minimum stay requirements

[Lee2014]

We have one room which is a 2 night requirement... the rest are whatever happens. So we get one nighters that others won't take. Ok. The only different in cleaning is remaking a bed and dusting.... Laundry is a set of sheets more.... This summer we have me and a girl on the weekend to clean. We have had one nighters ask to stay longer, excellent!

 

[gillumhouse]

I did min. 2 night on weekends. If I didn't fill up...so be it. I didn't care. I wasn't doing all that work for one night. I know...heads in beds..but that was not my driver..

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.
.

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations. It's good when it all comes together but many callers say, "I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well. (Which harks back to my walk-ins who want to spend their money on good food and a LONG vacation rather than a short vacation where the accommodations are spendy.)
Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival. I think we're all the best at the level we have chosen to occupy. At the least, we are all building our businesses to the best of our abilities in the market we inhabit. Where the market is changing drastically, we're adapting to the new modality.
I haven't seen too many slackers hang out here for very long. Which is good for all of us. We egg each other on to be our best.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.

Each of us runs the business we want. Our industry, the one we are both in, has room for all kinds of accommodations. (Places that offer a bed and a breakfast, all the way thru places that are resorts, everything in between.) Part of the problem with PAII, was the push for all B&B's no matter the size to be the same. Same kinds of rooms, same kinds of amenities. You remember - you must have jetted tubs, you must have Frette linens, you must greet every guest personally no matter the hour and then be perky as can be 2 hours later when you start breakfast, you must, you must, and yet so many don't have any of those things and they're very happy running the business they love.
You have an idea of what is good for you and your area. You are pursuing that. Others have different ideas, ideas that are just as valid, that they are pursuing.
We have 3-4 budget hotels in town, as the town becomes more popular we'll get more. They get the folks who want that kind of accommodation. (Lots of truckers, construction crews and the budget-minded.) We are not a budget hotel, but we are not a high end inn. Don't want to be. The next owners may decide to tear the place apart and make it a 4 room, high end destination. Their choice. The potential is certainly there. The hotel next door to us used to be a 4 room B&B. Now they have 2 Conde Nast properties with over 100 rooms. The piece of land we own here could certainly support a boutique hotel. The location is prime.
But, because you have a model you love, does not mean aspirings should follow your model. Everyone follows their own dream. Like you've taken 10 years to figure out what that dream is, others have to follow their own path.
You'll have your influencers make your place what you want it to be. Excellent. You've made all the connections you need to be successful. Excellent. But it's only one way. One path. One solution. There's a different solution for everyone. There's no 'success template' - you make your own.
If that means an aspiring wants to open a bed and breakfast and have guests stay in their home, treated well and looked after, but hey that's all I've got, then that's their dream. Telling them they have to be so much more than that will turn many good innkeepers away from this lifestyle. Saying you have to be more than that or else is saying there's only one way to succeed.
.

Mort - you have said it so well. I used to return from a meeting at one of the mansions seeing my place as "What a dump". Until I looked around at one meeting and was struck by the thought that almost knocked me over - "I am so glad I do not have to clean this place."
My house is an old 4-square 3-rooms with (now) 2 bathrooms. But I get reservations like the one today - 2 sisters coming to the town Mom was born in, a place they have never been to. And they booked the 2 rooms that share a bathroom. I do fancy a bit with breakfast, but we are just small town and offer West Virginia as the experience - I am the base camp while they explore. 2-nighters are given a Gazetteer to aid in their ramblings if they decide to go off he path I gave them.
You will probably see some dust somewhere - Granny does not see too good these days - but the bed will be comfortable, water pressure will be good, towels large, and the food will be great. You will also pay for it at what I consider a fair rate and our guests think so also as they DO come back.

 

[happykeeper]

I did min. 2 night on weekends. If I didn't fill up...so be it. I didn't care. I wasn't doing all that work for one night. I know...heads in beds..but that was not my driver..

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.
.

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations. It's good when it all comes together but many callers say, "I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well. (Which harks back to my walk-ins who want to spend their money on good food and a LONG vacation rather than a short vacation where the accommodations are spendy.)
Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival. I think we're all the best at the level we have chosen to occupy. At the least, we are all building our businesses to the best of our abilities in the market we inhabit. Where the market is changing drastically, we're adapting to the new modality.
I haven't seen too many slackers hang out here for very long. Which is good for all of us. We egg each other on to be our best.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.

