Guest expectations set to change?

[B&B netherlands]

dotty - i just looked at your villa, what a magnificent place and the village so close by!

1. it's up to you how to decorate and in which style. simplicity - i love it! some people just love cluttered homes... but something in between should be feasible. your photo gallery gave me an idea: why don't you have some beautiful enlargements made and framed, f.i. of the fortress, or these picturesque narrow streets...? they still are 'original', reflect your close surroundings and do not cost a fortune. the 'different theme'-remark is nonsense, all rooms have different colour schemes.

2. the beach chairs... i think this remark fits very well in the ongoing discussion here, that our beloved guests seem to ask for more and more nowadays... i think you provide quite a lot for a trip to the beach and i wouldn't worry about this.

aasta - one of the bathrooms has a design radiator to dry towels. the lay-out for the new showerroom made it impossible to install one there. not a problem during the 'sunny' season: i can hang the towels outside to dry! my 'towel package' is much like yours, though we locally cannot buy 3 different sizes of towels, unless in specialized shops - at a price! so two bath towels, 2 guest towels (the small ones), 2 'washandjes' and one handtowel per bathroom. i also change them every 3 days. the bedlinen once in a week, but never had to do that up to now as guests stay no longer than 4-5 days. (i usually get onenighters)

the bathrobes i supply must have something... the bathslippers even never were unpacked... must have to do with our wet climate...? though i once had a couple of 80+, who came down in the bathrobes to enjoy breakfast in my garden!

[Wonkeye]

This is what's included in our information sent in an attachment after receipt of balance (so probably gets lost). I thought I'd leave in the bit that tries to be tactful about people having accidents:

QUOTE Linen

All the beds have duvets (one double & two single) with the addition of an extra top sheet, plus two pillows per person, and will be made up for your arrival. (The extra pillows may have been put in the top of the cupboard, in which case there should be spare pillowcases there too.) One hand towel and one bath towel per person per week are also provided as well as a set of kitchen towels.

Our mattresses provide good comfort and support (the king-size one is hypo-allergenic with anti-dustmite protection) and obviously we want to keep them fresh and pristine. They’re all equipped with luxury mattress protectors with quilted polycotton top and 100% waterproof soft laminate underside. You’ll find a spare for each of the beds in the boxes under the bed in the master bedroom so that in the event of any unfortunate accident, you’ll have a fresh one and be able to do your own laundering and continue to feel comfortable.

If you think you are likely to need more towels than the standard number we provide, you may of course take extra towels with you and use the washing machine and dryer. If you’re doubtful about using tea towels other people have used, you may want to bring your own.

You will find some extra blankets and lighter-weight duvets in the master bedroom. UNQUOTE

Can't think why/where we got the bright idea about some people possibly not wanting to use teatowels other people have used! Must have been some good reason for this, methinks.

[CSE]

Guest expectations set to change?

To answer this question I would say yes, for all vacation rental/B&B/Casa Rurals/hotels/Gites etc we are involved.
I am not talking just about towels, I am talking about all aspects of our businesses.

[Leslie May]

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[Giddy Goat]

What is your present practice LM? And your feeling generally about changing expectations?

No-one so far (apart from the current incumbent!) has ever asked for more bed linen and towels than the once-a-week provision that we advertise thank goodness. We are not on site so it would be costly to do that.

We don't describe our property as "luxury" which helps in terms of expectations but if these changed over time then meeting such would need to be reflected in the rental rates.

Part of the problem is that there are cultural differences in respect of expectations and in the perception of value for money. Also, rental charges not only vary from country to country but from region to region. So I imagine it is often very difficult for people to gauge what is reasonable to expect to get in a property and what is not.

Of course it would help if more people read the property descriptions thoroughly!

[Leslie May]

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[Big Sis..]

I supply towels, I bath and one hand each, but tell them to bring their own Beach/Pool Towels. Never had a comment.

Surely if they were desperate for a towel while washing the existing ones ,they could use them?

[Marks]

I supply towels, I bath and one hand each, but tell them to bring their own Beach/Pool Towels. Never had a comment.

Surely if they were desperate for a towel while washing the existing ones ,they could use them?

+1 BS

[CSE]

Of course it would help if more people read the property descriptions thoroughly!

We live in hope!

[Normandy Cow]

OK, as I said, I don't provide towels, and I do mention this in booking correspondence, but to eliminate any doubt, I've added the following to my "interiors" description in the new website:

All charges (beds made up for you, weekly and final cleaning, heating, electricity, logs for the fire etc) are included in our prices so there will be no extra surprise costs at the end of your stay.

