my home has become somewhat of a destination point

[Cheri2]

I feel like my home is become a theme park for some people.  They dont leave and go out to visit the area, or eat or hike or do much other than sit in my home 24/7.  I am trying to think of a nice way to suggest I am here for a bed and bath and that is how it is priced.

How does this sound?   "The cottage pricing is based on your coming to sleep and wake and spend your day time elsewhere,  not as a tourist destination for the duration of your vacation if you would like to make arrangements to spend your days and nights with us please make your request at booking"

Your honest thoughts are appreciated.

New host.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

How about you try the roundabout way first 🙂 I took a quick look at your Camp Cheri listing and can understand why guests stay put. (I think if I were there, I would too.)

How about in you listing description you include a bit more detail about activities available. Also at your listing, make sure you have a couple brochures and maps of places to go for the guests to browse through. When you greet them, mention a few activities that might perk their interest. Don't be shy about giving them information about what to do or see. Some people need a slight push in the right direction to go out exploring. Of course, hosts shouldn't have to be tour organizers but it is still helpful to have information readily available to suggest to guests.

When I started hosting, I made a point to stop by a local tourist information booth to get a bunch on brochures and pocket size subway maps for guests. My current guest told me the maps really helped her the first couple weeks in Seoul.

[Paul154]

WiFi turned off 9 am to 5 pm

[Bruce43]

@Paul154 haha people would cry!  funny   

[Paul154]

Oh my. I am so wrong.

I just read your listing.

You don't even offer WiFi. That's why people don't want to leave!

I wouldn't either!

How idyllic

[Cheri2]

haha,  I had to stop givig WIFI because they used all my data and I couldnt even do my work last month.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Cheri2

your outdoor space with garden, horses etc is just to good 🙂 You should restrict guests access to few m2 in front of the cottage (maybe with some fence) and remove all those photos of your garden from your gallery.

And , as others suggested, provide as much brochures , city guides and maps as you can.

[Marie82]

Honestly Cherri this is a holiday place by itself i will do the same and stay so many space to hang around honestly i dont blame ur guests

Really nice place for a vacation 

[Robin4]

@Cheri2

Well to be honest Cheri, you are a victim of your location!

"We are tucked in on the Perry Oldenburg Wildlife Preserve 400 or so acres. The end of the road 1/2 mile is the Withlacoochee State Forest and River. One hour from Tampa, Orlando, Ocala, Homosassa, and 30 minutes from the gulf."

You promote your listing as a place to unwind and enjoy nature and that is exactly what you are getting....people who don't want to be somewhere other than there.

There is an expectation that when somebody books your listing, and pays for it, for a 'block' of time, they have the right to use it for that period, be it day or night.

My personal feeling is Cheri, if you promote your listing as a retreat....horses, chooks, tortoises, lots of trees, and you turn around and tell guests they are not welcome to enjoy those treats during daylight hours your enquiry rate will fall into a black hole.

Rather than promote your listing with description and photos of all these 'goodies' you should just promote it as an overnight cabin, a stopover point to get from one glitzy location to another where people just sleep and move on!

You really can't have it both ways!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Cheri2]

thank you all for your replies.  I've not used this board before. 

not one of you liked the idea of the "quote"  I wrote in the original

question?

[Robin4]

@Cheri2

No Cheri I didn't like it because it is alien to what you are promoting! People do not like to be told they are only welcome during certain times of the day.

Now if you were in Vegas, NY, Miami, the race line at Sundance during winter, you would probably have more acceptance of a daytime....not curfew, but, restriction request. People would be there to do other things rather than sit around enjoying nature.

But Cheri you are getting the people you promote yourself to and I feel that quote of yours whether it turns prospective guests away or not, is not aligned with your listing and as you can see, people are ignoring it! The "The cottage pricing is based on your coming to sleep and wake and spend your day time elsewhere,  not as a tourist destination for the duration of your vacation" bit is buried a long way down in your description and most peoples reaction would be..."Hell, we are not paying by the hour are we?"

Reading your listing quite thoroughly you market yourself as a holiday destination, not a transit stop...hell you even call your listing 'Camp Cheri'

You said 'why are people treating my listings as a destination'  and my answer is, because that's the way you are promoting it! The other alternative is to only accept overnight bookings!

Cheers....Rob

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Cheri2

Considering your listing description and pictures..... to be totally honest, if I were your (potential) guest and you sent me that "quote" I would be EXTREMELY offended. You are literally "kicking guests out" of the listing during the day!!!! 

If that is what you want, then I think you should get rid of your pictures and just leave one of the bed and bathroom. Also re-write your description to say you want people who are just passing by and need a place to crash for a night. Or if you think you are underpriced for what you provide, just increase your nightly price to what you think is fair. 

You promote your place with the following descriptions 

" charming guest cottage"..."Garden path"... "large window over looking the horse pasture and wildlife sanctuary" ... "separate private bath house, outdoor kitchen and outdoor lounge" ... 
Guest access "...full access of the cottage, grounds and gardens, outdoor kitchen-lounge, bath house" ..."outdoor kitchen is not an ideal spot for cooking 3 square meals"... "I become the dishwasher. " (It's kind of like you are offering.)

All this and then "...spend your day time elsewhere"... if you would like to make arrangements to spend your days and nights with us please make your request at booking" 

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[Cheri2]

I get it,  I'm changing the description.  thank you for you input.

[Paul154]

Cheri, Do not go through all the work of changing your description and trying to influence your guests to meet your desires.

Consider changing your attitude.

It is what it is - a wonderful destination point.

Let them stay -  just charge them more.

Charging guests more will help you adjust your attitude and/or allow you to block off more time for no guests.

[Cheri2]

Yes agreed Paul and many of the rest of you.  I am considering making it an experience for an up charge.

Cooking dinner,  bathing horses, picking vegtables, chicken milking etc etc etc......

Stay tuned.  I will post more.

Need a long night with a tall bottle of wine and time to think.....