Each of us runs the business we want. Our industry, the one we are both in, has room for all kinds of accommodations. (Places that offer a bed and a breakfast, all the way thru places that are resorts, everything in between.) Part of the problem with PAII, was the push for all B&B's no matter the size to be the same. Same kinds of rooms, same kinds of amenities. You remember - you must have jetted tubs, you must have Frette linens, you must greet every guest personally no matter the hour and then be perky as can be 2 hours later when you start breakfast, you must, you must, and yet so many don't have any of those things and they're very happy running the business they love.
You have an idea of what is good for you and your area. You are pursuing that. Others have different ideas, ideas that are just as valid, that they are pursuing.
We have 3-4 budget hotels in town, as the town becomes more popular we'll get more. They get the folks who want that kind of accommodation. (Lots of truckers, construction crews and the budget-minded.) We are not a budget hotel, but we are not a high end inn. Don't want to be. The next owners may decide to tear the place apart and make it a 4 room, high end destination. Their choice. The potential is certainly there. The hotel next door to us used to be a 4 room B&B. Now they have 2 Conde Nast properties with over 100 rooms. The piece of land we own here could certainly support a boutique hotel. The location is prime.
But, because you have a model you love, does not mean aspirings should follow your model. Everyone follows their own dream. Like you've taken 10 years to figure out what that dream is, others have to follow their own path.
You'll have your influencers make your place what you want it to be. Excellent. You've made all the connections you need to be successful. Excellent. But it's only one way. One path. One solution. There's a different solution for everyone. There's no 'success template' - you make your own.
If that means an aspiring wants to open a bed and breakfast and have guests stay in their home, treated well and looked after, but hey that's all I've got, then that's their dream. Telling them they have to be so much more than that will turn many good innkeepers away from this lifestyle. Saying you have to be more than that or else is saying there's only one way to succeed.
.

It's really just things I think an aspiring innkeeper should be aware of in the years ahead if they want to be successful. As I said, I think it applies to all categories and all styles of accommodation. We will need to do more.

 

[Iris]

We have minimums in the high season, July and August until Labor Day.
Since we now have a couple of housekeepers, finally, it is alright with me to fill "holes" with one nighters, even in high season. It is definitely more lucrative for us - our bottom line has improved

 

[Iris]

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked..

..

 

[Iris]

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked..

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

I do that but I am careful not to "bother" the people. Sometimes it feels a little too pushy, but yes, often it works.

 

[Ice]

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked..

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

By any chance did he say how much of a discount he gave? Also how did he notified them email?

 

[Copperhead]

I did min. 2 night on weekends. If I didn't fill up...so be it. I didn't care. I wasn't doing all that work for one night. I know...heads in beds..but that was not my driver..

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.
.

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations. It's good when it all comes together but many callers say, "I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well. (Which harks back to my walk-ins who want to spend their money on good food and a LONG vacation rather than a short vacation where the accommodations are spendy.)
Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival. I think we're all the best at the level we have chosen to occupy. At the least, we are all building our businesses to the best of our abilities in the market we inhabit. Where the market is changing drastically, we're adapting to the new modality.
I haven't seen too many slackers hang out here for very long. Which is good for all of us. We egg each other on to be our best.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.

Each of us runs the business we want. Our industry, the one we are both in, has room for all kinds of accommodations. (Places that offer a bed and a breakfast, all the way thru places that are resorts, everything in between.) Part of the problem with PAII, was the push for all B&B's no matter the size to be the same. Same kinds of rooms, same kinds of amenities. You remember - you must have jetted tubs, you must have Frette linens, you must greet every guest personally no matter the hour and then be perky as can be 2 hours later when you start breakfast, you must, you must, and yet so many don't have any of those things and they're very happy running the business they love.
You have an idea of what is good for you and your area. You are pursuing that. Others have different ideas, ideas that are just as valid, that they are pursuing.
We have 3-4 budget hotels in town, as the town becomes more popular we'll get more. They get the folks who want that kind of accommodation. (Lots of truckers, construction crews and the budget-minded.) We are not a budget hotel, but we are not a high end inn. Don't want to be. The next owners may decide to tear the place apart and make it a 4 room, high end destination. Their choice. The potential is certainly there. The hotel next door to us used to be a 4 room B&B. Now they have 2 Conde Nast properties with over 100 rooms. The piece of land we own here could certainly support a boutique hotel. The location is prime.
But, because you have a model you love, does not mean aspirings should follow your model. Everyone follows their own dream. Like you've taken 10 years to figure out what that dream is, others have to follow their own path.
You'll have your influencers make your place what you want it to be. Excellent. You've made all the connections you need to be successful. Excellent. But it's only one way. One path. One solution. There's a different solution for everyone. There's no 'success template' - you make your own.
If that means an aspiring wants to open a bed and breakfast and have guests stay in their home, treated well and looked after, but hey that's all I've got, then that's their dream. Telling them they have to be so much more than that will turn many good innkeepers away from this lifestyle. Saying you have to be more than that or else is saying there's only one way to succeed.
.

