Low Rates Invite Riff Raff

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JBloggs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
17,744
Reaction score
9
I turned on BBC today just at the very last 2 minutes of The Hotelier. Most of this show does not apply to our businesses in any form or fashion (large hotels with restaurants and pubs). The parting line today was the owner was determined to keep her room rates extremely high, higher than they should be, and the hotelier (who comes in to help sort out a hotel and get it back on track) mentioned "of course you do not want them too low to invite in the riff raff."
I thought this was a valid point to discuss on the forum, which has not been discussed of late. When your rooms rates drop under a specified amount you invite rif raf into your establishment. Obviousely the price points vary on this forum greatly depending on region, location and amenities. There was an innkeeper in PA who charged a ridiculousely low rate and had nearly "hourly" rentals there or 4 to a room.
Please discuss your thoughts on the rates in your area - why or why not you charge what you do or others charge. There has been the term tossed around "BnB People" are these the only ones willing to pay higher rates? Or do average people book with the higher rates believing them to be "special occasion" stays only?
 
We go around this merry little mulberry bush every few months when it's slow. I have never been able to completely convince hubs that lowering the price does not necessarily bring in business. "Lower prices do not create demand." Then, finally, he was looking at some parts online for his tractor and one guy was selling exactly what he wanted for $100 less than everyone else. Hubs's query? 'Wonder what's wrong with it?'
Perfect moment to tell him I was lowering our rates to $50 below all the other inns in town.
Oprah's aha moment, it was beautiful to behold. We probably won't be having that lower price conversation anytime soon.
As for why everyone charges what they do here, it's what the market will bear. Actually, the market might bear a little lower but I don't want to be the lowest price place in town, so I'm not starting the downward spiral in prices. I look at the comp and what they charge and I position myself where I think I fit based on what they offer vs what I offer. If I think I'm 'better' than some places that have really much higher rates, I don't go there, but I may nudge up by $5 because it's obvious the market will bear a higher price. I just don't want disappointed guests who thought they were going to get much more for the price.
 
I started out calling the B & B in the next town and asking what her rates were. She had private baths so I cut my price by $5 because I was shared (the rooms w/full beds were $5 less than the queen). Every couple of years I raised the prices by $5. When I created the private bath, I raised the rates in that room by $20 and the other 2 by $5 that year. The next year I raised the rates in the room with private bath and left the others alone. I have increased the rates to the point where there is a $34 difference and the higher priced room is booked first (of course it is because of the private bath) and I enjoy the better revenue. If a second room wants a private bath - pay the private rate and I do not book the third room.
I just called the HI for a rate check - I am about $29 more in rate but I am 6% lower in tax and I give my guests a REAL breakfast FREE!
 
