The City Is Full....

Each year the same story for the first weekend in August... the city is FULL. It's a long weekend in some places, there are two festivals and a special soccer game. The city is FULL. Because of how the reservations came in, I have two single nights that sold out too (at inflated prices and I was still one of the cheapest in town.) And so the phone calls continue to come in....
One star hotels in town are $150 a night. Holiday Inn is $275 a night... $309 for a Hilton Garden. Getting the idea?
And so I get these calls, some begging. Last one wanted two beds.... doesn't understand why it's over $300 a night.... it's because you booked LATE! I hate these calls. You try to help, but you can't... it's not going to end cheaply... unless you want to stay an hour outside of the city. Maybe I should send them to Maddy, it's just a 6 hour drive

My husband has a saying that comes in very handy in times like this, "Your failure to plan does not for me an emergency make."

Aussie Innkeeper said:

My husband has a saying that comes in very handy in times like this, "Your failure to plan does not for me an emergency make.".

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Yup. I usually say that we have been booked for months, but "this or that" still has rooms. If they ask the price, I give them a ball park. But it's the "special" requests, like 2 bed or cheaper... that get me. Really, you need something specific and you didn't plan?
I figure by telling them that we have been booked for months, they may book me EARLY next time. Heck, I would pay a guest to cancel now. I can sell the room for double!

Baby Puss said:

Aussie Innkeeper said:

My husband has a saying that comes in very handy in times like this, "Your failure to plan does not for me an emergency make.".

Click to expand...

Yup. I usually say that we have been booked for months, but "this or that" still has rooms. If they ask the price, I give them a ball park. But it's the "special" requests, like 2 bed or cheaper... that get me. Really, you need something specific and you didn't plan?
I figure by telling them that we have been booked for months, they may book me EARLY next time. Heck, I would pay a guest to cancel now. I can sell the room for double!
.

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If they ask a price of another establishment, I think my answer, is, I honestly don't know. Not your job to price shop for guests. People are adorable.

TheBeachHouse said:

Baby Puss said:

Aussie Innkeeper said:

My husband has a saying that comes in very handy in times like this, "Your failure to plan does not for me an emergency make.".

Click to expand...

Yup. I usually say that we have been booked for months, but "this or that" still has rooms. If they ask the price, I give them a ball park. But it's the "special" requests, like 2 bed or cheaper... that get me. Really, you need something specific and you didn't plan?
I figure by telling them that we have been booked for months, they may book me EARLY next time. Heck, I would pay a guest to cancel now. I can sell the room for double!
.

Click to expand...

If they ask a price of another establishment, I think my answer, is, I honestly don't know. Not your job to price shop for guests. People are adorable.
.

Click to expand...

TheBeachHouse said:

If they ask a price of another establishment, I think my answer, is, I honestly don't know. Not your job to price shop for guests. People are adorable.

Click to expand...

I had that this morning. I do keep track of local pricing just because I like to tell the guests who want me to knock down the price what they can pay a short stroll down the street.
She still wanted to know what rates we charge even tho I had no rooms. Why? Do you really want to torture yourself knowing you could have paid less if you called last week?

Morticia said:

TheBeachHouse said:

Baby Puss said:

Aussie Innkeeper said:

My husband has a saying that comes in very handy in times like this, "Your failure to plan does not for me an emergency make.".

Click to expand...

Yup. I usually say that we have been booked for months, but "this or that" still has rooms. If they ask the price, I give them a ball park. But it's the "special" requests, like 2 bed or cheaper... that get me. Really, you need something specific and you didn't plan?
I figure by telling them that we have been booked for months, they may book me EARLY next time. Heck, I would pay a guest to cancel now. I can sell the room for double!
.

Click to expand...

If they ask a price of another establishment, I think my answer, is, I honestly don't know. Not your job to price shop for guests. People are adorable.
.

Click to expand...

TheBeachHouse said:

If they ask a price of another establishment, I think my answer, is, I honestly don't know. Not your job to price shop for guests. People are adorable.

Click to expand...

I had that this morning. I do keep track of local pricing just because I like to tell the guests who want me to knock down the price what they can pay a short stroll down the street.
She still wanted to know what rates we charge even tho I had no rooms. Why? Do you really want to torture yourself knowing you could have paid less if you called last week?
.

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I get that all the time, the answer is... I can't give you a price on what I don't have but you can try whatever price you think another guest will accept to vacate their room... my guess is somewhere between $500 and $1000 a night.

You think that is expensive? Ha Ha hol dia inn here was showing $2000 last Saturday - not that they will get it.
Standard Saturday night here is about $280 in a 4 star hotel can be up to $500 in the best places or more - if you want to stay in a castle or ducal palace or whatever.
Couple came last night that stayed with us about 4 nights ago - really nice people and had asked if we had a room for last night at the time - one left I told them
Why do people think it won't sell? its our job to sell rooms! town is down on room stock as its the beginning of the kids summer hols and people with kids (ie bb owners) are shutting down and going away.

Joey Camb said:

You think that is expensive? Ha Ha hol dia inn here was showing $2000 last Saturday - not that they will get it.
Standard Saturday night here is about $280 in a 4 star hotel can be up to $500 in the best places or more - if you want to stay in a castle or ducal palace or whatever.
Couple came last night that stayed with us about 4 nights ago - really nice people and had asked if we had a room for last night at the time - one left I told them
Why do people think it won't sell? its our job to sell rooms! town is down on room stock as its the beginning of the kids summer hols and people with kids (ie bb owners) are shutting down and going away..

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How about... the local place that has 64 reviews on TA of which 51 are "Terrible" and includes such remarks as... "never choose here" and "crack infested" which this weekend is $169 a night and is 80% booked. Ranked 150 of 163 places in town with every place after it... non-existent.

Baby Puss said:

Joey Camb said:

You think that is expensive? Ha Ha hol dia inn here was showing $2000 last Saturday - not that they will get it.
Standard Saturday night here is about $280 in a 4 star hotel can be up to $500 in the best places or more - if you want to stay in a castle or ducal palace or whatever.
Couple came last night that stayed with us about 4 nights ago - really nice people and had asked if we had a room for last night at the time - one left I told them
Why do people think it won't sell? its our job to sell rooms! town is down on room stock as its the beginning of the kids summer hols and people with kids (ie bb owners) are shutting down and going away..

Click to expand...

How about... the local place that has 64 reviews on TA of which 51 are "Terrible" and includes such remarks as... "never choose here" and "crack infested" which this weekend is $169 a night and is 80% booked. Ranked 150 of 163 places in town with every place after it... non-existent.
.

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Gomez just spent 5 minutes on the phone trying to help someone looking for 2 rooms with 2 beds for 2 nights starting tomorrow.
We've had a lot of walk ins this week, which is wonderful as this July has been awful. I've been telling all of them they got lucky and if they're planning on not sleeping in the car over the weekend they should make reservations now, don't wait until the weekend hits.

The ones that kill me are the ones that know there is something special going on but they didn't think it would affect them finding a room at their ideal price point.
I try to point out some places to try about an hour or so out, but you can hear their pouting face say that is too far. Ok! Pay the $500 pn you found in town or stay home.