Adults/children/bedsharing etc

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
Tournesol
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Adults/children/bedsharing etc

Post by Tournesol »

The problem with booking.com is they just go head and you can't do anything about it!
A booking came in at 10.30 pm for 4 guests in our family room, which has one superkingsize bed and two bunkbeds, suitable for children.
I saw on the booking notes that it was for 4 adults.
When I phoned to query it was a "professeur" and three students, aged 19, 20 and 21, all male.
I explained that the bunk beds were only really suitable for children, not full grown men and suggested they take the double room as well and have an extra bed in the family room. No, couldn't pay for that. we compromised in the end by putting a single bed in for Prof, two students shared the superkingsize and made up the bottom bunk for the smallest. He asked whether I'd mind if he put the mattress on the floor.
And then, having said on the form they would be arriving between 8 and 9 (check in between 2 and 8) told me (not asked) that they would be arriving 9 = 9.30. When they phoned to ask for directions (from where they had had dinner, not the village) it was already 10.30. They arrived eventually at 11.30!
Is it me?
What you've never had you never miss!
petitbois
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Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:54 am

Post by petitbois »

HaHa not at all - think I remember you are new to this. Presume they are French?? Perfectly normal for them to eat en route esp if Parisian. I now start texting them from around 4pm as to ETA.... If just 1 night will often have extras who bedshare!! Just had an airbnb booking - 3 small boys will share a bed!!! as it is for 2 nights I will actually put in a Z bed as well for them as they will be paying a high commission, so will aim to make their stay pleasurable. welcome to French silly season
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Before this conversion puts the French into yet another pocket Lets get down to some ideas about your listing on Booking.com and the possible actions you need to take.

First ensure your listing in Booking is very clear on the age of person allowed in bunkbeds and maybe even the size of the beds.clear.
Then when you receive a booking and it is incorrect contact Booking's offices. Ask them to contact the guests. Booking will phone the guests and give them the option to either change the reservation or cancel it.
Ensure that if the reservation is changed it reflects the new price.
Never accept a change without the agreement of the price. Guests hate to turn up and be surprised the change will cost them more!
Only the staff at Booking or the guests can change the reservation details.
You do not have to accept a reservation if it is opposed to what details you have on Booking. Hence the need to ensure it is exact.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Now had a glance at your listing on Booking.
There is no age limits as to age of children. Are all under 18's children?
There is no limitations on who can use which beds beds either. There is no maximum allowable for each bedroom.

I tried, with out adding personal details for 2 adults and two children and booking placed 3 persons in one room and one on their own in the second room. Both were listed as double bedrooms.

The time you receive your guests is also something you have not got detailed. Maybe consider the expected leaving time too.

So I think in this case you have not got much recourse.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Ecosse
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Post by Ecosse »

casasantoestevo wrote:
The time you receive your guests is also something you have not got detailed. Maybe consider the expected leaving time too.
It's there, both the check-in and check-out windows at the bottom of the page. Not amazingly clear, but that's BC's doing rather than Tournesol's. When you get the BC printout, it also lists it.

The problem with any booking platform, clear or other otherwise, is that it relies on the guests actually bothering to read the information... which I would hazard a guess that less than 50% do. This week, we had a last-minute booking for a couple of Spaniards... hence a bit of a language barrier so we didn't phone once it got to the end of our check-in time of 10.30. We trooped off to bed at about 11.30, assuming they were a no-show. According to another guest, who was woken by their knocking and attempts to contact us, they arrived at 12.15am! Seriously, who thinks it's acceptable to turn up at any sort of hostelry at past midnight without prior arrangement? Do they think we don't need any sleep??

