Repetition Ethics & Shout Outs

Hey all, sorry it's been so long! I've had so much to do in the last month, what with starting a business, selling scones & soup to some locals and the holiday that I've been too busy cooking to write something of note. I'm not a habit blogger, so I only write when I've got somethin to say, so as not to waste my audience's time. I hate reading whiny drivel daily blogs, so there.

First off I'd like to state right here and now that more positive stuff and ethical questions will be part of the blog. As stated above, whiny isn't for me, so I'd like to avoid having the blog be completely about people who suck. So, here's a shout out to the guests who don't suck, and remarkably rock, in my book:

Daniel & Alyssa Sanchez
Rita King & her man
Michelle Kupper & her man
Roy Morton & his lady
Joe & Barbara Hourigan
Anna Slepecky
Mary Beth Hewitt
Hugh Castles


That's right people, I do in fact remember names sometimes, but only when you are extraordinarily cool. Which brings me to today's topic: Hospitality Ethics in Remembering Repeat Guests.

This past weekend I had a man come by who when he originally booked his room, wanted to let me know that he had been here before, but that we shouldn't mention it because he was coming this time with another girl. Then he went on to explain that he had gotten engaged to the previous lady while staying here, but that it didn't work out, so he'd be there with someone different. Obviously this could work out to be an awkward situation for him if his relationship hadn't hit that stage yet. It was funny though, because at first I had no idea why he'd be worried about us mentioning that. He said it was because sometimes at hotels and b&bs the hosts check their records and say something like "Nice to see you again Mr. So & So" when a repeat guest checks in. This guy wanted to avoid that at all costs. So I agreed and laughed a little to myself and looked forward to meeting this guy.

By the time he had checked out this week, the man had come clean to the woman he had whisked away to the inn, and we laughed about it together. I was happy for him that he didn't have to hide the fact anymore. While I don't think it's a big deal, this made me really think about what it means to be second.

I was watching a program last night where a character who was separated from his wife was eating dinner at a fancy restaurant with a new woman he was dating. The wife shows up with another man and the two couples exchange small talk. The wife mentions that she & the husband had come to the restaurant before, and she had wanted to try it again. The wife couple sits down across the restaurant and the new woman is super mad that she was second to come to this place with the husband. Now it wasn't like the guy's separation/marriage was a secret, so why would the woman be angry?

Is it suddenly that a restaurant isn't as special? How does that apply to a place like our inn, where romance is basically our specialty? Wouldn't it be easier to not lie about seeing the place but change the situation, for instance saying he had stayed here on business? Given, there are times when you don't want anyone to know you stayed here with the person you did, such as adulterous moments. But how do hotels differentiate when it is and is not okay to welcome someone as a regular customer? We've all seen movies where rich & powerful guests are welcomed at hotels without ever having stayed at them, or when the guests are repeats. How do they know the appropriate behavior right off the bat? Do they feel it out? Do they have protocol? I'm very confused right now.