Old hat to you experienced lot I'm sure, but it's new to me..
We've had a previous (short break) guest make enquiries about returning in May, which is lovely obviously.. Except that they want to come 6-8th only. Now the agency I usually go through isn't booking short breaks in May, holding out for full weeks I guess. So, do I quote him for a short break, & possibly end up missing a full week ? It's the first time we've had this situation & I'd really appreciate some hand-holding!
2 day enquiry for a peak week - what do I do?
2 nights in peak week
I think I would rather wait as May is still some time off and 2 nights doesn't sound very tempting to me.
Being a peak week - Bank Holiday - it seems a shame to split the week. Having said that, I know the feeling about not wanting to wait and not get anything!
Easter has proved difficult to shift for me this year, but I still hope to get a full week booking.
Good luck!javascript:emoticon(':D')
Being a peak week - Bank Holiday - it seems a shame to split the week. Having said that, I know the feeling about not wanting to wait and not get anything!
Easter has proved difficult to shift for me this year, but I still hope to get a full week booking.
Good luck!javascript:emoticon(':D')
"It's a funny old world...." but full of the most amazing people. 
Sense of humour essential!
Sense of humour essential!I think I would reply that you are only taking full week bookings in that period but nearer the time ( two weeks before?) if it is not booked then you will divide it into short breaks of three nights and four nights, that is of course if you are not prepared to do two nights and I think you should get a least three in a peak week.
Of course you may be 'cutting off your nose to spite your face' and it is ultimately up to you to do the probability estimate and the hard sums.
Of course you may be 'cutting off your nose to spite your face' and it is ultimately up to you to do the probability estimate and the hard sums.
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SandyBeaches
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 8:35 am
- Location: Norfolk Coast
Your cottage looks lovely - very cosy.
It's tempting to hold out for full weeks, but when things were slow last year I took some weekend bookings for peak weeks just to get some business. It really is a difficult one to call.
I think you have to weigh up what other bookings you already have and how likely you are to sell that full week. Maybe if you can persuade them to do a three night minimum stay that would be a compromise.
Good luck - hope you get the booking.
It's tempting to hold out for full weeks, but when things were slow last year I took some weekend bookings for peak weeks just to get some business. It really is a difficult one to call.
I think you have to weigh up what other bookings you already have and how likely you are to sell that full week. Maybe if you can persuade them to do a three night minimum stay that would be a compromise.
Good luck - hope you get the booking.
It depends on so many things and what you are trying to achieve.
Are you trying to maximise your expected return from your investment? In which case, you can estimate what the likelihood of getting the full week booked (say 70%), take off the agents fees and work out your expected return from the week's booking as opposed to the 2 days booking. But you may be the type of person who cannot stand the possibility of getting nothing, and will regret your decision for months if another booking doesn't materialise - in which case you'd be better off emotionally to accept the booking.
You also have to consider the possibility that the return customer may provide you lots of bookings in the future as they have some family reason to come. You could find out whether they are going to come frequently and charge them for the week but give them a free stay at the cottage out of season.
Are you trying to maximise your expected return from your investment? In which case, you can estimate what the likelihood of getting the full week booked (say 70%), take off the agents fees and work out your expected return from the week's booking as opposed to the 2 days booking. But you may be the type of person who cannot stand the possibility of getting nothing, and will regret your decision for months if another booking doesn't materialise - in which case you'd be better off emotionally to accept the booking.
You also have to consider the possibility that the return customer may provide you lots of bookings in the future as they have some family reason to come. You could find out whether they are going to come frequently and charge them for the week but give them a free stay at the cottage out of season.
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LaVilleauTady
- Posts: 524
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 6:52 pm
- Location: Southern Brittany (& Lancashire)
- Contact:
2 day enquiry for a peak week what do I do.
I seem to remember a similar situation with another member regarding the Easter period.
Personally I would not consider that week to be peak, only the weekend. I class all school holidays as peak period, with adjustments according to demand the rest of the year, although as a newbie I may not get it right this year!
I would accept the 2 night booking, but quote the 3 night rate, explaining that it is likely to book anyway (which it probably will).
