Anyone ever try this?

[Hillbilly]

Just wondering if anyone has ever tried this? Okay, so im sure you all have the same issue with wanting to fill all your rooms. You get a call for someone wanting 3 nights. You look and see that you have it open but they will have to switch rooms because 1 couple has booked one of your rooms already smack in the middle of the week and it messed everything up. The couple wanting to stay three nights doesn't want to move so they decide not to stay. If you could just move that one night to a different room then you I could of booked the couple wanting three nights. I can't remember where I saw it but looking this summer for a vacation spot I noticed one of the properties offered flexible room assignments. For an extra fee they would lock in your room you picked and not move you. It was kinda an up charge. I was just wondering what your thoughts are on this and if anyone has ever tried it? I could see how this would have major benefits in filling more rooms. But thinking it could get confusing to guests at the same time.
Thanks

 

[Generic]

All our OTA reservations are assigned at check-in and that gives me some flexibility. But we have contacted guests and asked if they would be willing to take an upgrade at no cost to move them.

 

[Baygirl]

The only option I've come up with is emailing the people that booked for one night to ask if they'd mind changing rooms and explaining why. More times than not they will move a room. For us all our rooms are different so when people book a specific room we just can't change their room.

 

[Morticia]

I've got it somewhere on the booking page that we reserve the right to switch your room if you are only here one night. Generally I call the guest to ask if they mind switching. Most don't as long as the switch is an upgrade or there is some perk.

 

[JimBoone]

We are an 8 room motel so what the guest expects may be not be quite the same, our rooms do have differences, but I state that I reserve the right to move a guest to a room of equal or larger size to make the most efficient use of our rooms. I do say if there is a special request for a specific room I will attempt to honor that request. I think most are happy with an upgrade.

 

[Hillbilly]

That gives me some thought on what to do for this next year. Just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this.
Thank you for the info!

 

[GoodScout]

I have a mental hierarchy for all my rooms, from cheapest to most expensive. So when I need to move a reservation, I call them and ask if they'd like a "free complimentary upgrade" to one of our bigger/nicer/more expensive/more awesome rooms or suites. Then I plug in to the longer reservation and voila!

 

[Delwood]

During our off-season, Sept to April , we have a room choice that is a "flexible" option that we list as our lowest cost room choice ($5-10 less than our lowest cost room). We just state that specific requests (stairs, bed type/size, more than 2 guests, etc) cannot be accommodated with this reservation choice, but also state what is guaranteed (private bath, double bed, won't be moved during their stay...). This gives us the freedom to place them in a room that best fits our availability and potentially keeps longer blocks of rooms open for longer stays. If specific rooms are advertised on a website and an up-charge is applied to guarantee the room I could see that as being misleading. Why not just list general room types a categorize based on standard, plus, deluxe, luxury, etc. and charge accordingly.

 

[Highlands John]

That gives me some thought on what to do for this next year. Just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this.
Thank you for the info!.

You've got me thinking about next year too, although I do have to say that most often than not guests will book the 3 nights with a room swap.

 

[Hillbilly]

That gives me some thought on what to do for this next year. Just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this.
Thank you for the info!.

You've got me thinking about next year too, although I do have to say that most often than not guests will book the 3 nights with a room swap.
.

I would partly agree. We take online bookings so I would imagine we get a lot of people that look and it shows we do not have anything available. So many times we don't get the reservations. Its the ones that pick up the phone and call us that we can explain and sell them on the idea of moving rooms.

 

[Hillbilly]

During our off-season, Sept to April , we have a room choice that is a "flexible" option that we list as our lowest cost room choice ($5-10 less than our lowest cost room). We just state that specific requests (stairs, bed type/size, more than 2 guests, etc) cannot be accommodated with this reservation choice, but also state what is guaranteed (private bath, double bed, won't be moved during their stay...). This gives us the freedom to place them in a room that best fits our availability and potentially keeps longer blocks of rooms open for longer stays. If specific rooms are advertised on a website and an up-charge is applied to guarantee the room I could see that as being misleading. Why not just list general room types a categorize based on standard, plus, deluxe, luxury, etc. and charge accordingly..

All of our rooms are the same style and amenities . They are just different themes is all.

 

[Silverspoon]

I've got it somewhere on the booking page that we reserve the right to switch your room if you are only here one night. Generally I call the guest to ask if they mind switching. Most don't as long as the switch is an upgrade or there is some perk..

This sounds very reasonable as long as they don't feel that they are getting relegated to a "plague" room!

 

[Tom]

Depends on your place, but here people pick the room -- flexible would confuse them. Rooms are all king, en suite, all equally comfortable, but we priced them 165 to 195 based on trivial differences in amenities like one sink or two. IF someone want to book across an occupied room, we book in patches, but usually offer the "upgrade" or discount to the people we need to move, when they arrive. In advance it is confusing, upsetting. When here, they see the choice and always agree, so the multiday stays put. As a fall back - haven't needed it yet -- I've warned the multi that I may have to move them. This works with us because we are only 5 rooms and we are ... OK, I am ... very direct with guests: "is this OK with you?" if any problem, "I'll fix". At most, I've been out $10 or $20 on a booking to get it straight. Peanuts.

 

[Lee2014]

If we have to change a room we tell them that they won the free upgrade, show off the upgrade room, and then ask if they rather have the room they booked. They always picked the upgrade one. Most of the time if someone called looking for a room after being told by the computer no room available, they are ready to change rooms every night, they just want to be at this place and will do anything. (It is easier for everyone if we can work it out so everyone can stay put in their own room.)