[Taken from an interesting thread on the old forum:]
Even though we we’re in the hospitality business and we like hosting guests and especially like earning revenue, the reality of the matter is that we sometimes need to take a break.
I have no problem with blocking out days in my reservation book and putting a sign in the door that says, “Closed for the day.”
I’m actually doing this tomorrow!
I haven’t had a day off in 9 1/2 months. I plan to watch the late, late movie and will sleep in.
My schedule for tomorrow reads something like this.
1. Sleep in.
2. Feed the cats their breakfast.
3. Take a warm bath.
4. Have a bite to eat.
5. Take a nap.
6. Have lunch and read a paperback.
7. Take a nap.
8. Feed the cats.
9. Have dinner.
10. Watch a movie.
11. Go to bed.
I’m not doing any paperwork. I’m not answering the phone since I have an answering machine. I plan to wallow in laziness and self indulgence.
(YAWN)
I used to be accessible to guests or prospective guests 24/7 but stopped doing this because I get up at 5 AM to make breakfast. I am not married and at age 45 I have found that if I don’t get at least 6 hours of sleep, I become extremely irritable.
It has now been 20 months since I purchased the Inn at Elizabethville. During that time, we have only had a handful of prospective guests arrive after hours without a reservation.
Before I adopted my, “I won’t answer the phone after we close” policy, I took a late night call at 11 PM. A prospective guest was on the front steps. He wanted a room. We negotiated a rate. I got out of bed, got dressed, went downstairs and was signing the guest in when this person asked, “Do you take dogs?”
It seems that this person was travelling with two Bassett Hounds and a Beagle. When I said no, the prospective guest cancelled the reservation without an apology or a by-your-leave.
Another late night arrival once woke everyone up in the inn by repeatedly ringing the doorbell. I used to have a 1940’s era bell that didn’t ring with a pleasant suburban “ding-dong.” It buzzed a harsh, wake the dead and dig the wax out of your ears, get-out-of-bed buzz.
It was incredibly annoying.
I came downstairs tugging on my bathrobe as doors began flying open on the second floor. “What’s going on? What’s that noise? Is there a fire?”
I had to apologize to guests and tell them that someone was at the door.
The day after this happened, I disconnected the front doorbell. I have since replaced it with an electronic device that simulates Big Ben chimes. I have also installed a cut-out switch. After the inn closes for the day, I press this switch and the doorbell is turned off.
I also turn off the phone and allow the answering machine to take messages.
P.S. So here I am on the first day I’ve had off since mid-February … and what am I doing? I’m writing posts about B&B’s.
NAP TIME!