Flat rate per night or diversified rate structure?
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Beach Hostess
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:39 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach,Va
Flat rate per night or diversified rate structure?
Hello LMH. I am one year into beach cottage rental and have tried different rates over the summer months with holiday nights being highest. Bookings were fine,but the higher paying guests were more demanding and upset that they paid more to get their desired week.(stands to reason,I know). I would like to offer a flat rate per night for next year,except holidays (higher rate) but I am being persuaded by my booking agency to keep the diversified rates. I know you all are very experienced with this subject-which is better? Flat rate or diversified rates? Thank you everyone.
The tide will return.
I'm not so familiar with ratings systems in the USA; however, I use seasonal rates. Basically, a set of date inclusive rates. For example, Easter - 1st April 2017 to 21st April 2017 & Spring - 22nd April 2017 to 26th May 2017, etc.
For each of these seasons I have nightly rates for short-breaks (minimum stay up to 6-nights) plus a weekly rate - for longer stays I use the weekly rate divided by 7 and apply that pro-rata nightly rate 8-nights plus. Also for the short-breaks I charge slightly more for a weekend night than a weekday nights (my weekend nights are Friday, Saturday & Sunday).
Here's the example of my tariff (scroll down a bit to get to the tariff).
The advantage of using a system like this is that; it's fairly simple to keep updated and it fits just about every listing site pricing system.
For each of these seasons I have nightly rates for short-breaks (minimum stay up to 6-nights) plus a weekly rate - for longer stays I use the weekly rate divided by 7 and apply that pro-rata nightly rate 8-nights plus. Also for the short-breaks I charge slightly more for a weekend night than a weekday nights (my weekend nights are Friday, Saturday & Sunday).
Here's the example of my tariff (scroll down a bit to get to the tariff).
The advantage of using a system like this is that; it's fairly simple to keep updated and it fits just about every listing site pricing system.
"Write something, even if it's just a suicide note"
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
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Beach Hostess
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:39 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach,Va
Well my answer can only apply to my experience in Bournemouth; this would not equate to your location anymore than it would to Scarborough in Yorkshire. Bournemouth is a year-round resort and I am open all year.
From Easter onwards to the peak summer holiday I get mainly short breaks and usually without many gaps, the peak summer season of weekly lets is booked up way in advance, after that it goes back to short breaks. The school holidays (Easter & half-terms & summer) will usually be filled by either repeat guests or direct booking guests, all other times tend to be through listing sites, the really early & late seasons tend to be through Booking.com (but I do exclude them from any other dates, otherwise they would take up the whole year).
Once upon a time the British took whole week holidays, usually at half-terms and in the summer. Many factories shut down for "wakes weeks" and the whole town often went to the seaside that week. Nowadays they still ilke their 2-weeks on the beach but will also have 3 or 4 long weekends (2 or 4 nights) just about anywhere during the year - here most people get at least 28-days or 4 weeks plus/minus statutory bank holidays (6 a year).
From Easter onwards to the peak summer holiday I get mainly short breaks and usually without many gaps, the peak summer season of weekly lets is booked up way in advance, after that it goes back to short breaks. The school holidays (Easter & half-terms & summer) will usually be filled by either repeat guests or direct booking guests, all other times tend to be through listing sites, the really early & late seasons tend to be through Booking.com (but I do exclude them from any other dates, otherwise they would take up the whole year).
Once upon a time the British took whole week holidays, usually at half-terms and in the summer. Many factories shut down for "wakes weeks" and the whole town often went to the seaside that week. Nowadays they still ilke their 2-weeks on the beach but will also have 3 or 4 long weekends (2 or 4 nights) just about anywhere during the year - here most people get at least 28-days or 4 weeks plus/minus statutory bank holidays (6 a year).
"Write something, even if it's just a suicide note"
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
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Beach Hostess
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:39 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach,Va
Thank you for your interesting response.My cottage,in Colonial Brach,Va is only 90 miles outside of Washington,DC. We get mostly short stays ,2-3 nights. Even holidays are usually only 3 nights,at most. Washington,DC workers do not get much time off and usually prefer to stay closer to home. Although we do host travelers from all over, they seem to enjoy a weeknd at the beach followed by sight seeing in Washington during the week. I really wish that longer stays were more in demand at the beach. It would make many things (esp. changeovers) much easier! Your area of the world sounds very exciting.
The tide will return.