Re: innkeeping: Handling After-hour Reservations

[ernij@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Erni Johnson)]

We live on the same property as our inn, but in a separate house some
distance away.  The inn phone rings in our house as well as the inn so we
can get calls when we are not there.  We solved the reservation book
problem by creating a "portable book".  in a small file box we keep our
reservation book, a copy of the mailing list, our waiting list file,
monthly files with reservation information on upcoming guests (so we can
refer to them if people call) and some other useful stuff (depends on your
situation).  We carry this with us when we leave the inn to come home and
vice versa.  if we take a reservation at home we do it with an old
fashioned word processor (i.e. a pencil and reservation form), then run
through the charge card and computerize the next day.  We used to stay at
the inn until everyone was "home" but realized how crazy this was (in 
other
words we finally realized they weren't our teenage children).  our guests
have keys and we try to leave by 9 p.m. (we are back at 7 am).  We don't
really get walk-ins because of where we are and also because we tend to
book up in advance, but when we take a reservation we make it clear that
special arrangements need to be made for late arrivals and that we don't
have night staff to check people in after 10pm.  So far (5 years) no one
has really had a problem with this and i think a total of 2 guests have
actually come and knocked on our door.  Having said this. I should add 
that
we are selling our inn (just went on the market) not for that reason, but
nonetheless we are looking at places to buy with innkeepers quarters
attached.  i found that even though all of the above worked out, i haven't
liked either being away from my house all the time, or being totally away
from the inn.  many people are quite happy with the situation...i think 
you
can have it both ways, privacy and proximity if you decide you really want
to.  Erni Johnson, Hannah Dudley House Inn, Leverett, MA