Mind the Gap!

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
Sam V
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Mind the Gap!

Post by Sam V »

I'm curious to know how you manage potential gaps between your bookings. Do you insist on guests booking back to back, or are you happy to accept a gap of a night or two or more?
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Sunbeam
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Post by Sunbeam »

During high season we run saturday to saturday so as it's a relatively long season (mid-June to mid-September) we book out the last remaining week as a gap. For mid-season our minimum is 4 nights so normally get a few natural gaps.

Gaps for us are an opportunity to get some maintenance done that can't be done on changeover days. We usually think 'oh great - we'll have a few nights away' - but inevitably there's something or other that needs doing!
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

I don't mind a small one or two night gap here and there - in fact my current guests leave tomorrow and the next ones arrive on Thursday. I am not on site but I know how gruelling back to back changeovers are and my managers welcome the odd breathing space occasionally. I have to say, however, that they don't generally get many of those in high season!
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

If it is one night, then I will contact the next or previous guests and offer them an extra night eg they can arrive Friday evening instead of Saturday.

I have to confess I don't often charge pro rata rates as I would sometimes prefer the money and I know they won't get to go in before evening.
russellt
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Post by russellt »

zebedee wrote:If it is one night,
In a lax moment, my generosity recently spilled over, and I gave a guest a spare, gap night for free!

She had expressed concern about travelling on one of the busiest Saturdays of the year, so I surprised her by allowing access on the Friday evening.

HUGE brownie points which I am confident will turn into repeat bookings. :D
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Marks
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Post by Marks »

I'm flexible with dates even in peak season so the occasional 1 or 2 night gap is fine, means less pressure to do the changeover and also means that little maintenance jobs or touching up the paintwork can be done at a more leisurely pace.

Also gives me the choice to allow early access or late departures, if they ask nicely of course :wink:
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

We're flexible on arrival days too, and in fact have a policy of never doing same day changeovers.

It works. Because we offer flexible days, our guests are flexible too. Over our 6 month season, the average gap is 2 days, with (this year) a couple of 4 day gaps. We look forward to those as it's a chance to catch up with bits of maintenance and go out ourselves!
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Ben McNevis
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Post by Ben McNevis »

We're fully flexible too. I think it really stems from the way we take holidays: always trying to turn a work week into 8 or 9 days and not wanting to travel on Saturdays. Many of our guests fly and the flights go 7 days per week. So it seems to make sense to either allow full flexibility or to get the changeovers on days when the flights are easier to book.

We get 8 to 10% empty nights through high season but I think that we would probably have to cut our prices to get full occupancy with a fixed changeover day. I don't know because we've never tried it. I suspect it's swings and roundabouts.
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e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

I tried an experiment for 2016. Having always been totally flexible, I decided to go fixed changeover for July and August 2016 and made the resolution way back in Augfuest 2015.

I turned down at least 3 bookings in August for 10, 12 and 13 days and 2 bookings for 7 days that did not fit Sat-Sat. I can honestly say it was sheer hell, nerves on edge and scary.

But this is what actually happened in the end:

Image

Would I do it again or recommend it ?
I just don't know, but its an interesting data point.
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declanja
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Post by declanja »

I am flexible with dates too. I try to market gaps numerous ways such as reducing the nightly charge for that month or offering an extra night or two free to close a booking. My weekly rates are generally similar to those for a 5 night stay so it all works out ok in the end. Declan
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Always back to back bookings. Saturday arrival and departure.
The season here is so short we can't afford gaps.

If I think there is a period that is going to be hard to sell (i.e. had no enquiries for it) I do consider 10 day enquiries or 5 days. Luckily that has been rare over the years and I've usually managed to fill the gaps.

I wish we could have a day in between to do the changeover. ...that would be heaven!

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Last edited by Mouse on Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Lets Go To Puglia
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Post by Lets Go To Puglia »

Marks wrote:I'm flexible with dates even in peak season so the occasional 1 or 2 night gap is fine, means less pressure to do the changeover and also means that little maintenance jobs or touching up the paintwork can be done at a more leisurely pace.

Also gives me the choice to allow early access or late departures, if they ask nicely of course :wink:
Ditto +1
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gozokerry
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Post by gozokerry »

Yes fully flexible and although we have had two months of back to back we still have 6 days beginning of August vacant (same price...). Not concerned as we have a long season - end March through to October/November but it does sometimes seem almost pre-planned how the cards fall.
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Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

I'm amazed so many people are flexible but maybe that is the nature of different resorts/types of place.

We are strictly Saturday to Saturday during June - September and are fully booked for those months. More flexible in the shoulder months, Christmas and Easter. However we did have a couple of one night gaps this month due to a cancellation which I have to admit was a bonus for a more relaxed changeover and to get a few jobs done. Probably wouldn't make a habit of it though as we need to maximise our income.
gardenboy
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Post by gardenboy »

I am flexible now but used to be sat to sat firm. I charge a premium for split weeks so my voids are funded by the midweek splitters. The odd 2 or 3 day gaps are brilliant for maintenance and relaxed changeovers. My guests don't seem to mind paying a premium as they save loads on off peak air fares.

In fact it's a win win as I don't look at it as a job anymore.
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