Why Do They Bother?

When hostels join booking sites accuracy is of upmost importance, to avoid guests saying:

"We only booked here, because this or that is free."

"I swear I saw that the double room is R150 en-suite. I know of a lot of hotels at that price."

But sites insist on check in and check out times and I wonder why they bother?

Message from a booking - My wife, two small children and I will be travelling long distance by car. We need to check-in at 7am.

I reply - Please note the check-in time. The rooms need to be cleaned. And the other guests are checking out at 10am.

At 7am, I hear hooting - paap, paap, paap!!!

When I open the gate, six people emerge from the car.

Of course Dad did not receive my e-mail, and when he can locate his reading glasses, will prove that check-in time is from 7am.

Do I really deserve this? I tell them that they may wait in the car until their room is ready which can take a maximum of two adults and two children. They can check this as well.

When the other family were loading their luggage into the taxi, the driver sticks his head out the window.

"Madam are you aware that there are a lot of people sleeping here in a car? How much do you charge for that?"

At midday I ask Dad: "Have you decided what to do about the extra children?"

"These are not all our children. Two of them decided to join us."

The children jerk their heads at one another.

"Dad," they say, as one: "How can you lie like that?"

As the siblings shuffled inside Dad offered R100 apiece for his two additional offspring: "We are very tired and just need to sleep."

Three hours later, Mom emerged: "We seem to have run out of hot water. And did my husband confirm with you that our flight is leaving tomorrow at midnight? So, we'll be leaving at 10pm and not 10am."