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I’ve occasionally had a guest who was coming back after a few days touring ask to leave their bag with us.
I know I really shouldn’t do it but I have allowed them to, despite our limited space.
Well recently had a ten day guest say they may be coming to stay after some days and asked to leave 1 or 2 bags. I reluctantly agreed. I wasn’t there for check out but they said they messaged me to say they left 3 bags.
Get home and there are about 6 bags left behind. Where do I even store them? I will be calling the guest up to say there is no space for all this stuff to be stored - and for free. It’s abit much!
Unfortunately you have probably heard the saying that starts with ‘give an inch?’. Yes, well it does apparently happen fairly regularly with guests that if you are not pretty firm and unwavering, that they will take it as a sign that you are a pushover that can be walked all over. I have the syndrome that makes me seem a softy, well, because I am and find saying ‘no’ very difficult. Unfortunately this makes me very resentful. Resentful that people would push boundaries and ask some of the things they do, and angry with myself when knowing I was dealing with someone that was taking advantage, I didn’t stand up for myself. Now I have made it a rule to stand up and just say no to people that try to push boundaries. Surprisingly they usually take it very well!! They know they are pushing it, and actually they are just thrilled when they get away with it and find a sucker. Some people love making their problems other people’s problems.
If you don’t have time to deal with guests returning for baggage at a later time or a later date, you can kindly decline by saying you will be out (if it is later that day), or if it’s a later date by saying you can’t be sure of your schedule if you will be in town. If you have limited room in your home, you can even just say so. I truly hope your guest comes back to get their luggage. That was a very rude trick to pull.
Put it in your house rules that guest cannot leave bags after check out. Make sure every potential guest confirms before accepting booking and reiterate during correspondence. Not sure what to do with current guests. But for some reason they thought they could get away with it…that’s why they messaged to “tell you” and not ask you. Guests will feel you out. If they know their shit will be tossed outside they won’t try it. If they think you are so nice then they will start to demand and play the old card “but we told you we will be doing this and that” - like they were being polite and considerate, or something. No they are just being manipulative.
It’'s true that people who push will take the rejection pretty well. We all get caught off guard in the beginning, and also as we learn every day. Once caught off guard, we just think about how we will handle the same situation in the future. Taken advantage once but not again. This business is really different because guests don’t consider us “real” business owners.
My partner was caught off guard with the whole thing of asking his little 4 year old to run up to my partner and ask if they could set off fireworks - it’s too long to get into right now - but he gave them semi permission - he regretted it because they took advantage - but really? You send your little kid to ask? Oh but they never asked me because my response would have been totally different.
It’s true Cabin, it is indeed a learning process! I think you’re right. They view us as a hotel when they want to (as far as expecting everything a hotel provides), but then expect us to treat them like friends staying over rather than guests at a hotel when it suits. It’s crossed wires and boundaries with some guests.
Gee, some manipulations make you so angry. Oh, the little 4 year old wants to let off a few tom thumbs? Yeah right. Just wow on that one.
By way of update, I let the guest pick up four of the bags and leave 2 huge ones.
They of course promised they’d be staying at our place once back in town.
They came back, but would only hear from them when they wanted to pass by and pick something from the bag!
What a fool I am.
So all in all, I came home twice or thrice to allow them to pick something from the bag, and they actually managed to sound offended when I could not conform with their schedule for ‘quick swing by to just check something in the bag’! Unbelievable. The huge bags stayed 2-3 weeks, then the final time to pick the bags as they were en route to the airport.
Lol - I’m just laughing at myself thinking about it.
Never ever ever again!
Yeah, I know you all warned me! Lesson learned!
You have a great sense of humor! We all have to laugh at ourselves and how we initially react when we are caught off guard. But we learn - arm ourselves with info - and move forward to know how to handle the next moocher…lol.
AQ… As I have related here, This year, I asked and left my bags at a Seoul hotel while I made a side trip to Tokyo. I had a room booked there upon return otherwise would not have had the cheek to ask! Bags were just out in the lobby but seriously not worried as no one steals anything in Seoul.
But really, your guests have nerves of steel to ask you to do this and then become inconvenienced when they had to schedule time to get in and out of them… Tee hee, the whole thing makes me LOL!!! Do guests ever cease to amaze???
Lesson learnt the hard way eh