Four in a Bed :: New Series (Part 2)

12324262829213

Comments

  • owlloverowllover Posts: 7,980
    Forum Member
    SolarSail wrote: »
    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?p=49436520

    I remember that well, Three in a Bed, and her place was a 'private' letting arrangement. It's not listed now.

    Thanks Solar. I'm quite surprised at my memory!!
  • gilliedewgilliedew Posts: 7,605
    Forum Member
    owllover wrote: »
    I know what you mean gillie because our choice of pictures is very personal to us.

    Christa I have a variation to your tale (lovely picture btw). One day I was watching Escape to the Country and was transfixed by a picture on the wall behind the people wittering on. There was no possible way I could find out about it but I fell in love at that moment.

    Probably two years later I decided to google a water colourist who's picture I have and love but never thought to look up.

    Can you imagine how I felt when I saw that 'my' picture was one of hers? It's mine now too!

    http://www.lucywillis.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=57

    ETA. Scroll down - it's Running Hare.

    The other picture I have is above right - Midday Hour.

    I actually chose my living room colour scheme before I knew the hare would ever be mine - camel sofas and white walls :o

    I like both the pictures you posted, thanks for that. I thought I would look for mine online but I cant find it, it must be a print of a black piano, gold music stand and sheet music on a white background and in a black frame. The name Rosetti is on the bottom but I cant find it in his or her works.

    We laugh about it as I saw it in a shop window when visiting relatives in Weston Super Mare, I asked my husband to stop the car, got out, went into the shop and bought it there and then with no hesitation, something I hadnt done before or since but it just seemed right for my lounge. Just my luck that Jean BS has one as well.

    I also see my kitchen tiles we had in our previous home, on FIAB but as they were from Tops Tiles it is a popular shop so I shouldnt be too suprised.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    nick202 wrote: »
    Indeed - I don't like the expression 'kids being kids', as if being a child means you should automatically be given free reign to run around like a lunatic. I think 'allowing kids to be kids' is basically a euphemism for 'I can't bothered to exert any control over my offspring'...
    Absolutely - and it's often said in a way which purportedly advocates tolerance, but, in reality, is an abdication of responsibility.

    tally wrote: »
    ...
    After an aeon dealing with 7-9 year olds on school trips my sympathies lie with the people who asked to be moved and the owners. The father who wrote the awful review sounds like the "rare, but they are out there" idiots who think that their children can run around willy nilly in a more formal setting.
    Taking your children to a restaurant is all part of socialising the little darlings. They aren't too young to be taught proper behaviour.....

    And everyone, children included, has a better time when that happens.

    fiveinabed wrote: »
    In a 'child-friendly' restaurant that had a play-area a couple of years ago, I saw a waitress trip over a pair of discarded shoes, drop her pile of plates, and knock her front tooth out on a table as she fell. All because the parents allowed the child to leave their shoes and socks in the middle of the floor while they ran off to play in the ball-pit.
    The play area has now been removed, and bloody good riddance.

    Speechless (well, almost :D)
    Whilst I was on holiday last December, my friend and I commented on how well behaved all the children were.

    None of them were English :)
    And I bet they weren't expected to eat from the dreaded children's menu either! (Oh dear, dreaded children -what a terrible pun.:o)
    I am amazed that parents think child friend means that children may run amok.

    Our child is only 14 months old so we don't take her any where to eat much except to family pubs for sunday lunch sometimes..., if she wont settle i go outside with her while the others finish...

    That review , by the father of the children, suggests that it should be accepted that children will run around a restaurant, I cant understand why he thinks thats the norm. At home i wouldnt accept children leaving the table to run around during dinner either. :confused:

    Indeed. It's that early investment that's the crucial - and beneficial - one. Parents of mini-monsters often defend their behaviour as encouraging 'freedom' or 'creativity'. Their definition of these qualities is different from most people's;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    Normandie wrote: »
    Define gross. ;)

    I don't need to - you've done it for me:D (I shall now revolutionise my rim cleaning technique:o)

    [/QUOTE]I've worked in the travel industry on and off for 30+ years, mostly in sales and marketing but early on I managed central booking offices and worked in receptions of large holiday centres. [/QUOTE]

    So you had plenty of background knowledge of procedures, hazard, grumbles etc. but presumably it was still a big step to it alone in a foreign county, without the backing of a big organisation.