Very well said Mort.
I understand Happy is happy to have found the niche needed for their business. And I am pleased to hear everything they have done. It is wonderful and exciting and it shows vision.
Hopefully we all find what works for our business needs.
Trying to be or do something that doesn't make you happy will have a negative impression in the end to your customers.

 

[Evan]

I did min. 2 night on weekends. If I didn't fill up...so be it. I didn't care. I wasn't doing all that work for one night. I know...heads in beds..but that was not my driver..

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.
.

We have never been heads in beds. That is especially important in these times of changing travel desires. Folks are looking squarely at the place they are staying as an experience.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations. It's good when it all comes together but many callers say, "I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well. (Which harks back to my walk-ins who want to spend their money on good food and a LONG vacation rather than a short vacation where the accommodations are spendy.)
Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival. I think we're all the best at the level we have chosen to occupy. At the least, we are all building our businesses to the best of our abilities in the market we inhabit. Where the market is changing drastically, we're adapting to the new modality.
I haven't seen too many slackers hang out here for very long. Which is good for all of us. We egg each other on to be our best.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.
.

Or, the place they are staying is part of a grander experience, not the entire experience. Lots of people still travel to have the experience outside their place of accommodations.

Of course they do.

"I just need a place to sleep, I don't want to spend too much." And there needs to be a place for these good people to stay as well.

Yep. It's called the Budget Inn and there is one coming to where you live soon.

Providing accommodations across the spectrum is very important for all of our long range survival.

If by "our" you mean our industry, I would say to any inspiring innkeeper that the idea of providing accommodations (in any category) is not enough. You will need to do and be more.

Each of us runs the business we want. Our industry, the one we are both in, has room for all kinds of accommodations. (Places that offer a bed and a breakfast, all the way thru places that are resorts, everything in between.) Part of the problem with PAII, was the push for all B&B's no matter the size to be the same. Same kinds of rooms, same kinds of amenities. You remember - you must have jetted tubs, you must have Frette linens, you must greet every guest personally no matter the hour and then be perky as can be 2 hours later when you start breakfast, you must, you must, and yet so many don't have any of those things and they're very happy running the business they love.
You have an idea of what is good for you and your area. You are pursuing that. Others have different ideas, ideas that are just as valid, that they are pursuing.
We have 3-4 budget hotels in town, as the town becomes more popular we'll get more. They get the folks who want that kind of accommodation. (Lots of truckers, construction crews and the budget-minded.) We are not a budget hotel, but we are not a high end inn. Don't want to be. The next owners may decide to tear the place apart and make it a 4 room, high end destination. Their choice. The potential is certainly there. The hotel next door to us used to be a 4 room B&B. Now they have 2 Conde Nast properties with over 100 rooms. The piece of land we own here could certainly support a boutique hotel. The location is prime.
But, because you have a model you love, does not mean aspirings should follow your model. Everyone follows their own dream. Like you've taken 10 years to figure out what that dream is, others have to follow their own path.
You'll have your influencers make your place what you want it to be. Excellent. You've made all the connections you need to be successful. Excellent. But it's only one way. One path. One solution. There's a different solution for everyone. There's no 'success template' - you make your own.
If that means an aspiring wants to open a bed and breakfast and have guests stay in their home, treated well and looked after, but hey that's all I've got, then that's their dream. Telling them they have to be so much more than that will turn many good innkeepers away from this lifestyle. Saying you have to be more than that or else is saying there's only one way to succeed.
.

Well said!
It's the market that will decide if an accommodation is to survive or not, doesn't matter what anyone thinks.
I think you describe yourself as mid-range which lands in a very popular category, budget customers can always spend a bit extra and luxury travellers may spend less to spend more on restaurants or other activities. I think its a great target market.

