The Dilemmas that I Hate....

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Generic

Generic

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A few weeks from now, we have a long weekend coming up, but it's just a long weekend in this country, not in the neighbouring country. It's also the weekend of a large music festival. I have 2 rooms left with about three weeks to go. Which is unusual, they both have the same three days available. Let's just say for argument sake that they are priced at $180 a night if you book direct with a special on my website, but $210 elsewhere without the special except that I haven't put it up elsewhere... but that's the normal outside price.
So, I look on BK and the city is about 80% booked. Honestly, when I look, I see very little that compares to what I have that is left.

So, I'm stuck with the choices....
  • Put it up on the OTAs and pay commission
  • Wait and hope to sell it directly
  • Put up the price and then put it up on the OTAs $250 instead of the $180.
  • Put up the price of the two nights to cover the three and let people from the neighbours rent the room. So the two nights would be $270 each and the third night free. Or see if I can sell the third night at the normal rate.
This is the part I hate. I would rather have the room booked and know what to do than sit with the uncertainty. UGH!
 
Our solution is to wait until the week before and lower the price on the OTAs - we get tons of marketing that way and we almost always fill the room.
So today, put it up at $250 and a week out, lower it to $190.
Two days before, lower it to $170.
 
TheBeachHouse said:
Our solution is to wait until the week before and lower the price on the OTAs - we get tons of marketing that way and we almost always fill the room.
So today, put it up at $250 and a week out, lower it to $190.
Two days before, lower it to $170..
Click to expand...
I'm positive it will sell... I just rather do it direct. But even now I'm wondering if I should actually put my price UP. I just hate having 3 weeks to go.
 
I know. It is a dilemma. And stressful. Keep an eye on it.
I disagreed with DH on lowering the price, but he keeps saying, low money is more than zero money. He's right. And he only does the price thing a day or two in advance.
 
Me I would put up $20 and put on OTA as time goes on 3 night people are less and less - don't want the hassel of change every day - want the 3 night break.
 
Generic said:
TheBeachHouse said:
Our solution is to wait until the week before and lower the price on the OTAs - we get tons of marketing that way and we almost always fill the room.
So today, put it up at $250 and a week out, lower it to $190.
Two days before, lower it to $170..
Click to expand...
I'm positive it will sell... I just rather do it direct. But even now I'm wondering if I should actually put my price UP. I just hate having 3 weeks to go.
.
Click to expand...
Doesn't hurt to try the price rise. You can restore it in a week and go the OTA route if not moved. :)
 
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business.
 
Generic said:
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business..
Click to expand...
Raise the rate but keep it 3-nights. Perhaps the reason it has not been booked is it is "too cheap so something must be wrong" syndrome. You can always change it 1 week out. You are pretty certain you WILL fill up so stop agonizing over it!
 
Generic said:
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business..
Click to expand...
I say put it 2 nights and raise the rate. Raise the rate for the single night also. Wait to put it on book until the last day or two. Those folks to get into town and find that there's nothing available will be happy to get most anything at the last minute.
I used to have guests who managed a big chain hotel. He told me once that he loved it on a holiday when he still had a room left so he could charge twice the amount to those who waited. Supply and demand.
 
Generic said:
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business..
Click to expand...
Raise the rate and then you can bring it back down later. Get it on Air since they get lots of last minute type of people and they only charge 3%.
 
Lee2014 said:
Generic said:
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business..
Click to expand...
Raise the rate and then you can bring it back down later. Get it on Air since they get lots of last minute type of people and they only charge 3%.
.
Click to expand...
I can't compete on AirBnb here. It's all illegal tax evasion. It's almost entirely about tax evasion here. Federal tax, city tax, hotel tax, income tax and property tax evasion. I don't want to be listed with the criminals.
 
Generic said:
Lee2014 said:
Generic said:
Yes, I'm bring back this subject.... 2 weeks before D-Day. My price direct is still $200 a night for 3 nights.
Look online on BK at 3 nights, city is 78% booked, but that includes all the area, even 50km away. Review score over 8 in the centre of the city and we are at 92% booked. Cheapest room (any room) $186 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8.2 on BK. The next room is $282 a night, 3.5 eyes on TA, 8 on BK.
So I look at any place with breakfast... dorm room $147, Flea bag hotel $169 a night....
I did sell one of the rooms with $10 extra, but now I'm thinking that I'm cheap and it's getting more desperate. I still haven't put it up on BK or X, trying to save the commission. I have 2 weeks left. Maybe I should put it up by another $10 or $20 a night? Or since it's 3 nights, put up the room to $300 a night but allow someone to book 2, same money, less work, can still try to sell the extra night... because I'm getting a lot of calls for just the 2 nights.
As I said, I hate this part of the business..
Click to expand...
Raise the rate and then you can bring it back down later. Get it on Air since they get lots of last minute type of people and they only charge 3%.
.
Click to expand...
I can't compete on AirBnb here. It's all illegal tax evasion. It's almost entirely about tax evasion here. Federal tax, city tax, hotel tax, income tax and property tax evasion. I don't want to be listed with the criminals.
.
Click to expand...
Forgot about that. Down here tax caught Air and demands their share.
 

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