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Just wondering how often, if ever, you guys have to deal with the issue of guests who assume they can leave their luggage in your house on the morning of the check-out to collect later?
I’m self employed, with a pretty flexible schedule so I’ve agreed to doing this a few times for people but only if we can agree on a collection time that suits! If I’m uncertain about my plans for later in the day I just say ‘sorry, I’m actually going to be out!’ to which they often respond with ‘no worries - I’ll hang on to the keys, get my luggage back and leave the keys on the table!’ … Well no, I need to the keys to give to the next guest who’s arriving midday (I tend to get back to back bookings)!
Sometimes this doesn’t go down well - I’m afraid some people incorrectly assume that as a host you’re just going to in the house 24/7 and there’s no other guests besides them!
Which leads to to the next point … What to you guys do when a guest is still lingering around past the stated check out (mine is 11am) and you have a fresh bactvh arriving soon and need to get the ball rolling with laundry ect? I used to feel awkward having to explain to them - now I dont even bring the next guests into it, I simply say “hey guys, check out is actually 11am (it’s midday at this point) and I do have an appointment I need to get to!” In other words I need to lock up properly and can’t do it with people hanging around the house that shouldn’t really be there! Still a bit awkward but more so for them for not taking note of the check out time :/?!
I had it too recently when a guest showed up around 11 without asking me. And was sincerely shocked to discover there were other guests in his room.
Since then i always ask them what time they have to leave In a morning, reminding them of check out time.
Never had problems since.
I have the cleaner show up an hour and a half earlier from check out time to start on the bathroom, kitchen, floors… etc. That usually get’s the point across.
I don’t have a problem with guests who want to leave luggage. I have extra sets of keys, and even if i am not home, their instructions are just to leave their keys int he mail slot, and can collect later. They can leave their luggage in the foyer of my house.
I am pretty lax with check-out as long as i don’t have other guests checking in the same day (as a rule, i block any dates of check in or out mid-week since my partner and I work full time and cannot possible flip a room on a weekday). Weekends, I allow them to linger if there isn’t another set coming, but if there is, i gently say ‘I need to be strict about that noon check-out time’). I haven’t had a problem. However, i have read enough stories on here about guests that just kind of linger past the check-out time, so I am sure I will encounter it at some point. I suppose I’ll be prepared. I just cannot fathom what makes people tick some times. Common sense!
People must really like our home. They very often hang around well after check out (and often ask to check in early in anticipation). People that say they are incapable of sleeping in often sleep into 11am (and are shocked saying it hasn’t happened in years) and they then help themselves to the spread in the dining room and wander back up with a tray for a longer lie in, or relax on the porches or different sitting rooms. The way we get the message across to the many lingerers that they need to leave in a somewhat timely manner is to mention when we finally catch them getting breakfast that checkout is 11, but we are happy to extend the stay until noon, but after that we are going out so will need to lock up. That way people feel they have gotten a generous extension, but we feel we have reminded them and averted the possibility of having to wait around having no idea when they might leave.
Thankfully there is no need for guests to leave luggage, although I have had guests try. it seemed to be more about a desire to spend more time back at our home in the afternoon than any other reason, as we aren’t particularly near any transport, and most people are in vehicles anyway. We simply say no, and tell them we won’t be in. The time we allowed it we were irritated as they stayed for another couple of hours before calling a taxi. We’ve found only the demanding guests do this kind of thing rather than any of the guests you actually like, so we refuse to feel obligated to manage their luggage after the time they have paid to be in our home is over. Quite frankly it is those people that are used to making their problems someone else’s problem that are the worst guests in general. If you prefer not to do it don’t. If it feels like a guest is trying to take advantage, then they very likely are. Don’t feel bad about saying no!
I say something the day before check out like
"so, what are your plans for tomorrow?"
that gives them a chance to say "actually, I know check out is at 11am, but I was wondering if I could leave my bag, etc…“
and we both can be clear about our needs without me having to say
"remember check out is at 11:00…” (could be taken as rude)
We as hosts should not have to drop hints. It’s better to be firm. Guests are like little kids. They will take a mile if given an inch. People know what check out time is, but if they think they can get away with lingering, they will.
Check out time is FIRMLY at 11! It’s all over my instructions. It’s on the fridge under check out instructions…No host should have to go knocking on doors… (I did as a new host but now they wouldn’t DARE linger after 11!)
I think I have told the story here of the pushy guests I had who were high maintenance when they stayed here but kept pushing me on check out. First it was, can we have late check out? No… I have a guest coming, I have to start cleaning right at 11. Then, can we leave our food in the fridge? It’s hours until our next check in time No. Sorry, I have to clean. Then… Can we use the snorkel gear and we’ll drop it off by noon? No. I’d rather not. Why not he says, it’s just sitting there and we are coming back for our luggage anyway. (sitting in my carport). I relent, and of course the guy doesn’t bring it back until the next guest checkin, right at four, and then after that he was trying to go back in the room to use the bathroom…!!! After the guest was here and in their room!!! Unreal!
