gifts to departing guests?

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
PortugalGuy
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:12 pm

Post by PortugalGuy »

Mouse wrote:
Anyone else do this??
yes - did it this year and sad to report that not one thanks and 3 guests didn't bother to take it with them. 1 actually emptied the contents out because she wanted the tiny jar (quite cute I thought) to use for her expensive make up as her daughter had smashed the bottle or something :roll:

Won't bother this year.

mousie
x
p.s. I would appreciate it if someone gave me a departing gift.
after i read this
i'm not alone i see...
same issues here... people dont even bother to thanks or just a ticket on the room perhaps?

On my case, if someone would offer something in my holidays i would thank at least... its education isnt?
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pambon
Posts: 2959
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by pambon »

PortugalGuy wrote:
Mouse wrote:
Anyone else do this??
yes - did it this year and sad to report that not one thanks and 3 guests didn't bother to take it with them. 1 actually emptied the contents out because she wanted the tiny jar (quite cute I thought) to use for her expensive make up as her daughter had smashed the bottle or something :roll:

Won't bother this year.

mousie
x
p.s. I would appreciate it if someone gave me a departing gift.
after i read this
i'm not alone i see...
same issues here... people dont even bother to thanks or just a ticket on the room perhaps?

On my case, if someone would offer something in my holidays i would thank at least... its education isnt?
+1 For the the welcome pack in the early years of renting which was nearly always left untouched. However for guests staying 2 weeks when bidding them farewell I would personally hand them a small souvenir so they had to thank me! But with the financial crisis I stopped it.
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PW in Polemi
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Location: A village in Paphos, Cyprus

Post by PW in Polemi »

Goodbye presents are difficult. I remember one foreign hotel holiday where we were given a heavy ceramic wall plaque, a heavy and bulky pottery vase and several smaller lighter items as a "Thank you and good bye". Our suitcases were already on the brink of being overweight so we were not best amused at having to stuff these heavy bulky items into hand luggage, particularly as we had 2 flights to get home, the second a domestic one with much reduced weight allowances.

As all our guests fly into Cyprus, we don't offer "goodbye" gifts. (We tried briefly with face cloths embroidered with the cottage name, but that did not seem to generate any returnees or referrals so we soon stopped that.) We do, however, provide a pretty reasonable "starter pack" of supplies - and provide even more for our returnees (like home baked biscuits or cookies, or wine/beer, or local goodies).
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Tournesol
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Gifts to departig guests.

Post by Tournesol »

We had the idea of making (just laminated card) coasters with a picture of a sunflower and contact details on. Any thoughts on this?
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Tournesol you might as well give it a go.....some might appreciate it, but if they're costly you might be as well to just leave your business cards out. That way those that are interested will take a card.
Plus. ...decor is a very personal thing. It might fit some people's houses and others not, so they might end up in the bin.
Hope it works for you.

Funnily enough this year I have resurrected the gifts again as my friend makes the most wonderful felt lips and moustaches on coloring pencils. They can be used by kids (or adults) in photos. So far the kids adore them.
Same friend has also made me the most divine key rings done with turquoise macrame, beads and a tiny metal disc with 21 Ibiza stamped on it. I decided to leave these in a mason jar with a note saying take one as a souvenir.
Hopefully the ones taken will be wanted and so kept. She insists does them for me for free in exchange for help I give her....so it's minimal outlay.

It's all a minefield isn't it?

Mousie
x
AndrewH
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Post by AndrewH »

It has not even crossed my mind to give presents to departing guests. Our welcome pack is quite generous, well it's certainly more than basic, and that I think is where the money (if any) should be spent.
HebrideanRock
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Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:25 pm

Post by HebrideanRock »

We give a Welcome basket (home made muffins and shortbread) to SC guests and the saddest thing is seeing our little hand written 'Welcome' card in the recycling either whole, torn up or scrunched into a ball (the most annoying). AND we're left wondering if it lastest 5 mins, a day or the whole week !

Very few guests comment on the welcome pack but all eat it. We have considered departing gifts such as a key-ring or something we have made locally. However, aside from the capital outlay as an business expense, making the jam, etc whilst it's a lovely idea it's surely un-billable time (or do yo bill your time ?)

finally, we've debated adding wine but red, white, both, a mini-prosecco !!?? and then we get paranoid about alcohol issues and put it on the back burner for next year's consideration - - - 3 years on and we're still undecided.

:?
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