Late night arrivals

[CostaBlanca]

Hi everyone,

Up to now, I always insist on welcoming my clients on the day of arrival even when some of the flights might be little later than planned.

Last night guests were originally due to arrive early afternoon. However after requesting flight details on at least 3 occasions, I finally got a reply that they would arrive at Valencia at 9pm and probably another 2 hours to arrive at the meeting point. I probably would not have accepted the booking if I had known of their late arrival as this villa is not easy to locate at night. I agreed to meet them but also gave alternative instructions to find the villa in the event of a substantial delay. I got the first call at 10.25pm saying that they were just leaving the airport and they would have a go at finding the villa themselves. The next call from the 16 year old son came at 11pm saying that they had got lost in Valencia. I then told the son that it would be better to meet them after all at the original meeting point and to ring me when they exited the motorway. At about midnight, I went over the villa to open up the gates, turn on the lights, etc and await their call. At 12.45am, having received no call and unable to contact them on my mobile, I went home and rang them from my land line. The son answered again, saying that they had stopped for something to eat and that they would follow my instructions to get the villa. I received another call at 1.20am as they were unable to find the street. What a mess!

What do most of you do for late arrivals if you not living on site? Up until this year, all my guests have booked daytime flights so I have not really had to deal with this before. Anyone out there who does not accept night arrivals? Do you insist on flight arrival times before confirming a booking or do you have something on your websites?

Apologies for such a long question.

Maria

[Normandy Cow]

My Terms and Conditions clearly state that they can arrive any time between 4pm and 8pm, any later than that and there will be a £10 charge paid directly to the housekeeper. (She lives about 5 minutes drive away, and touch wood, nobody has been late yet. But there's always a first time....)

[LaLuz]

I don't live on site so never meet guests anyway. They have keys and directions and so far we haven't had any problems whatever time they arrive.

From the otherside of the fence (as a villa renter) I've experienced both methods and I can honestly say it's alot less stressful to know you can arrive in your own time without having to inconvenience anyone.

But then, I've never been too sure what the purpose of a meet and greet is as I always found them to be unnecessary.

[enid]

we live on site so don't have the prblem of coming pout to meet people

But then, I've never been too sure what the purpose of a meet and greet is as I always found them to be unnecessary.

I like to be met - and so do my clients judging from their feedback - but it's not a deal breaker for me. I do find that it's good to have a face to a name so that if I have to ask for help I've already met the person who will respond.

I like Catherine's clause to make a payment for a late meet - but if folks are arriving late, Maria, perhaps you can arrange to send a key? You don't want the inconvenience you had yesterday that's for sure.

[Marion]

I am finding that more people are arriving in the evening about 9ish. I usually meet people at the airport to hand over the keys for the apartment and they make their own way into Nice.As I live on the other side of the airport this is convenient for me. It is just one of the costs of doing business - maybe mine is slightly different as it is in an apartment in a town and people fly in at all hours.

Last night for example, the plane was due in at 9:05 and finally landed at 9:45 meaning that it was 10pm before they were out.
Messes up my Saturday a bit, but it doesn't happen too often.

I find it a real drag when I have to wait for people at the apartment because they are arriving by car. They are invariably late, sometimes by several hours and think nothing of you having to wait around. I try to send them the keys in these instances.

[LaLuz]

I like to be met - and so do my clients judging from their feedback - but it's not a deal breaker for me. I do find that it's good to have a face to a name so that if I have to ask for help I've already met the person who will respond.

Maybe it's just down to personal choice. As a guest it was never a dealbreaker for me either.

I just found that when meeting the owner/caretaker there was the potential for more stress, either because we were late or the person we were meeting was.

Then there was the owner in the Canary Islands who insisted on showing us where everything (and I mean everything) was. She even looked at our party and told us which bedrooms to have!!

This owner lived next door and we were so relieved that she was heading to the UK later that same day!!

[Alan Knighting]

This is another example of the differences between living on site and being an absent owner.

Our visitors get detailed printed instructions on how to get here, with a map, (even from the Channel port if that's they want) and the key is in the door. We know that wouldn’t work for all but security really is not an issue here.

The flights to Bergerac are all conveniently timed to avoid late arrivals so that's rarely a problem for anyone. Those driving sometimes arrive very late but they simply let themselves in.

Neither Joan nor I "hover" over our visitors, we think it's intrusive, but our welcome pack includes an invitation to come and ask - about anything. I’m a “late bird� and a light sleeper so I don’t mind a very late at night knock on the door.

Solving the occasional problem can make all the difference to someone’s holiday without disrupting my life in the slightest.

