Do you get more unhappy guests during the holiday period?

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Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Do you get more unhappy guests during the holiday period?

The reason I am asking this is because I feel I do...

Source: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

 

Now, I know that I live somewhere which is dark and often cold, wet and miserable during the winter months and guests are therefore less likely to be cheerful than in the summer, yet I have always found Xmas/New Year to be a particularly problematic period compared to the rest of the winter.

 

Perhaps it's because guests spending time away from family and friends at this time are more likely to be lonely and unhappy. But, what about the ones that have purposely chosen to travel elsewhere rather than be with friends and family? What about the guests who come from cultures where they don't celebrate Xmas, or have a different New Year, and therefore it's no big deal? 

 

While I have had some lovely guests stay over this period, every single year, without fail, I get problematic guests and the ratio of bad v good guests shoot up and my ratings go down.

 

What is this about?

 

And yes, I have tried the Xmas cards, gifts, treats etc. to make them feel more at home, but the type of problematic guests I am talking about rarely appreciate these gestures. In fact, many will leave the cards unopened, throw the gifts and treats in the bin etc. and certainly not bother thanking me or mentioning it in their review...

1 Best Answer

@Huma0  OK, well, it is not easy to motivate depressed people, but, maybe it would be helpful if you go to tourist info center and pick up some brochures about events, fairs and festivals during Christmas time and leave it in their room.  Every year I browse and print all free events with locations and dates and a short description for my guests. I also make a map of the city center in Illustrator and mark all recommended locations where something is going on.  My guests appreciate this map more than some welcome basket and it is usually the first thing they grab and look to when they arrive.  Maybe you could try something like that next year 🙂

 

My friend is renting the house to Erasmus students. There are 12 of them at the same time. She brings Christmas decorations and make them decorate the house. They also have to make Christmas cakes with her , she says they are always enjoying this "family atmosphere". 

Maybe it would lift your mood as well 🙂

 

 

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34 Replies 34

@Branka-and-Silvia0  i would say you've understood your market well. Likewise here the "secret sauce" is not the quality of my linens (actually they are nice) or how modern the kitchen is (it is not) but rather it's the opportunity to get away from your regular life, let the kids run around in  a safe (ish, there's plenty of ways to hurt yourself on a farm), enjoy the pool and generally romanticise a 'slower pace of life'. That's what we offer. Which is why we never had complaints about our dodgy internet. We've had a handful of people complain the TV didn't work and those people are a minority and truly don't "get it", and I hope they scare away like minded types with their complaining reviews, because I only want the other types: those to come to the farm to relax, ignore digital life, and focus on food, wine, fresh air and doing very little. 

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

 

There are always plenty of things to do in London. We do have Christmas markets, albeit not like the famous ones in Prague and other parts of Europe, Winter Wonderland, the outdoor ice rink at Somerset House etc. but you have all the regular entertainment, cultural activities, historical locations and amazing museums and galleries that we have year round. It's impossible to run out of things to do here, but it is possible to run out of money!

 

Well, of course it's cold, and it can often be wet, but it can also be dry and sunny in December, and even quite mild sometimes. It's totally unpredictable. But what is predictable is that it is dark. The days are very short, and that can be depressing. I personally find it quite hard to handle because my energy levels take a massive nose dive.

 

I think @Gillian166 makes a good point RE it depending on the group. I don't host groups, just solo travellers (and used to host pairs/couples as well) and I am not sure that it's the best time of year to be alone and far from home.

@Huma0  OK, well, it is not easy to motivate depressed people, but, maybe it would be helpful if you go to tourist info center and pick up some brochures about events, fairs and festivals during Christmas time and leave it in their room.  Every year I browse and print all free events with locations and dates and a short description for my guests. I also make a map of the city center in Illustrator and mark all recommended locations where something is going on.  My guests appreciate this map more than some welcome basket and it is usually the first thing they grab and look to when they arrive.  Maybe you could try something like that next year 🙂

 

My friend is renting the house to Erasmus students. There are 12 of them at the same time. She brings Christmas decorations and make them decorate the house. They also have to make Christmas cakes with her , she says they are always enjoying this "family atmosphere". 

Maybe it would lift your mood as well 🙂

 

 

@Branka-and-Silvia0 luckily the SAD doesn't affect my mood, just my energy levels/sleep patterns, but I know that for many people, the symptoms do include depression. 

 

Good idea RE the seasonal brochures and map. I do have tourist brochures, maps etc. out for guests in a little letter rack in each bedroom, and I've also spent quite a lot of time on my local guidebook, and then stick the more seasonal things on the fridge so they are more obvious, but I am finding that my guests just don't use any of these resources anymore. I am not sure why as they used to... Perhaps a more personalised approach like yours would work.

 

Your friend's approach sounds cute. I did actually have guests this year who offered to help with decorating the tree, which is a first. However, they both disappeared when it was time to do it! Perhaps they forgot. I didn't mind that, because I'm actually quite particular about how I decorate the tree and enjoy doing it, but it's a shame if it's something they wanted to participate in. 

 

I haven't baked in a while, but guests always do seem to appreciate home baked goods more than shop bought ones. I never thought to get them involved though.

 

I think in general getting the guests to do more things together would help. It's tricky as they all have different schedules and personalities, but for sure they are happier when they make friends with each other!

@Huma0 

Airbnb should introduce a new stays category - Energy booster and winter depression killer 😄

 

Until then - solarium and vitamin D could help  😉