Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Made to get up early in b&b

94 replies

Bellasorella1 · 16/04/2022 09:53

Arrived at B and B yesterday with 2 parking spaces at the back down a narrow side path. Parked temporarily blocking the 2 parked cars in while getting my suitcase out and told I could leave my car there (the on street parking is resident only) as the two cars were not going anywhere until Sunday.

Yesterday evening noticed I too had now been blocked in.

Woken up this morning at 8 by the owner of one of the cars I was blocking in asking me to get up and move my car. I threw some clothes on and went downstairs, however, the owner of the car blocking me in was nowhere to be found. The B and B proprietor even went into his room - which I thought was illegal. Proprietor then said that some guests are totally selfish and that wasn’t his fault! No idea, however, what blocker was told about when cars might want to move.

Person who knocked me up then decided he’d go into town to buy some baby supplies and would be back at 9-20. So I was stuck unable to go back to bed or even in the shower. The other blocker finally answered his phone was some way away going for a beach walk but agreed to return. When the blocker got back the b&b owner didn’t even tell me straight away, it was the owner of the second car I was blocking in (not moving til Sunday …) that came and found me as they wanted to get out. They had been told don’t park on the road you will get a ticket.

It’s like Fawlty Towers I’ve now been given an in street parking ticket - I’d have paid for one if it had been offered on the first place - but am thoroughly grumpy and over-tired.

Surely this rant is not unreasonable.

OP posts:
Yourgirlfriendrachel · 16/04/2022 11:51

@AchillesPoirot

Why couldn’t you shower?
I assume she didn’t go and shower because she didn’t know when the person who blocked her in would return to unblock her so she could unblock the other guest. So she could just get in the shower and have someone banging on the door again etc.
SwedishEdith · 16/04/2022 11:53

I get obsessive about checking the parking arrangements before booking anywhere now exactly for this type of scenario. I don't mind if we have to pay but I want to know that there is suitable parking nearby.

FrydayFish · 16/04/2022 11:55

So you got knocked up by a stranger and you hadn't even showered beforehand, ew!

WomanStanleyWoman · 16/04/2022 12:16

If he woke you at 8am and was coming back at 9.20, could you have gone back to bed, set your alarm for 9 and then had a shower when you got back up? How long a shower did you want?!

WomanStanleyWoman · 16/04/2022 12:19

Please don't leave a review and damage a small business.

No one owes a business, small or not, a good review (or even no review) if the service has been bad. I keep seeing this attitude where complaining about bad service is seen as taboo or a personal affront. If business owners can’t deal with complaints, maybe they should look at improving their service - that way they won’t get so many.

Badbadbunny · 16/04/2022 12:27

@Grumpsy

This is the reason I don’t stay at b&bs - it’s like put luck with the hosts. That and I’m slightly antisocial so would rather stay in a nice hotel where you are guaranteed not to be harassed 🙈
Yes, I agree and do the same. Shame really as there are a lot of lovely and well managed B&Bs but the thoughts of an over-bearing/over-friendly owner fills me with dread just as much as the risk of getting Basil Fawlty as the owner. There's a lot to be said for anonymous chain hotels that leave you alone. At least these days most B&Bs have online ratings/rankings/reviews so you can read between the lines to avoid.

Yes, I know some people like the over-friendly approach, and that's fine for them, but we've experienced a few small B&Bs where the owners simply couldn't "read" people and wouldn't leave us alone, always hanging around the main entrance wanting to talk every time we were coming and going.

As for parking, it's one of the first things we check for, and look for places with proper car parks nearby, as we too have been stuck when a listing has said "parking available" only to find it's a yard round the back where everyone is blocking others in.

Yourgirlfriendrachel · 16/04/2022 12:28

@WomanStanleyWoman

If he woke you at 8am and was coming back at 9.20, could you have gone back to bed, set your alarm for 9 and then had a shower when you got back up? How long a shower did you want?!
I think the person op was blocking was coming back at 9:20 but the person blocking her was returning at an unknown time and if op hadn’t moved her car when the blocker did, someone else could’ve parked there and blocked her and the whole cycle would start again.
Tobacco · 16/04/2022 12:31

It's a good idea to leave a factual review. I'm sure people who don't mind being got up at 8 to move their car or called home from a beach walk will still be keen. I'm more concerned about people spending their hard earned cash on a break knowing what they are booking than I am someone's business having a fair and factual review written about it.

