Walk in season is upon us

[Morticia]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.

 

[Lee2014]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there…

 

[Morticia]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

Last weekend: we have 3 kids but they are used to sleeping in the same bed.
Well, good for them. I'm not squeezing 5 people in a room with 2 beds.
Yesterday: would you make an exception for a dog? Tonight?
I recommended the one B&B in town that accepts dogs. She's full most of the time and has good reviews. She's a nice person. "It looks kind of tacky."
Hey, I'm not the one who didn't plan while traveling with a dog! And, again, the prices next door are too high.
People come off the beach where motels are $99/night and they think everywhere is like that.

 

[Lee2014]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

Last weekend: we have 3 kids but they are used to sleeping in the same bed.
Well, good for them. I'm not squeezing 5 people in a room with 2 beds.
Yesterday: would you make an exception for a dog? Tonight?
I recommended the one B&B in town that accepts dogs. She's full most of the time and has good reviews. She's a nice person. "It looks kind of tacky."
Hey, I'm not the one who didn't plan while traveling with a dog! And, again, the prices next door are too high.
People come off the beach where motels are $99/night and they think everywhere is like that.
.

When I feel guilty for the price of the rooms, I remember that we paid over $200 in March for a hotel room out in wild West Virginia in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't last minute deal either. We didn't blink an eye. We were going to an event which didn't get done until 10pm. We paid the price for a room over driving back home late at night. That was even before becoming an innkeeper.

 

[Generic]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

Last weekend: we have 3 kids but they are used to sleeping in the same bed.
Well, good for them. I'm not squeezing 5 people in a room with 2 beds.
Yesterday: would you make an exception for a dog? Tonight?
I recommended the one B&B in town that accepts dogs. She's full most of the time and has good reviews. She's a nice person. "It looks kind of tacky."
Hey, I'm not the one who didn't plan while traveling with a dog! And, again, the prices next door are too high.
People come off the beach where motels are $99/night and they think everywhere is like that.
.

When I feel guilty for the price of the rooms, I remember that we paid over $200 in March for a hotel room out in wild West Virginia in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't last minute deal either. We didn't blink an eye. We were going to an event which didn't get done until 10pm. We paid the price for a room over driving back home late at night. That was even before becoming an innkeeper.
.

I'm so nouveau riche that I don't think I would even pay my price to stay here. Yes... I'm that nouveau riche (ie middle class that grew up poor and learnt to travel cheap.)

 

[Silverspoon]

Walk-ins rarely work out once price is quoted so I just hang out the No Vacancy sign. The Air place down the street has a new little sign that says No Walk-Ins Please. I wonder how that is working out for her. Visitors are under the mistaken impression that we will give them better rates if it is last minute. Wrong!!

 

[2cat_lady]

I inwardly groan when I get a late call. Happened tonight. Two out of four rooms booked, no crab tonight so I thought we could visit with friends. Putting my shoes on, "Ring, do you have any vacancies?" Sigh. DH stayed home while I went out for a break. You stay, you pay. End of story.

 

[Morticia]

Ok. Crabbing over. Got two rooms at full price.

 

[user 26]

I was BAD in this regard. And inconsistent.
If my pockets were thin, I'd do the dance. Give up rooms cheap ... deciding to compete with the man across the road. Yes. come. stay. bargain rate. Needed the money.
Other times. No. This is the rate. Period. I'm as busy as I can handle. You can stay but give me attitude and the price is going up. Seriously!
And still other times, with seven of the eight rooms full, at 7 pm I'd block out number eight and put out the No Vacancy sign. Sometimes my sanity and sleep were holding on by a thread. So sometimes with even just six full, I'd block out the other two. No chambermaids tomorrow (that summer 'flu' struck my staff again) and I'm flipping all the rooms alone? Not hard to know how tired I'd be flipping rooms alone after cooking and serving breakfast to everyone.
I understood the bargain mentality. I saw it everywhere. But I also didn't appreciate the flea market banter - 'I'll give you $100, will you take $100? Would you rather have an empty room? You're a business person, I'm offering $100 cash ... doesn't even have to show up on your books ... don't be stupid.' Stupid? Someone who 'desperately needs a room' is calling me stupid? Especially didn't appreciate when that STUPID guy tried to sneak FIVE children into the room via a first floor window. Happily, my six foot two son arrived in time to help me escort him and his family out. Otherwise I might have hurt someone.

 

[user 26]

ps 19 guests are online right this minute.

 

[user 26]

Yay for you, Morticia.

 

[Lee2014]

ps 19 guests are online right this minute..

PPS Now it only ten guests.

