NO SHOWS

shop deals on amazon
Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Audrey Forrest

Audrey Forrest

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
108
Reaction score
0
About 50% of our bookings get cancelled. No problem with that. 10% are NO SHOWS from guests who have paid for their rooms but dont phone or contact us they arent coming.
I am interested to know if other Innkeepers have the same experience. It doesnt concern me but I feel it's so rude not to let us know they arent coming.
 
With that kind of %, tells me something is definitely wrong. As we have said over and over before, your rates are too low. Seems more like a hostel than a B & B. Maybe they have read some reviews out there and it scares them away.????
 
If the entire amount of money is lost... why bother to call.
 
We used to run 10% cancellation rate until we charged a deposit. Then it went to 1%. Our no show rate is maybe 1 every few years. It usually turns out they booked the wrong date.
 
50% of cancellation ? Wow, that would drive me batty. What are you cancellation policies ? Do you require a deposit ?
To me, it sounds like you are way too liberal with your business, unless you are running your B&B more like a hobby than a business (your rates seems to indicate so)
 
Same theme as your other threads. Your rates and policies dictate what happens in your business both before they arrive as well as after. You will not see any changes in any of this until you change your business model. PERIOD.
May I suggest you do some research as to other businesses like yours in the area. Check what they offer for what price, then go from there.

Join, or at least visit, your local (or state) B&B association. You could get valuable information to assist you.
 
Morticia said:
We used to run 10% cancellation rate until we charged a deposit. Then it went to 1%. Our no show rate is maybe 1 every few years. It usually turns out they booked the wrong date..
Click to expand...
I once had a no-show with a prepaid OTA room for 4 days, with people begging me for a room. Called the OTA, but they couldn't get into the file without the CC number, so they couldn't call him. So the room sat there entirely empty for 4 days. I was paid, but I could have been paid twice :)
 
I probably get around 10 cancellations a year. I've had two no shows in the past two years and for one of those they turned up a month later because they'd booked the wrong month.
 
Audrey Forrest About 50% of our bookings get cancelled. No problem with that. 10% are NO SHOWS from guests who have paid for their rooms but dont phone or contact us they arent coming. I am interested to know if other Innkeepers have the same experience. It doesnt concern me but I feel it's so rude not to let us know they arent coming. [/quote said:
Cancelled in what way? Like last minute or right after they reserve it? Our cancellations are probably around 5% within our cancellation period, which is 7 days out. Plans change, that is why they are called plans.
But we are more of a weekend getaway, or special events location. Not a touristy destination.
We have had two no shows so far this year, and one showed up the next day.
Click to expand...
 
Do you use any booking engines? I noticed in the last year or so that reservations sourcing from Expedia are flakey as heck because they push a "cancel anytime" policy regardless of innkeeper policies.
 
Savoir Faire said:
Do you use any booking engines? I noticed in the last year or so that reservations sourcing from Expedia are flakey as heck because they push a "cancel anytime" policy regardless of innkeeper policies..
Click to expand...
They have NEVER tried that with me. They have tried to help the guest get out of the cancellation policy. We just say no. Our rep at X even told us to.
 
I thank everyone for their feedback. I must explain that I use a Booking Agent that I am very satisfied with.
They keep me booked about 95% of the time.
I dont really care about NO SHOWS because everyone pays in full, in advance. If they cancel 30 days prior to arrival they get a full refund. If 30 days
prior to arrival, NO REFUNDS! That's what they sign to on the Booking Agency site. I have refunded a few
people but generally dont make refunds. After all,
the room is tied up for them.
I am not a hostel and there are no other Bed and Breakfasts in this area or anywhere near. The closest ones are in downtown San Diego at a princely price.
I offer very reasonable rates and get bookings of
one night, 3 nights, one week and sometimes as long as 3 weeks. Very happy with that and dont feel I need to charge more. Happy with current rates.
I was very interested in your comments but because the rates are low, I dont offer frills! Hahaha!
Because there is no pool, no t.v. no partying, no pets or kids, I usually get quiet people wanting a nice rest.
They serve themselves breakfast (I got tired of waiting on them as they were usually late) so now they help themselves and seem happy with it.
Yes my cancellations are high, but my bookings are high too, and as soon as they cancel, the booking agent gets someone else. I dont know how any of you can make real money without a booking agent. I tried and it was a waste of time. I get some bookings from
my website but the majority is through the booking agent. I tried Tripadvisor, Evolve, BedandBreakfast.com etc. etc. and ALL were useless.
I even tried ILoveInns.
If you havent tried a good Booking agent I highly recommend you get one. Saves time, aggravation, and best part of all is if you have a problem with a guest, tell them to call the Booking Agent! Terrific buffer and avoid confrontation.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE.
It's a full house here and hope yours is too.
 
Savoir Faire said:
Do you use any booking engines? I noticed in the last year or so that reservations sourcing from Expedia are flakey as heck because they push a "cancel anytime" policy regardless of innkeeper policies..
Click to expand...
When you sign up on Tripadvisor or Expedia they give you choices regarding cancellations. If you put
a Strict Policy you can say NO REFUNDS prior to
30 days (or 14 days, your choice) of arrival.
Most Booking sites give you many choices.
 
Copperhead said:
Same theme as your other threads. Your rates and policies dictate what happens in your business both before they arrive as well as after. You will not see any changes in any of this until you change your business model. PERIOD.
May I suggest you do some research as to other businesses like yours in the area. Check what they offer for what price, then go from there.

Join, or at least visit, your local (or state) B&B association. You could get valuable information to assist you..
Click to expand...
I am fortunate in that I dont really have any competition. No other B&Bs here, one awful motel that I have been told has drug dealers and prostitutes;
the other one is run by Chinese people who are very rude to everyone (I had the misfortune to stay there for a few weeks when I moved into the area), and also
have the hooker problems.
I am fortunate to be near 7 beautiful lakes and those people dont frequent this area.
I dont need to change my business model because
I've made more money this year than ever before!
Proof of the pudding is in the eating!!!
 
EmptyNest said:
With that kind of %, tells me something is definitely wrong. As we have said over and over before, your rates are too low. Seems more like a hostel than a B & B. Maybe they have read some reviews out there and it scares them away.????.
Click to expand...
The reviews on my website are very good and also
the reviews on the Booking agent's site. I have a few
poor reviews from people who should have stayed at
a motel but that's to be expected.
Nobody is scared away! They beg me for rooms!
 
How do you call yourself a B&B? You are a 'homestay'. According to Trip Advisor, you only have 7 nights booked for the month of July. Maybe your booking engine isn't up to date?
 
Aussie Innkeeper said:
How do you call yourself a B&B? You are a 'homestay'. According to Trip Advisor, you only have 7 nights booked for the month of July. Maybe your booking engine isn't up to date?.
Click to expand...
You are correct. I have been way too busy to update my Tripadvisor account and actually should be cancelling it. They are useless. I am not a homestay
and that site is full of inaccuracies! They also like to
keep the money until after a guest has stayed which didnt sit too well with me so I never took anyone from their site.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top