Two Night Minimum Question

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Kay Nein

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When you have a two night minimum, do you specify what nights that applies to?
Labor day - 3 day weekend, two night minimum. So, if someone books Fri & Sat then Sunday is available for someone to do a two nighter on Sun & Mon. But, if someone books Saturday & Sunday, you're basically out the Fri & Monday nights because you'd be requiring someone to come in on Thursday in order to have Fri or stay through Tuesday in order to have Monday.
Just trying to figure out how everyone else handles this.
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Thank you!!!
 
Do not worry about Monday - that is go home day. Once you have your 2-night minimums filled, THEN you offer one night @ a "holiday" one night rate (higher) or take the one nighters at the special "holiday" rate. I once filled an entire Labor Day weekend this way - and it was the guest wanting the one night who suggested "what if I pay a surcharge?"
 
I change those dates to 3 night minimum. Don't care which three nights. And as it gets closer, I contemplate changes and sell off the two or single nights created. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
When I set a 2-night min on a long weekend it is for any 2 consecutive nights. So...F-S, S-S, Th-F, S-M. It does leave me with some odd combos but it allows one nighters for the oddball nights.
We had a lot of people this year who are only staying one night...Sun, because that wasn't part of the 2-night min. Pain because I can't book any 3-nighters now. But, this is the weirdest Labor Day yet. We have nothing for Friday.
I'll be taking the 2-night min off in a couple of days because the weekend is shot at this point.
 
Personally I just do any 2 nights and am happy with that. It depends on where you are located - busy tourist area on Main street or a nice retreat area may even work doing a 3 night min like Eric.
It also depends on the time of year, Labor Day weekend is typically a slow period here. Each year I try a 2 night min and usually end up opening to one nighters. This year is no exception.
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With a 2 night minimum, we are ok with any 2 of the nights, but if I get 1/2 of my rooms booked for Sat-Sun, I will block the other rooms from a Sat. check-in. That way I won't end up with all the Fridays open.
For the past couple of years I've done a 3 night minimum for Mem Day and Labor Day weekends. I don't necessarily end up with all room doing 3 nights, but a few weeks before the holiday I'll analyze which rooms I will open up for a 2 or 1 night reservation.
It's a tricky guessing game!
 
We have a two-night minimum for a large once-a-month flea market near us. It starts on Thursday and ends on Sunday. So, quite often we have a leftover night either on the front end or on the back end of the weekend. Once I have my two-nighters in place, I go on ReservationKey and remove the two-night minimum requirement. We seldom have a problem filling the third night.
I do offer a discount if they book for three nights on that weekend.
 
We've had a two night minimum from May to September, on our website for the past 3 years. Just having it on the website and online booking system does weed out a large proportion of the 1 nighters.
For those that still try to book for the past two seasons I've impossed the rule as it suits me, if a booking fills a gap in the diary or backs up to another booking I'll take it.
This year started off much more challenging, summer bookings started very slow and late and I paniced, it still says no 1 nighters on the website, but I've turned very few away unless it really was a single booking in the middle of a blank patch.
 
I just lifted the 3 night minimum for the next holiday. I had 1 room left to fill. Guest wanted Thurs & Fri, so I grabbed it...It won't be difficult to fill Sat & Sun.
With a 2 night minimum, if half the rooms are booked for a Sat. & Sun. I'll go in and tell ResKey that reservation must check in on Fri. No Sat. check-ins. That way I won't end up with all my rooms empty on Friday. 1 night on Fridays is the toughest to fill.
 
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