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Aussie Innkeeper

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
754
Reaction score
5
Location
Mount Joy, PA
I think I should respond to this somehow, but I don't know what to say. Can anyone offer suggestions?
"Stayed there recently after checking on Tripadvisor. Lovely old house and very friendly innkeepers. We booked the more expensive Victoria suite, which was very nice, but in my opinion slightly overpriced at a total of $234."
He picked the higer priced room on a Saturday night and did not ask for AAA or AARP or anything. If I remember correctly, he would have qualified for our Procrastinator's Special (20%), but never asked for it. I want to say something, but I don't want to make the guy look like an idiot.
 
If you want to reply, don't mention that they 'could have had a discount if they had asked'. That won't make anyone happy.
You can point out that you have a variety of rates (if you do) for a variety of budgets. If you want to go on, include a list of all the wonderfulness you get for the price.
My question- if you promote a discount for last minute guests why do you make them ask for it? Surprise them with it. 'Oh, and because you've called within 48 hours of arrival, we can offer you a special discount of 20% this weekend!' (I know, I would not like to give away 20% if the guest didn't ask but it's always better than them finding out later on.) And, if it's on your website, it's going to be found eventually.
 
thumbs_up.gif
good, madeline!
 
The "finding it later and being ticked" is why I tell people when they book if there is a special that fits. I had a lady book earlier this summer for 4 nights who was very pleased when I told her the 3rd night rate had been changed to the $19.12 + tax rate for our Happy Birthday Special (our house is 100 this year). Today I got a rez for 5 nights from the brother of a 3-night rez in Oct who booked HERE instead of the hotel where the family reunion is because he (the brother) saw the H B Special. When I called him for his cc# informed him I had already made the rate adjustment - he was quite pleased as he had fogotten that (but would have remembered or brother would have reminded).
His review may have been due to discovering the discount after he left.
 
This sounds a little like a few problems I have had with last min discounts! I have set some last min discounts to try and fill rooms! Guests that have already booked want the discount as well! Has anyone had this happen? What do you do? I tell them that it is for a last min special and they have had their room booked for X days! They received first choice. I then have to explain why we discount at te last min. Most people understand but some get mad!
 
Do you reply to all reviews on TA? How many stars?
I would just thank him for taking the time to share his opinion (if you reply to all reviews, otherwise don't say anything). He said it was his opinion, and as mentioned on so many other threads here, he is entitled to it. His perception is his own. We can't tell people how to think or see things.
 
I don't know if I would mention anything about the price. That's their opinion. Thank them for their stay.
Personally, if someone misses a discount, we manually give it to them and then email them a corrected confirmation. Nothing worse than them finding out later. It eases their mind that we will always fix it if they do it wrong.
 
I wouldn't answer it. We don't reply to TA reviews. However, a question as to what to tell the guests if anyone questions the price difference for discounts, what is an accurate response? We recently lowered our prices however, we kept the quoted prices the same for the guests who have already booked.
 
I wouldn't answer it. We don't reply to TA reviews. However, a question as to what to tell the guests if anyone questions the price difference for discounts, what is an accurate response? We recently lowered our prices however, we kept the quoted prices the same for the guests who have already booked..
We have had guests call us and say, 'I noticed you have lower prices now. Do I get that lower price?' The reason why I don't like lowering prices when we already have reservations.
Is that an across the board lowering or just a 'last minute special'? If it's across the board you should lower the prices for the guest who have already reserved. Always put the shoe on your own foot...how would you feel if the prices were lower and you had to pay more? It does not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling does it? If we buy something and it goes on sale the next week, DH takes the receipt to the store and asks for a refund of the difference. He gets it every time.
Now, if this is a 'it's the weekend and we're not full' discount then you don't have to offer it to the guests who are already booked. (And you can use the line someone else had- You got the choice of rooms. But if it's on your website, you can be sure someone is going to ask for it.
 
I wouldn't answer it. We don't reply to TA reviews. However, a question as to what to tell the guests if anyone questions the price difference for discounts, what is an accurate response? We recently lowered our prices however, we kept the quoted prices the same for the guests who have already booked..
We have had guests call us and say, 'I noticed you have lower prices now. Do I get that lower price?' The reason why I don't like lowering prices when we already have reservations.
Is that an across the board lowering or just a 'last minute special'? If it's across the board you should lower the prices for the guest who have already reserved. Always put the shoe on your own foot...how would you feel if the prices were lower and you had to pay more? It does not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling does it? If we buy something and it goes on sale the next week, DH takes the receipt to the store and asks for a refund of the difference. He gets it every time.
Now, if this is a 'it's the weekend and we're not full' discount then you don't have to offer it to the guests who are already booked. (And you can use the line someone else had- You got the choice of rooms. But if it's on your website, you can be sure someone is going to ask for it.
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I understand doing it for someone that booked say last week, but if someone booked 3 months ago at the higher price, no store would give a price difference for an item that long ago.
 
