Recent problems with older guests

Hmmm…in both cases, it was not the “main guest” with the profile but their parents. I don’t really want to blame anybody for their parents’ behaviour. I hope (for them) that they travel without their parents the next time.

Haha jaquo, very good, love it. To me a ‘problem, a concern or an issue’ (three heavy words I never use) are ‘minor details’. When I deal with people I walk in parallel with them, ushering them along with much enthusiasm.

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Another one of my corny sales maxims:

‘Selling is simply the transmission of enthusiasm.’

That is a beautiful line.

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I cannot believe the stories of picky people I hear here. People who have $40, $50 and $60 per night shared accommodations and they are asking about newspapers and the age of the decor. Holy Crap I would be out of the hospitality business so fast if this was my experience. I rent my whole beloved property: house, studio, deck, yard and in some cases including a vintage trailer trailer and I don’t get questions like these. It is dumbfounding to me.

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I don’t know. He may just be making plans that if Romeo doesn’t get the paper then he will send the early morning wifey out to get one - then he has it when he wakes up. He didn’t seeem too concerned about what kind of paper since he says “local or any” newspaper.

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My price is between $70 low season and 99 high for a full, private apartment with private patio and BBQ in Hawaii near a secluded bay with great snorkeling and all the equipment and I get way too much nit picking here.

Just what the hell do they want for $79 or 89 a night???

In some ways the advent of Airbnb has created ultra picky travelers whose expectations are completely through the roof.

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Hi I no longer accept booking from older guests unless I screen them and remind them of location and ask them to agree. Then I stall and wait for them to change their mind and book somewhere else. The only issues I’ve ever had are with older folks. I know it sounds harsh but it’s true.

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Gosh, I just booked $109 a night for a bedroom and bath and of course a great breakfast prepared by my French husband (sad Nice). But our little island has only 7 listings and we could be booked every day. I just raised next week to $125 a night plus $10 for extra guests. For Hawaii I think Kona you are an amazing deal. try raising your rates I am not kidding, might actually attract better guests. You have nothing to lose. I hate cheapskates!

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It’s the low season here. Even hotels are giving away rooms. :smile: This has been the pattern for the last 6.5 years. It will definitely pick up.

My point exactly! It’s nuts!

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I have found that I like guests who ask a lot of questions. In my view, they are the ones who are trying to make sure that my listing is suitable to their tastes/needs. Note that your potential guest asked as opposed to demanding. He asked how early his wife can have coffee instead of saying that he expected coffee at a certain hour. He asked about paper delivery instead of demanding that you set it up for him. The guests I’ve had the most problems with are the ones who just assume that we live exactly as they do and don’t ask any questions. The most egregious example was a woman who was a very light sleeper yet refused to wear earplugs. She was woken on her first morning here by my husband opening our sliding glass back door to let the dogs out. She instructed us that we were to make no noise whatsoever until she woke up. It would have been much better if she’d asked about the noise level in our house before booking.

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What?!!! This is nuts. It speaks to my point about inflated guest expectations. You are booking a room in a functioning family home with dogs and light morning noise. If you wanted a blackout room with no noise and soundproof walls then book the Century City Hilton. You have more patience than me Ellen. That would have totally bugged me.

Reminds me of some guests I had here who were bothered by the humming of the fridge in their room and claimed it was louder than the center of Manhattan!

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Trust me, it bugged me a lot. This couple were some of the worst guests we’ve had. One example: I make my own mustard. The wife was interested and wanted to taste. I offered her a spoon, but before I could hand it to her, she tasted from the spreader she was using then dipped the spreader back in the mustard. I had to throw away that batch of mustard.

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Mag. Thanks for bringing this silly conversation into perspective. I’ve had some not very pleasant guests, not horrible, but people I was glad to see leave. All of them have been in their 20s and 30s; tracked in sand, messed up the kitchen. Of the very few over 50 folks I’ve hosted, they were wonderful, appreciative and brought good energy into the house.

The posted comments from the “oldie” do seem ominous; but if those actuallynot that demanding requests are met–or at least explained how they might not be in a succinct way–everyone would know what to expect and things could go smoothly. It’s all a gamble :slight_smile:

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(You could’ve just scooped out the section she stuck her spreader in.)

The problem is that these picky people haven’t adjusted their expectations down, or rather realized that they are staying in a privately run accommodation in someone’s home at a substantially reduced rate. Since you’re in a very desirable area and your rates are not exorbitant but “up there” you’re going to get whiners. ))

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That is when I would have told her what time you get up and consequently she will undoubtedly be disturbed.

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Yuck, no way. Plus she had a cold.

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If he had finished booking with us, we would have made sure he had a newspaper during his stay and told him so - but I think @Mearns has it right, this message would have benefitted from voice tone :smile:

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