    [/QUOTE]The b&b or small hotel owner, needs to be good at budgeting, analysis, sales and marketing (websites, printed literature) customer relations, administration: you have to run a - hopefully busy - booking office, sorting bookings, juggling rooms, confirming bookings, taking deposits, etc. [/QUOTE]
    It seems to be this aspect which people don't take on board when starting out - i.e. that first and foremost it's a business, not simply having people to stay. It sounds like constant hard work.

    [/QUOTE]And then the rooms themselves have to be - nowadays, if you want a reasonable return on your efforts - decorated, furnished and cleaned to a high standard and maintained that way.[/QUOTE]
    This seems another area that FIAB

    If you think it appeals, you should try it. Definitely. But you have to really like people, be happy for someone else to take over at least part of your house and garden and make it theirs, be happy and motivated to help them at all hours of the day... even if you don't really like them. You have to manage them in a jolly way when they're being difficult- not wanting to vacate the room by 11am because their ferry isn't till 11pm but you have two new families due at 4pm. Or you can't ignore a couple having a raucous row at midnight when other guests in the next room retired to bed knackered 2 hours earlier. It's your job to sort it.

    There's loads more I could say but in a nutshell, you're not going to get unhappy residents who can write income-damaging reviews on TA if your kids get a slightly stained - but clean! - pillowcase or you overcook the bacon or if the cat has had a furball on the stairs... guests have a different set of expectations - I'm not sure Toni, for eg, really got that... and that's a big difference between running a family and running a b&b.[/QUOTE]
  • roddydogsroddydogs Posts: 10,298
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Why do so many B &B owners, when given a NO in would you stay here again, come out with the old "I wouldnt have them here again anyway" bit, can you really afford to turn people away?
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    roddydogs wrote: »
    Why do so many B &B owners, when given a NO in would you stay here again, come out with the old "I wouldnt have them here again anyway" bit, can you really afford to turn people away?

    They probably just say that to cover up their anger!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    [/QUOTE]And then the rooms themselves have to be - nowadays, if you want a reasonable return on your efforts - decorated, furnished and cleaned to a high standard and maintained that way.[/QUOTE]


    Well, as I was saying before the post posted itself, this seems another area that FIAB contestants often haven't taken into account, particularly with decoration and facilities. En suites present a particular challenge, as few people are happy to share nowadays.

    [/QUOTE] If you think it appeals, you should try it. Definitely. But you have to really like people, be happy for someone else to take over at least part of your house and garden and make it theirs, be happy and motivated to help them at all hours of the day... even if you don't really like them. You have to manage them in a jolly way when they're being difficult- t... and that's a big difference between running a family and running a b&b.[/QUOTE]

    So, done properly, it's like running your own business 24/7, with the clients on site most of the time. A doddle, really.:D I've housed and fed occasional foreign students, but must admit to a sigh of relief when they left. I think my B&B ambitions have waned since watching FIAB. tthe pernickitiness of the "professionals" on FIAB, checking for such as dust, isn't a great incentive.

    Incidentally, when are you going to write The Book? Don't tell me, you're doing it already:)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    They probably just say that to cover up their anger!

    They take the rejection personally, and it doesn't come over well. It surprises me because I'd expect contestants to watch at least a few episodes before taking part, and learn that those who take criticism well give a far better image of themselves.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    owllover wrote: »
    Or here:

    http://www.londonbb.com/cata.html

    I saved that link because a lot of those places look like a good alternative to hotels in central London.

    Interesting locations - and several also seem good for singles or couples with small children, which isn't always easy.

    I see you're up early again. Should you rename yourself larklover :cool:
  • gboygboy Posts: 4,989
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Normandie wrote: »
    Define gross. ;)
    Gloves, disinfectant and cloth is practical, efficient and cost-effective. If you analyse it, no less gross is flicking loaded crappy bristles around the upper reaches of the bowl and it's less effective - brushes don't efficiently get under the front rim of the loo, for eg. I don't use one of the rechargable disposible cloth brush thingies - consumables are expensive and more to the point here we have a sometimes sceptical septic tank - I can't flush them after use.

