It’s late, I’m tired... Check in, under the stars!

[Cathie19]

It’s late, I’m tired.

The long wait of an on-site host who insists on a personal check in. Time flies, even if the plane doesn’t!  ⭐️⭐️🌙🔑🛏🛏✅

It’s now 2.04am (0204) in Darwin. My guests plane was due to land at 12.20am (0020) but it was delayed from a southern city. Though thankfully, it made up some time and landed just under an hour ago.

But here I sit, listening to chilled music turned down low, so as to not disturb my husband, who has an early start tomorrow. That means I’ll also hear his alarm at 6am.

You see, our little airport is pretty busy at this “Red Eye” hour of the morning....... height of the tourist season. So with checked luggage and the queue to collect the rental car, I suspect I’ll get a message any moment now, (hoping) to say they will be leaving the airport. Please follow the really easy images and google map directions and don’t get lost. I’m getting tired....

When that prearranged message comes through, I’ll wait three or four minutes, then go downstairs and unlock the front gate. The space is ready for them with air cons on. I’ll stand and watch for a car headlights to enter the street and  hope that I wave my torch for only my guests into the driveway..... lol....

This is where a decent guest profile picture comes in very handy...... say no more?

??? Why am I getting a phone all to say they have arrived, rather than leaving the airport? S#*t! 

??? Run..............  smile......... greet! 

They’re here, they’ve been checked in.. now for some shut 👁 eye. Hopefully the gleeful exuberance of the children will settle down soon. They are SO EXCITED! It’s too late, or too early to swim! For me it’s too cold to swim! Lol....

I wait five more minutes... silence can be heard. Yay... it’s 2.43am (0243) and all is well!

So the tired state has come out on top of their thrills. Wonderful. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Sleep for everyone. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

PS. I wish Garry didn’t have that 6am alarm happening! Ugh........

[Emiel1]

@Cathie19 

Nice story ! Your listing says check-in until  2 AM, so guests are lucky you were still awake after 2 AM !

[Cathie19]

@Emiel1 , I’ve never not checked anyone in! The later landing flights of 0200 plus airport time can have guests here at 0300. I’ve only ever had one guest go and do something else ( I think lost) and arrive at 0330. That was a long night and I don’t bounce like I once did. I’ve also had 5am international arrivals which have you on the lookout from say, 0530 + onwards. But more likely 0630 after customs, rental car etc. they pay for the night before as well! 🛬

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Cathie19  uh, you are really dedicated 🙂  no way I would wait for someone so late, not even for an extra charge... I think the latest was 11PM (our check-in time is until 7 PM because we all know guests will push the boundaries )

[Beth80]

@Branka-and-Silvia0   I'm so jealous that you can have that kind of control of your check in time. My guests arrive by plane or bus. The busses arrive at 08:00 or earlier and the planes between midnight and 03:00. Generally. 

I had flexible check in and out times and guests  kept pushing the limits. Now with fixed times I tell them any deviation results in an extra charge agreed on before they arrive. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

uh @Beth80  this is very bad 😞

Arrivals in Zagreb airport are between 7 AM - 11 PM in the full season. Out of season is probably even better.

But buses comes and goes 24/7

[Cathie19]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  as I’m in the suburbs, the tourist season for me is a short one, so you have to go with the flow of tourists when they are here.... 

The Season could be extended, if only Airbnb would allow me to list AGAIN as business ready. Because I refuse to allow self check in, I’ve been removed from those listings. Yet here I am offering 24 hour door service.

Bahahahaha... you laugh till you cry!

[Beth80]

@Cathie19   You are singing my song!  Most of our flights are in the dark of the morning. I often meet guests at 02:00 or so.  And hubby's alarm goes off at 05:30! 😞

My worse was recently. He told me his flight left at 02:00 so he would like to check out at midnight. Sure, you paid for the night. So I sit and wait until midnight....no guest. 12:15 I go and look and there's no light under his door. Hmm. Do I wake him up? Do I care if he misses his flight?? I'm not his mother and his communication has been hit and miss. I curl up on the sofa.  03:00 I hear him. ??? Seems his flight got changed to 05:00! But why bother telling the old lady who just stayed up all night?? 😕 Oh you think it might be hard( impossible!) to get an Uber?  

I think he got the worse review I've ever written.  

And before you ask or comment. No, there is no way he can leave without me letting him out. They don't make digital/ electronic locks that will fit my door. I've look at over 30 makes and models. Both in the US and Brazil. So now I'm  trying to convince my husband to replace the door.

[Cathie19]

I feel your song @Beth80. I’m sure there are a number of us: we could do a duet, or start a global choir!!!!!!!!

🎼🎤🎼🎼🎼🎼🎻🎻🎻

[Kath9]

@Cathie19, you deserve a bloody medal!

[Cathie19]

Thanks @Kath9, but it is what it is! Some destinations have particular flight times that if ignored, or excluded, would rule out 90% of guests. This is a Darwin dilemma, and many others, like @Beth80.

Our red eye flights are designed to arrive in all the major southern cities, as airport operational curfews are lifted! 

[Beth80]

@Cathie19 @Kath9 @Branka-and-Silvia0  We joke that its because if the flight was in the daytime and they could actually seeour city they would get off the plane!! But as  @Cathie19  says it's so that business people can get to the major cities during business hours. It is what is, the price of being in the hospitality business. 😕

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Beth80 

uh, maybe the new door , a code lock and a ring doorbell would save you. But it is not cheap ... you should  calculate if it's worth it

[Laura3034]

Is there an advantage to personalized check-in? It seems most people like the coded lock, self check-in thing, and it's even listed as a plus, particularly with business travelers. 

We have a lock that we can control from an app on our phones and give a personalized code to each guest (we use their phone numbers so they never forget the code). It was worth every penny (about a couple hundred bucks), and it's a business expense. Insurance companies also seem to like it.

[Cathie19]

@Laura3034 . I agree lockboxes and sundry devices are great and I’ve used them as a guest myself.

i just personally like to build the relationship from the get go! Reviews are hard enough to get, so especially with shorter stays, it can make a difference.