What do you give your guests for breakfast?

[mascamps.com]

Apology accepted here too.

 

Has anyone looked into what can be done with the leftovers? Most of the time we've only three or four but when we're really full we've been known to throw out as many as 20 large size baguettes a day (not to mention countless croissants and pain au chocolats at the same time).

 

Arnold

 

[Alan]

Apology also accepted here too.

Its been a hard week so far and I think it’s a case of fasten your seat belts as its only going to get worst this week, Do not wish to go into details of whyas i dont think this is really the place to moan about ones paying guests.

 Maggi, we don’t even have a neighbour who has chickens, the wife sometimes makes a type of bread and butter pudding with the croissants but like the idea of a sculpture, we could even win a prize maybe

[Miki]

".... Its been a hard week so far and I think it’s a case of fasten your seat belts as its only going to get worst this week, Do not wish to go into details of whyas i dont think this is really the place to moan about ones paying guests"

Why not Alan, it's as good a place as any, if not the best place !

2 p.m today, just finished the work, 4 rooms to change and a midweek changeover in the gite.

Tina still doing some ironing and we are finally going to have some lunch pretty soon...What happens ? first guests arrive, not just one lot but two lots. One couple say "sorry but we were passing so we called in to see if the room was OK to enter". Second lot are oblivious to when they can come in and just say "we are here". Bosh then another couple arrive 5 minutes later then proceed to say "are we early". Unusual for 3 lots oin teh same day but certainly not unusual to get people who arrive very early and I don't mean those wonderful wedding guests !!

Now considering all our letters or faxes and all our emails go out with our guests time of arrival clearly stated and as we have always been cautious never to arrive early at any hotel or B&B and adhere to their timings etc.I wonder why it is so.

So is there anyone who uses B&B's that can tell me why you do arrive early, or perhaps you don't but can you perhaps tell me why one would arrive early when quite clearly the time of arrival is offered politely to the client ?

Rant over, your turn Alan !!

[Alan]

Well its our good non European friends that are currently the pain in our backside, I like to think I am a nice guy and really try to please everybody all of the time and will do most things for my guests.I know most people tell me I am a mug but i enjoy trying to make them happy. The latest ones arrived yesterday , as I was in town and they were concerned about finding us I offered to stop by the airport and meet them so they could following me back. 2 of the party were arriving yesterday and another 4 tomorrow. Got to the airport only to be told that there was an extra person and could I provide another bed, as we are full and could only offer a folding Z bed but said that it was not really suitable for an adult and the room was really to small for 3 beds , it would mean a tight squeeze. Yes I offered this free of charge but said that first they would need to see the room, they agreed , as the couple that arrived had booked the family room they said that there extra guest could have the double bed until tomorrow when there other friends arrive then I could put the Z bed up in the other room. The first request was the phone, not a problem, however they thought this was free, so far 6 calls have be made all local rounding up there friends. Then it was an iron and ironing board, then the next request was a BBQ, would  it be possible for them to do a BBQ tomorrow when there other friends arrive. Mugguns said yes provided they supply all the stuff and clean up after them. This morning I am told their other friends who are staying else where will also be coming, making about 16 but of course you are invited too!. More phone calls.

 

Just got back this afternoon to find one has been in the kitchen and started to cook up some kind of drink affair, taken a pan out of the cupboard etc etc, felt like saying that the pan I use for boiling pants in. Oh and by the way we  some other friend had popped over to look at our rooms as they were just great I was told  Then the next minute some of their other friends that are not staying arrive and before I know it are here and in the pool. We have a dog, so the next request is that one of there friends  does not like dogs and could I lock her up, Mr cool is now hot and grumpy and I said that it would not be possible to do that as it would not be fair on the dog, if you don’t make a fuss of the dog then she goes off anyway and as the nobody had even asked if these other people could even go in the pool, then i was not prepared to do anything . With guests that are staying and paying to stay here if they don’t like dogs then we ensure the dog is kept out of the way of the guest, but on this occasion I was not prepared to do it. Sometimes a thank you would not go a miss, but today I just feel like a punch bag, I know most of it all my own fault Rant over, well nearly, last week once again non European decided to cancel the afternoon of arrival after I had turned people away, ok I did keep the deposit. Oh and just to top it all some bird has just sh*t on todays washing so that has to go back to be washed again

But its a great life

[mascamps.com]

Alan, when I get days like that, I find sitting out in our courtyard and contemplating what hassles we've walked away from works wonders.

On the same-day cancellation front, we've a credit card machine and are moving more and more towards a "hotel style" cancellation approach ie taking the credit card number as a guarantee. No phone call/email prior to noon our time and they get billed for the first night. This has cut down cancellations no end, although much to my surprise we still get them. Haven't yet managed to get paid twice for the same room for the same night but, in principle, it's possible. If you do it this way, you need to have a clear cancellation policy.

Doggies... we don't allow them but are fully expecting to have people arrive with them and are sort of wondering what to do about it. Courtesy of a major, major problem that one caused last year we definitely aren't allowing the dogs in. Any thoughts?

 

Arnold

 

[Catalpa]

[quote]  ...then the next request was a BBQ, would  it be possible for them to do a BBQ tomorrow when there other friends arrive. Mugguns said yes provided they supply all the stuff and clean up after them. This morning I am told their other friends who are staying else where will also be coming, making about 16 but of course you are invited too!. More phone calls. [/quote]

 

I'm confused. I thought you were operating a b&b. But surely you're now into the realms of a serviced gite??? On-site maid and caretaking service. They are seriously taking the pi$$. If they're still there and making noise at 3am, can you chuck them out? If one of the non-residents drown in the pool, will your insurance cover you? If these non-Europeans are those of the nationality famed for their interest in litigation that wouldn't be funny. I think you deserve your rant.