Same Time Next Year

[Copperhead]

Warning: Nothing like the movie...
Just wondering how far in advance you take reservation? If far in advance, do you email them anytime prior to the check in date? If so, how far in advance?
I will take reservations a year in advance and most of those are made by repeat guests because it is a holiday, yearly event, etc...I don't have a problem from my yearly 'regulars' but new ones seem to be more of a problem. I think they had such a good time that they want to do it all over again, then the memory fades...
Had some 1st timers stay with us over Thanksgiving last year and at the end of their stay Ms. X said 'put us down for the same 2 rooms for next Thanksgiving.' So I did. Then early Sept. I sent them an email requesting that they confirm that they wanted to keep the reservation. I never received a reply, checked the status and it had been deleted. So I sent a 2nd email making it VERY clear that I needed a reply in order to keep the reservation - Checked the status and it had been read then deleted with no reply. (For those wondering: That guest uses the same email service & so I can check the status of my message.)
At that point I removed their reservation, and took another reservation (another regular) for that room. Well here it is mid Oct., just a little more than a month before Thanksgiving, and I get a call from Mr. X that they want to cancel their reservation. DH had gotten the call while I was in GA for a funeral. DH said Mr. X called to cancel, but I can't find his reservation anywhere. I told DH I had already canceled it - a premonition I had had!

 

[Morticia]

I'll take them as far in advance as they want to book. Then I set up a reminder to start emailing to confirm about 6 months prior. So, my July campers get an email Jan 1, then again in July as a reminder. I was just getting set to email my T-Day booking in the hopes he would cancel, when he called to book his room. He thought he was so clever to have booked a year in advance. Not this year. I want next T-Day off.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

One Year max. That is as far as WEBERVATIONS will let me BLOCK OFF the date, so that is what I tell people.

 

[swirt]

Being seasonal, we only start taking reservations in January of that year.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

About 50% of the yeah ahead rez I take cancel as well. It is as if they book "just in case" then make other plans. I don't have many, but those I do don't always pan out.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I will take them a year in advance. If they want to be put down on the calender for next year then naturally they would go through the same reservation process of being charged a deposit and generating a confirmation number through Superinn. But I won't just put them down just because they tell me too without the understanding that they will be charged if they are a no show. They need to go through that reservation process again.

 

[greyswan]

I have a group at Thanksgiving each year.... I start contacting them in Sept to confirm... just heard from the last one today and they are not coming but have another family member that wants the room. I also have a group that comes twice a year for a conference here in town... did have all five rooms but have lost 1 room permanently. That group is good to let me know in advance whether to hold the room or cancel.

 

[egoodell]

The only ones we get being a college town is for graduation. When we opened in September that was our first reservation - for a weekend in May! Many here require payment up front, but we just take the deposit closer to the date.
By the way, is there anyone here who requires deposit by check only? One of the most popular inns here in town do, but they are listed as number 1 by Trip Advisor so I guess they can do it.
I get trouble sometimes asking for a check deposit for my wine tours but won't budge on that.
Riki

 

[Morticia]

The only ones we get being a college town is for graduation. When we opened in September that was our first reservation - for a weekend in May! Many here require payment up front, but we just take the deposit closer to the date.
By the way, is there anyone here who requires deposit by check only? One of the most popular inns here in town do, but they are listed as number 1 by Trip Advisor so I guess they can do it.
I get trouble sometimes asking for a check deposit for my wine tours but won't budge on that.
Riki.

The only ones we get being a college town is for graduation. When we opened in September that was our first reservation - for a weekend in May! Many here require payment up front, but we just take the deposit closer to the date.
By the way, is there anyone here who requires deposit by check only? One of the most popular inns here in town do, but they are listed as number 1 by Trip Advisor so I guess they can do it.
I get trouble sometimes asking for a check deposit for my wine tours but won't budge on that.
Riki

I think the check is a wise idea. CC charges can be cancelled. It's harder to put a stop on a check that is long since cashed. I am now requiring a deposit for graduation weekends (there are now 2). It's non-refundable at 30 days before check-in. Same with group bookings.

 

[Somewhere in Paradise]

I only take the reservation with a 50% deposit. Credit Card it okay. If they dispute it I have proof of our cancel policy on our website. Also payment in full is due 60 days prior to arrival, with no refunds if cancellation is less than 60 days prior to arrival.

