Open booking?
Open booking?
An enquiry this morning; they want to book a short stay with evening meals, with flexible dates so that they can turn up (or not) depending on weather conditions being good for hang gliding. I declined.
I have visions of preparing the rooms and meals only to have them cancel last minute because the weather has changed suddenly as it often does. So considerable effort and expense for me, while they would expect to arrive on another date of their choosing. Of course I wouldn't be able to accept any other bookings for that room throughout the season just in case.
I have visions of preparing the rooms and meals only to have them cancel last minute because the weather has changed suddenly as it often does. So considerable effort and expense for me, while they would expect to arrive on another date of their choosing. Of course I wouldn't be able to accept any other bookings for that room throughout the season just in case.
- PW in Polemi
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But you don't understand... you should be grateful for their booking because they're giving you your one and only business for the entire season, aren't they, and because of this, you're more than happy to scrape dinner into the bin when they decide to cancel because at least it made your day that you almost got a booking.
No? How strange of you...
No? How strange of you...
Digressing a bit, but I wonder if the Booking.com model means the end of B & B's in the long run.
At my level, just me, with three double rooms, it is an enormous amount of work and I manage it to suit my life, so I attract couples who come here mostly to walk in the mountains and who like to settle down with a nice meal in the evening. They seem to plan ahead and don't have any problems with paying a deposit and signing a contract.
I couldn't live on that alone, even if I accepted every booking, oddly I seem to have done better after I stopped accepting single night bookings. I don't accept bookings from people who just turn up at the door.
I have another little business selling antique & vintage textiles online and enjoy the travelling and the people I encounter online. In the Summer when I have lots of bookings, my life is centred around making my guests as happy and comfortable as possible.
When I don't have guests I go out, live my life!
It works for me, but I can see how it is changing and I know that I couldn't cope with last minute/flexible bookings etc.
I'm happy to potter along until my retirement but if I was younger I'm not sure that I would even consider it now.
What about you?
At my level, just me, with three double rooms, it is an enormous amount of work and I manage it to suit my life, so I attract couples who come here mostly to walk in the mountains and who like to settle down with a nice meal in the evening. They seem to plan ahead and don't have any problems with paying a deposit and signing a contract.
I couldn't live on that alone, even if I accepted every booking, oddly I seem to have done better after I stopped accepting single night bookings. I don't accept bookings from people who just turn up at the door.
I have another little business selling antique & vintage textiles online and enjoy the travelling and the people I encounter online. In the Summer when I have lots of bookings, my life is centred around making my guests as happy and comfortable as possible.
When I don't have guests I go out, live my life!
It works for me, but I can see how it is changing and I know that I couldn't cope with last minute/flexible bookings etc.
I'm happy to potter along until my retirement but if I was younger I'm not sure that I would even consider it now.
What about you?
There is a B&B in our village who feels the same. She will not take guests on the same day because she doesn't keep a ready supply of fresh food available and absolutely refuses to serve up anything defrosted from freezer. Listing sites just don't understand the practicalities of how differently B&Bs and self catering HAVE to operate.
Exactly! The only way I could do it would be to fill the freezer and buy a big microwave.
I do have enquiries where they say my meals are too expensive (€35 for four courses, aperitifs, wine & coffee, all home cooked, all local produce) and could they have a reduction because they aren't big eaters. The time I spent serving, clearing etc doesn't change, but to them it clearly doesn't have any value.
The guests who "get it" are lovely, we talk lots about food, swap recipes etc.
I do have enquiries where they say my meals are too expensive (€35 for four courses, aperitifs, wine & coffee, all home cooked, all local produce) and could they have a reduction because they aren't big eaters. The time I spent serving, clearing etc doesn't change, but to them it clearly doesn't have any value.
The guests who "get it" are lovely, we talk lots about food, swap recipes etc.
We have had people who have pre-booked (but never mentioned needing a meal) turn up at 10pm and ask if I can feed them - as it happened, on that occasion I could and they were very happy, but they then mentioned that the reason they were so late was that they were enjoying a glass of wine and generally people watching in a large city about 45 minutes away. Why on earth didn't they eat there??
I had to laugh recently when talking to some friends who run a local b&b - the owner has a reputation as a great cook. They were caught unawares in a similar situation. She told me that it was OK as she just sent OH outside to kill a duck. Made me laugh imagining him roaming the lanes to look for something suitable for supper.
I had to laugh recently when talking to some friends who run a local b&b - the owner has a reputation as a great cook. They were caught unawares in a similar situation. She told me that it was OK as she just sent OH outside to kill a duck. Made me laugh imagining him roaming the lanes to look for something suitable for supper.
Regards
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
Well apparently I am being unreasonable!
I sent her a polite reply thanking her for the enquiry and saying that as a small business, unlike a hotel, I was unable to accept an open ended flexible booking. I wished her luck.
Yesterday evening she rang me. She was outraged, after all I have three rooms so how hard would it be to keep one free (yes really!) and she wanted to make the booking NOW because it was a birthday present. It was unreasonable of me to expect firm dates because the weather might change and they needed to wait until it was suitable for hang gliding.
She said she really didn't see what my problem was.
All I could think was "that is the problem".
To be honest, having spoken to her even I could have accepted her booking I wouldn't want it.
I sent her a polite reply thanking her for the enquiry and saying that as a small business, unlike a hotel, I was unable to accept an open ended flexible booking. I wished her luck.
Yesterday evening she rang me. She was outraged, after all I have three rooms so how hard would it be to keep one free (yes really!) and she wanted to make the booking NOW because it was a birthday present. It was unreasonable of me to expect firm dates because the weather might change and they needed to wait until it was suitable for hang gliding.
She said she really didn't see what my problem was.
All I could think was "that is the problem".
To be honest, having spoken to her even I could have accepted her booking I wouldn't want it.
What audacity. Did she seriously think that being enraged was going to make her any more welcome? Perhaps you should have told her that her booking was accepted, but it may be cancelled at any time, by the host for any reason. Perhaps, 'sorry I've got an unexpected headache', or 'I've had another enquiry that we would prefer'...... See how reasonable she would have found that!
What's the problem?
Suggest to her that she should book with you for specific dates, under your normal cancellation policy.
Make sure she understands the cost to her if she cancels.
Tell her to obtain an appropriate insurance policy which will cover her costs in the event of her cancelling due to the weather being unsuitable for hang gliding.
For the avoidance of any doubt, explain that you are not an insurance underwriter but an accommodation provider.
Suggest that she googles for suitable insurers using search terms such as "Alice in Wonderland".
Wish her luck in her future dealings with reality.
Suggest to her that she should book with you for specific dates, under your normal cancellation policy.
Make sure she understands the cost to her if she cancels.
Tell her to obtain an appropriate insurance policy which will cover her costs in the event of her cancelling due to the weather being unsuitable for hang gliding.
For the avoidance of any doubt, explain that you are not an insurance underwriter but an accommodation provider.
Suggest that she googles for suitable insurers using search terms such as "Alice in Wonderland".
Wish her luck in her future dealings with reality.
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