I do not like to hear this.

[sandynn]

What kind of a deal can you make me. I don't know why that phrase bothers me so much but I hate to hear that. I don't even mind people that say do you offer a discount but not the thing about the deal.
I had a guy want to book on a night when no one was here and he could see that on webervations so he said that to me and I said I cannot make a deal (sweetly of course). He said that he thought I would be glad to make a deal because we did not have anyone booked. I said no and he did not book.

 

[swilson]

We hate em too, but we've been dealing when we are empty. Not with just one oe 2 left.

 

[sandynn]

We hate em too, but we've been dealing when we are empty. Not with just one oe 2 left..

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.

 

[Morticia]

We hate em too, but we've been dealing when we are empty. Not with just one oe 2 left..

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.
.

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.

Some people just rub you the wrong way, there's nothing you can do. And, for me, when I see there is no one in the house, I think 'day off! yippee!' and I don't WANT to work for less money! And I don't get out of bed for less than $100 so that's not gonna work for the 'dealers'. They want rooms for $50. It's $50 for me to turn the heat on and then they shower 3-4 times in a day, run the heat in their room up to 80 and open the windows.
No thanks. Sometimes I'd just rather have the time off!
Now, if I had 3-4 rooms booked and someone wanted to deal, I'd be more likely to say ok. But to me a deal is $10 off. Or an upgrade. I don't go crazy with the deals.
After explaining the amenities, I have asked, 'What do you think is fair for what you are getting?' Most people say anywhere from $75-$100. SO, their idea of fair and mine are off by a few dollars.

 

[swilson]

We had a guest called for this weekend that had cancelled in the past. He wanted us to drop the rate from $550 to $350 a night for 3 nights. I turned him down and it has sat empty. So, I guess I just lost $1050 but I hate to rent it so cheap. The original price was $750. Urg! Shoulda rented it.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I sometimes will make a deal if the person is pleasent but not when they use those sorts of words. I had a potential guest that said "is that the best you can do?" and I said yes it is and they left. I will usually just give a slight discount the second night if they plan to extend their stay from 1 to 2 nights since I won't have to reclean the whole room but I don't give discounts in the busy season.

 

[sandynn]

We hate em too, but we've been dealing when we are empty. Not with just one oe 2 left..

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.
.

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.

Some people just rub you the wrong way, there's nothing you can do. And, for me, when I see there is no one in the house, I think 'day off! yippee!' and I don't WANT to work for less money! And I don't get out of bed for less than $100 so that's not gonna work for the 'dealers'. They want rooms for $50. It's $50 for me to turn the heat on and then they shower 3-4 times in a day, run the heat in their room up to 80 and open the windows.
No thanks. Sometimes I'd just rather have the time off!
Now, if I had 3-4 rooms booked and someone wanted to deal, I'd be more likely to say ok. But to me a deal is $10 off. Or an upgrade. I don't go crazy with the deals.
After explaining the amenities, I have asked, 'What do you think is fair for what you are getting?' Most people say anywhere from $75-$100. SO, their idea of fair and mine are off by a few dollars.

.

You are so right! I call a deal $10 off. I am afraid I would not ask what they think if is worth. I don't want to hear $75-100. I think if they want such a bargin they can go to Motel 8 where they don't clean very well and it might not be a safe place. I love bed and breakfasts. We never stay in a Hotel. I saw how they clean at the three top Hotels in Indy on a news broadcast. It was not good. I already knew it but to see it was an eye opener. These were very high end places.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

If there is one thing I KNOW it is that innkeepers are always GIVING stuff away for free. For some reason we give and give and give. No one else does this! No other business does this. I wonder what we are gaining by doing this as most guests do not seem to even notice or care.
BTW I have a yellow highlighter right here and I highlight the discount I give each and every guest on their statement. For no other reason than making sure they know they are getting this discount. Other than staying with inn-mates from the forum, I have never even been given a discount at a B&B. In season off season same rate and some you must prepay in full. I wil never do that again, I thought it was the norm before I owned a B&B, now I know better.
PS Any inn-mate I have stayed with please recipricate and come and visit us! Any time.

 

[sandynn]

If there is one thing I KNOW it is that innkeepers are always GIVING stuff away for free. For some reason we give and give and give. No one else does this! No other business does this. I wonder what we are gaining by doing this as most guests do not seem to even notice or care.
BTW I have a yellow highlighter right here and I highlight the discount I give each and every guest on their statement. For no other reason than making sure they know they are getting this discount. Other than staying with inn-mates from the forum, I have never even been given a discount at a B&B. In season off season same rate and some you must prepay in full. I wil never do that again, I thought it was the norm before I owned a B&B, now I know better.
PS Any inn-mate I have stayed with please recipricate and come and visit us! Any time.