I recently had a similar situation with a request for 2 nights over a weekend in July which is not in peak season for me, but as it is York races I knew it would book, I quoted the three night rate and they went ahead and booked.
Go with your instinct - it will probably be right:)
Personally I would not consider that week to be peak, only the weekend. I class all school holidays as peak period, with adjustments according to demand the rest of the year, although as a newbie I may not get it right this year!
I would accept the 2 night booking, but quote the 3 night rate, explaining that it is likely to book anyway (which it probably will).
I recently had a similar situation with a request for 2 nights over a weekend in July which is not in peak season for me, but as it is York races I knew it would book, I quoted the three night rate and they went ahead and booked.
Go with your instinct - it will probably be right:)
I would rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal labotomy
As ever the answer is, of course, "it depends.......".
I know what I'd do: I'd offer the dates at our "Short Break" rate, which would actually cover arrival Monday and departure any time before 10:00am Friday (the same rate applies for a weekend, arr Fri leave am Mon). I wouldn't be offering a special 2 night rate, as it's simply not financially viable.
BUT:
We're committed to offering short breaks at any time of year, as it works for us; we also have 3 properties on site, so booking out a short break generally still leaves us options.
We're on site (which has a lot to do with why short breaks are manageable).
I've found the early May BH difficult to shift in the past, with few takers for a full week - but that's in our area, for our market profile, yours might well be totally different.
Your decision for your situation! (That's helpful, isn't it?). However, if you sell the midweek, it still leaves you with the weekend; sell both and you've made a better margin than by selling a complete week.
Oh, if only it was all simple.......
I know what I'd do: I'd offer the dates at our "Short Break" rate, which would actually cover arrival Monday and departure any time before 10:00am Friday (the same rate applies for a weekend, arr Fri leave am Mon). I wouldn't be offering a special 2 night rate, as it's simply not financially viable.
BUT:
We're committed to offering short breaks at any time of year, as it works for us; we also have 3 properties on site, so booking out a short break generally still leaves us options.
We're on site (which has a lot to do with why short breaks are manageable).
I've found the early May BH difficult to shift in the past, with few takers for a full week - but that's in our area, for our market profile, yours might well be totally different.
Your decision for your situation! (That's helpful, isn't it?). However, if you sell the midweek, it still leaves you with the weekend; sell both and you've made a better margin than by selling a complete week.
Oh, if only it was all simple.......
I'm with GB on this one. I would sell it at a short break rate, giving them a late checkout if desired or up to the full four nights Mon-Fri.
I find May is frequently a difficult month to fill and I certainly wouldn't hold out for a week. However, like GB I actively market short breaks all year round; with two properties to fill I rarely hold out for a week, even in peak season.
I find May is frequently a difficult month to fill and I certainly wouldn't hold out for a week. However, like GB I actively market short breaks all year round; with two properties to fill I rarely hold out for a week, even in peak season.
Thanks so much everyone
After much deliberation, we decided to give him our price for a 2 night stay. So many variables to consider, and I found setting a price really quite hard. One of the advantages of using an agency I guess. We have 2 x 1 week bookings in May for later in the month, and the temptation is to hold out, but I'd rather have a booking now for less (not that much less actually!). And in any case, the guest has replied saying he'll be in touch. Which could, of course, mean anything. It's the first time I've had to think about how to be paid, and when, & how much deposit to take. I'm so glad for all the brilliant advice on here about all that! So now we'll see whether he actually books or not
Thanks again.
After much deliberation, we decided to give him our price for a 2 night stay. So many variables to consider, and I found setting a price really quite hard. One of the advantages of using an agency I guess. We have 2 x 1 week bookings in May for later in the month, and the temptation is to hold out, but I'd rather have a booking now for less (not that much less actually!). And in any case, the guest has replied saying he'll be in touch. Which could, of course, mean anything. It's the first time I've had to think about how to be paid, and when, & how much deposit to take. I'm so glad for all the brilliant advice on here about all that! So now we'll see whether he actually books or not
Thanks again.