Housekeeping Shenanigans?

[tedhowe]

Hey all...

Just a quick question. Has anyone else had any recent check-out day shenanigans with House Keeping at Old Key West?

I remember years ago there used to be a problem for a while of "phantom calls" from housekeeping at pretty early hours (8am or earlier) to check if a room was vacant - or possibly wake up people who were checking out that day.

We're finishing up 6 great nights here at OKW and had housekeeping knock on our door at 9:30 to see if we were there - no problem, we were and were up and getting ready. We'll be out of the room by 11am.

But, we have friends traveling with us next door. The housekeeper went there next and knocked. They are also up, but housekeeping said that they were supposed to be checked out by 9am!

No way, no how. I never even heard of giving DVC a check out time before 11am.

She had a paper that showed the room was supposed to be vacant at 9. One call to the front desk by our guests and it was cleared up, but they shouldn't have had to do that.

I feel like this is another "trick" used by housekeeping to get rooms empty earlier, but before I go to the front desk and complain, I wanted to see what everyone thought of the situation.

Trip report coming later on this weekend. Another great week at OKW other than that (and a couple of maintenance issues).

 

[beer dave]

Sounds shady to me... we always put the do not disturb sign on our door on check out day to keep them from coming in early.

Did you accidentally put an early check out time on the on line check in when filling it out?

 

[tedhowe]

I don't believe so. Our friends did their check in, not us. I didn't realize that there even was a checkout time selection on that online form... come to think of it, I don't think they even did online check in, but instead checked in at the front desk when they got here.

 

[beer dave]

I think it asks when you will be checking out-- (someone will confirm either way I'm sure) I seem to remember always putting in a late time.

 

[CarolMN]

I think it was just a misunderstanding and not intentionally done to get rid of guests earlier..

 

[tedhowe]

Yeah... I think that is the case. I will have to keep an eye on the online checkin form when we do it next time. If it defaults to 9:00am, that would be a problem in my eyes, but that's not housekeeping's fault.

That's why I checked here before heading to the front desk or member services.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ustasmom]

We spent one night there last month. We checked in at 10:30 and they knocked on the door at 8:30 to see if we had left.

 

[southerngirl528]

I'm with Beer Dave. We also ALWAYS put the Privacy hang card on our door before going to bed our last night just to be certain that no one might wake us earlier than planned. And as a courtesy, I always try to give Housekeeping or FD a quick call as we are vacating, to let them know. I think we all have to remember that we all want to check in early (every time if possible, right? lol), but it takes previous guests getting themselves OUT and housekeeping a chance to turn that villa around. And I think sometimes we forget that cleaning a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom villa with a full kitchen and laundry facilities is going to take a good deal longer than just cleaning a hotel room. Not preachin', because I am guilty of all the above at times.

 

[Sandisw]

I also put the do not disturb sign up as they are not allowed to bother you in anyway when it is. This way, we prevent being disturbed. But, on the flip side, when we do check out, if it is earlier than 11:00 am, I tell the first housekeeper I see or let the front desk know so they can flag it to be cleaned...at least this way, whoever is checking in, might have it ready early.

 

[disneynutz]

Housekeepers follow their daily work sheet and they have up to 10 rooms to service. Early check outs are listed on the work sheet and If all of their rooms aren't available until after 11, no way can they get done. In addition per their union contract, if they finish early they can go home with pay but that rarely happens due to the assigned workload.

Yes they will knock on the door early if you don't hang the DND sign.
Yes they will call the room to see if you answer the phone or to wake you up.
Yes the will attempt to enter the room to see if your deadbolt is thrown.

Bill

 

[bumbershoot]

She had a paper that showed the room was supposed to be vacant at 9.

Did your friends have a FP+ made that morning that they decided not to get up and out for?

I don't think they even did online check in, but instead checked in at the front desk when they got here.

You can do online checkin and still go to the front desk.

I think it asks when you will be checking out-- (someone will confirm either way I'm sure) I seem to remember always putting in a late time.

Yep.

 

[beer dave]

Did your friends have a FP+ made that morning that they decided not to get up and out for?

Ah --- interesting thought..... soon they will gps your bands so they will know when you leave...

 

[Bronte]

We where at the poly the night of Dec. 30th and housekeeping came into the room (no knock) even though we where still there and had the DND on. She said sorry but she thought the room was empty.
On other trips we have had housekeeping come in with no knock at the BLT (day of check in) at the beach club while my daughter was in the shower and have had rooms at many resorts that were missing the DND sign so we had to request one upon check in. My husband hates housekeeping coming in at all and that is one of the reasons we love the DVC but I do agree with him that they use the key to enter way too much. He alaways puts the DND sign up (one time he had to make his own LOL)

 

[disneynutz]

We where at the poly the night of Dec. 30th and housekeeping came into the room (no knock) even though we where still there and had the DND on. She said sorry but she thought the room was empty.
On other trips we have had housekeeping come in with no knock at the BLT (day of check in) at the beach club while my daughter was in the shower and have had rooms at many resorts that were missing the DND sign so we had to request one upon check in. My husband hates housekeeping coming in at all and that is one of the reasons we love the DVC but I do agree with him that they use the key to enter way too much. He alaways puts the DND sign up (one time he had to make his own LOL)

Others also enter the room like engineering, if you are in the room keep the deadbolt and security latch on.