 

[OnTheShore]

To the original question, we have a full-week (Saturday to Saturday) minimum for the peak season early in the reservation season, with a two-night minimum for the shoulder seasons (three nights in our larger cottages). If as the season approaches and we have vacancies, we will consider stays shorter than week. We will also consider non-standard week (or longer) stays at a premium. We rarely do single night stays, either associated with a wedding at our place (i.e. the cottage is occupied the week prior, so not available Friday night, we'll let them have it for just Saturday night -- but only if the wedding itself is at our place), or at the very end of our season (we will be closing the place up anyway, might as well have someone sleep in it before we do! not sure anyone has yet taken us up on that).
Our reasoning: (1) flipping the cottages takes a lot of time and generates a lot of laundry --we budget between 2 to 2-1/2 person-hours for most of the cottages, and at least double that for the larger units. (2) scheduling of our cleaners -- they are not here everyday. (3) the administrative overhead of managing reservations, checking people in, maintaining the books, etc... -- sure it is small, but incremental and it all adds up!
On the flip side, we do charge a significantly higher nightly rate on a per night basis than we do on a weekly basis, so we make more money with short stays (but it is just so much more work!)
Of course, we are a destination. People will come here to spend a week (or more) in the summer, even in the fall, or will spend multiple days here for a get-away. That said, I know a lot of visitors to our state are trying to do the whole-state tour in the one week of vacation that they have, so they only have a night to spend on our peninsula before moving on to the next place (if they even stop here at all) -- we know these tourists are not our market.

 

[Tom]

It is all your market. We have a lot of through travelers who want a nice place to stay and busy people in town looking for one night. We put on minimums for special events, but year round would cut our traffic in half.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

We have a 2 night minimum on weekends and 3 night minimum on major holidays. We lift the minimum on the Wednesday before the weekend.
We could fill up with 1 nighters on Saturdays, but I'd rather have a 50% occupancy on that weekend rather than 100% occupancy on a Saturday. Half as much work, same amount of money.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked..

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

By any chance did he say how much of a discount he gave? Also how did he notified them email?
.

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

By any chance did he say how much of a discount he gave? Also how did he notified them email?

Yes, the notice/offer was via e-mail and he called it the 'Crazy 8s' offer. So, it was an extra $88 for the extra night. Sometimes I'll make the offer $99 (9's seem to say 'bargain' to people). Or sometimes I'll just offer a whole price for the two nights and let them do the math themselves.

 

[2cat_lady]

Although I've been working hard to promos my little area, we are still a great place to stay for folks who want one more night before they leave for the airport the next day. We're also popular enroute for those travelling further up the province. That being said, the one-nighters kill me but they sure fill in the gaps. No openings for the last week and a half and the way things look, for the next few weeks. I'd love a two night minimum. Maybe when we're a bit more established.

 

[gillumhouse]

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked..

I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

By any chance did he say how much of a discount he gave? Also how did he notified them email?
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I learned a little tip at one of the PAII conferences a couple of years ago. One marking guru who owned a very successful inn in Vermont said that he did do minimums for his more expensive rooms on weekends. For the less costly rooms, he allowed one night, but come Wednesday or so, if the room wasn't rented Friday, he would send an e-mail to the people who rented it for Saturday, saying that it was available Friday and offering it to them for a really good deal. He was often able to rent the room this way and now he had $$ when the room would have otherwise sat empty and he didn't have to have his housekeeping staff flip the room on Saturday. I've tried this on several occasions, when the circumstances presented themselves, and it has worked.

By any chance did he say how much of a discount he gave? Also how did he notified them email?

Yes, the notice/offer was via e-mail and he called it the 'Crazy 8s' offer. So, it was an extra $88 for the extra night. Sometimes I'll make the offer $99 (9's seem to say 'bargain' to people). Or sometimes I'll just offer a whole price for the two nights and let them do the math themselves.
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Every year I post the 3rd night at a reduced rate. In 2012 it was 19.12 for the 100th birthday of my house. 2013 it was 18.63 for the 150 birthday of my State. 2014 was a boring 20.14. This year it is 40.00 for our 40th anniversary.

 

[Morticia]

Although I've been working hard to promos my little area, we are still a great place to stay for folks who want one more night before they leave for the airport the next day. We're also popular enroute for those travelling further up the province. That being said, the one-nighters kill me but they sure fill in the gaps. No openings for the last week and a half and the way things look, for the next few weeks. I'd love a two night minimum. Maybe when we're a bit more established..

We are also on the way to somewhere else. Of course we try to lure guests into staying here a little longer explaining all you can do in the area. But, the place they are going has a FB page I watched last year as it went from a couple of hundred followers to over 20,000 in the course of a couple of months. Our promotional FB page has a couple of hundred followers, pretty much the same as it's had for years. (Not that a good FB following means everything but it does mean they are doing their work to find the right followers to promote their content to, even if the initially paid for it.)
All of the marketing for the area is done by the individual merchants. And nothing is standard. I might have a min but my neighbors don't. Or they have a 3-night min. Or they give a discount for the 3rd night. It's all over the place.
Sometimes we do a slightly discounted rate for a particular group in the off season. Another place charged them half the usual rate. Other places raised their rates because they didn't want the group.