Lay My Hat

Hi all,

I have recently received the deposit for a two week stay in my apartment. Yesterday I received word of a request for a month long stay from another couple unfortunately overlapping with the two week stay by three days. Any creative ideas on how to have both. I'm so new to this and loth to turn away a great booking.........

cheers

Carol

Hi Carol

Be careful with this kind of thing as it can ruin a reputation.

You have accepted a deposit and a booking for the two week slot. Those people have probably booked their (non refundable)flights, based their choice after comparing similar properties and may well be dreaming of their once a year two week holiday. I would give the month enquirers the option of starting 3 days later (with a very tasty discount for their trouble). Or refer them to someone on this board who has no bookings for that month.

Please do not cancel your bookers. By doing so you would be bringing the owner industry into disrepute; it is also highly likely that the cancelled ones would spread word about you to their friends and would ruin your chances of referrals and repeat business.

In the distant past this happened to me - not by a private owner but a (reputable) holiday company. After much complaining I found out they preferred to take a two week stay booked weeks after my one week booking. It caused a lot of distress all round.

Best wishes for your venture.

Tudor

Dont get me wrong.......... I AM NOT A HIPPY!! But if you work on a first come first served basis. Karma will prevail.

Hello folks how's it been?

I agree with Tudor, it's frustrating when this happens but you just have to face it, your apartment is not available for the whole period.

Tell the 2nd couple the situation and see what they want to do. they may delay their arrival or be prepared to stay in a hotel for a few days, but it's their call and you have to be prepared that you may well lose the booking.

Sorry that we don't have a magic wand but good luck anyway.

Hi again all,

I was'nt thinking of changing in any way the confirmed booking, it would not fit ethically with me. I agree entirely with all so far. I was, rather, looking for a way to accomodate the other (so far unbooked) couple in a creative way. I have found the forum very helpful in many ways.

I am finding that I have more potential bookings than I can handle and the idea of linking up with another similer apartment owner is a good one. Anyone here in India?

Cheers

Carol

Hi, Carol -

We regularly have guests who decide to stay at a hotel for a day or two because we are booked for their first (or last) dates.

To make it easy for them, we recommend a hotel very near us and arrange to transfer their bags for them on checkin day. (When they are exiting to a hotel, they tend to take their bags with them at checkout because most want to go see the hotel personally... so we aren't needed to help with bags.)

Perhaps you could locate a quality hotel or two near you, and be ready to offer that option to guests whose dates overlap with pre-booked dates at your place. I think the fact that we provide a short list of hotels (in various price ranges) along with an offer to transfer their bags improves a potential guest's comfort level with the process. From our perspective, those back-to-back bookings are nice for cashflow.

Congrats on your success so far!

Deb Kleber
www.VisitingPortugal.com

I agree... find a hotel, B&B or something local as an alternative for 2/3 days.

I have the local Chateau up the road - or if it is a couple we get on very well with they can stay in our guest hut in the garden - converted boulangerie... or a chambre d'hotes... but find 2/3 alternatives to offer them - then it looks like you are really bending over backwards to help them out... that is the key to it - being as helpful as possible so you should have your 2 week booking AND your month!

Good luck & let us know what the out come is.