These are my seven tips when leaving a bed and breakfast so you can enjoy the rest of your trip.
- Prepare the evening before by packing your bags.
- Check that you have gotten everything that belongs to you.
- Check in and around the bed and breakfast that you haven’t left anything behind.
- Read and follow the checking out instructions left by the host.
- Check that all external doors, security doors and windows are key locked.
- When everyone is outside have one person go back in to the property and check that nothing has been left behind and that all external doors, security doors and windows are key locked.
- Send the host a message that you are leaving the bed and breakfast.
Plan ahead of time.
DO NOT be in a last minute rush to leave the bed and breakfast. Plan ahead of time. People who are rushing make mistakes and accidentally pack things that belong to the bed and breakfast or leave things behind that belong to them. Both are a hassle for the host. Prepare everyone in your group the evening before you are going leave. Get each person in your group to pack their bags and check they are only packing what belongs to them. Also check that they are not leaving anything behind.
Check, check and check again.
Before putting your bags in the car check again that you haven’t accidentally packed anything that belongs to the bed and breakfast.
Checking out instructions from the host.
Check that you have read and carried out the leaving instructions for the particular bed and breakfast. Each host may have things they prioritise that you need to do before you leave. The host usually has this information written in a house manual or in an email sent to you soon before check out time.
Lock up the property properly.
Before leaving the property, ensure that you lock all external doors, security doors, and windows. Remember guests are responsible for the property if you leave doors and windows unlocked or open. If you leave the property unlocked and it gets broken into and things get broken or stolen you are going to be charged to repair the damage or replace items. So always make doubly sure that the property is completely locked up before leaving.
Final walk through and checks.
After you have put all the bags in the car and everyone in your group is outside sorting themselves in the car or before the Taxi or Uber arrives one person should go back in to the bed and breakfast and do a final check. Check in draws and cupboards, under beds particularly in the rooms kids were staying in. Before leaving the property, ensure that you check bathrooms for anything that might have been placed there while getting ready and forgotten in the rush. Finally, verify that all external doors and windows are properly locked.
Leaving the bed and breakfast.
Let the host know when you are about to leave the bed and breakfast by sending them a message. The message doesn’t have to be very long, something like ‘We will be leaving in about five minutes’ or ‘We have just left’ will be sufficient however if you want to thank the host for a great stay you can put that in the message too. You should never leave without notifying the host.