We have mulberry trees here 20 feet tall...we go around them too and have the birds drop eaten mulberries on our heads. :)
The issue is, for me - Who actually stays at every inn in your town to know what they have vs what you have down to the fine details?
Like looking at those B&B websites in another state recently - one had totally off the chart reviews by the hundreds and a suckey website. The rooms looked old and stale, cluttered, nauseating almost.
But a couple inns without a gazillion reviews looked clean and crisp. I have to go with my gut and book the clean and crisp.
This is why - and I apologize right here and right now - for my usual soapbox - this is why website APPEAL is SO IMPORTANT!
PHOTOS PEOPLE! GET THEM ON THERE big clear that load quickly, not a far away shot of the front of your place, fuzzy, get some good pics and people would be willing to pay your price.
Your website needs to be more than informative, more than great SEO, it needs to be ATTRACTIVE! Our websites should always be a work in motion - never static - always updating them with new improved photos, info, gagdets, widgets, whatever people like to see and use!
An attractive website will deter the rif raf! That 's my stance and I am stickin' with it!
teeth_smile.gif
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing.
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing..
Ahem. I AM the rif raf. I think it is so funny that when our Garden Club was started 80 years ago from what I have been told, the likes of me would never have been invited to join. And today I am the Prez!
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing..
seashanty said:
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing.
Riff raff can be anyone. It doesn't apply to a particular group all the time. It's just the group you don't want, whoever they are. I'm thinking there are few of us on here who would get thru the doors at any popular nightclub frequented by the A list. And yet, we're not riff raff in our own eyes!
And they say worse things than 'riff raff' on the Beeb.
Riff raff around here would be heavy smokers/drinkers/carousers who didn't take care of the place or who weren't respectful. Somewhere else, they wouldn't be riff raff at all.
Given my heritage, we've always been riff raff, even in the old country!
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing..
Ahem. I AM the rif raf. I think it is so funny that when our Garden Club was started 80 years ago from what I have been told, the likes of me would never have been invited to join. And today I am the Prez!
.
No way! I've seen rif raf. I come from a proud line of rif raf. You, my dear, are no rif raf.
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing..
seashanty said:
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing.
Riff raff can be anyone. It doesn't apply to a particular group all the time. It's just the group you don't want, whoever they are. I'm thinking there are few of us on here who would get thru the doors at any popular nightclub frequented by the A list. And yet, we're not riff raff in our own eyes!
And they say worse things than 'riff raff' on the Beeb.
Riff raff around here would be heavy smokers/drinkers/carousers who didn't take care of the place or who weren't respectful. Somewhere else, they wouldn't be riff raff at all.
Given my heritage, we've always been riff raff, even in the old country!
.
Bree said:
seashanty said:
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing.
Riff raff can be anyone. It doesn't apply to a particular group all the time. It's just the group you don't want, whoever they are. I'm thinking there are few of us on here who would get thru the doors at any popular nightclub frequented by the A list. And yet, we're not riff raff in our own eyes!
And they say worse things than 'riff raff' on the Beeb.
Riff raff around here would be heavy smokers/drinkers/carousers who didn't take care of the place or who weren't respectful. Somewhere else, they wouldn't be riff raff at all.
Given my heritage, we've always been riff raff, even in the old country!
riff raff = non B&B types
 
i really bristle at the term 'rif raf' ... this was spoken on a bbc tv program? amazing..
Ahem. I AM the rif raf. I think it is so funny that when our Garden Club was started 80 years ago from what I have been told, the likes of me would never have been invited to join. And today I am the Prez!
.
No way! I've seen rif raf. I come from a proud line of rif raf. You, my dear, are no rif raf.
.
AW, Shucks!!!!
I must admit I did get the best of my mixed bag of gene pool - except I do not know about the ? 'cause g-gma never told. But with the rest:
From English my stiff upper lip in the face of adversity
From Irish my sense of humor
From Scots my ability to make Lincoln cry (that is a penny to the uninitiated)
From the German my good cooking ability
And everyone knows what the Swedes are good at....
 
Do you mean The Hotel Inspector? ..... it's along the same lines as Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's.
The Tipsy Butler said:
Do you mean The Hotel Inspector? ..... it's along the same lines as Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's
Yes. Only much nicer. Do you watch it? Some of the hoteliers are just crabby.
 
Joe Bloggs said:
Please discuss your thoughts on the rates in your area - why or why not you charge what you do or others charge. There has been the term tossed around "BnB People" are these the only ones willing to pay higher rates? Or do average people book with the higher rates believing them to be "special occasion" stays only?
We charge our fees because if we charged less than the others that don't offer all our amenities, people, like Bree's DH, wil wonder, "What's wrong with that B&B?" We also need to cover our expenses so we can work on building the other wing.
We've been told by guests we are not charging enough! But I feel the rates in this town are high enough. On the other hand, I think we need to up our wine tour rates.
It's difficult for me to find out exactly what the limos charge. They quote an hourly fee but there are also add ons and I don't know how much they are. They add on a tip for the driver, for example. They don't pay the tasting fees (from $10 - $25 per person) which we do, and they don't offer the deluxe cheese plate we offer (for two the plate costs us about $10 - 15 per person) but we have not upped those in some time - I think 1-2 years, and more wineries are charging us more. Chris keeps getting tips that average $30 a trip so I think we can up the cost of the tour from $115 per weekday per person and $125 per weekend day per person to something like $125 weekday and $140 per weekend day. I'm researching.
What do you all think? We pick up at 1pm and bring the guest back around 5-5:30. Chris and I escort them all the way and answer their questions and help them figure out what kind of wines they like so they can order confidently in a restaurant. We carry bottled water and soda in the van and serve them half way with a very lovely cheese /chocolate/ fruit plate. And it's local handcrafted cheese, and expensive imported cheese, not supermarket cheeses. We take them tasting to four wineries. They don't have to pay for anything other than wine they wish to purchase. Would you pay $140 per person?
The last time I looked and could even find any rates without calling, they were quoting about $275 - $350 for 2 and 2-4 people in a sedan to drive you for four hours which is about our timeframe. But this is without whatever taxes, gratuities for the driver they add, and for your tasting fees you must pay, and no food, probably bottled water.
Riki
 