NO…!!! JUST NO!!! YOUR CHECKOUT WAS HOURS AGO. WHY AM I STILL DEALING WITH YOUR HIGH MAINTENANCE SELVES HOURS LATER! I DO YOU A FAVOR AND LET YOU USE THE SNORKEL GEAR ONLY TO HAVE YOU RETURN IT AFTER MY NEXT GUEST CHECKS IN?? THEY HAVE TO WALK BY YOUR DAMN LUGGAGE SITTING HERE TOO! I’M REALLY GLAD YOUR FOOD IS NOT STILL IN MY FRIDGE!
Check out is Check out. Just leave already!!! Your time is up. This is not a hotel!!!
(Thinking but never saying!!!)
LOL . Can you tell I’m having one of those burn out days? And I have n’t even had any guests for three weeks. LOL.
PS. These clods left no review. And as I have stated many a time… doing extras for guests has little benefit. If it doesn’t result in better reviews, why do them any favors?
If I leave you cash (since my Indian friend has no credit card) - total BS…If he needs to cancel then the cash I paid will go toward a future reservation…hahahhaha! Yeah right!
Wow, never had any of these issues;
I think being in Europe guests are less cheeky and behave better.
There is not that “customer is always right” mentality, even in
restaurants, the customer is the guest, owner is doing you a favour by cooking for you,
so be grateful.
That’s true, Europians are much more easier to deal with than Americans . It takes me awhile when I travel to Europe to get used again to not so friendly service though I am from Europe myself, but you get used to good things fast:).
Kona, I remember that story .
I again am more lleanient with late check outs, early check ins as I myself ask for it all the time.,
I don’t expect to be allowed every time I ask, but I would ask I f I have a need.
Especially with long overnight flights. I rent first night a hotel if I can’t find a host who can accommodate me with early check in.,and hotel with many rooms like 100 or more, as in this case I can be almost 100% sure I will get a room right away and usually it works.
I don’t mind accommodate my guests when they ask and I can, but lately they don’t ask, they just assume they can arrive at any time.
I started always to ask for arrival time the minute I receive reservation. If they say at 11, I remind them about 3 pm check in, and tell them to ask me the day of arrival if I have availability.
The last guest when he heard that, asked me: really? I can’t check in at 10 am? But what I am going to do till 3 pm, my ship arrives in a morning. I asked him : how do you picture your checking in at 10 am if. I have guests staying in a room you reserved till 11 and then I need to clean and change sheets? Then he had to agree with me:). I don’t think most people really think , honestly at all about “details” like these
Exactly, when I get request for early check ins I always use (a real or fake) other guest
as my reason and write the phrase
"out of respect for my other guest"
which gives the idea that they will, in turn, get them same respect when they check in/out.
Hotels are MUCH less flexible than airbnb hosts;
if its a 3pm check in, you can wait in the lobby all day, but most will never check you in early, just on principal.
I’ve also done this at hotels. They will extend it if they are not booked. But us hosts, we mostly only have one place for rent and extending late check out will mean we will lost a potential booking at the last minute.
My first guest was so insanely demanding to stay another night. She wrote me a message with something along the lines of: " can I please stay another night or two". I didn’t reply because I was considering a way to respond and she replied with: “Whats the problem?? It’s only a few nights.”.
I met with her and got her to re-book. Personally it was a win/win (kind of) because she gave me my first positive review (and it was very very very positive) but was kind of extortion and I definitely felt very pressured. The booking was the lowest possible amount ($14) and she stayed two extra nights (paid for one). She then complained when our builder had to move her things on the day we first agreed she could stay until. I originally said she could stay if we have no other booking, but didn’t expressly say one or two nights (she knew there was another booking in two nights I can see looking back). She asked after the first extra day to stay another day and I actually didn’t think I actually get her to leave. She did check out on time the second extra day, so it was obviously miscommunication that she could stay two extra. When it was actually after the time she was supposed to leave at 1pm the first day we had a builder there as we were installing a TV and she was angry we had to move her stuff. I thought at that point it would be easy to just pack someones stuff up and move it to the street but it wasn’t. She then stayed another night so yeah. Some people are super demanding. The worst part is she didn’t even book. Her “boyfriend” actually made the booking.
I get this all the time with flatmates as well. Almost every one tries to stay an extra couple of days. I honestly find it less of a problem on Airbnb as long as there is no back to back booking.
I blame myself for this. Not her. People are demanding, narcissistic and expect a lot so it is my fault for allowing. I will remind myself that if I allow then she will definitely do to the next host which is unfair to them and bad for my credibility as she was a bad guest as I actually left her a positive review. Someone else posted that. The other thing I learnt was that once the end date is changed a little, it is VERY hard to get them to get back to the normal time. There was NO way she was going to leave at 1pm on the day we agreed once she realised she could move the time and I would agree.
Clear boundaries and saying: “sorry, no” is powerful.
It irks me, but it depends on the guest. Most I’m more than happy to accommodate. However, I do get the house key from them and let them leave their things in the garage below my house. They are free to pick up their things whenever they like that day and I’m not tied down babysitting their luggage. Some hosts don’t have this option, in which case you have to figure out how to handle a request to leave luggage.
I also let people drop off bags before check-in in my unsecured garage. In fact there’s a guy here now who arrived on an early flight and wanted to dump his stuff before he headed off to a conference.
They are usually overly appreciative, which is good.
