How frequent is yours?

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
la vache!
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How frequent is yours?

Post by la vache! »

Not really the best title for the subject, but this follows on from what Alan said about the trend for his properties being an increase in repeat visitors and a decrease of new visitors on another thread. So my question is, what is the most frequent repeat visits you have all had? This will be my fourth summer and we he have three lots of guests back for their third year here.
I was also wondering what sort of percentage of repeat guests make up your bookings generally? And why do people come back? Sorry I'm not organised enough to do a poll, I'm just interested as it is wonderful getting repeat bookings.
cromercrabholiday
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Post by cromercrabholiday »

Five visits by one party and we are only in our third season - mainly long weekends, it's true.

John
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

We are getting more and more repeat guests. This year we have over 20%. Interestingly the repeat customers almost always book the property which shares the pool with us, even if they were originally on the other site.

Ju
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

I've just checked and ours is 20% of repeats at the moment, better then I'd previously thought!
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Last year the balance was 50/50. This year is not typical in any way; most of my lettings are Short Term Lets rather than Holiday Lets but the balance is still 50/50.

I am thinking of concentrating on Short Terms Lets for the future. OK, the weekly rent is lower but the overheads, cleaning and laundry are the tenant's responsibility and the properties are occupied for many more weeks. Joan likes the idea of far less handover days. We'll see.

Alan
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

50/50 is excellent Alan! Nothing wrong with short term lets either - like you say they mean far less cleaning and washing for changeover days. I don't have many of them for a variety of reasons, most of which have to do with electricity - we only have one house with a seperate meter and I would never do a let of more than 2 weeks in winter without the electricity being the responsibility of the guest. I also have the Tempo tarif in the other 2 houses, so in the winter I just do lets for long weekends and bank holidays, which keeps the houses partially occupied. I don't have to supply bed linen for those either!
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I've just taken a booking for October for guests who have stayed with us on 4 previous occasions for a full week. (Within the last 3 years). They have had Christmas, Easter, Summer and are now wanting to experience Autumn in Northumberland!

I'm not sure on percentages but we always leave "returners" a small gift and a card. Dave was joking we'd have to bulk buy wine with the amount of returners this summer!

It gives you a warm glow, doesn't it? It does me, not for the business side but because folk like the cottage so much they want to return again and again. The guests above are the ones who painted a watercolour of the cottage and sent it on to us!
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Susan,

I've just done an electricity meter reading for my larger cottage. From 1st April till now the cost is 75€ and that includes some background heating, a washing machine and a tumble dryer. It's the tenant who is paying but it's not that bad, is it?

Alan
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Post by la vache! »

Alan,
that's very good - what tarif are you on? I'm sure mine will be a lot higher from 1st April as it was so cold here and it is me and not the tenants paying!
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Susan,

It's the normal "tarif domestique option heures creuses". The switch between Heures Pleines and Heures Creuses is 22H00-06H00.

Alan
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Post by la vache! »

That's what I have in my seperate metered house. It's the only house I where I take any long lets or lets of more than a weekend in winter. I'll let you know what my bill is for the 2 months next time I read the meter - I'm sure it will be at least 120€, as it was fully booked for April and most of May.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Susan,

My figures excluded the abonnement (the meter rental) and that does make a difference according to the kW supply.

Alan
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