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What’s everyone’s opinion about storing bags pre and post check-out?
I’d really appreciate it if you could advise as I keep getting asked to store bags pre- our 4pm check-in and post our 10am check-out (please don’t comment on our times - they’re necessary for me to do the turn around on my own thoroughly)
I object to storing bags because:
a) I don’t want to see guests until check-in as it means waiting around for them as they never appear when they say they will. And then often waiting around for them again at check-in when they don’t appear when they say they will (even though I message them asking them to give me their arrival time/mobile number. I just can’t stay in all day! Particularly as at this time of year - peak season - I am booked solidly with only 10am-4pm changeover break for no rest, for over a month.
b) I feel they should book a later/earlier train (most are coming by train or car) to fit in with my check in/checkout times. Or if they want a full day, arrange to put their bags at the train station.
This is my current House Rules list after sharing my house with up to 4 other guests at a time. Think it’s too strict? Perfect, don’t stay here. I am blessed by a decent location. I figure it’s best to be up front and honest. I STILL get guests who don’t read the listing, and show up late. I tell them to cough up $10. Sometimes I collect it if they are excessive laggards and sometimes I don’t. Either way they had the rules. And no one EVER follows all of them (especially the part about cleaning the hair out of the drain catcher…lol!). I give em all good reviews though because glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
[Please be aware that you are booking to be a house guest here, not a hotel guest. Additional rules may apply after you are here.]
CHECK-IN is free anytime between 3pm and before 11:00pm on day of arrival. A $10 fee will be charged for late arrivals after midnight so if you are prone to being late please book elsewhere (look for listings with the amenity “24-Hour Check-In”) or be prepared to pay the fee.
CHECK-OUT time is before or by 11am. If you stay here you must be out the door no later than that on day of departure, no matter how late you end up arriving, otherwise I charge $10 to extend your check-out until noon at the latest. The parking space must be vacated as well.
EARLY PARKING OR LATE PARKING I charge $10 if you want to arrange to park your vehicle here early or pick it up after check-out time (this may not be available if I have another guest who needs the space).
EARLY LUGGAGE PICK-UP/DROP-OFF I charge $10 if you want to arrange for early luggage-drop off on day of check-in or storage for later pick-up on day of departure. You will not be able to access the house or use the bathroom or parking spaces during this time. This is for luggage storage only.
NO KEY, PARKING OR HOUSE ACCESS may be provided until stated check-in time and the key will need to be returned at check-out time. A lost key will cost you your entire deposit for staying here due to the inconvenience it will cause.
Proof of ID may be required at check-in if you do not look like your profile photo or your photo is unclear.
No unregistered guests allowed on premises.
Smoking/vaping tobacco is only allowed in the backyard, not inside your room or the house.
No drugs or alcohol use allowed without host permission. Being visibly drunk or stoned in common areas is just not cool and not allowed. No rude, noisy, uncontrolled or irresponsible behavior in the house.
No pets (I’m allergic).
No cooking with stove or oven.
No laundry machine use/washing your clothes in the bathroom.
No eating, food storage or any other kind of activity in your room that may result in stains, odors that fill the house or require extra cleaning or an extra fee will be charged. If you have prepared foods please eat them at the kitchen table, not in your room.
Please remove shoes at door if they will dirty or damage flooring. Bring your own slippers, shower sandals, ear plugs, sleep aids to ensure your own comfort and a good night’s sleep.
The city of Seattle has strict recycling laws, please follow them while here.
No use of my address for mail or deliveries without permission.
Parking is limited to one regular-sized vehicle, because it needs to fit into one side of the driveway space in photos. NO over-sized SUVs, trucks, campers, or long-haul vehicles or you may have to find parking elsewhere in the neighborhood.
No bizarrely excessive hot water/energy use, weapons or illegal activity.
Don’t leave water dripping and turn out lights when not in use to conserve energy. No showers over 15 minutes long or more than once a day.
Put toilet seat (not lid) down.
Clean up hair (your own) from haircatcher/sink/floor, dispose in wastebin.
Clean up water on the floor left from shower or bath with foot towel provided.
Turn on bathroom fan to evaporate water if it will not disturb other guests’ sleeping.
Do not flush anything but toilet paper and what it was intended for down toilet (no feminine hygiene products, “flushable” wipes, dental floss, etc.)
Quiet expected between midnight and 5am. No showering during this time if I have other guests trying to sleep.
If you wear a lot of make-up please bring your own disposable make-up remover tissues (I also have Kleenex and cotton balls).
If you don’t like sharing the shampoo, toothpaste, or bath gel I provide, please bring your own along with your own toothbrush.
@cs2015
Wow, I can’t believe I read all that! While I think much of what you ask should be common sense, I know guests can be rude. That said, I’d be scared to stay at your place lol!
I don’t do it. But yesterday I wasn’t in when the guest was leaving and my friend was here and said yes you can come pick the bag up later in the day. So that was the only time I have held on to a bag after check out.
I have done it before but am never happy about it. I never let them leave bags in the room. Usually I tell them they can leave bags in my carport but I may not be home and can’t be responsible for them. Usually that deters them. Sometimes they have even booked another night if they have a late flight.