    I've worked in the travel industry on and off for 30+ years, mostly in sales and marketing but early on I managed central booking offices and worked in receptions of large holiday centres.

    The b&b or small hotel owner, needs to be good at budgeting, analysis, sales and marketing (websites, printed literature) customer relations, administration: you have to run a - hopefully busy - booking office, sorting bookings, juggling rooms, confirming bookings, taking deposits, etc. And then the rooms themselves have to be - nowadays, if you want a reasonable return on your efforts - decorated, furnished and cleaned to a high standard and maintained that way.

    If you think it appeals, you should try it. Definitely. But you have to really like people, be happy for someone else to take over at least part of your house and garden and make it theirs, be happy and motivated to help them at all hours of the day... even if you don't really like them. You have to manage them in a jolly way when they're being difficult- not wanting to vacate the room by 11am because their ferry isn't till 11pm but you have two new families due at 4pm. Or you can't ignore a couple having a raucous row at midnight when other guests in the next room retired to bed knackered 2 hours earlier. It's your job to sort it.

    There's loads more I could say but in a nutshell, you're not going to get unhappy residents who can write income-damaging reviews on TA if your kids get a slightly stained - but clean! - pillowcase or you overcook the bacon or if the cat has had a furball on the stairs... guests have a different set of expectations - I'm not sure Toni, for eg, really got that... and that's a big difference between running a family and running a b&b.

    Thanks for posting this, Normandie. I've often thought about running a B&B, but sometimes I think the idea appeals more than the reality.

    So many people seem to rush in thinking it's an easy way to make a bit of money - clearly *not* the case. You need excellent people skills (which a lot of the contestant on FIAB clearly *don't* have), as well as managerial, administrative and organisational skills, not to mention basics skills like cooking and egg, or cleaning a toilet to a first-rate standard - rather than just doing an OK job, because it's your own home and own family, who won't complain anyway.

    Get it wrong, and sites like Trip Advisor won't be shy in highlighting your shortcomings. But get it right, and you could have a rewarding and satisfying career, without the stresses of a 2-hour commute on a freezing winter morning, or the boss from hell, or work away-days where you just want to kill everyone you work with...
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    On More4 today at 1.45, they're repeating the week when Ben and his grandmother Lilian (IOW) appeared....Definitely worth a look (cos he's very cute :) )
  • gboygboy Posts: 4,989
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    On More4 today at 1.45, they're repeating the week when Ben and his grandmother Lilian (IOW) appeared....Definitely worth a look (cos he's very cute :) )

    They were lovely, but they were stitched up by that awful couple (her who looked like Gina Gold from The Bill and her husband), all becuse their room in Ben's B&B only had an en-suite shower room rather than a bathroom...:rolleyes:
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    gboy wrote: »
    They were lovely, but they were stitched up by that awful couple (her who looked like Gina Gold from The Bill and her husband), all becuse their room in Ben's B&B only had an en-suite shower room rather than a bathroom...:rolleyes:

    Oh yes, I remember that! Will watch it this afternoon, as often I forget bits and pieces after watching it first time round.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 268
    Forum Member
    JulesF wrote: »
    I agree completely. V&S were terribly unpleasant about the whole situation, and undoubtedly handled it very badly, but on skimming over the last few pages of this thread, I began to think that I must have misheard Helen's comment about the pee. Do people think offering a urine-stained mattress (and mentioning that it was stained with wee in a super-casual, just-in-passing kind of way) is acceptable? Or did that fact just get conveniently passed over in favour of some of the very nasty and personal comments aimed at V&S?

    I discussed this in an earlier post (369). I don't think anyone would really defend Helen's decision to provide an existing urine stained mattress for her paying guests (rather than a new one, which would ultimately get its share of wear and tear). However, I think she got off lightly, criticism wise, because of the circumstances in which Veronica announced their decision not to stay the night. The humiliation of Helen preceded the discovery of the mattress's condition. Moreover V&S had scarcely endeared themselves previously.