[Giddy Goat]

This is a very topical issue for us as our caretakers live about 20 minutes away, and recently our guests arrived 2 hours late, not having phoned - they apparently didn't realise they needed to tap in the France international dialling code before the mobile number I had given them - I had left it out deliberately as some mobiles are clever enough now I believe, to know which country they are in! But I got an earful about this from our caretakers, whom we overpay, so am still feeling sore about the episode. They told us that if they had had some indication of when the guests were coming, they might have been able to have a swim!

We have a big property, in a fairly isolated situation and since the caretakers are not next door to pop in and show guests how something works eg, or sort a simple problem eg the lock being a bit stiff, I prefer that guests are welcomed on arrival, and shown what's what - briefly at least, as most are tired by the time they get there. Will be keen to read others' comments. Our alternative would be for the caretakers to come the following morning (at 9am, before their next changeover) to brief guests, but I don't think this would be welcomed by guests.

[CostaBlanca]

Many thanks to all for your replies.

As this was a late deal booking, I wouldn´t have had time to send keys and map to them in advance. I just hid the keys under the flower pot and told them in advance where they were in the event of a delay. They obviously thought that since the key was left for them, there was no need to contact me again. This is an old finca/villa and it is much easier and quicker to point out it´s quirks on arrival e.g it has a low ceiling on the stairwell. Tired travellers may not see the rather large sign I also have an information book showing "villa details at a glance" but I doubt that they would read that either.

In my case, I live only 10/12 mins away so it is not a big deal. However, I do not like waiting on my own in a car at night waiting for someone to arrive especially if they have decided to stop en route.

[Normandy Cow]

In my case, I live only 10/12 mins away so it is not a big deal. However, I do not like waiting on my own in a car at night waiting for someone to arrive especially if they have decided to stop en route.

Maria, if you only live 10mins away, why don't you get the guests to come to your house first, and then follow you to the house where you can give them the keys and the quick tour? At least if they are late you will be able to get on with other things.

[LaLuz]

Tired travellers may not see the rather large sign I also have an information book showing "villa details at a glance" but I doubt that they would read that either.

Are we not in danger of underestimating holidaymakers? I know that my 'villa details' are read. Last year (our first of renting) some guests gave us feedback on what they thought would have been useful. I made several additions to the book as a result.

In my many years as a paying guest of other property owners, I never once felt I needed a conducted tour of the property and I think the fact that my Caretaker is rarely called out when guests are staying shows that I am not that unusual.

I can understand that some property owners will feel better after meeting the visitors face to face, but that's surely for their benefit not the guests!

[Normandy Cow]

I can understand that some property owners will feel better after meeting the visitors face to face, but that's surely for their benefit not the guests!

I actually prefer NOT to meet the people who are staying in my house. Most of those that I have met have been perfectly lovely people, but there have been a couple of families where the saying "what the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't miss" would be very appropriate!

(BTW - LaLuz, slght off-topic digression here, but I've just watched the surfing video on your website, and having seen my 8 year old daughter's joy at her first attempt at bodyboarding at West Wittering yesterday, I am inspired to come out to Costa de la Luz soon so that she can try that surfing school! So you see, little things like that certainly add value to a website!)

[cromercrabholiday]

Being away from the cottage, we never meet but our keyholder will pass on the key normally (and is only two doors away). If they are going to be late (in Norfolk that means after 9pm!), we have a tame flowerpot that looks after the key for us, with location in the joining instructions.

Our maps and instructions are in fine detail and we've never lost a guest yet!

John

[CostaBlanca]

Maria, if you only live 10mins away, why don't you get the guests to come to your house first, and then follow you to the house where you can give them the keys and the quick tour? At least if they are late you will be able to get on with other things.

Not really Catherine, as I live in town and they have to pass the villa to get to me so adding another 20 mins at least to their journey. Up until now, waiting around in the afternoon for clients means a relaximg swim followed by reading my book in the shade.

John,
I agree that a good map and instructions are key. This is 1st time that clients got lost on me. It is the late arrival that was the real problem here because the pool and garden do not have good lighting and the street signs are not easily seen. No more late arrivals for this property I am afraid.

Maria

[la vache!]

I live on site and the first year of renting I always thought it was imperative to be here when the guests arrive. Four years down the line it isn't so important to me anymore and I can go out on a Saturday night without feeling too guilty. I always see guests later on and explain the pool and borders of our land, but as far as the houses is concerned, I'm sure they much prefer to explore them on their own, a guided tour is rarely required, except perhaps in winter to explain the heating and where the wood is kept etc.