I decided this year to allow short breaks all year without restrictions. I have found that my market is taking more short breaks now where they may previously have taken a week.
However, as the bookings have come in, I now find myself with a lot of peak season short breaks left to sell; the majority being weekend breaks. Now my midweek breaks are slightly better value as you get four nights for the same price as a three night weekend break.
I have stated on my website (only in the written details on my rates page) that I will now only take short breaks in one property and was keeping any complete weeks left to sell as weeks.
I have yet another enquiry for a midweek break, which would leave me two weekend breaks for example on the same weekend in July.
I expect weekend breaks to be booked nearer the time but as I only sold 3 last year, I don't want to end up with too many on my books. I did fill the summer, but not until the last minute. I currently have a weekend break available for a minimum of five weeks and if I accepted this midweek break booking I would have six to sell.
I know not many of you offer weekend short breaks in the summer, but what would you do in my position? Take the booking anyway, refuse the booking to keep the week available or offer another date - for example I have a midweek break in August or early July.
Peak season short breaks
Peak season short breaks
Last edited by Nemo on Wed Mar 27, 2013 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Having messed up May and June with short term break for returning client will not be doing it again.
I'd say keep to weekly bookings from now on.
I'd say keep to weekly bookings from now on.
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....
The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
Weekend breaks tend to be short notice. I managed to get 3 short breaks in the past month with only 3 days notice - or less! And they didn't book because of any last minute discounts either. People seem to be booking a lot later this year and "seeing what the weather's like"
So I'd accept the short mid-week breaks. With us it's the other way around - weekends are booked first.
So I'd accept the short mid-week breaks. With us it's the other way around - weekends are booked first.
peak season short breaks urgent response needed please
Hi Nemo,
I think I would accept the break. If you are trialing the strategy of keeping one peak week bookings only and the other accepting short breaks, it will give a proper indication of success/failure at the end of the season.
Personally, we do not offer short breaks in peak season, but I have noticed this year the number of short breaks booked is significantly up on last year. Mine are almost always weekend breaks, I am always delighted to get a 4 night midweek booking (only 2 so far).
Sign of the economic times that people are opting for more affordable stays maybe. I do think that the rest of your summer will book up no problem,although steady nerves may be needed, I am finding peak week bookings to be much slower than last year. people waiting to see what they can afford or perhaps holding out for a late booking discount.
Good luck with deciding, but "bird in the hand" would be the way I would go:)
I think I would accept the break. If you are trialing the strategy of keeping one peak week bookings only and the other accepting short breaks, it will give a proper indication of success/failure at the end of the season.
Personally, we do not offer short breaks in peak season, but I have noticed this year the number of short breaks booked is significantly up on last year. Mine are almost always weekend breaks, I am always delighted to get a 4 night midweek booking (only 2 so far).
Sign of the economic times that people are opting for more affordable stays maybe. I do think that the rest of your summer will book up no problem,although steady nerves may be needed, I am finding peak week bookings to be much slower than last year. people waiting to see what they can afford or perhaps holding out for a late booking discount.
Good luck with deciding, but "bird in the hand" would be the way I would go:)
I would rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal labotomy
Thanks folks. I have ummed and ahhed as you can imagine, but what swayed me is, if I accept it, I have the same weekend available in both properties. I can hold my nerve for selling one, but often find it difficult to sell the same weekend twice over at the last minute.
So reluctantly, I have turned it away and he has just this minute replied saying he is tied to those specific dates, so I can't shoe horn him into another date.
I have become a lot more flexible this year and whilst bookings are up, I have created difficulties for myself by doing so. By accepting every booking that came along, I have ended up with more gaps than I'm comfortable with, 6 day weeks instead of seven available in some weeks, and the odd Saturday checkout when I only usually offer Mondays or Fridays, thus cutting into another break.
I'll have to see what the rest of the season brings and whether I do end up with gaps. Hopefully not!
So reluctantly, I have turned it away and he has just this minute replied saying he is tied to those specific dates, so I can't shoe horn him into another date.
I have become a lot more flexible this year and whilst bookings are up, I have created difficulties for myself by doing so. By accepting every booking that came along, I have ended up with more gaps than I'm comfortable with, 6 day weeks instead of seven available in some weeks, and the odd Saturday checkout when I only usually offer Mondays or Fridays, thus cutting into another break.
I'll have to see what the rest of the season brings and whether I do end up with gaps. Hopefully not!