    None of this justifies the state of that mattress,but it perhaps explains the muted reaction. And, yes, I completely agree that Helen was remarkably sanguine about it. I suspect she may well have been reeling from their decision to walk out. That said,there was never much indication she herself realised it was unacceptable.

    As regards the more offensive comments about V&S - well, to me, it all seems a bit pointless,. Name calling rarely adds anything constructive, and usually overshadows any valid point the poster might have been trying to make, which is a shame.
  • ShrikeShrike Posts: 16,592
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    gboy wrote: »
    They were lovely, but they were stitched up by that awful couple (her who looked like Gina Gold from The Bill and her husband), all becuse their room in Ben's B&B only had an en-suite shower room rather than a bathroom...:rolleyes:

    Iirc this was one of the first weeks where I started to get dis-illusioned with fiab. Ben's place is a full on hotel with restuarant and prices to match being compared to a sit up and beg traditional B&B - I had some sympathies with the B&B couple not really being able to quantify if it really was value for money as it was so far out of their experiance.
    It was also a bit odd as Ben runs the place with his brother whilst Gran has nothing to do with the business but we never got to see bro at all.
  • gilliedewgilliedew Posts: 7,605
    Forum Member
    I agree with the last few posts totally. I worked in catering for many years and thought I would like to go into management and took a degree in hospitality management. I thought it would be a breeze and was unprepared for just how much it involved.

    Food & Beverage management, Food Science, Systems eg maintenance & understanding utilities, Finance, banking and forecasting, Rooms management, systems in place for cleaning rooms and checking them, laundry options Marketing, Publicity, Internet and understanding the principles, Quantative Methods, how much stock to order and how to store it economically, Front Office bookings, telephone manner, meeting and greeting and general management principles.

    I didnt know half of these even though I had worked in the Industry for many years in Housekeeping in a Hotel, Restaurant, Outside Catering and Racecourse venues but felt I would always be a waitress and thought I could do as well as the managers I had to work for.

    That is the reason why I shudder upon hearing others taking on a Hospitality venue with no other experiences in the Industry, so many shown on Hotel Inspector, Gordon Ramsey and the people shown who take on wrecks abroad and have to work harder than ever and find out it is not the relaxing lifestyle they envisaged.

    FIAB is really good for pointing it out to people that it is not an easy option career choice, staff are notoriously transient and will leave frequently or given a over the top hourly rate to stay. My neighbour was OCD at cleaning in her home so she worked for me doing the laundry, I never had a moments worry about the linen, it looked and smelled lovely.

    In the end I worked as manager in a holiday home complex with 4 beautiful cottages and a huge swimming pool of which I was very proud but even that became a 24/7 on call job as the owners were absent owners and it was all down to me. Thats why I enjoy FIAB to see how others get on in the industry as I have had to give it up with chronic back pain, making all those beds didnt help and Oh Yes, we always kept a spare mattress,
  • matchmakermatchmaker Posts: 1,096
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    gilliedew wrote: »
    I agree with the last few posts totally. I worked in catering for many years and thought I would like to go into management and took a degree in hospitality management. I thiought it would be a breeze and was unprepared for just how much it involved.

    Food & Beverage management, Food Science, Systems eg maintenance & understanding utilities, Finance, banking and forecasting, Rooms management, systems in place for cleaning rooms and checking them, laundry options Marketing, Publicity, Internet and understanding the principles, Quantative Methods, how much stock to order and how to store it economically, Front Office bookings, telephone manner, meeting and greeting and general management principles.

    I didnt know half of these even though I had worked in the Industry for many years in Housekeeping in a Hotel, Restaurant, Outside Catering and Racecourse venues but felt I would always be a waitress and thought I could do as well as the managers I had to work for.

    That is the reason why I shudder upon hearing others taking on a Hospitality venue with no other experiences in the Industry, so many shown on Hotel Inspector, Gordon Ramsey and the people shown who take on wrecks abroad and have to work harder than ever and find out it is not the relaxing lifestyle they envisaged.

