Aperatifs

[enid]

Well I definitely think we're lucky - we have met some lovely families ahd a laugh or two with them and had them retrun again and again - then they do become more than clients. I know this isn't for everyone but it's hard not to live on site and not have anything to do with the guests - we may be watering for example and someone starts to chat. The dogs are a big draw for the children too.

[Giddy Goat]

It was me (but I'm a cheeky cow and rarely get the opportunity to correct a wise old goat)

Hoi, LV, enough of the 'old'!! Though it's true to say that a few more goat-like moments are in evidence these days ....

So question - how do you guys living on-site find the relationship works, and do you find that by and large your expectations of people are matched by the actuality? Are you the lucky ones, or are we?

That's a great question Mols. I did meet a couple of families this year, and the expectations had been good, but the reality was super!

[Hells Bells]

Aperetif's-sounds good to me!! Make mine a large one. No1 son got his A level results, and he's just heard he has his Uni place

[enid]

Well I'll raise a glass to that good news - a new page turning. Well done that boy

[Moliere]

Brill, Helen - we'll be round to celebrate later!

Mols

[Bellywobble]

Great news Helen! I'm happy to say I know just how you feel, cos mine did too! I'm going to drink to them both!

[Hells Bells]

Excellent news!!!

[Giddy Goat]

Well done Number 1 son!

[Sarah]

Um, folks, it's 'aperitif'

Thanks for your comments folks

Sadly it's too late with the current guests as they go home tomorrow, but I'll see how the next ones are and depending on the vibes I get from them on Saturday, I may pluck up the courage next week.

In terms of expectations, they are quite often relatively accurate. This year we have had 2 'famous' guests and so I knew what they were going to look like before they arrived but they were totally different to my expectations in terms of personality - a lot lot nicer and more down to earth than I had expected. I can be very wrong too, our worst guests so far this year were the ones that I built up the best rapport with via e-mail/phone.

We very much play it by ear and try to stay out of the way if possible, only really meeting at the beginning over the pool cleaning/garden watering. Mosts guests do seem to like to chat once they have got into relaxation mode, (the first couple of days are often not the best time to try and judge what they are going to be like for the rest of the stay).

[Sarah]

Have decided that aperitifs are a bad idea!!

Last night's aperitifs turned into slightly more serious drinking as more and more bottles kept appearing and I now have to do a changeover nursing a hangover .

[enid]

Well that's the problem with aperitifs - no-one knows when to stop. A bit like being invited to lunch - when is it time to go home?

Hope your change over goes OK

[Giddy Goat]

Ouch, poor you Sarah! Hair of the dog perhaps, as a quick fix? Hmmmm, on second thoughts not a clever idea. There has to be a better way...

[Fraise]

This thread made me think of the different relationship those who live on-site have, compared to us UK residents who never meet our guests.
but of the 30 or 40 groups and families that I've dealt with (sometimes in great detail) over the last three years, I've never actually met one!

So question - how do you guys living on-site find the relationship works, and do you find that by and large your expectations of people are matched by the actuality? Are you the lucky ones, or are we?

Moliere

Oh, think I fall between the 2 here. I live in UK but I manage to do 90% of the meet and greets ! I always go over , I just need to know who is in my house !! I do Google first of course, some are there, some not , but as someone else said the reality can be different. I have met some lovely people but do keep it business like, this happens as I don't live on site when I am in France either, my own holiday home is a few miles away from the one I rent out. Personally, I would not do this ( rent out the house)if I didn't meet the guests !I would sell it. My take on things, as we've said before, horses for courses.

[alifrank1]

At the risk of incipient thread-creep, you always form an impression of people via email or phone, but it is frustrating to be dealing with all our guests, yet never meeting them for real, so you never know what they're really like.

Just another slight thread creep

I'm not on site and a couple of months ago I had been talking to this really nice man who was coming with his wife. My (then) management did a meet and greet. He turned up without his wife (making some lame excuse about her not feeling well) and they thought he was really creepy

Maybe I'm better off not knowing who is in my home

[Taff2]

Gascony Goat wrote:
Um, folks, it's 'aperitif'

Aperitifs

I thought they were French dentures

Ian