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Harborfields
- Posts: 358
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:29 pm
- Location: West Boothbay Harbor, Maine
- Contact:
We try hard to stick to weekly bookings (Saturday to Saturday) for our peak season, but sometimes we get inquiries looking for something non-standard (e.g. Wednesday to Wednesday). We are willing to consider these if the inquirer is willing to pay a premium price. With the premium, we are able to cover our added costs (additional cleanings) and also offer a discount on the resulting short breaks. In our (so far limited) experience, the short breaks will (eventually) fill, but the discounts do help.
In our area, there does seem to be a fair amount of "last-minute" travel, and many of these people are looking for shorter stays. In contrast to those who offer last minute discounts, I think we should be charging more for last minute bookings!
In terms of our overall booking performance this year, we are slightly ahead of our performance at this time last year, although things seem to have slowed at the moment. Based on last year, we anticipate a big uptick in interest during the month of May -- our peak season is July and August...
In our area, there does seem to be a fair amount of "last-minute" travel, and many of these people are looking for shorter stays. In contrast to those who offer last minute discounts, I think we should be charging more for last minute bookings!
In terms of our overall booking performance this year, we are slightly ahead of our performance at this time last year, although things seem to have slowed at the moment. Based on last year, we anticipate a big uptick in interest during the month of May -- our peak season is July and August...
We do short breaks at any time Nemo - we charge slightly more for a 4 night (Mon-Fri) break than a 3 night week end (Fri-Mon)
We charge a premium for the short breaks compared to the week and we add the £40 cleaning/laundry on top of any and all bookings.
As an example we charged
£549 for the Easter week (Fri-Fri)
£329 for the weekend
£349 for the midweek
All plus the £40
So, selling short breaks potentially makes us about 25% more. We don't get that many voids caused by it and I am sure it brings in more bookings in low and shoulder seasons.
We charge a premium for the short breaks compared to the week and we add the £40 cleaning/laundry on top of any and all bookings.
As an example we charged
£549 for the Easter week (Fri-Fri)
£329 for the weekend
£349 for the midweek
All plus the £40
So, selling short breaks potentially makes us about 25% more. We don't get that many voids caused by it and I am sure it brings in more bookings in low and shoulder seasons.
Windy, I have always sold short breaks all year, the difference being that I normally put a restriction on the peak summer season until nearer the time. I used to promote them 6-8 weeks before, whereas this year I opened them up from the offset.
I have priced them as high as I know my market will bear, which is why I think people have plumped for the four midweek nights and left me lots of weekend breaks.
Anyway, I'll probably accept whatever comes my way from now on and have a little rethink for next year.
I have priced them as high as I know my market will bear, which is why I think people have plumped for the four midweek nights and left me lots of weekend breaks.
Anyway, I'll probably accept whatever comes my way from now on and have a little rethink for next year.
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Lindisfarne
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:48 pm
- Location: Bamburgh, England
We take short breaks (Fri-Mon, Mon-Fri) all year round. We sell a short break for 75% of the weekly rental so it is far more lucrative to have two short breaks than one full week! This year, we seem to have sold more weeks than short breaks - but still plenty of summer bookings left to fill.
I'm not too worried though - hoping it will pick up when better weather comes. I've only just booked our own summer holiday, so there must be plenty of others who are also late bookers!
I'm not too worried though - hoping it will pick up when better weather comes. I've only just booked our own summer holiday, so there must be plenty of others who are also late bookers!
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Wendy@NorthIdaho
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:03 pm
- Location: North Idaho, USA
- Contact:
Do different types of guests reserve the different types of stays? ex: couples for weekends verses larger families for the weekly rentals?
Do you prefer one over the other?
I only do weekly during July and August in our cottage, but for our first year with the condo am taking anything I can get!
Will be interested in hearing how this works out for you.
All the best,
Wendy
Do you prefer one over the other?
I only do weekly during July and August in our cottage, but for our first year with the condo am taking anything I can get!
Will be interested in hearing how this works out for you.
All the best,
Wendy
New Vacation Rental called DayStar Lodge! (Sold Narrows Cottage now have a rental management company called A-List Rental Management)
We try only to take 2 week bookings in July & August & are flexible the rest of the time in terms of start dates & length of stay.
This year though we have taken some short breaks in April & May which I now regret but at the time with an empty calendar it seemed like a good idea....
It takes nerves of steel to turn away business with no guarantee of filling those dates again. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't.
If only we had a crystal ball.....
Elena
Dordogne holiday cottages
Tales from our Dordogne gites
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This year though we have taken some short breaks in April & May which I now regret but at the time with an empty calendar it seemed like a good idea....
It takes nerves of steel to turn away business with no guarantee of filling those dates again. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't.
If only we had a crystal ball.....
Elena
Dordogne holiday cottages
Tales from our Dordogne gites
keep in touch with Les Crouquets on Facebook
follow us on pinterest