It’s another perk people are used to having from hotel stays. Because we are not hotels, it doesn’t always work well for hosting situations and should not be expected.
Luckily it works well in our situation. The rental is a separate apartment but only steps away from my own. Plus, I work from home. So I can keep guests’ luggage in my own apartment. It’s an extra service that I can offer to them without it costing me any extra time or hassle. The parking arrangements here means that I can also let them leave their car here if they need to.
That’s my situation too… Separate apartment. I could take their bags and store them in my upstairs personal house easily, but frankly I discourage it.
The few times I have done this for people, the guests don’t appreciate but rather expect it. The kind who ask are the high demand types who then don’t leave a review or acknowledge the extra thing you have done.
Add it to the list of extra things that do not tend to pay off. Because I e found this to be true again and again…once I even had a high maintenance type demand to leave bags, demand to use snorkel equipment, demand to keep their stuff in the fridge and then when they returned at 4pm wanted to use the bathroom and shower… Even though I had already cleaned for the next guest! Say what.
Just what part of “check out and leave” do you not understand!???
If the guest has checked out, I really don’t want to see them again. Their time is over and they need to be off the property.
I think that allowing guests in before check in and/or to store their luggage after check out is specific to the host and the area. I live in Los Angeles, CA. Flights arrive at LAX any time of the day and night. I do allow people to check in early, because some don’t have a car and I know that schlepping luggage is a pain. For the same reason, I allow guests to store their luggage after check out. That said, guests never just drop off their luggage. They always want to use the restroom, shower, have a glass of water, get advise on the area, etc.
I certainly understand why the hosts who live in areas where guests come by car and train and can plan their arrival don’t allow early check in.
Probably most importantly; it sounds like you would be irritated by early check in and guests leaving their luggage. Therefore, I recommend that you don’t allow it.
Hotels have an entire setup area just for travelers who want to leave luggage - the bell desk. Often it’s free but sometimes there is a charge. Tipping the bell boy is encouraged. We use this all the time when traveling at hotels because the airline flights never come in during check in or check out periods.
Maybe you should hang a sign in your carport - Bell services: $5. Or put out a jar with the word TIPS written in giant letters. Who knows? Maybe people will leave you money!
No, I don’t keep luggage for guests. Mainly because I don’t want to responsibility of taking care of other people’s stuff. And in this case, the other people are strangers too.
I’m generally pretty flexible, but I draw the line here. I usually allow early check in as long as nobody else is checking out at the same time. So I tell them that instead of leaving their luggage they can just check in, leave their luggage in the room, lock the room, and then leave.
It’s my pet-peeve when guests EXPECT you to look after their luggage for them - as if you don’t have anything better do do the just wait around the house all day!! So cheeky and entitled. I too refer them to alternatives - one of which is a locker room in a local gallery and actually free. I actually just got slammed in a review by some spoilt brats because I had to go out and was unable to take responsibility for their 3 cases… look at the details here !!
It’s ironic because after I posted this, my current guest wasn’t here at check-out time. I messaged him and he found a typo on the page of room rules where it says “Check-out at anytime” (I mean to write, “by or before 11am” and it even reiterates this in full on the other side of the page as well as on the website…but he chose this ONE TYPO to not be here at check-out time. Granted he did rush back within 15 minutes so I guess it was an honest misunderstanding. And that guest is going to be a lawyer. GO FIGURE.
So interesting to find out that hardly anyone does this for guests: I was sure it would be the other way around and that I was just being curmudgeonly!
I so agree that it seems to be expected that one has little else to do all day but look after their bags. But I hadn’t thought of the safety aspect of looking after someone else’s property. What happens if something allegedly goes missing while you’re looking after their case in your part of the house (we rent the flat beneath our house - technically part of our house as it’s our playroom out of season)?
Also, quite right that they are NEVER grateful for this extra service and I have never received a review from anyone I have done this for to thank me for. People who ask for extra stuff and get it NEVER leave reviews.
I refused one guests who wanted to leave the luggage at ‘9.15-9.45 but these are approximate times’ (!!) - check in is 4pm!
The other guests since he asked nicely and has booked in for lunch locally at 1pm I said he could drop off his luggage after his lunch. I think I’ll just check him in early.
I agree about letting people who have early flights drop off luggage but someone last year wanted to check in a ‘bit earlier’ they said. I said: how early? They said: ‘late morning.’ When I pressed them, it was actually ‘early morning’ and I suggested they’d be more comfortable - since they said they needed somewhere quiet to rest after their flight - if they booked the night before. They did so - somewhat resentfully - and arrived at 8.30am! You gotta love 'em!!
Thanks for all your input - so interesting and I’m glad I’m not the only curmudgeon.
But I just have to comment that every time I’ve had guests whose luggage I’ve looked after, they’ve been very appreciative and have left great reviews.
I’m not being argumentative - just saying that it CAN happen
I too have found guests to be very appreciative of early check in and of being permitted to leave their luggage. I understand why guests who don’t have a car want to leave their luggage. I don’t understand why guests who have a car want to leave their luggage, but it makes them happy and it’s no extra effort on my part, so why not.