Badbadbunny · 16/04/2022 12:32

@mnnewbie111

First port of call leaving a bad review. I know the sort
Nothing wrong with leaving an honest review - it's what other people rely on for information. As long as it's factually correct, no problem, though it's also nice to highlight the good bits, what worked out OK, etc., rather than just saying the negatives. For the place in question, clearly there's a problem with the lack of parking, and if the listing shows parking, then it's right for reviews to highlight a potential problem.
Badbadbunny · 16/04/2022 12:33

@Tobacco

It sounds like an absolute shambles. Not arranging enough proper parking spaces for visitors is rubbish
It's only a "shambles" and "rubbish" if the owner says that there's parking in the listings etc. Lots of small B&Bs, guest houses and hotels don't have their own parking, but don't promise it either!
SeasonFinale · 16/04/2022 12:34

I assume she didn't shower because she was going to have a lie in. Thus a quick nip out tk move car at 8am and then back to bed. She didn't know it was going to be 1 hour 20 and presumably was on standby to move the car. I probably would have got back in bed and said to knock when all parties were available

BoredZelda · 16/04/2022 12:40

The B and B proprietor even went into his room - which I thought was illegal.

It isn’t illegal.

Tobacco · 16/04/2022 12:46

It's only a "shambles" and "rubbish" if the owner says that there's parking in the listings etc. Lots of small B&Bs, guest houses and hotels don't have their own parking, but don't promise it either!
People need somewhere to park that isn't miles away. If the B&B can't offer that they need to make that clear on the listing, otherwise they can expect customers to let the cat out of the bag in their review!

Joystir59 · 16/04/2022 12:53

I wouldn't stay there again. They should tell guests there is no free parking. Let them off load only and then move their car to a proper parking space/car park. The current system is batshit crazy.

Mojoj · 16/04/2022 13:40

Make sure you mention this in your review! Bloody ridiculous arrangement!

mumda · 16/04/2022 13:40

If you want peace and quiet don't gpo to a b&b. They are literally bed and breakfast and then "go away".
If you want to lounge around all day book a hotel. And find one with good parking.

bringincrazyback · 16/04/2022 13:48

I'm missing something. Why are people making pregnancy jokes?

bringincrazyback · 16/04/2022 13:48

Ah no worries, I just got it - was a bit slow there Grin

donquixotedelamancha · 16/04/2022 13:51

Please don't leave a review and damage a small business. Take it up with the owner in a calm manner and you'll probably be compensated and apologised to. Jumping straight to a review when pissed off is one of the shittest things you can do unless a last resort!

I don't understand this (very common) idea at all. An honest, accurate review is a service to everyone who wants to know what a particular establishment is like.

The tendancy to put 5 stars for mediocre service and to not leave negative reviews is incredibly harmful to customers and any business that cares about them, because it means truly great places are unable to shine.

The only people who benefit from over inflation of reviews are shitty businesses.

EmeraldShamrock1 · 16/04/2022 13:53

Yanbu what a mess.

Leave a large note on your door and windscreen tonight "do not disturb".

Ridiculous that the parking spaces are scarce.

ThinWomansBrain · 16/04/2022 13:57

@Justcallmebebes

Congratulations on your pregnancy

Who's pregnant? I'm lost

OP?

the person in the neighbouring room went to buy baby supplies after knocking her up.
Keep up Grin

Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 16/04/2022 13:59

@Cocomarine

“Person who knocked me up then decided he’d go into town to buy some baby supplies”

Well that’s ridiculous - he’s got 9 months after knocking you up before you need the nappies etc. Could have waited.

Oh, well done you - that’s fabulous comment!! 🤣🤣🤣
Anonymous48 · 16/04/2022 14:04

The person who knocked you up? Huh? What on earth do you mean? (Other than, I'm assuming, the well known meaning that this person got you pregnant.)

How were the parking arrangements described in the B&B's listing? I would be extremely annoyed if I'd been led to believe that parking was available. But I probably wouldn't stay at a B&B. I would stay at a hotel where I knew there was a parking spot that I could come and go from as I pleased, and where I could expect to be undisturbed in my room at all hours of the day and night.

OfstedOffred · 16/04/2022 14:05

Please don't leave a review and damage a small business. Take it up with the owner in a calm manner and you'll probably be compensated and apologised to. Jumping straight to a review when pissed off is one of the shittest things you can do unless a last resort!

Wtf? This attitude is why there arent enough accurate reviews.

An honest, factual review of the amount of parking helps future customers know if its the right choice for them. If a business can't stay afloat without people booking who are misguided about the facts , it's not a good business.

Kezzie200 · 16/04/2022 14:07

Owners of b and bs are such a lottery.

Where we live there's a b and b close by with no parking. He advertises with parking. When someone comes he stands out in the road and in any free parking space he can find until they arrive (I assume he asks them for an arrival time!) They then take up a local free space for their whole stay (there's only about 15 spaces total and in a prime location for people to come and go for shopping etc). It's really pushing beyond whats reasonable.

The local people are really annoyed but to have restrictions imposed would make all the spaces restricted and kick them in the teeth too.