How do you keep to a schedule with guests?

I have visitors all the time - we had a 6 weeks non-stop visitors in Sept & Oct, then 3 weeks of rest, then another 5 1/2 weeks of visitors again, then a month off and again 2 more weeks of visiting guests. That's 4 1/2 months of visitors in the last 6 months! I'm also very busy and keep doing my weekly activities like art classes, tennis & boxing, volunteering projects, playdates, food shopping, cooking, school activities etc ... so as a family we keep our routine in place and I am sane (relatively speaking lol) I go and pick-up out guest at the airport and ask them what they'd like to do, we spend a little time covering their options & then I do the bookings for them for the week (having the Entertainer guide helps a lot lol). Then they're off and do their own thing (I do not intend to go on a desert safari nor around Dubai on a big red bus 20 times per year and they understand that lol). I also always explain that my daughter has her own routine, explain the timings, and as nice as it is to have visitors it would be very unfair to upset her routine so I invite them to join to our activities (bringing them to art classes or even to volunteer with me). Again I find our guest are very easy going & understanding. They usually trot along and enjoy it, in fairness it gets them to discover another side of Dubai they wouldn't have seen in staying in a hotel and they know they can go off for the day and do their own thing if they want to. As per the cooking I do it when they're off visiting Dubai or they help me and we cook together, and whilst we usually go out it's only maybe once per set of visitors. I found this is to be a nice balance so our guests get proper holidays and exploring time + we spend time together + I still have a life ! :cool: Oh and I also have a fab helper which deals with making sure the bedrooms are nice and tidy so housework is out of the way.:cool: Hope this helps xxx eta: Program options: - Desert Safari - Lost Chambers of Atlantis + Aquaventure (with extra bonus arriving with the train on the Palm) - Big Bus Tour, Dow Cruise, Dubai Museum - Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Textile Souk - Dubai Metro & various Malls - Bastakyia - Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa - Cite des Enfants, iFly, Bowling, Aquaplay, Billiard for kids/teens activities - Madinat, pics of the Burj Al Arab, Beach day (either close to Burj Al Arab or Jumeirah Beach Park for e.g.) - Spa day - Cruise / paddling / water sports - The Village Gate for art galleries lovers - Golfing for golf lovers - Parks (Creek Park, Mushrif etc ...) Am sure they are plenty more, just those ones come to mind as they're quite popular with our guests :) <em>edited by Quizzme on 31/01/2011</em>

When people ask to come and visit you should make it clear to them that even although they are on holiday, you and your family are not. Supply them with a map of Dubai and mall maps, ideas of things to do and numbers for taxis etc. Let them know when you can spend time with them ie. evenings and weekends and make sure they understand that your children still have to continue with their education. If eating out just try and stick to healthier options and The Shred DVD only takes 20 minutes, easy to work in at least a few times while your guests are here. :) ps. If you are having too many people visiting, don't feel bad saying no sometimes, your home is not a hotel. <em>edited by Saltire on 31/01/2011</em>

Give them a set of house keys, let them come and go as they wish while you get on with your normal life. Tell them to help themselves to food in the fridge and cupboard. I presume they have travel books to plan their itinery in Dubai, although they would welcome your recommendations. Have the occasional meal out with them, but don't feel obliged to be their tour guide while here. Well, that's what I've done with my guests so far anyway, and our guests have enjoyed their stay.

Wow I could have written this post! Apart from the kids that is! This 'visitor season' we had 4 lots of guests and they all came within a 2 month period. Now I am not complaining that they visit because I would be upset if I never saw my family and friends but before the first visitor arrived we had been on a diet and exercise drive for a couple of months which had been going really well, this then went to pot when our first visitor arrived. For some reason our unhealthy eating and no exercise continued in between visitors and then right up to Christmas when we went to the UK. For 3 whole months I barely cooked a meal, we spent an absolute fortune on eating out and takeaways and all my good feeling about my diet had gone out of the window. We still can't get back into it completely. It is totally our fault for letting it happen, none of ur visitors would have said we couldn't go to the gym or couldn't have a meal at home but we want them to have a great holiday and spend as much time with them as possible. We had a really good time with our family and friends but we allowed them to turn our lives upside down. We already have another 3 lots of visitors booked in between April and June - we hace said to them that we unfortunately won't be able to take any time off work (because we end up using all of our annual leave to enjoy other people's holidays and can't have our own) and we have said that we will only be able to go out with them once or twice during the week - weekends are fine to spend as much time with them as possible. It sounds horrible but as friends and family we expect them to understand. When we go home for a visit we don't expect them all to take time off work, eat out every night, be at our beck and call, plan every moment of our time and stay up until all hours so why do we feel we have to do it for them? Luckily most of our visitors now are repeat visitors so are starting to know their way around, it is more difficult with first timers!

Stick them in hotels and only see them in the evenings (bar weekends) ........... easy!! :) Sorry, a bit glib I know ..........