.

I have thought of the fact that I can't go the store and just say can you make me a deal I only want to pay half. That would not fly. I just wait until it is on sale. I have never ask an innkeeper for a discount even before innkeeping.

 

[DaisyMae]

{have thought of the fact that I can't go the store and just say can you make me a deal I only want to pay half.}
this makes me think of the commercial i have seen (can't remember what it is for) where a lady is in a grocery store( with her kid?) and she is breaking a loaf of bread in 1/2, tearing a magazine in 1/2, etc.

 

[Copperhead]

{have thought of the fact that I can't go the store and just say can you make me a deal I only want to pay half.}
this makes me think of the commercial i have seen (can't remember what it is for) where a lady is in a grocery store( with her kid?) and she is breaking a loaf of bread in 1/2, tearing a magazine in 1/2, etc..

this makes me think of the commercial i have seen (can't remember what it is for) where a lady is in a grocery store( with her kid?) and she is breaking a loaf of bread in 1/2, tearing a magazine in 1/2, etc.

Yep, had that same thought...good commercial. Wonder what these 'deal' requestors would do if we asked them if they do this at the grocery.

 

[Morticia]

We hate em too, but we've been dealing when we are empty. Not with just one oe 2 left..

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.
.

I might have made him a deal if he had not said it that way. Maybe I am grumpy today.

Some people just rub you the wrong way, there's nothing you can do. And, for me, when I see there is no one in the house, I think 'day off! yippee!' and I don't WANT to work for less money! And I don't get out of bed for less than $100 so that's not gonna work for the 'dealers'. They want rooms for $50. It's $50 for me to turn the heat on and then they shower 3-4 times in a day, run the heat in their room up to 80 and open the windows.
No thanks. Sometimes I'd just rather have the time off!
Now, if I had 3-4 rooms booked and someone wanted to deal, I'd be more likely to say ok. But to me a deal is $10 off. Or an upgrade. I don't go crazy with the deals.
After explaining the amenities, I have asked, 'What do you think is fair for what you are getting?' Most people say anywhere from $75-$100. SO, their idea of fair and mine are off by a few dollars.

.

You are so right! I call a deal $10 off. I am afraid I would not ask what they think if is worth. I don't want to hear $75-100. I think if they want such a bargin they can go to Motel 8 where they don't clean very well and it might not be a safe place. I love bed and breakfasts. We never stay in a Hotel. I saw how they clean at the three top Hotels in Indy on a news broadcast. It was not good. I already knew it but to see it was an eye opener. These were very high end places.
.

You are so right! I call a deal $10 off. I am afraid I would not ask what they think if is worth. I don't want to hear $75-100. I think if they want such a bargin they can go to Motel 8 where they don't clean very well and it might not be a safe place. I love bed and breakfasts. We never stay in a Hotel. I saw how they clean at the three top Hotels in Indy on a news broadcast. It was not good. I already knew it but to see it was an eye opener. These were very high end places.

That's why I ask what they think it's worth. Then I can direct them to a place that has those rates. Like tonight, 'What's your cheapest room?' My cheapest room was more than they wanted to pay, but another B&B is doing rooms for $99.

 

[Morticia]

If there is one thing I KNOW it is that innkeepers are always GIVING stuff away for free. For some reason we give and give and give. No one else does this! No other business does this. I wonder what we are gaining by doing this as most guests do not seem to even notice or care.
BTW I have a yellow highlighter right here and I highlight the discount I give each and every guest on their statement. For no other reason than making sure they know they are getting this discount. Other than staying with inn-mates from the forum, I have never even been given a discount at a B&B. In season off season same rate and some you must prepay in full. I wil never do that again, I thought it was the norm before I owned a B&B, now I know better.
PS Any inn-mate I have stayed with please recipricate and come and visit us! Any time.

.

I've told you I'm no longer afraid to ask for a 'professional' discount. Most places will give one.
I don't highlight the discounts my repeats get but I do make sure it shows up on the reg form and I point it out. 'This is your total with the tax and your discount.' In spite of everyone having gotten a confirm in advance, I still hear, 'Wow, thanks for the discount!' as if they never saw it before.

