Meeting and Greeting

[fibi]

I received a much welcome email from a guest today telling me how much she enjoyed her holiday with us. She said that it was not the grandest, most expensive or luxurious self catering place she had ever stayed in but it was the one with the biggest welcome.

Now the next part was a bit of a shock because I've been doing this since we opened and never thought anything of it but...she went on to say that in the 27 years her and her husband had been taking self catering holidays in Scotland this was the first one that the owners welcomed them with a handshake and said goodbye with a hug(a very small one albeit!) .

Now although it was nice to receive her email I am panicking that I have welcomed and said goodbye inappropriatly for 2 years!! I've got to say that not everyone gets a hug on departure but everyone get a warm handshake on arrival.

My husband being a meeker soul tends to hide at the meet and greet bit and although in works in London a lot when guests see him around they think that he is the odd job man or the gardener . This amuses him no end and he does all he can to keep up the pretence.

Now, my question for you more knowlegable people is do I stop with the handshakes/hugs(by way of explanation we lived in Argentina just before coming here and I think I have carried on the tactility of the Argentines - its not Scottish thats for sure!)

[Ju]

I always greet with a handshake, and often say goodbye with a kiss (on each check like the french).

I don't think you should be worried, just because no one else does it doesn't mean it is inapropriate. You have one set of gets comment that it was nice to be greeted like that, I'm sure others have thought it.

Ju

[la vache!]

Handshake for me too for first time guests, kiss on each cheek/hug for repeat guests. I always seem to wave guests off too on departure day (easy because I'm on site).
You should greet in the way that feels most comfortable for you, don't be embarassed about it!

[LaLuz]

You've been doing meet & greets for 2 years and I think if you were inappropriate in any way, you'd have known by now.

Somewhere along the way you would have got the feeling that guests weren't comfortable. Do repeat guests tend to dive in the car the minute you arrive for instance

Seriously, just listen to your instincts - you will be right!

[Guest3]

Fibi, we always give guests a handshake on arrival and departure and repeat guests get a Spanish greeting of a kiss (on both cheeks) and hug.

You are not doing anything wrong (not in my eyes anyway) .

[Overboard]

I think if I kissed or hugged any of my American guests here in Virginia they would faint and the wife would slap me. Never received huggy/kiss vibes. Must be a European thing eh?

[Overboard]

I always greet with a handshake, and often say goodbye with a kiss (on each check like the french).

Oh Ju, your little typo has left a very funny impression in my mind. Cheques in the USA are written check. I can just see you kissing the money as you wave them off, lol.

[guest 4]

Overboard,

Not European. More a Mediterranean thing, (Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Cyprus etc.) Very warm and tactile. Took me some time to get used to, coming from a typically British family, but now I greet most people (if I like them ) with two kisses and a hug.

Ruth

[Jimbo]

kipper889 wrote:

Very warm and tactile. Took me some time to get used to, coming from a typically British family

Me too. I come from a Brit generation and background where 'warmth and tactility' was kept to a minimum. Not to criticise - that's just how it was back then. However, when I started out as a photographer, I soon learnt that smiling, handshaking and touchy-feeling was a vital component of getting the best from the people you were photographing as quickly as possible. (Hope this doesn't sound too cynical)

With rental guests, an arrival smile and handshake is an absolute minimum - together with a warm greeting. Getting their names right and remembering where they've come from is an absolute must. If the relationship develops to the kissing and hugging stage by departure time, I'd go for it. But, if you're not sure, much better to err on the side of caution. I agree with Susan - just do what comes naturally to you.

Jim

[Big Sis..]

Hi All ...

Im a hugger...
even of people Ive just met specially if they look sad...
isnt planned just happens....

I do give em a bit of warning but not much ...

I say... Aw.... have a Hug and wham its done...
must say it seems to be appreciated ...[hopefully]

But maybe its a good job Im not there to meet and greet...probably scare em all off .....

[la vache!]

Getting their names right and remembering where they've come from is an absolute must.
Jim

I must try harder on the remembering where they've come from. Now everything is done on e mail and I don't write out envelopes anymore, checking the booking form is a must before arrival.

[enid]

I agrre with Jimbo and Susan - a handshake is very acceptable even in the UK!! and a big smile is essential - after all you have had some contact with guests before they arrive. Then I would see how the relationship developes. Some clients want more contact with us than others. Some we just click with and a friendship evolves and some just want to be left alone - we respect that and match the goodbye to it.

I'm afraid I wouldn't like someone I just met to give me a hug - despite being very open and gregarious I think hugging needs some preamble for me(something about that public/private circle of emotion) so I wouldn't do it to guests on greeting.

[Giddy Goat]

I'm afraid I wouldn't like someone I just met to give me a hug

Ditto - a rapport needs to have been established for the hug to be heartfelt.

[mon269]

Took me some time to get used to, coming from a typically British family

I come from a typically Spanish family and still find the kissy kissy thing quite embarrassing sometimes . But why do I feel embarrassed when everyone else around me does it all the time?

A good handshake, a genuine smile and a measured amount of polite welcome words go a long way for me.

[Mouse]

cheek kissing is a whole art in itself here we sometimes have 2 kisses (each cheek) sometimes one (mainly brits) and sometimes 3!

It can be very confusing and took me a long while to get used to it (and read the signs of how many to expect!)

Infact my husband announced last summer to all and sundry that he was fed up with the whole kissy kissy, lovey thing and wouldn't be doing it anymore!:lol:

With guests we always do the smile and handshake thing on arrival. On departure its mainly my husband who keeps them entertained whilst waiting on the taxi. He then tells them to 'give him 3 rings' to let him know they've got home OK! (its a northern thing mothers do! If anyones watched Peter Kay they'll know what I'm on about)
Trouble is - not everyone thinks its a joke and we've had a number of guests actually ring us to let us know they've arrived home safely (ah bless! )

BTW - on arrival usually the 2 of us greet guests and help with bags....do you think thats overkill and we should leave it to one of us? (I've often thought it might be overkill)

Mouse
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