    FIAB is really good for pointing it out to people that it is not an easy option career choice, staff are notoriously transient and will leave frequently or given a over the top hourly rate to stay. My neighbour was OCD at cleaning in her home so she worked for me doing the laundry, I never had a moments worry about the linen, it looked and smelled lovely.

    In the end I worked as manager in a holiday home complex with 4 beautiful cottages and a huge swimming pool of which I was very proud but even that became a 24/7 on call job as the owners were absent owners and it was all down to me. Thats why I enjoy FIAB to see how others get on in the industry as I have had to give it up with chronic back pain, making all those beds didnt help and Oh Yes, we always kept a spare mattress,

    I agree. I work as a cleaning manager in a self catering resort with about 40 cleaning & supervisory staff to deal with. A good cleaner/housekeeper is to be valued. A poor one can be a nightmare, but at minimum wage it can be difficult to get suitable people. My job can be extremely stressful at times!

    Then the guests......... some of the sights I have seen make me wonder what some peoples homes must be like. A few examples (sorry if a bit gross!): The guest who felt sick at night, opened the drawer of the bedside cabinet and spewed in it, then shut the drawer, leaving the unfortunate cleaner to find it the next day. When I was still a cleaner myself, going into a bedroom to find the the guest had been sick all over their bed. And the floor. And the wall. The sick had penetrated right through to the bed base so the whole bed had to be replaced. Both of these were caused by excess drink.

    Or the couple with young kids who hadn't bothered putting the shitty nappies in the bin - they just fired then into a corner of the lounge, leaving the unfortunate cleaner (me again :eek:) to clear them up.

    There are however many wonderful guests who appreciate what our staff do for them - we appreciate their kind comments and look forward to seeing them again :)
  • NormandieNormandie Posts: 4,617
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Shrike wrote: »
    Iirc this was one of the first weeks where I started to get dis-illusioned with fiab. Ben's place is a full on hotel with restuarant and prices to match...
    I loved that Isle of Wight hotel - the location, rooms and views were just wonderful. It is one of the few properties that have really stuck in my mind over the series and if I were ever planning to be in the IoW, I would definitely look into booking there.

    Sandy and her hobby of torturing towels into bizarre shapes... height of naffness. If it's an en suite, leave the towels in there... not littering the bottom of the bed.
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Normandie wrote: »
    I loved that Isle of Wight hotel - the location, rooms and views were just wonderful. It is one of the few properties that have really stuck in my mind over the series and if I were ever planning to be in the IoW, I would definitely look into booking there.

    Sandy and her hobby of torturing towels into bizarre shapes... height of naffness. If it's an en suite, leave the towels in there... not littering the bottom of the bed.

    BIB - Me too!! Funny how the odd place just sticks in your mind. Whenever I think of the IOW, I think of Ben and Lillian's place. Be nice to see it again.
  • davordavor Posts: 6,874
    Forum Member
    Grandma and grandson couple seem really nice.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 22,198
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I'm amazed how much I forget, but one look at Ben's rather pleasing form and I was remembering just what a lovely place they had and what a miserable git Brummy Steve was. :)
    Sandy is batshit insane at times.
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    tally wrote: »
    I'm amazed how much I forget, but one look at Ben's rather pleasing form and I was remembering just what a lovely place they had and what a miserable git Brummy Steve was. :)
    Sandy is batshit insane at times.
    I forgot how sloshed she got on the activity!! LOL

    Ben's form IS rather pleasing :D
  • gboygboy Posts: 4,989
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    tally wrote: »
    I'm amazed how much I forget, but one look at Ben's rather pleasing form and I was remembering just what a lovely place they had and what a miserable git Brummy Steve was. :)
    Sandy is batshit insane at times.

    Hopeless old romantic that I am - I kept hoping Sandy and Brummy Steve would get together...
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    gboy wrote: »
    Hopeless old romantic that I am - I kept hoping Sandy and Brummy Steve would get together...

    I think Sandy would annoy Steve after a while...
  • BirthdayGirlBirthdayGirl Posts: 64,256
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    LOL...cross contamination with their tea spoons!!!!!
This discussion has been closed.