On her way back to her room, one of the guests suddenly stops. She turns around abruptly. I’m just about to clear the table after breakfast, when she asks me very kindly: “Would you like us to help you clear the table?” I look at her in surprise. “No of course not!” I almost don’t know what to say. I’m happy that the guests feel at home, but showing them the way to the kitchen with a pile of dirty plates in their hands is not how I want to run our business. “You’re on holiday!” I say to her instead.
While I continue to clean up and finish the breakfast buffet, the guests get ready to explore the area. It is Saturday morning and this extremely friendly couple from Elche have the place to themselves for now. Most guests, who, like this couple, often come from the autonomous region of Valencia, arrive on Saturdays. Then they don’t have to work and they can check in early. When the guests have left and the house is empty again, I grab the spare key and walk to their room. Refreshing it takes me less than ten minutes. The bed is as good as made, the bathroom shows hardly any signs of use and apart from refilling the water and changing the water glasses, the room is as good as done.
The fact that our guests are always so friendly, polite and considerate makes my job a lot easier. But sometimes it’s a shame that they are too polite. Especially if it prevents someone from actually asking all the questions they wanted to ask. Would you like to know if we have a hairdryer in the room? Should you bring your own pool towels? Which restaurant should you go to? Which walking route meets your needs? I am not always present, but I am always available. Our work phone is never on silent and is always within reach. I am here to make our guests’ stay as easy and pleasant as possible.
Because I truly believe that you get back what you give. A satisfied guest is the most important thing. A good review. A new booking. Or a big hug when saying goodbye. With every new guest, things get a little easier. Not just them, but I too feel completely at home with all these ‘strangers’ in the house now. The ideal? Perhaps that is different for everyone. But for me, that’s the guest who returns again and again. Who immediately knows how to find his/her way through our house. Who unashamedly shows up for breakfast in his/her pajamas. And perhaps is close to mindlessly place his/her own plate in our dishwasher. But that’s where I draw the line. After all, they pay us for providing a service. One that I’m more than happy to provide. Our Bed & Breakfast may be a “home away from home”, as one of the guests recently wrote on Booking.Com. But it is one where the dishes are done by us. It is a holiday after all. Enjoy a drink by the pool. Because, when it comes down to it, that is the only thing I expect from our guests.