Unpleasant and rude guests

[Felix]

We have just had the most unpleasant and rude guest to have arrived at our chambres d'hote in 10 years.  Why do these people think they can arrive at your home and treat you in this way.  If people are pleasant and smile then they receive the same back.  This guy was obnoxious from the moment he arrived which was late and in the dark.  We thought we would give him the benefit of the doubt as no doubt tired but of course his manner was obviously that way all the time and in fact it got worse.  He suddenly announced he would not be wanting breakfast the next day (thought he was telling me he was leaving), no, they had decided to drive South and visit 3 other places in one day (a good 3.5 hour drive away in middle of August).  Tried to explain the distances but was told that in his country they drive hours to get to places (but not on winding country roads).  Anyway he must of taken something onboard as then announced he was going to stay overnight but not to let his room as they would be leaving things here and come back in a day or so.  No offer to pay for the 7 nights he had booked with us.  Seemed to not appreciate in the morning that we were not prepared to let him disappear into the depths of France without paying in full for the 7 nights booked and also our request that he leave our keys with us.  He then asked how he was to get back into our home .... by ringing the door bell!!!!!  Hence this was the longest 7 nights of our lives and he will not be on our Christmas card list.  Now waiting for his TA review, but perhaps TA should do a review site for us chambres d'hote owners ..... it can work both ways!!!  Now got happy smiley repeat guests for next few weeks which makes it all worthwhile.

[sid]

Not pleasant, but all part of life's rich tapestry! [:-))]  Seriously though, you have to take the rough with the smooth. Thankfully, most guests are fine, so just write this off and forget about it.

 

[Quillan]

[quote user="Felix"]perhaps TA should do a review site for us chambres d'hote owners ..... it can work both ways!!! [/quote]

It does but not run by the same people and it is used by the hotel industry (well there is actually more than one list). The problem is people have kicked up a fuss because whilst they can write what they like about a hotel, B&B or whatever they don't like it when the hotel etc write about them. There was a court case in the UK concerning one such list because of data protection but they lost. We have placed three on the blacklist over the years, at least we know that many others won't have to suffer the same. Mind you it is not a list you can 'slap' peoples names on if you don't like them, they really have to have done something and you have to prove it. Dealing with a blacklisted person is quite simple "Full sorry". We did throw somebody out once, an older couple from America (although it was the man who was the problem), it was that or the other guests were going to leave, he was the first person we ever put on the list.

[Hoddy]

If you are trying your best it must be very upsetting to get a bad review. Some friends of mine had their first bad review, from a man who only stayed to hours, last week.

At least with Tripavisor you have the right of reply.

I loved theirs which began -

"It is quite exceptional for us to meet guests quite so disrespectful, although the signs were there when we came to our car park to welcome you, only to find you bouncing up and down on our neighbour’s trampoline."

I think that anyone reading it would have got the message about the guest. Fortunately they were able to re-let the room.

Hoddy

[Felix]

Next time (and I am sure there will be one) we will do the same and throw them out.  You do also have to consider the other guests whose holiday may be spoilt having to sit at breakfast and share their space with such people.  Some friends of ours had a table d'hote with the same sort of guy and everyone had to put up with him at the dinner table.  Our friend could take no more one night and in the morning he was told to leave.  At dinner that night all the guests cheered when they received the news that he would not be joining them!!  Now looking forward to more lovely repeat guests arriving today who we can have a laugh with, share a bottle (or two) of wine and who make the job of letting people into our home all worth while.  Cheers to the rest of the summer!

[Wilko]

Hi Quillan

Have you got a link to the list(s).

