tell us) we couldn't read them for some months (still nice!)

We used to return their deposit when they sent the key back, so that was a chance to touch base - if we just got the key with no note, we were a bit miffed so they got a "hope you had a lovely stay" message with their cheque; however we often got really nice messages which we could respond to and build on.

You have to fly it all by the seat of your pants, imho, and you can't standardise your responses too much, taking time to communicate naturally and flexibly is a useful plus.

Moliere

[la vache!]

I always add personal comments regarding their stay if I got to know the guests well. I never send out a standardised message.

[Hells Bells]

Mine is sent out on the day they complete their holiday, as soon as I know the apartment is in a satisfactory condition, and their deposit is OK to return.