Help me not faux pas

March 18, 2007 2:53 PM

Questions about guesthouse etiquette.

So I'm off to stay in a semi-fancy guesthouse for the first time alone and I'm not quite sure about a few things. I'm supposed to pay in cash on arrival, which is fine, but do I just pay the bill or add a tip (which seems to me like a weird thing to do when you've just arrived and I don't even know if you're supposed to tip in this situation. I'm an ex-waitress so I tip pretty much everywhere...)?

Also, am I likely to be expected to be out of the house all day/evening? I know this is probably depends on the place, but in guesthouses in general, is this usually the case? Of course I won't want to be hanging around in my room the whole time, but I don't want to feel like I *can't* either.

Really, I just want a bit of advice on how not to make myself look stupid in someone else's home.

BTW, this is in the UK and I'll be staying for two nights.

posted by speranza to human relations (5 comments total)

I've never left a tip in a guesthouse, certainly not in the UK. There is quite possibly a guestbook where you should leave effusive praise if you feel it's appropriate! Definitely don't tip up front in any case.

Generally you can stay in or out as much as you like, in a guesthouse. Make yourself at home - in any decent guesthouse/B&B the owner will be approachable enough that you can ask any questions you may have. Most probably you will be told the 'house rules' when you check in, for example if the owner will make your breakfast until 10 but after that you can get your own cornflakes. As a 'paying guest', the normal rules of being a good guest naturally apply, but your host will also be going out of his or her way to make sure that you feel at home.
posted by different at 3:06 PM on March 18, 2007

There's an old-fashioned British tradition of bed-and-breakfasts where you did have to be out of the house during the day but I can't believe many of these still exist, and if they do, they won't be "semi-fancy" places. What does persist, annoyingly, is breakfasts that you have to eat by 8am or something even though you're on holiday. See Bill Bryson books ad nauseam...

I would only tip if the place employs outside people to clean your room, in which case you might choose to leave a small amount in the room at the end of the stay.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 3:09 PM on March 18, 2007

I'm surprised you're asked to pay up-front. Usually I've had to pay on the last-but-one-day. Once I missed this payment, and as I came down for my last breakfast, the landlady was waiting for me to ensure I didn't do a runner.

No need for a tip because these places are run generally by couples (ie self-employed people). If you get your room cleaned by a maid, who's clearly staff, then I guess you can tip, but, as with hotels in the UK, it's not expected.

Yes, you're expected to be out during the day. That's kinda part of the deal because guesthouses are specifically oriented toward holiday makers who, generally speaking, are sight-seeing during daylight hours. If you want more flexibility then hotels are perhaps a better choice.

Personally I feel kinda uncomfortable in guest houses for the reasons you've outlined -- that they're somebody's house. The rules can vary depending on the personalities of the owners. At least in a hotel the cards are on the table, and you know where you stand.

Ensure they are able to take plastic for payment. You might have to take cash.
posted by humblepigeon at 3:19 PM on March 18, 2007

Don't give a tip when you arrive; you can leave one when you leave if you like, but it's not really expected (my sister and I have both worked as cleaners in English guesthouses, one rather fancier than the other but both better than some I've stayed in). Tips are, of course, always welcome!

Your room is your room. You can be there as much as you like; whoever's doing the cleaning will likely want to go through some time in the morning, and it's always awkward to do a room if there's someone hanging around, but if you're happy saying 'it's ok, I don't need anything today, thanks', then they can go away. Of course, if the owner's paying a cleaner by the hour rather than doing it herself, they may be mildly miffed to lose that (up to) 10 minutesworth of pay! On the other hand, they may just take the extra time to go and clean someone else's room really slowly.

There will most probably be some kind of lounge, especially in a semi-fancy place. Feel free to head down there if you're in when the cleaner comes round and you do want your room cleaned.
posted by Lebannen at 3:23 PM on March 18, 2007

A decent guest house will be able to handle your choosing to hang-out at the house, whether in your room or in the common area. The host's expectations shouldn't enter in to your consideration. It's a guest house, not a hostel.

At my B&B, I didn't care when you wanted breatkfast, but I learned to request to know if you wanted it late. Had a pair of lesbians laze about all morning, giving the impression they were about to want breakfast from about 8am until they finally asked for it at 11:30! Then we added the rule about requesting a late breakfast. Nice thing about such small operations, you can add rules as experience teaches.
posted by Goofyy at 12:12 AM on March 19, 2007