Nickel and diming...

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.

Morticia

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
17,771
Reaction score
685
Had a call today from a woman who says she and her 2 friends will not be eating breakfast as they are going to be needing to leave early each of the 3 mornings, so she wants a discount. Maybe I'm just grumpy, maybe it was her attitude that I wouldn't dare NOT give her a discount, but it rubbed me the wrong way. I've been thinking about the article where hotels are reducing the free stuff or increasing the price of the minibar items.
So, I told her we do not reduce the rate of the room if the guest chooses to not eat breakfast. I said, 'Ma'am, we offer a variety of amenities here for free that you would be paying for at a hotel. The parking is free, the WiFi is free, the afternoon tea is free, the snacks are free and my husband will carry your bags for free. You can sit in the living room and drink tea and have snacks all afternoon if that's what you choose to do and we will not add it all up and put it on your bill. We won't nickel and dime you and we appreciate the same respect from our guests.'
Holy cow. Dead silence on the other end. Then she said, 'That's the first time anyone has ever explained it so well to me. We'll book. Is there any chance we can have something to go in the morning?'
 
Good for you! Hopefully when they get there they won't be PITA's! You'll have to post and let us know how their visit goes!
 
It just goes to show that sometimes you just need to open their eyes! We had guests ask us if there was a charge for the bottled water and soda in their fridge even though we tell them it's included at check in.
Then again, we have had guests book that said at first we looked expensive until they compared the amenities - what we offer included in the room cost, and what the others charge as additional.
And, as you say, the hotels are cutting back.
Riki
 
You go, girl! Sometimes you just have to educate people on your value. Good job! Or, you could lower the price & charge $15 for a little jar of jelly beans
wink_smile.gif
 
Well done! I will have to remember this one...
What I have used when people say they won't be eating breakfast, so what's the rate?
I tell them that breakfast is free, due to licensing regulations here I can not charge for breakfast therefor I can not deduct for it either.
I like your explaination better!
 
You go, girl! Sometimes you just have to educate people on your value. Good job! Or, you could lower the price & charge $15 for a little jar of jelly beans
wink_smile.gif
.
Samster said:
You go, girl! Sometimes you just have to educate people on your value. Good job! Or, you could lower the price & charge $15 for a little jar of jelly beans
wink_smile.gif
I thought about saying I could take $5 off for the breakfast but would have to charge for anything else they used instead if they insisted on having everything itemized. Which, I guess, is another way of looking at it.
All this while trying to get to the dates they wanted on the avail calendar. Helps to pretend you have a slow computer...
 
Love it! I just hope I can remember how to say it if the question ever comes up for me!
 
Not only will I memorize that speech, I may put it on my website. It's spectacular!
cheers.gif
 
Interesting... I havn't thought of breakfast being no charge. I will charge an extra $20 if a guest is bringing a friend for breakfast. That happens when parents are visiting their kids who go to the university here. So there will be breakfast for three people instead of the normal two that is included in the room rate.
I have actually gotten people to stay here deducting breakfast off the room rate when they think the rate is too high. I usually take off $40. They can sleep in and then I get a day off from breakfast. I only do this when I know the room will go unrented that night. I am not sure if this is a good way to do it but I do like how bree stated she does it.
 
THAT IS COOL! YOU could have responded like most of us usually do..."Breakfast is complimentary and not included in the rate..so no discount." But you educated her and she was impressed. WAY TO GO!!! And being able to offer them a to go breakfast...if you are able to do so...will also impress:)
 
Interesting... I havn't thought of breakfast being no charge. I will charge an extra $20 if a guest is bringing a friend for breakfast. That happens when parents are visiting their kids who go to the university here. So there will be breakfast for three people instead of the normal two that is included in the room rate.
I have actually gotten people to stay here deducting breakfast off the room rate when they think the rate is too high. I usually take off $40. They can sleep in and then I get a day off from breakfast. I only do this when I know the room will go unrented that night. I am not sure if this is a good way to do it but I do like how bree stated she does it..
Wow oceans - you take off $40 if they don't want breakfast? That is WAY too generous IMHO. Even if it would go unrented otherwise. (Well at least by my rates it is way too much.)
Do you know if you are allowed, by your local laws, to charge for breakfast for non overnighters?
We are not here. The only way we can do this is to get restaurant zoning and license, which would be difficult for me to do.
When I have had requests for this and ask how much, I tell them it would be our pleasure to have your ___________ for breakfast and if service warrants, a gatuity would be appreciated, that we are not allowed by law to charge. I usually get much more than what I would have charged if I could....
 
Interesting... I havn't thought of breakfast being no charge. I will charge an extra $20 if a guest is bringing a friend for breakfast. That happens when parents are visiting their kids who go to the university here. So there will be breakfast for three people instead of the normal two that is included in the room rate.
I have actually gotten people to stay here deducting breakfast off the room rate when they think the rate is too high. I usually take off $40. They can sleep in and then I get a day off from breakfast. I only do this when I know the room will go unrented that night. I am not sure if this is a good way to do it but I do like how bree stated she does it..
Good related topic...we do not charge for the college student who drops in. We tell parents that it's a 'perk' of staying with us. THAT gets repeat traffic even if the kid never comes to breakfast. We have just started not charging even if the kid stays overnight with the parents. ('Kid' must be going to a local college and must be in the same room with the parents. Same does not apply to sibling visiting college kid.)
 
Interesting... I havn't thought of breakfast being no charge. I will charge an extra $20 if a guest is bringing a friend for breakfast. That happens when parents are visiting their kids who go to the university here. So there will be breakfast for three people instead of the normal two that is included in the room rate.
I have actually gotten people to stay here deducting breakfast off the room rate when they think the rate is too high. I usually take off $40. They can sleep in and then I get a day off from breakfast. I only do this when I know the room will go unrented that night. I am not sure if this is a good way to do it but I do like how bree stated she does it..
We're not able to charge either. Breakfast is complimentary. So, I wouldn't discount if they're not eating breakfast. I have only had one couple turn breakfast down due to an o'dark thirty departure to catch a flight & they insisted that I not pack them anything, get up early, etc. They were some of our first guests who were here for 4 nights and had extended their stay a night :)
There have been a few occasions where someone has asked if someone else could join them for breakfast and if they could pay. I tell them that normally it's for our registered guests only, but.... I have never thought to ask for a gratuity. That's an interesting approach.
I need to remember Bree's speech if someone balks on our rates. In the past, I've just listed out what's included but excellent to remind them of the price tag if a hotel was keeping an itemized list!!
 
Back
Top