 

[IronGate]

I only take the reservation with a 50% deposit. Credit Card it okay. If they dispute it I have proof of our cancel policy on our website. Also payment in full is due 60 days prior to arrival, with no refunds if cancellation is less than 60 days prior to arrival..

I only take the reservation with a 50% deposit. Credit Card it okay. If they dispute it I have proof of our cancel policy on our website. Also payment in full is due 60 days prior to arrival, with no refunds if cancellation is less than 60 days prior to arrival.

Sixty days??? Is that your standard cancellation period, or only for long-term reservations?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I only take the reservation with a 50% deposit. Credit Card it okay. If they dispute it I have proof of our cancel policy on our website. Also payment in full is due 60 days prior to arrival, with no refunds if cancellation is less than 60 days prior to arrival..

I only take the reservation with a 50% deposit. Credit Card it okay. If they dispute it I have proof of our cancel policy on our website. Also payment in full is due 60 days prior to arrival, with no refunds if cancellation is less than 60 days prior to arrival.

Did you just hear me swallow a big lump in my throat? 60 days? Heck my bookings usually come in the same week! Oh yeah, forgot the name of this thread. I won't run their card - and if in doubt - until it it within the cancellation period, ie 7 days. Where aer you that you can charge in full 60 days in advance? Did you tell us and I forgot? Sorry this is very interesting!

 

[Somewhere in Paradise]

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation.

 

[Morticia]

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation..

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation.

It can be quite different on the mainland. We get cancellations the day of arrival, sometimes as they are walking in the door they will cancel the second or third night of their stay. Had that happen last weekend...guest cancelled second night at breakfast.
I tried for a few years to have a 2-night min, no checkins on Thanksgiving Day. Yeah right. This is not someone's vacation destination for T-Day, they are here strictly to eat dinner at their family's house and leave.
It's good that you are in a place where you can set those kinds of policies and have guests respect them.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation..

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation.

When in Rome. This B&B used to have a 48 hr cancellation period with the previous owners. LOL! We could not get away with more than 7 days, 14 days would be pushing it here.

 

[Morticia]

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation..

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation.

When in Rome. This B&B used to have a 48 hr cancellation period with the previous owners. LOL! We could not get away with more than 7 days, 14 days would be pushing it here.
.

Like I said in my previous post...happens as they walk in the door...cancelled 2nd night of stay just now. These rooms have been booked for 2 months. They didn't bat an eye when I said I was charging them for both nights anyway.

 

[Somewhere in Paradise]

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation..

We have a 4 night minimum and 60 days is our standard policy. We are also in Hawaii so most people plan out a few months in advance. It may not work for you in all situations but I would definately charge a deposit and cancel fee for high season times. I cannot believe that you as a business person could accept a cancellation for say Thanksgiving 2 weeks before. That is not fair to you! You could probably rent out those rooms many times over and for a higher than usual price.
I cannot afford to be left with an empty room because someone changed thier mind or did not get thier work schedule worked out with thier boss before booking their vacation.

When in Rome. This B&B used to have a 48 hr cancellation period with the previous owners. LOL! We could not get away with more than 7 days, 14 days would be pushing it here.
.

Like I said in my previous post...happens as they walk in the door...cancelled 2nd night of stay just now. These rooms have been booked for 2 months. They didn't bat an eye when I said I was charging them for both nights anyway.
.

You go girl !! Hotels make you give them notice, usually 48 hours.
I think you will find that people expect that because they know you are running a business.

 

[agoodman]

I take reservations one year in advance, but unless they are booking the whole house (for which I am now looking at a different cancel or guarantee policy) the 7-day cancel policy remains the same, because I can't very well say "oh you booked a year in advance so the cancel policy is now 30 days".
My business guests have an unofficial shorter cancel policy - 24 hours because business plans often change, but only once have I had a last minute cancel from them.
I recently had a 2-night leisure guest check out one day early, wanted their money back as hubby had been called into work. I said no, but I did give them a BOGO certificate that I had from I love Inns that they could use until the end of 2008 at participating Inns.
Regarding confirmations, mine go out as soon as the res is made, even if it is made ahead. If I was checking on a long-held res, I would email, and then call if I got no reply to my email. I also document the follow ups in my res system in case I ever get a charge back from the cc company.
Had one recently from Amex on a no show, I provided all the dates and times of calls and the chargeback was reversed in my favor.