What I agreed to when I made the reservation was the price for a 2-night stay plus dinner on the last night. Although the owner was the essence of sweetness and light when she reeled out the list of amenities, at no time did she mention either the added tax (which is mandatory by law) nor the gratuity, which, the last time I blinked, is still an option.
I did think it was rather quaint but charming, when discussing our reservation confirmation, that Stephanie preferred to mail the confirmation along with brochures rather than sending it by e-mail, but the reason became abundantly clear when the envelope arrived in the mail upon our return.
When we discovered the charge on our credit card receipt, we naturally balked. Maybe I'm strange, but when it comes to people charging my credit card, I still reserve the right to exercise control, since I'm the one paying the bill. Dinging me for extra charges without my knowledge or permission is underhanded. In fact, I consider double-dipping a form of theft.
My husband and I are easy travellers, low-key types who require little fuss. We go about our business, make our own bed, leave a tidy room, and don't ask for extras. Not once, in all our travels, have we ever had occasion to question a bill.
The owners of Beild House, however, do business a little differently - charging your credit card as soon as you book - including the undisclosed 15% gratuity. When we objected to the service charge and asked for the money to be refunded to our credit card, the owner's true stripes appeared. The hackles came out and we were accused repeatedly of being both cheap and unappreciative. Perhaps this is a new standard of business of which I am also (blissfully) unaware. So I have to ask - when did it become standard practice to insult and berate your paying guests who don't happen to share your vision?
Having travelled across the U.K. and Europe, staying in B and B's, this is the first time we have encountered this practice. However, according to Stephanie (the owner of Beild House) who purports to have travelled all across Europe, mandatory tipping is the norm. But the problem with that argument is (1) this is not Europe (2) Europe is comprised of many countries, each with its own standards and (3) therefore, there is no one "common" practice. When I pointed this out to the owner, she changed her tune again. Not only was I cheap, but misinformed. Hers was not a B & B, but a 14-room "full-service inn".
Well, Ma'am, you can call it what you will, but if it looks like a B & B and acts like a B & B and it is listed in both the local phone book and tourist websites as a B & B, then that's what it is perceived to be. And if you have reached the point in your business where you can afford to hire staff, then surely you can afford to pay them. You get to decide what amenities you offer, what rates to charge for the services you offer. You offer a special two-day package, plus one evening meal. When I agree to pay you for my lodging and meal, that is the end of my obligation to you. If I'd wanted a guilt trip and a lecture, I would have booked one.
Although the amenities were fine, with the exception of a teeny shower built for an anorexic, and the food was very good, it was no better than others places we've stayed. It's not as if the Beild House is a bargain. There are no free rides here. All those little niceties and personal touches are built into the price.
Believe me, an owner hell-bent on topping up her staff's salaries at your expense has calculated the cost of providing those little niceties down to the last penny. As I said, I have no quibble with the accommodations, but when the owner's ego exceeds honesty and transparency, when the host feels entitled to berate guests who discover the deception, perhaps it's time to close shop.
It's too bad, but we won't be inclined to take this trip again.
Great title, Tina. My husband and I prefer B&B's, too. Hotels are large and impersonal. It's important, especially for women, who generally do most of the cooking and cleaning at home, to get away and be pampered.
ReplyDeleteYou were right to demand your 15% gratuity fee back. To tip or not to tip is up to the client, not management. Even if you had a wonderful time, you've spent hundreds of dollars for a couple of days away. I usually go out and buy a little gift for staff members who went out of their way to make my holiday wonderful.
I looked up The Beild House and it looks okay, nothing special. The only room I would want to sleep in is the blue room.
For the owner to argue with you was improper, especially since it wasn't your first time there. Why European rates or customs was raised during the argument is ridiculous. This is Canada and rates are already higher then our friends to the south.
Ads on TV encourage Canadians to explore their country, but why should we when we have to pay more and get less?