Tournesol - I'm not sure if you can solve the 'bunks not suitable of adults' one (for the above reason... most won't read the description) but a friend of mine does have 'additional guests not declared at the time of booking will be charged extra' on her BC page, which covers her when guests try and pull a fast one.
Tournesol
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Adults/children/bedsharing etc

Post by Tournesol »

Yes, I see. When we registered with B.com we told them the bunk beds were for children only. I've just gone in to see whether I can put that anywhere but there doesn't seem to be an option, just maximum occupancy. I find B.com's "children staying in existing beds (sharing parents' bed?)" and all that bit rather confusing.
The (I think fairly generous) check in/check out times are there, if they bother to read them. Also a very clear map, but I always get a call saying they can't find us. I presume they don't bother to print off a map as I would.
They were very pleasant, no trouble, could have done without the 6.30 a.m. breakfast after the late night though!
What you've never had you never miss!
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

I too see the check in times, on our listing too. Yes they are at the bottom of the page. But with ours they get to choose check in time when reserving. However we work to Spanish times and the latest time is 23:00 so little time for an "error" on that.
Beds are certainly much more tricky. We can have single occupancy rooms. However the alarm sounds when the guest books that and then requests a double bed. Something that Booking have got wrong. Single room means single bed. If this happens then we contact the guests to ask them to contact Booking to change it.
If they do not then we phone Booking upon their behave and then they speak to booking to change the reservation.
Recently this got us a poor 7.5 mark with no comment. But it does not matter it needed to be corrected.
Breakfast is fixed an no way would we give that at that time as it would disturb other guests and we would explain we need the rest!

Directions.
Just accept some guests just do not know where they have a reservation.
We even send details linked to our page on how to get to us. 4 or 5 route descriptions, GPS ordinates in two manners. Still they want to type in the address. However with only 4 houses we are not always mapped. Different brands and models of GPS , different years means that we cannot cover everything. We are on Google maps too.
We consider we have it covered, so it is the guests problem that they cannot find us.

To sum up. Booking.com could certainly do a better job of highlighting some areas for us owners, plus we all have guests who cannot read a map. So we are glad we are not the only ones finding that we are in the same situation (s).
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Tournesol
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Post by Tournesol »

casasantoestevo wrote: Breakfast is fixed an no way would we give that at that time as it would disturb other guests and we would explain we need the rest!

Directions.
Just accept some guests just do not know where they have a reservation.
We even send details linked to our page on how to get to us. 4 or 5 route descriptions, GPS ordinates in two manners. Still they want to type in the address. However with only 4 houses we are not always mapped. Different brands and models of GPS , different years means that we cannot cover everything. We are on Google maps too.
We consider we have it covered, so it is the guests problem that they cannot find us.

To sum up. Booking.com could certainly do a better job of highlighting some areas for us owners, plus we all have guests who cannot read a map. So we are glad we are not the only ones finding that we are in the same situation (s).
Trouble with directions is that instead of studying the map (which is very clear) they just punch "Le Bourg" into the SatNav. There are 10 different roads named "Le Bourg" in our village so I usually have to walk round to the Marie or the church and show them the way.
Regarding breakfast, if feel that if we give the option of early checkout (because I know some people have a long journey ahead) we should provide breakfast as it is included in the price.
What you've never had you never miss!
petitbois
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Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:54 am

Post by petitbois »

we like you Tournesol offer breakfast when guests want it to fit in with their needs not ours. This weekend we have a group of Jehovahs witnesses staying for a big event in Angouleme for 4nights - they come every year & we know they need breakfast at 6.30-7 for the first 3 days. Also have gite guests coming for breakfast each morning at 8.30 for 2 wks & now have a wedding party who had breakfast at 9.30 this morning & I have agreed to a breakfast extension for tomorrow till midday as they will not be back till around 4am.....& they are staying 3nts.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

It is for you to say how you run your biness. We have guests still sleeping (it is now 11.55) after a night/mornign at a Spanish wedding.
But if you are not 100% clear on your listing then there will be a lot more errors as the year passes by.
You started the post off with
The problem with booking.com is they just go head and you can't do anything about it!
Because you had written that we honestly thought you was looking for some advice on how possible deal with these events in the future. It is possible if you take some advice on how to reduce the negative side of Booking. We have been listed with Booking since 2010 and have a quite a number of experiences via them 95% positive.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
petitbois
Posts: 347
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:54 am

Post by petitbois »

same here...we had a 1nighter 3 years back - mother & daughter via bdotcom, they returned 2 years running taking 2 rooms for 3 nights & this year rented the whole estate for a week for a family of 22...we have gained many regulars via bdotcom. Once guests arrive & we sort out any discrepancies they have a great time & keep coming back...for the most part - 5% bad experiences & now we no longer have cancellations or no-shows works well for us too
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