Go ahead, someone ask me one more time...

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Don Draper

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Every call and email I've had in the last two days has been DEMANDING single night Saturday stays. These people are looking for dates that are 1-2 months away! I can understand when someone asks NICELY if there's a possibility for an exception...but every single one has been "Since you're not booked yet I thought you'd be glad for the business..." EVERY SINGLE ONE. Get real.
You can take your Clark Howard bargain hunter attitude (or whichever mouth of the month is spouting this nonsense) and stick it where the sun don't shine. I will sit EMPTY before taking a booking from someone like this.
 
Bwhahahahaha...crackin' me up here. We all get 'em. Mine aren't usually that rude, but I get to hear the sob stories of how they have 100 kids at home and can't get away, or they are a primary caretaker for an elderly parent, or they've just coming down to leave on a cruise the next day, or whatever! How do any of these problems pay the mortgage?
 
Bwhahahahaha...crackin' me up here. We all get 'em. Mine aren't usually that rude, but I get to hear the sob stories of how they have 100 kids at home and can't get away, or they are a primary caretaker for an elderly parent, or they've just coming down to leave on a cruise the next day, or whatever! How do any of these problems pay the mortgage?.
We get them all the time too. We even get calls on Saturday for that evening. Why do they assume that everywhere is sitting empty or what? And these last minute people are usually NOT B&B people.
RIki
 
Reminds me of my brother in law I mentioned a month ago...how he can finagle anyone out of a lower room rate and one night stay.
 
Wow. Amazing. THIS is the downside to availability calendars.
 
YEah...act that way and it will get you absolutely no where. What part of 2 night min. don't you understand. I am of like mind. I would rather be empty and then just enjoy my weekend
pita.gif
 
One more perk to being your own boss-YOU MAKE THE RULES. We take walk ins, one nightetrs any time of the week...yea we had a 2 night min. at our own B & B and used to get calls like that all the time.
 
I don't mind if they ask if there is a chance to do one night. But it's the attitude they are doing you a favor that bothers me. We get this quite a bit on holiday weekends. Someone wants 3 rooms for one night and thinks that's good. The way they see it is, 'No one has booked yet, why do you think they will?'
Or, I WILL have one room open for one night on a holiday (because someone else booked a Th-Fr or Sat-Sun combo) but it's not the room they want.
 
I don't mind if they ask if there is a chance to do one night. But it's the attitude they are doing you a favor that bothers me. We get this quite a bit on holiday weekends. Someone wants 3 rooms for one night and thinks that's good. The way they see it is, 'No one has booked yet, why do you think they will?'
Or, I WILL have one room open for one night on a holiday (because someone else booked a Th-Fr or Sat-Sun combo) but it's not the room they want..
Thank you! This kills me...but we want two rooms for Saturday night...that's TWICE as bad! They just don't get it. And yes, it's the "I'm doing you a favor" attitude...it just doesn't fly with me. I will wait for someone NICE to book it, or it can sit empty. Because once you make the concession on the one night they think they can walk all over you. It's just not worth the aggravation.
 
the 2 night weekend reservations makes sense......and is reasonable....
Also understand the request for a 1 night on a weekend....
Rather than just blowing them off.........perhaps.......suggesting that they can call the morning of......or the at the earliest the night before?............I get this may not fly for those booking well in advance for that 1 night on a weekend.....maybe for some it can work?
 
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it.
 
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it..
Proud Texan said:
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it.
Ah........cool
Folks don't like being told what they can or can't do...........2 night minimum. Logical from the business perspective.....it's boorish from the consumer perspective
 
the 2 night weekend reservations makes sense......and is reasonable....
Also understand the request for a 1 night on a weekend....
Rather than just blowing them off.........perhaps.......suggesting that they can call the morning of......or the at the earliest the night before?............I get this may not fly for those booking well in advance for that 1 night on a weekend.....maybe for some it can work?.
I've done that. 'Sorry, that is a 2-night minimum weekend, but if the rooms are not filled by x date, feel free to call back.'
I've kept track of a couple of places and they're talking 3, 4, 5 and up to 7 night mins. I'd love to stay, but I need a confirmed rez now and I can't stay that many nights.
 
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it..
Proud Texan said:
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it.
I think when a b&b is new, a 2 night minimum won't cut it. You need to have a reputation, reviews, repeats, word of mouth. Once the occupancy is up and you've proved that you're worth that investment of their time and money, then that's the time to consider a 2 night minimum. Of course, location and style have a lot to do with it. I think how many rooms you have and whether you have housekeeping staff can make a huge difference.
 
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it..
Proud Texan said:
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it.
I think when a b&b is new, a 2 night minimum won't cut it. You need to have a reputation, reviews, repeats, word of mouth. Once the occupancy is up and you've proved that you're worth that investment of their time and money, then that's the time to consider a 2 night minimum. Of course, location and style have a lot to do with it. I think how many rooms you have and whether you have housekeeping staff can make a huge difference.
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I think it totally depends on the location. We're a major tourist destination, people plan far in advance to get here and it takes more than one night to see it all thought most of them don't realize that 'til they get here. We are busy 7 days a week so instead of raising rates on the weekends we have the minimum.
It was just too much work when we didn't have 2 night minimums. Plus everyone who wants a single night wants Saturday, so we'd have all those Fridays hanging out there and we'd be turning away people who actually wanted 2 nights. It's what works for us, and we're happy to make exceptions but not when someone starts off by DEMANDING it.
 
That is so true. If you want a single night it is usually on a Saturday.
 
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it..
Proud Texan said:
I guess it's our location, but we tried a 2-night minimum when we first opened and got very few takers. Since we are open to single night stays, we now ususally have a full house from Thursday through Sunday and most of them are 2 nighters. I can't explain it.
I think when a b&b is new, a 2 night minimum won't cut it. You need to have a reputation, reviews, repeats, word of mouth. Once the occupancy is up and you've proved that you're worth that investment of their time and money, then that's the time to consider a 2 night minimum. Of course, location and style have a lot to do with it. I think how many rooms you have and whether you have housekeeping staff can make a huge difference.
.
I think it totally depends on the location. We're a major tourist destination, people plan far in advance to get here and it takes more than one night to see it all thought most of them don't realize that 'til they get here. We are busy 7 days a week so instead of raising rates on the weekends we have the minimum.
It was just too much work when we didn't have 2 night minimums. Plus everyone who wants a single night wants Saturday, so we'd have all those Fridays hanging out there and we'd be turning away people who actually wanted 2 nights. It's what works for us, and we're happy to make exceptions but not when someone starts off by DEMANDING it.
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we have a 2 night minimum on the weekends too. When we bought the inn the minimums were only from May-Oct, but after a couple of years I realized I would rather have half my rooms filled on the weekend with 2 nighters than all of them filled on a Sat night. Twice as much work for the same money. It works well for us. I totally agree with you....if anyone has the nerve to demand, then I wouldn't give them a room even if I was empty!
 
So, I had a 2-night min on Labor Day Weekend. Wasn't getting any bookings, but was getting calls for single nights. Yesterday I opened it up to single nights and got 2 bookings for 2 nights each. Go figure.
 
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