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Alibi Ike

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To a request for 'corporate' rates when you've investigated and found that hotels within 1/2 mile are charging $209-359/ night IF they have availability? (Obviously our prices are quite a bit below that or I wouldn't ask how you would respond.) B&B's in the same distance range from $125 to $195 and we're in that range.
I like our corporate guests. They are usually very easy to deal with and I have no problem offering them a discount. I'm not seeing why I should given the pricing at the hotels.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
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The kind of people that "didn't like my response and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper" you don't want anyway! Let them find a cheaper place at Super 8 and the ELodge - they will get what they pay for! And when they want a nicer bed to sleep in and friendly conversation and breakfast they will come to you and pay your price because you are worth it!
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
.
If all they care about is price, not quality, they aren't your people anyway. Are you ready to accept $85 a night and still keep your quality and your breakfast? If not, then you weren't even in the competition.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
.
If all they care about is price, not quality, they aren't your people anyway. Are you ready to accept $85 a night and still keep your quality and your breakfast? If not, then you weren't even in the competition.
.
Eric Arthur Blair said:
If all they care about is price, not quality, they aren't your people anyway. Are you ready to accept $85 a night and still keep your quality and your breakfast? If not, then you weren't even in the competition.
I agree with Eric. You know what your lowest price you're comfortable with is. You can offer it to them and if it's still too high, forgetaboutit.
When I was on the road working we used to stay at Ritz Carltons. Our company got a special rate of $65 a night!!!!!! There were about 35 of us traveling together and typically they were 1 night stays. Even though it was 15 years ago, I couldn't belive it was so cheap. Their room rates at that time were about $400 a night. You just never know how low these big hotels are going for certain businesses.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
.
If all they care about is price, not quality, they aren't your people anyway. Are you ready to accept $85 a night and still keep your quality and your breakfast? If not, then you weren't even in the competition.
.
Eric Arthur Blair said:
If all they care about is price, not quality, they aren't your people anyway. Are you ready to accept $85 a night and still keep your quality and your breakfast? If not, then you weren't even in the competition.
I agree with Eric. You know what your lowest price you're comfortable with is. You can offer it to them and if it's still too high, forgetaboutit.
When I was on the road working we used to stay at Ritz Carltons. Our company got a special rate of $65 a night!!!!!! There were about 35 of us traveling together and typically they were 1 night stays. Even though it was 15 years ago, I couldn't belive it was so cheap. Their room rates at that time were about $400 a night. You just never know how low these big hotels are going for certain businesses.
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The other thing about corporate rates is that a lot of big companies negotiate that rate but then they also practically guarantee that their employees will stay at certain places. And they generally come all year around. Busy as well as slow times.
 
If you called our downtown hotel here, you would get a "rack rate" quote for their nicest rooms in the range you're saying that you have by you, Ike. However, there's a big difference between that and their corporate rate which was equal to what I charged. (Anywhere from $40 to almost $100 off my rack rates, depending on the room.) I plugged corporate guests into the rooms as they rarely had a preference. The corporate guests were fantastic....loyal, neat, not demanding, very appreciative, and some of the most interesting guests!
While you don't want to give your rooms away, when they come back to you when times are slow, you will probably not regret giving them a good deal.
 
If you called our downtown hotel here, you would get a "rack rate" quote for their nicest rooms in the range you're saying that you have by you, Ike. However, there's a big difference between that and their corporate rate which was equal to what I charged. (Anywhere from $40 to almost $100 off my rack rates, depending on the room.) I plugged corporate guests into the rooms as they rarely had a preference. The corporate guests were fantastic....loyal, neat, not demanding, very appreciative, and some of the most interesting guests!
While you don't want to give your rooms away, when they come back to you when times are slow, you will probably not regret giving them a good deal..
Samster said:
While you don't want to give your rooms away, when they come back to you when times are slow, you will probably not regret giving them a good deal.
One-off convention. In this case, not likely to be back. Even if their corporate rates are my rack rates, I can't knock off $200 like the hotel can. She was wanting a similar % off. In this case 50-60%.
Maybe if it was a guest we had had in the off season. But, like I said, she CAN get the rate she wants at a lot of places in town. And if she comes back in the winter, the rate there will be $39. It's a no-win for me. I'm always on the short end of the stick when it comes to the hotels. They can beat my price any day of the week. Any season of the year. Because, for them, these 2-3 rooms are 2-3% of their biz that day. For me it's almost 30-45%.
 
If you called our downtown hotel here, you would get a "rack rate" quote for their nicest rooms in the range you're saying that you have by you, Ike. However, there's a big difference between that and their corporate rate which was equal to what I charged. (Anywhere from $40 to almost $100 off my rack rates, depending on the room.) I plugged corporate guests into the rooms as they rarely had a preference. The corporate guests were fantastic....loyal, neat, not demanding, very appreciative, and some of the most interesting guests!
While you don't want to give your rooms away, when they come back to you when times are slow, you will probably not regret giving them a good deal..
Samster said:
While you don't want to give your rooms away, when they come back to you when times are slow, you will probably not regret giving them a good deal.
One-off convention. In this case, not likely to be back. Even if their corporate rates are my rack rates, I can't knock off $200 like the hotel can. She was wanting a similar % off. In this case 50-60%.
Maybe if it was a guest we had had in the off season. But, like I said, she CAN get the rate she wants at a lot of places in town. And if she comes back in the winter, the rate there will be $39. It's a no-win for me. I'm always on the short end of the stick when it comes to the hotels. They can beat my price any day of the week. Any season of the year. Because, for them, these 2-3 rooms are 2-3% of their biz that day. For me it's almost 30-45%.
.
round here to get that sort of discount you have to sign a deal where you only book at that place. Say you will give them X discount if they sign an exclusive contract with you.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
.
Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability
But that does not mean they are full, it just means that they feel they can fill up without the added commission through Expedia!
If there is a convention or other big biz gathering, the hotels could have a group rate assigned to them that is not published to the public.
 
Is the $209-$359 the hotel corporate rate? Usually hotels do give corporate rates. If you called and those are the prices you were quoted then I would stick with your usual rate - I'm thinking the hotels are not serving a plated breakfast in the morning. If they say they don't want brekkie then take $10 off the rate. Kiss - Keep it simple silly.
They said they could get the $359 room for $309. I didn't call and ask what the corporate rate was for those dates as most hotels have no vacancy when these biz people want to come. Even if they took off $100 on the high end places, we're still a LOT less. Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability.
They didn't like my response anyway and told me they could find a place a lot cheaper than mine.
Just wondering how I could have turned that one around. I think they were looking for around $100/night which they could get at the Super 8 ($85) or the Econolodge ($112). Not sure what kind of business they work for but most of them don't go as low in accommodation level as those hotels.
.
Expedia only showed 5 of the local hotels with availability
But that does not mean they are full, it just means that they feel they can fill up without the added commission through Expedia!
If there is a convention or other big biz gathering, the hotels could have a group rate assigned to them that is not published to the public.
.
I checked some of the missing ones individually from their own site...no availability. Good point, tho, that not being there doesn't mean they don't have rooms.
 
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