On check out day housekeeping doesn't know if you checked out and left the DND sign out so they don't really pay attention to the sign. Per housekeeping it's a common problem.

Bill

 

[southerngirl528]

We where at the poly the night of Dec. 30th and housekeeping came into the room (no knock) even though we where still there and had the DND on. She said sorry but she thought the room was empty.
On other trips we have had housekeeping come in with no knock at the BLT (day of check in) at the beach club while my daughter was in the shower and have had rooms at many resorts that were missing the DND sign so we had to request one upon check in. My husband hates housekeeping coming in at all and that is one of the reasons we love the DVC but I do agree with him that they use the key to enter way too much. He alaways puts the DND sign up (one time he had to make his own LOL)

If I ever had anyone, housekeeping or otherwise, enter my room when I had the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and I was in the room, I would call and ask to speak to the hotel manager immediately. This is not acceptable.

Others also enter the room like engineering, if you are in the room keep the deadbolt and security latch on.

On check out day housekeeping doesn't know if you checked out and left the DND sign out so they don't really pay attention to the sign. Per housekeeping it's a common problem.

Absolutely agree with Disneynutz on these points. Makes total sense.

 

[Donna M]

If you are departing early and want to give housekeeping an opportunity to start cleaning your room right away, you need to go to the front desk and check out. Evidently, calling them doesn't help, only going to the front desk in person would work because he/she could change the info in the computer. said the front desk cm I spoke with.

 

[disneynutz]

If you are departing early and want to give housekeeping an opportunity to start cleaning your room right away, you need to go to the front desk and check out. Evidently, calling them doesn't help, only going to the front desk in person would work because he/she could change the info in the computer. said the front desk cm I spoke with.

Another tip if in a 1 bedroom or larger is to start the dishwasher early so the housekeeper doesn't have to run it. Not starting it early can add and hour or two to the room availability for the next guest.

Bill

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

This is an issue that really bugs me. The 3 most recent times that we've stayed DVC, housekeeping has either called or attempted to enter our room multiple times on checkout day, even with the do not disturb sign on the door. This past July, they knocked and tried to enter right at 8am, my son who was sleeping on the pullout couch heard them although we were all asleep having been out late the night before. They came back 20 minutes later. This time, I was awake since my son woke me up after the first time. I opened the door and she said she was just checking to see if we had left yet. I said we would be out by 10. Housekeeping called at 9 to see if we had left and then tried to enter the room again at 9:30. I was livid. I get it - they need to get the rooms done. But if I've not only put on my online checking when I'm leaving (which is also the time of my magical express pickup), put out the DND sign, they've tried to enter and its deadbolted and they've spoken to me in person, it's just rude and an unfortunate way to end the vacation. On checkin day, it's nice to get in the room early, but I don't expect it. I do, however, expect to have the room until I check out on my last day as long as I check out on time.

 

[Sammie]

I wish they would give you a sign to hang on the door when you leave that the room is ready for housekeeping.

 

[disneynutz]

This is an issue that really bugs me. The 3 most recent times that we've stayed DVC, housekeeping has either called or attempted to enter our room multiple times on checkout day, even with the do not disturb sign on the door. This past July, they knocked and tried to enter right at 8am, my son who was sleeping on the pullout couch heard them although we were all asleep having been out late the night before. They came back 20 minutes later. This time, I was awake since my son woke me up after the first time. I opened the door and she said she was just checking to see if we had left yet. I said we would be out by 10. Housekeeping called at 9 to see if we had left and then tried to enter the room again at 9:30. I was livid. I get it - they need to get the rooms done. But if I've not only put on my online checking when I'm leaving (which is also the time of my magical express pickup), put out the DND sign, they've tried to enter and its deadbolted and they've spoken to me in person, it's just rude and an unfortunate way to end the vacation. On checkin day, it's nice to get in the room early, but I don't expect it. I do, however, expect to have the room until I check out on my last day as long as I check out on time.

I agree with you but I also understand the housekeepers position. If you were the housekeeper and you were given a sheet of rooms to clean, you need to get them done by a certain time, you don't know the condition of the rooms, (and I have seen some that you would not believe), your boss is putting pressure to work faster, you know that later you will be getting chewed out if you don't finish by 4:00.

We were bugged by a house keeper last month who wanted to get into our room, she said that the people checking into the room were very upset that the room wasn't ready and that the front desk told housekeeping to get the room ready ASAP.

Bill