Do you offer a multi-night discount?

Do you offer a multi-night discount?

What strategies do you have to get people to stay more than one night?

We used to offer multi-night discounts, but getting people to stay two consecutive nights in our area is extremely difficult, and we would get guests spending their first night in town and then their last night in town before heading back home and would ask for the multi-night discount. We are located in a city no one wants to visit, but have to if they take a flight or a cruise.
We have since started to partner with local outfitters (fishing, flight seeing, photography tours, etc) and built multiple night packages (lodging and day out with the tour operators as the main selling points). Most tour operators offer a 20% discount and with many tours exceeding $3,000 for a group of 4, the discount we pass onto our guest far exceeds two nights. It has not been uncommon for the guests to still only stay one night, but we have effectively reserved the room for two nights. In my younger days I may have opened a room up, but now I just keep it blocked off and enjoy the little break.
We had to think what type of operation are we and does that warrant guests wanting to spend more than one night with us. Personally, I don't think any reasonable discount will sell a second night. Make them want to spend the extra night(s) with you or look at ways you can advertise local businesses and outings that makes multiple night stays make more sense to the guest.

No discounts for extra nights. Instead, I build packages around multiple night stays. Most are 2 night stays, but I do have one 5 night package which is new this year. We'll see how that goes.

I tend to see most discounts as a game where a merchant over prices an item and them offers a discount. We get folk that will comment that we have the best price in town and then proceed to ask about discounts, my response is usually that I don't play the game, we just offer our best price to everyone. I'm probably lazy, but any discount shouldn't be complicated for the operator or the guest, keep it simple.

For several years I did a 3rd night special. Sometimes it worked. Once for a family reunion, 2 of the brothers stayed here - in my rooms with shared bath - one for 5 nights and the other for 3 because as the 3-night brother said, with my 3rd night special it was less than the hotel the rest of the family was staying at. The 3rd night always covered (or almost covered) the cost of breakfast. Other than breakfast, a few pennies for electricity, and the water for showers, the 2nd night was pure profit.
I got lazy this year and have not figured out what to do with it. For the 100 year birthday of our house, the 3rd night was $19.12 + tax. In 2013 for WV's 150th birthday it was 18.63 + tax. In 2015 for our 40th anniversary, it was $40 + tax - that one had no takers, probably should have gone with 19.75.
A Special is not a discount.

However, we do have a package in the winter with an 'add a day' discount.

A full room clean after checkout probably takes 40 mins vs 10 mins for a quick refresh. So there are benefits to a multi-night stay. Also if you are near a big city a 50% off Sunday night may make sense if your Sunday night is usually very light on business

We offer a buy-two-get-the-third-night free midweek deal during our three slow months (April, May & November). Have had quite a few takers this spring compared with previous years.

7th night free or, in other words, a 'weekly rate.'