Hotels change their prices several times a day. Why would it be so wrong for a b&b to have different prices? Supply and demand. For the last several years I have done a little yield management and never have had anyone complain.
 
Hotels change their prices several times a day. Why would it be so wrong for a b&b to have different prices? Supply and demand. For the last several years I have done a little yield management and never have had anyone complain..
I'm talking the difference between lowering prices across the board and having a special deal. If they're lowering prices 'permanently' then the booked guests should get the advantage of that. If it's a special, then specials happen and sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't.
I've had guests cancel because they didn't get the special. Now THAT is a royal pain. And what kind of person is it who repeatedly goes to check the prices right up until they check in?
 
I wouldn't even reply. Or if you do, say thanks for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. You can have your pick of any of our rooms next time you visit.
Nuff said.
 
We offer a last minute discount too this means within 24 hours. The only thing we put on the website is-call for specials, this way its not advertised on the site and only the guest that calls for it gets it. We also have specials on other websites in town as we are in a college town, only those people get those discounts because they mention said place. I would thank him for staying at your inn and perhaps if he returns you can offer him a "return guest" discount...
 
If you normally do not reply, don't make this any different, unless they also gave you only 1 or 2 stars. You did not say.
Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to value... some would say you are charging way too little, while another thinks they should have been sleeping on gold threaded sheets for the price.
If you normally reply, I would simply thank them for their stay and if you have less expensive rooms state 'here at My Place we have rooms at several price ranges, and all rooms come with a wonderful breakfast and list a few amenities.... "
This is your time to turn this into a little commerical and let readers know what a value your place really is...
 
I wouldn't answer it. We don't reply to TA reviews. However, a question as to what to tell the guests if anyone questions the price difference for discounts, what is an accurate response? We recently lowered our prices however, we kept the quoted prices the same for the guests who have already booked..
The way I encourage people to think about tripadviser reviews is - if they are good great if not them they are an opportunity to be used as an advert for your place - to simply ignore them to me as a customer says you don't care enough to check what people are saying.
Ie if a person says I like room X because of the decorating scheme - you can reply and say glad you liked X but just to make customers aware we are redocorating Y so you might like to try that next time you come. We are also doing XYZ or glad while you were here you enjoyed XYZ maybe next time you would enjoy ETC. Make every review a chance to sell your area and attractions -BUT make sure you don't write the response when you are furious about it as you will simply confirm in people 's minds what was said or make it worce.
 
On the question of discounting, isn't the idea of offering a discount that you are trying to encourage people to book who might not otherwise? So what good is the discount if it is not advertised where the prospects who might be enticed by it will see it?
I suppose giving people discounts that they didn't ask for is a way to generate goodwill and perhaps encourage repeat business.
On the question of applying discounts across the board, our terms and conditions state the following:
"The rates specified in this contract are the applicable rate advertised at the time of booking. The rates that Harborfields advertises are subject to change. By making this reservation, you agree that you are not eligible for any lower rates, discounts or other special deals advertised subsequent to the confirmation of this reservation, nor shall you be required to pay any increased rate above that specified in this contract."
 
On the question of discounting, isn't the idea of offering a discount that you are trying to encourage people to book who might not otherwise? So what good is the discount if it is not advertised where the prospects who might be enticed by it will see it?
I suppose giving people discounts that they didn't ask for is a way to generate goodwill and perhaps encourage repeat business.
On the question of applying discounts across the board, our terms and conditions state the following:
"The rates specified in this contract are the applicable rate advertised at the time of booking. The rates that Harborfields advertises are subject to change. By making this reservation, you agree that you are not eligible for any lower rates, discounts or other special deals advertised subsequent to the confirmation of this reservation, nor shall you be required to pay any increased rate above that specified in this contract.".
Im the same - you agreed to that price at that time - it was your choice to book and pay that price. I never discount so all the rooms match.
Also some of our rooms are larger, more recently renovated etc than others so we allocate by price accordingly unless people book specific rooms which they do sometimes but not often.
 
I wouldn't even reply. Or if you do, say thanks for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. You can have your pick of any of our rooms next time you visit.
Nuff said..
EmptyNest said:
I wouldn't even reply. Or if you do, say thanks for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. You can have your pick of any of our rooms next time you visit.
Nuff said.
Ditto. How many stars did you get in your review? You might respond and state what you posted here (worded a little differently of course), and forget it. Not worth agonizing over.
 
I wouldn't even reply. Or if you do, say thanks for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. You can have your pick of any of our rooms next time you visit.
Nuff said..
EmptyNest said:
I wouldn't even reply. Or if you do, say thanks for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. You can have your pick of any of our rooms next time you visit.
Nuff said.
Ditto. How many stars did you get in your review? You might respond and state what you posted here (worded a little differently of course), and forget it. Not worth agonizing over.
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I wouldn't mention any kind of discount "if you ask" simply because it means the next 50 people who book will be haggling "because they saw that if you ask you get a discount on tripadviser" id be very carefull what you say.
 
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