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jmj

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What are some factors you have used to determine your room rate? If you have an extended stay, do you give a discount, or charge a deposit?
 
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LookAround at what's available elsewhere. Better still, stay there if you can. You don't want to be the lowest price because then everyone wants to know why.
Don't start off low because you'll never crawl out of that hole. You can have a 'sale' because you're new but base the sale on realistically higher rates.
Be brutally honest with what you provide. We provide a lot less than other places in town for a variety of reasons. And we price accordingly.
When the next owner comes along they can raise prices dramatically by offering the things we don't. ($40+/night)
We don't do extended stay but I would cut them some slack if they didn't want daily housekeeping or didn't need breakfast.
 
I only provide laundry/cleaning after they leave, or every 7 days for longer stays. My apartments each have washer/dryer in them, so I leave the guests some detergent and a starter supply of towels, etc.. They do their only laundry as needed.
I leave the mop, broom, and vacuum by the washer/dryer so, for stays of more than a couple of nights, people do a lot of their own cleaning, just as they would at home.
I give 25% discount for a stay of 7 nights or more.
If they stay 30 nights or more I knock off another 25% for a total of 50% off.
 
The thing is, with one nighters you have to pay much more, the cleaning of the room, and the linens to factor in. It is NOT just the cost of the power and water to clean the linens, you also need to have someone there to do it!
Having all one nighters friday for a grad, and then sat again, it is an all consuming job to keep the laundry going, for just this weekend. So how much is MY time worth? Apparently nothing. But that is another story...
 
The thing is, with one nighters you have to pay much more, the cleaning of the room, and the linens to factor in. It is NOT just the cost of the power and water to clean the linens, you also need to have someone there to do it!
Having all one nighters friday for a grad, and then sat again, it is an all consuming job to keep the laundry going, for just this weekend. So how much is MY time worth? Apparently nothing. But that is another story....
Absolutely true about one nighters costing more. It's the multi night stays where we make some money. I don't generally discount because this is where I make money.
If I discounted multi night stays it would eventually be the same as having one nighters, money-wise.
Easier on the back, harder on the wallet.
 
First the market - what do other places charge. Then, room amenties like view, bed size, room size, bathroom luxury (or lack of.)
We have two rooms at a lower rate - one has a bathroom down the hall and is quite small. The other is large and very comfortable, but is on the first floor so not much of a view and noisy.
We give 7th day free for a week stay. Also, rates go down for Fall and Winter seasons.
 
You need to consider the amenities in each room too. If you have a room with a steam shower it costs more for that room than one with a regular bath as they'll use more electricity. Same as jacuzzis because of the electric and the hot water. Always charge more for king beds. I had bought a mattress for us and my bad back but didn't like it. So I had a king size bed frame in the storage area so I upgraded a queen room to a king. Raised the rate $20 over the exact same queen size room next door. It's booking like crazy. Wish I had more room in the other one but a jog in the wall prevents me from putting in a king.
As for long stays, in the slower seasons I offer a Stay More, Save More deal. If they stay 3 nights, they get 5% off their rate; 4 nights or more they save 10%. I only change sheets after 4 nights, so it's so much better to get one couple checked in for longer stays -- I don't have to wait around for someone to check in, you develop a better relationship during a longer stay and the cleaning costs don't go up. Win win for me!!
 
If in High season I don't give discounts Period ! IF it happens we are not booked one day out of the week Iam happy it gives me a day to play catch up. Or a night to go out for a wee while.
But if they do stay long time like a week . I offer small perks.
But longer then a week I am not encouraging stays longer. In our case longer stays has not worked out.
 
The thing is, with one nighters you have to pay much more, the cleaning of the room, and the linens to factor in. It is NOT just the cost of the power and water to clean the linens, you also need to have someone there to do it!
Having all one nighters friday for a grad, and then sat again, it is an all consuming job to keep the laundry going, for just this weekend. So how much is MY time worth? Apparently nothing. But that is another story....
That's why in peak season I discourage 1 nighters. It says on the website booking page that we reserve the right to refuse 1 night bookings May - Sep, this weeds a lot of them out, some still book and if they back up to another booking I'll take them, if they're in the middle of a blank I'll refuse. As time passes and I want to fill the beds I'll remove the restriction, so they're off for May and I'm about to take them off for June.
Had a very snooty email from someone who I turned away recently because there was a 1 night booking visible on my calender the month she wanted. I replied politely explaining it was a regular guest, I wanted to reply and say "It's my damn business and it's up to me if I take bookings or not".
 
If in High season I don't give discounts Period ! IF it happens we are not booked one day out of the week Iam happy it gives me a day to play catch up. Or a night to go out for a wee while.
But if they do stay long time like a week . I offer small perks.
But longer then a week I am not encouraging stays longer. In our case longer stays has not worked out..
The guaranteed money was nice, but I really am just as happy to not have long-term this year. January- March OK maybe. I like have down time - plus no one can pitch a hissy fit if someone is in house!
 
Look around and see what others are charging, compare your offering with them.
I wouldn't say don't start low if you need bums on seats to pay the bills. We did, but then unlike Madeleine we're in a destination location and don't get much returning trade so it's easier to up your rates each year without people noticing.
 
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