Thanks

W

[Quillan]

It is only available to 'trade' (hotels and B&B's) and I don't know if you are either, sorry. I found out about it via a friend who worked for a company that had ownership of some middle to top notch hotels in the UK. You can subscribe to it via one of the hotel management packages but costs you a few bob every year and only available, again, to those in the trade. You could try googling for 'hotel guest blacklist'. Whilst I can't tell you directly I will give you a hint, the one I use started in 2010 amid a lot of adverse publicity. Far more hotels worldwide have signed up to it than the number they hoped for when it started. Hotel chains also have their own blacklists. As I said it is not easy to get somebody on the list, you have to provide proof and they will talk to the culprit before adding them.

[fontaines]

Felix, that sounds like an unpleasant experience, though it is bound to happen.. Once we had a man banging on the main door at 1:30AM because he had booked and wanted to proceed with the check in.. We thought he was never going to show up and after waiting most of the evening we eventually went to bed.. I can assure you that he was NOT an easy guest... He stayed with us for 3 looooong nights.

[Quillan]

I am wondering why you have replied to three old threads all in a matter of 30 minutes and within an hour of joining? Just so you know Google and other search engines don't pick up on URL's in signatures on this forum, it's set specifically not to allow that.

[HoneySuckleDreams]

Don't worry Quillan, I've had a look at the website and like most French sites it's full of tosh and is absolutely undecipherable

 

[YCCMB]

Forget I spoke.deleted post

[DebbieB]

We just spent a week renting an apartment in Bagneres de Luchon via homeaway. We rated it after we left and then I received a rating from the owner on us as guests - communication, cleanliness etc luckily it was great on both sides?

This was from homeway and I think it’s published on their site as part of my homeaway guest profile. What a good idea - giving hosts an idea of what potential guests are going to be like.I run a biz in the Uk so know how difficult it is to please some customers !

[alittlebitfrench]

Now DebbieB, Chancer on here had a lovely guest in his place in france that had a number two type problem in one of his beds.

I am guessing that was a bit messy to clear up.

The dream of running a gîte in France.

BTW....Chancer, how did you rate you guest ?

LOL

[Chancer]

Technically it was not a number 2 as the substance made its way back out into the world via the orifice in which is was imbibed,  forensic analysis revealed a substance that would normally be ejected by the number 2 orifice so this picoleur had enough internal problems without me adding to his grief.

 

I told the company that booked all the apartments that week-end (a fête aérienne) that I would be charging them for the clean up and damage but never did, too busy with other guests, you just learn to leave this stuff behind you.

 

The 2 Polish long term renters did not return after the Xmas break but I am very pleased about that, the money was good but they were very needy, rather loud and very messy, individually none of them a problem and collectively not bad enough to tell them to leave but every month there was a problem with the rent (they were paying a big premium) and December's rent came in cash the middle of the month the day I was throwing them out so I think the boss got the message and found somewhere else, we are half way through January and I have already covered their lost revenue with short term lettings so will come out well on top without them and have a calm and tranquil establishment once more.

 

Had some Russians turn up as a walk in tonight, I explained that they caught me with my pants down as I had not cleaned and prepared the apartments from the guests who left this morning, we checked both and one looked spotless as if the bed had not even been slept in, I would later find out that it hadn't, I changed the towels etc and they were good to go and very pleased, there was a lingering smell in the salon though as if someone had smoked something waccy [:P] I had noticed that even though they appeared to be a couple (him under-aged as often is the case) and would normally sleep in the bedroom they had folded out the wallbed in the lounge but I did not remark on it.

 

The daughter of the Russian couple who is the interpreter with a few words of English came to me and said "bed in salon smell cannubus, please you not think it us!" [:D]

 

Thats what happens when you decide you dont need to do the changeovers because no-one will reserve on a Sunday in January, if they do it will be on line, I will get an e-mail and can quickly do the necessary, definitely there will not be a walk-in [:$]

[cajal]

[quote user="DebbieB"]We just spent a week renting an apartment in Bagneres de Luchon via homeaway. .........................................

I run a biz in the Uk so know how difficult it is to please some customers ![/quote]

Welcome DebbieB. What took you so long?

Joined : 08/2012

Posts : 1