Have you ever used Craig's List to Fill Your Rooms?

[Breakfast Diva]

I just received a google alert and it was a B&B in my region who listed some very deep cut specials. This place is pretty high end and hires full time innkeepers, so I'm sure the owner wants to keep them as busy as possible.I was surprised to see the listing and didn't think that would be their/my target market, but I could be wrong.
Have any of you ever listed your rooms on Craig's List, did it work, or do you have an opinion on it?

 

[4arosa]

I used Craigslist extensively for a 2 month trial period this past winter. I featured well designed ads, with photos, and changed the ad style frequently. Really gave it our best shot.
In turn, the majority of those guests were 'deal seekers' and were not our favorite types of guests. They often came home late, were noisy, drank, not very socialable, not very respectful. Generally they were looking for cheap accommodation and didn't seem to care about a quality property.
Our two cents. Won't do craigslist again.

 

[sandynn]

I used Craigslist extensively for a 2 month trial period this past winter. I featured well designed ads, with photos, and changed the ad style frequently. Really gave it our best shot.
In turn, the majority of those guests were 'deal seekers' and were not our favorite types of guests. They often came home late, were noisy, drank, not very socialable, not very respectful. Generally they were looking for cheap accommodation and didn't seem to care about a quality property.
Our two cents. Won't do craigslist again..

This is good infomation to know. Thanks!!!

 

[wendydk]

I use Craigslist extensively to sell used guestroom linens, beds, and items of that type. Have never advertised the Inn itself on there. I don't think it's the type of thing people look for on CL, and you would have to offer a whopper of a deal to get any action. When I have an ad running for used linens or whatever, the phone rings off the hook.
Truth be told, I don't want local people looking for a deal calling me all the time.

 

[swirt]

I use Craigslist extensively to sell used guestroom linens, beds, and items of that type. Have never advertised the Inn itself on there. I don't think it's the type of thing people look for on CL, and you would have to offer a whopper of a deal to get any action. When I have an ad running for used linens or whatever, the phone rings off the hook.
Truth be told, I don't want local people looking for a deal calling me all the time..

Truth be told, I don't want local people looking for a deal calling me all the time.

Then don't list on the "local" Craigslist. go for one of the regions that you want guests from. Nothing says you have to list in YOUR location.

 

[swirt]

I recently listed my B&B for sale ad on 4 craigslist in the region. Got what amounted to ~90 visitors over 2 days, for a topic that usually gets 20 visitors per day. The traffic tapers off pretty quickly. So far, to my knowledge, nobody has contacted my agent

 

[Sanctuary]

I've never used Craigs List to advertise, but did ask some fellow yacht owners who did. They told me that mostly what they got were inquiries for Columbus Day Regatta ("CDR") - the world's largest boat party held in October in Biscayne Bay - you can only get there by boat. They told me that for CDR, I'd have no trouble selling a charter for just about any rate I threw out there.
I've never considered chartering CDR in the past since that was MY vacation, but this year is different. With all of the unexpected thousands and thousands I just spent at the boat yard....I'm going to charter CDR this year. Tomorrow, I'll throw an ad out on Craigs List for the first time and see what bites: $5,400 for the weekend, up to six people, plus all expenses such as fuel, food and beverages (crew included though). I need to recoup some of that money that just went into the great black hole, and $5,400 for a weekend will be a good start.

 

[user 26]

what section would you advertise room rentals at a b&b?
housing, short term? housing, vacation rentals? by the night?
i don't see an appropriate option especially since there have been rampant scammings on craigslist lately of people who pretend to own a property, fabricate a listing by lifting the facts and pictures from a legitimate website, take a deposit ... the vacationers show up and ...

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I see that the one I told you about is under "Vacation Rental".

 

[arosa4]

what section would you advertise room rentals at a b&b?
housing, short term? housing, vacation rentals? by the night?
i don't see an appropriate option especially since there have been rampant scammings on craigslist lately of people who pretend to own a property, fabricate a listing by lifting the facts and pictures from a legitimate website, take a deposit ... the vacationers show up and ....

If you do choose to advertise your B&B accommodations (nightly, weekly, long term) on craigslist, best to do so under Vacation Properties. You'll be competing with condo/home/apartment owners seeking tenants, but in our area Vacation Rentals section is where the action is these days.

 

[EmptyNest]

One of our forum members uses Craigs list a bunch. He has had great success with it. Guess he's been to busy to be here lately.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Has anyone tried Ebay to sell rooms?

 

[wendydk]

Has anyone tried Ebay to sell rooms?.

Our first few years, I used ebay pretty extensively to sell gift certificates. They could only be used during our slower months. Ebay kept us afloat those first few lean winters, and a large number of our loyal repeats found us there for their first stay.
It's just gotten to expensive anymore. BUT, their classified ad-type listings are affordable, and I have used them as well. When I advertise on there, no one sends more traffic to our website than ebay. The exposure is tremendous. In fact, I haven't listed anything on ebay since the spring, but they are still in my top eight referrers YTD according to opentracker.

 

[cherry64]

I have only seen them for last minute deals or to fill the last room for the weekend. They do have to be pretty cheap to make it on craigslist. Here are some examples from my area.
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/vac/1369418552.html
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/vac/1365163552.html

 

[ginocat]

I would avoid Craig's list. It's been used to solicit all kinds of businesses.......

 

[wendydk]

I would avoid Craig's list. It's been used to solicit all kinds of businesses.......

.

I was considering cleaning houses and vacation rentals on the side this winter inside our nearby ski resort. My best friend cleans houses in SW Michigan and she said "Whatever you do, don't advertise cleaning services on Craigslist. You will get phone calls from all kinds of men looking for sex."

 

[SweetiePie]

Not to mention, several women have been murdered either running ads or answering them on Craigslist and not only in the adult services section.

 

[user 26]

Not to mention, several women have been murdered either running ads or answering them on Craigslist and not only in the adult services section..

Not to mention, several women have been murdered either running ads or answering them on Craigslist and not only in the adult services section.

several? had heard of one but not several.
i bought a used car for my daughter through craigslist. she loves it and it went very smoothly. but you have to wade through the scams and be very careful ... just like using any 'classified ad' service.

 

[SweetiePie]

The most famous was that masseuse recently, but before that there was a young woman murdered when she went to check on an apartment for rent. May have been more, but those are two I saw on the news.