 

[JimBoone]

I was BAD in this regard. And inconsistent.
If my pockets were thin, I'd do the dance. Give up rooms cheap ... deciding to compete with the man across the road. Yes. come. stay. bargain rate. Needed the money.
Other times. No. This is the rate. Period. I'm as busy as I can handle. You can stay but give me attitude and the price is going up. Seriously!
And still other times, with seven of the eight rooms full, at 7 pm I'd block out number eight and put out the No Vacancy sign. Sometimes my sanity and sleep were holding on by a thread. So sometimes with even just six full, I'd block out the other two. No chambermaids tomorrow (that summer 'flu' struck my staff again) and I'm flipping all the rooms alone? Not hard to know how tired I'd be flipping rooms alone after cooking and serving breakfast to everyone.
I understood the bargain mentality. I saw it everywhere. But I also didn't appreciate the flea market banter - 'I'll give you $100, will you take $100? Would you rather have an empty room? You're a business person, I'm offering $100 cash ... doesn't even have to show up on your books ... don't be stupid.' Stupid? Someone who 'desperately needs a room' is calling me stupid? Especially didn't appreciate when that STUPID guy tried to sneak FIVE children into the room via a first floor window. Happily, my six foot two son arrived in time to help me escort him and his family out. Otherwise I might have hurt someone.
.

Not really inconsistent, just a good business person, make a deal only if it fits your needs.
People are trained to expect high prices and automatic discounts, doubt they really take time to consider the final price and compare that to others, it cost more initially so it must be good, right?
I don't care much for those that try and bargain price, not usually my kind of people, I try to be reasonable for a nice place, if price is the number one consideration I'm happy to suggest some "cheap" rooms.

 

[JimBoone]

Walk-ins rarely work out once price is quoted so I just hang out the No Vacancy sign. The Air place down the street has a new little sign that says No Walk-Ins Please. I wonder how that is working out for her. Visitors are under the mistaken impression that we will give them better rates if it is last minute. Wrong!!.

It seems the OTA's play up that idea of great last minute prices so maybe that's what folks expect, maybe it works at a large property with many empty rooms, for me as a tiny property with reasonable prices and being the person that will have to clean the room tomorrow, it doesn't work so well.

 

[Generic]

Walk-ins rarely work out once price is quoted so I just hang out the No Vacancy sign. The Air place down the street has a new little sign that says No Walk-Ins Please. I wonder how that is working out for her. Visitors are under the mistaken impression that we will give them better rates if it is last minute. Wrong!!.

It seems the OTA's play up that idea of great last minute prices so maybe that's what folks expect, maybe it works at a large property with many empty rooms, for me as a tiny property with reasonable prices and being the person that will have to clean the room tomorrow, it doesn't work so well.
.

Last weekend, what used to be a Days Inn had rooms left at only $1000 a night. Nothing good was available within a 50km distance of the city and hardly anything was available for under $400 a night... and by that, I mean 2* and 1* with bad reviews online.

 

[Anon Inn]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

email inquiry two days ago for our rooms one night on Sat. Wanted both rooms but didn't book. When he got back to me, all gone.

 

[Morticia]

And with walk-ins comes the problem of stuff they leave behind. One couple. So far we've found:

• iPhone
• Laptop Charger
• Map with their route marked off on it.

All in different places. The phone they realized an hour into their trip. I doubt they're coming back a second time for the rest of it.
We don't ask for phone or email so no way to contact them.

 

[Jcam]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

email inquiry two days ago for our rooms one night on Sat. Wanted both rooms but didn't book. When he got back to me, all gone.
.

I think some people don't understand its our business to sell rooms - we are not hanging about waiting for your booking we are hunting them, advertising them and taking them! People don't believe me when I say its really busy but they do when everything is 3 times the price or nothing!

 

[gillumhouse]

Calls are coming in fast & furious. Does anyone want to pay the going rate for their lack of planning? No. "Everything else in town is full! Can't you do the room for $125?"
Sure in January, I'll let the room go for $125!
Um. Does that make ANY kind of sense to you from Supply and Demand 101?
​That course is so 1900s…. Its 2016!
Next door is up to $400/night, or close to it. We're less than half. I'm not negotiating a lower rate. Try that next door. Oh, you can't? Hmmm.
I see some in town going low to get heads in bed in June but now that room is a gold mine. You don't want it, that's fine. It won't be empty by nightfall. One guy called a week ago, didn't like the price tag. He was told it was our last room for his date, but he didn't book… Called back yesterday. Room is long gone.

Yes…..sad And if you are full they plead for mercy and don't you have another room somewhere….. Like where?!? I'm sorry but I can't help you, try over there or there….

Last weekend: we have 3 kids but they are used to sleeping in the same bed.
Well, good for them. I'm not squeezing 5 people in a room with 2 beds.
Yesterday: would you make an exception for a dog? Tonight?
I recommended the one B&B in town that accepts dogs. She's full most of the time and has good reviews. She's a nice person. "It looks kind of tacky."
Hey, I'm not the one who didn't plan while traveling with a dog! And, again, the prices next door are too high.
People come off the beach where motels are $99/night and they think everywhere is like that.
.

When I feel guilty for the price of the rooms, I remember that we paid over $200 in March for a hotel room out in wild West Virginia in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't last minute deal either. We didn't blink an eye. We were going to an event which didn't get done until 10pm. We paid the price for a room over driving back home late at night. That was even before becoming an innkeeper.
.

I'm so nouveau riche that I don't think I would even pay my price to stay here. Yes... I'm that nouveau riche (ie middle class that grew up poor and learnt to travel cheap.)
.

I hate to pay more than I charge.

 

[Morticia]

The best walk-ins - just booked for next summer! Got tired of never being able to get in here.