 

[gillumhouse]

I also will stay empty before I will give away the store/ I do practically do that with my Deployment Package but it may work out as an investment. The Marine who came for Valentinesis stationed in NC and his lady is a student at WVU. Since they are both originally from NJ I asked her if her parents ever come to visit - and it may work into her folks maybe perhaps booking in here..... I know they enjoyed the visit so they may be back to.... She is finishing her freshman year.
Hotel has a biz center so I was able to pop in for a bit tonight. Talk to youse guys tomorrow.

 

[YellowSocks]

If there is one thing I KNOW it is that innkeepers are always GIVING stuff away for free. For some reason we give and give and give. No one else does this! No other business does this. I wonder what we are gaining by doing this as most guests do not seem to even notice or care.
BTW I have a yellow highlighter right here and I highlight the discount I give each and every guest on their statement. For no other reason than making sure they know they are getting this discount. Other than staying with inn-mates from the forum, I have never even been given a discount at a B&B. In season off season same rate and some you must prepay in full. I wil never do that again, I thought it was the norm before I owned a B&B, now I know better.
PS Any inn-mate I have stayed with please recipricate and come and visit us! Any time.

.

I have thought of the fact that I can't go the store and just say can you make me a deal I only want to pay half. That would not fly. I just wait until it is on sale. I have never ask an innkeeper for a discount even before innkeeping.
.

I have thought of the fact that I can't go the store and just say can you make me a deal I only want to pay half. That would not fly. I just wait until it is on sale. I have never ask an innkeeper for a discount even before innkeeping.

Well... you can't ask to pay half, but you can ask for a discount, sometimes. I have a comforter from BB&B that I got a discount on because the plastic zipper packaging was torn. And I once got a discount on an electric blanket that had some kind of smudge or stain on it. Even without asking a manager the cashier could give me 10% off on the spot. My dad used to "talk up" all the salespeople and cashiers everywhere he went, and he went to the same stores over and over. So, they all knew him. And if he asked if any sales were coming up, they'd gladly tell him.
I agree, though, I'd rather sit empty then do a steep discount. We had a professor who rented twice a week for a semester before we had redone the second floor rooms. She was regular (twice a week) who ate no breakfast and shared our unrenovated bathroom, so she got a great deal. When she emailed a month or two ago on a snowy day she was thinking same great deal (about a third of the current price), while I was thinking about 10% off. Dh was saying, but it's her! We should rent it. I was saying, no, the cheapest places in town cost more than that (I checked!) and I refuse to match prices with them.
=)
Kk.

 

[mz.lori]

I am very new to innkeeping, yet I can already relate to this. It is extremely frustrating. I am getting better at coping with it. The last time I heard the dreaded words I informed them (politely) that I could not lower my rates and that if they wanted to drive down the road a mile they could stay at the Super 8 types and pay nearly twice what I was asking. I offered to show them the room and they ended up staying and pleased. It is winter here and VERY slow. I think the 'deal-makers' got me to the point that I've gone way too low on rates. I fear the 'deal-makers' so I went low enough where I absolutely could not, would not negotiate. Yet they still tried! Ugh. So, I put up a small sign on my bulletin board stating 'rates are not negotable'. Hopefully that will help. I haven't had any customers to try it out on yet though.

 

[Samster]

Depending on where you're located, you may see more of this. There are lots of lodging places offering discounts. I've NEVER seen some high end B&Bs in CA offer discounts, and now they are. We are offering a February special and a March one as well. I always discount to Military & our local University, single business guests, and long-term stays.
It's not worth turning the heat up & everything else for a single room discount shopper though....

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Depending on where you're located, you may see more of this. There are lots of lodging places offering discounts. I've NEVER seen some high end B&Bs in CA offer discounts, and now they are. We are offering a February special and a March one as well. I always discount to Military & our local University, single business guests, and long-term stays.
It's not worth turning the heat up & everything else for a single room discount shopper though.....

Depending on where you're located, you may see more of this. There are lots of lodging places offering discounts. I've NEVER seen some high end B&Bs in CA offer discounts, and now they are. We are offering a February special and a March one as well. I always discount to Military & our local University, single business guests, and long-term stays.
It's not worth turning the heat up & everything else for a single room discount shopper though....

A special promotion with discount is not the same thing as asking for the "best you can do?" either. I think that is the big difference.

 

[egoodell]

I won't deal with that. I'm still working outside the business, and may change my mind when we're both in B&B but I find the people who talk that way leave the room a mess, take every bottle water and soda, all the popcorn and cookies and chocolate, and fill their shampoo bottles with my vinotherapy products.
But most of all, they are not FUN to have in my home.
Riki

 

[EmptyNest]

DEAL???? HA...NO DEAL!!!!