Do you mean The Hotel Inspector? ..... it's along the same lines as Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's.
The Tipsy Butler said:
Do you mean The Hotel Inspector? ..... it's along the same lines as Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare's
Yes. Only much nicer. Do you watch it? Some of the hoteliers are just crabby.
.
When it co-incides with room cleaning or ironing. While I think some of it is rubbish, there are some valid pointers and ideas. I have to admit to loving Gordon - never a dull moment. The last one I saw was an Indian / Irish / American restaurant in NYC - high drama from start to finish.
 
The Hotel Inspector is one of my favorite BBC shows. If you think some of the establishments are bad, wait until you see the one on a B&B called "Garden Lodge" (www.garden-lodge.com/). The owner is a total nightmare. She probably intimidated the real inspector to give her a 4 star rating, because that's the only plausible explanation as to how a dump like that is rated 4 stars.
After watching a few episodes, I was afraid to step foot into any British lodging establishment.
 
The Hotel Inspector is one of my favorite BBC shows. If you think some of the establishments are bad, wait until you see the one on a B&B called "Garden Lodge" (www.garden-lodge.com/). The owner is a total nightmare. She probably intimidated the real inspector to give her a 4 star rating, because that's the only plausible explanation as to how a dump like that is rated 4 stars.
After watching a few episodes, I was afraid to step foot into any British lodging establishment..
We had a guest this morning who is American living in London, unhappy with the rating system used for B&Bs over there. She said she wished there was a Select Registry-type organization there, and also says that's why she counts on TA for real input.
 
The Hotel Inspector is one of my favorite BBC shows. If you think some of the establishments are bad, wait until you see the one on a B&B called "Garden Lodge" (www.garden-lodge.com/). The owner is a total nightmare. She probably intimidated the real inspector to give her a 4 star rating, because that's the only plausible explanation as to how a dump like that is rated 4 stars.
After watching a few episodes, I was afraid to step foot into any British lodging establishment..
We had a guest this morning who is American living in London, unhappy with the rating system used for B&Bs over there. She said she wished there was a Select Registry-type organization there, and also says that's why she counts on TA for real input.
.
muirford said:
We had a guest this morning who is American living in London, unhappy with the rating system used for B&Bs over there. She said she wished there was a Select Registry-type organization there, and also says that's why she counts on TA for real input.
Don't they have a country-wide tourist board that does that or is that just Ireland? I thought the UK had that as well.
 
Their star ratings system is administered by Visit Britain (http://www.visitbritain.co.uk/accommodation/qas.aspx).
Judging from the calibre of 4 and 5 star rated establishments, it seems that their system is very lax.
 
The Hotel Inspector is one of my favorite BBC shows. If you think some of the establishments are bad, wait until you see the one on a B&B called "Garden Lodge" (www.garden-lodge.com/). The owner is a total nightmare. She probably intimidated the real inspector to give her a 4 star rating, because that's the only plausible explanation as to how a dump like that is rated 4 stars.
After watching a few episodes, I was afraid to step foot into any British lodging establishment..
We had a guest this morning who is American living in London, unhappy with the rating system used for B&Bs over there. She said she wished there was a Select Registry-type organization there, and also says that's why she counts on TA for real input.
.
muirford said:
We had a guest this morning who is American living in London, unhappy with the rating system used for B&Bs over there. She said she wished there was a Select Registry-type organization there, and also says that's why she counts on TA for real input.
Don't they have a country-wide tourist board that does that or is that just Ireland? I thought the UK had that as well.
.
Yes, the star rating system referred to by TLE. It is apparently more of a 'checkmark' system - they has this amenity/feature or they don't - rather than a rating of the quality of the offering. It's been many years since I've been to Ireland but there was a wide variation then.
 
Back
Top