However, please remember that the house is rented on a self-catering basis, so please be aware that we do not change the bedlinen during the week, nor do we provide personal towels*, apart from teatowels.

You’ll find spare bedlinen in the wicker box in the upstairs bedroom, so that in the event of any unfortunate accident, you’ll have fresh ones and be able to do your own laundering and continue to feel comfortable.

*If you do require personal towels (for example if you are travelling by air), please enquire at the time of booking.

Thanks for making me think more closely about clarifying the situation to avoid false expectations.

[B&B netherlands]

i must confess as a B&B-owner, i'm not jealous at all of my fellow LMHatters (friends!) with holiday rentals. so much work, to get a booking (a) then get the money in time (b) after which you have a plight to inform (c) and after that, sit at the phone (d) for sometimes late calls with rather ridiculous questions (or worse: demands) at arrival time. on site or not...

'no chairs or parasols to take to the beach'.

'not enough bath towels, as you might not understand we shower 3 times a day.'

'bedding should be anti-allergic'.

'we need a smoothy maker.' (have honestly no idea actually what it is)

the fact that shopping is done, if needed because of late arrival! a welcome pack is there!

the expression of slavery comes to my mind.

'cos you have the money i need, i dance for you.' and give of course a 75 % discount. and more towels, champagne or fresh oysters (have not been mentioned yet!)

sleep well, all people i have learned to know at this forum.

[Normandie]

i must confess as a B&B-owner, i'm not jealous at all of my fellow LMHatters (friends!) with holiday rentals.

I am! So little washing and ironing - compared to the possibility of it (towels, bedding) being daily or at least several times per week...

[welshgirl]

I leave one bath sheet and one hand towel (it is large enough to wrap around a head though!) and would be aghast if guests contacted me to ask for extra towels.

Even in a hotel it is usual for only one bath & one hand towel per person - I realise these are changed on a regular, if not daily, basis but this is where s/c is different.

I supply a washing machine and tumble dryer if they want fresh during the week - there isn't service!!

Although, after reading this thread I feel I should update my T&C's so guests are aware of what exactly I supply. The towels are there, after all, to save guests bringing their own and having to do the laundry when they get home.

[la vache!]

i must confess as a B&B-owner, i'm not jealous at all of my fellow LMHatters (friends!) with holiday rentals.

I am! So little washing and ironing - compared to the possibility of it (towels, bedding) being daily or at least several times per week...

Yes, I agree it is nice to only have to do the washing once a week but when you have 18 beds worth of linen to do, plus 48 towels and all the other bed linen that can be quite daunting. Especially if it rains....

[barbersdrove]

But.... I've been very disappointed to have a few negative feedbacks recently saying that they expected more not with towels/linen, but other things in the house, so if you'll excuse the thread creep can I ask about these guest expectations:

1. 'The bedrooms should be decorated differently - they need features and more pictures.' The bedrooms are shown in ads/website and are typical of the area, fairly simply, but neatly decorated and each one does have an original oil/acrylic painting. They have all the usual furniture - beds, cupboards, chests of drawers, wardrobes, bedside lights, air-con, heating curtains and shutters etc - one has a balcony, another a French door to the garden etc.

2.'Everywhere else we've been has provided beach chairs and parasols to take to the beach and we were very disappointed that you don't provide these'. I provide sun loungers and cushions, garden chairs and a dining table, a bistro table and chairs and parasols in the garden. We have a cupboard with extra parasols, wind breaks, a beach tent, beach mats, inflatables, buckets and spades and other beach toys etc but no extra chairs to take to the beach. (Looking around at the beach last week using chairs is really not the done thing - pretty much everybody was lying on towels on the sand).

A case for removing the guest/feedback book I think! How ridiculous to comment on the decor in that way.

I've cut down on the number of towels I provide now that I use the Laundry, although I can see this is a false reason as I was incurring costs before,, it's just that they were'nt so in your face Since i cut back to one bath sheet and one large towel I've just had one request for an additional towel each which I gave though it irked me.

My most recent request was for a change of duvet to a 4.5 tog which they are used to at home. My first thought was 'well you should have brought it with you'. I wasn't sure I had one so searched and found one we use on our bed which i gave them. They were happy and have rebooked already for a few weeks time so it payed off but even so, it again irked me.