How to work out price for weekend booking?
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limousin-cottage
- Posts: 465
- Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 9:15 am
- Location: Haute Vienne, France
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How to work out price for weekend booking?
I am new to the gite business in France - and have just had an enquiry from a French lady asking whether we do weekend lets (for Pentecote - June) My normal weekly rate in high season is €320, but I have no idea how much to quote for a weekend (Saturday and Sunday night - four adults and one child. (My place has only 1 bedroom but they are aware that they would need to use the sofabed in the lounge) Any thoughts/suggestions please? They are people with relatives in our small commune.
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kendalcottages
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- Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:08 am
- Location: Kendal, between the Lake District and the Dales
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It's quite commonplace for people to charge around 60-70% of the weekly rate for a weekday or weekend break such as this.
Of course, you want to still be sure that, at this rate, you're still covering your costs for it to be viable.
Have you done some kind of calculation to work out what the stay actually costs you? That might be a good starting point.
Of course, you want to still be sure that, at this rate, you're still covering your costs for it to be viable.
Have you done some kind of calculation to work out what the stay actually costs you? That might be a good starting point.
Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd., Kendal, Cumbria - between the Lake District & the Yorkshire Dales.
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limousin-cottage
- Posts: 465
- Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 9:15 am
- Location: Haute Vienne, France
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Yes, I am also aware that, in a small commune like ours, it might be advantageous to take the booking, as everyone knows everyone else, and if they are people visiting relatives, it could lead to further bookings (word of mouth) Of course, it still means a full changeover doesn't it. If you charge €150 as against a normal weekly rate of €425 in June, it follows that mine needs to be a bit less than €150 I guess. I've told the lady I will get back to her tomorrow anyway - give me more time to see if I get any more opinions on here! 
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limousin-cottage
- Posts: 465
- Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 9:15 am
- Location: Haute Vienne, France
- Contact:
I was about to post the same question. In the process of writing an email for someone who wants a price for a weekend in May or June. Its for the 12 person, so the changeovers are enormous - 9 man hours I think. It takes 2 hours to do the beds if we have to change all the superkings to twin or vice versa. God valences are a nightmare! And apparently (I don't iron myself) it takes 45 minutes to iron one lot of linen for a superking! It would take me a week, and it would still look like it just stepped out of the tumble drier.
Anyway, I am going for 50 percent of my weekly price and have said that I am not currently taking bookings for weekends in June. I was going to launch into an lengthy explanation - but figured that I came off sounding like I was a bit of a hard nosed bitch. I suppose I could have gone down a bit and said bring your own linen, but how many people have superkings in France?
How much does a F1 charge for the night?
Honestly I have completely failed to work out how much it costs per person. And even with all the figures it would still be completely ball park. So how much does anyone else reckon their guests cost per night?
We have mains gas for heating, cooking and water, and three electric towel rails. Baths and showers.
Anyway, I am going for 50 percent of my weekly price and have said that I am not currently taking bookings for weekends in June. I was going to launch into an lengthy explanation - but figured that I came off sounding like I was a bit of a hard nosed bitch. I suppose I could have gone down a bit and said bring your own linen, but how many people have superkings in France?
How much does a F1 charge for the night?
Honestly I have completely failed to work out how much it costs per person. And even with all the figures it would still be completely ball park. So how much does anyone else reckon their guests cost per night?
We have mains gas for heating, cooking and water, and three electric towel rails. Baths and showers.
We've started offering one of our three properties ( 2 bed, sleeps 4) on a Friday or Monday changeover, as there is a strong demand for weekends where we are in the UK. Our rate is 70% of a full week; more in winter when our weekly rate is low and it simply wouldn't be worth letting for 70% of it.
If somebody asks for our larger property for a weekend at peak time, then we just have to politely tell them that we don't offer short breaks in that property at peak times. Letting for a weekend knocks out two full weeks that we can realistically expect to sell.
The daily cost of renting is fairly irrelevant compared to the changeover cost of cleaning, linen etc etc which is the same for a let of one night as it is for a week, so that's the baseline to which must then be added some sort of fuel figure, and an amount to make the whole effort worthwhile. And if you can sell the full week anyway - for the same effort and expenditure (near enough) - then there's no point in selling anything less; it's not really being a hard nosed bitch in any language!
If somebody asks for our larger property for a weekend at peak time, then we just have to politely tell them that we don't offer short breaks in that property at peak times. Letting for a weekend knocks out two full weeks that we can realistically expect to sell.
The daily cost of renting is fairly irrelevant compared to the changeover cost of cleaning, linen etc etc which is the same for a let of one night as it is for a week, so that's the baseline to which must then be added some sort of fuel figure, and an amount to make the whole effort worthwhile. And if you can sell the full week anyway - for the same effort and expenditure (near enough) - then there's no point in selling anything less; it's not really being a hard nosed bitch in any language!
I deducted my cleaning charge then divided my weekly rate by 7. I then times by 4 and add my cleaning charge back on. I then may round it up or down a bit depending on various factors!
This price is what I charge for a 3 night weekend break or a four night midweek break. I do Mon or Fri changeovers all year apart from July/Aug when I go to Saturdays. I am still in my first year but I have been very pleased with how it has worked out. I do appreciate that the French & UK market are different though.
This price is what I charge for a 3 night weekend break or a four night midweek break. I do Mon or Fri changeovers all year apart from July/Aug when I go to Saturdays. I am still in my first year but I have been very pleased with how it has worked out. I do appreciate that the French & UK market are different though.
I'm assuming that one person probably costs about 5€ a day in terms of gas, elec, water, based on precisely no figures at all. Am I wildly out in anyones guestimate?
I've worked out my change over costs more or less, minus charges.
If I am using CESU to pay my cleaner is it ok to do that for the gites, or should I be using another regime? And, assuming it is ok, what percentage on top is the urssaf payment? Especially since the regime change - better to employ on a base forfaitaire than réel, but difficult with something that is essentially going to be mostly seasonal. (Sorry that question is more for the French).
Really appreciate the replies. Thanks for all help
Wally
I've worked out my change over costs more or less, minus charges.
If I am using CESU to pay my cleaner is it ok to do that for the gites, or should I be using another regime? And, assuming it is ok, what percentage on top is the urssaf payment? Especially since the regime change - better to employ on a base forfaitaire than réel, but difficult with something that is essentially going to be mostly seasonal. (Sorry that question is more for the French).
Really appreciate the replies. Thanks for all help
Wally
I don't let for weekends April - September (exceot the big house in May) because I can let for weeks and it isn't worth losing potentially 2 weeks for a weekend.
I've never worked out a charge per person. Mine is probably higher as I have the pool to heat too, but I just price according to experience and the local competition. The price has to be enough to make it worth my while and not too much to put people off booking as weekends are useful in low season.
Wally, my accountant said I shouldn't really use CESU to pay my cleaner, because she isn't cleaning my home, she is cleaning my business, but I do and so do a lot of other gite owners. I think you can as long as it is under a certain number of hours per week.( He said I should really use cheque TPE instead.) I don't deduct the amount on my tax declaration just in case there is a controle.
You can do a simulation for your cotisation payments here.
I've never worked out a charge per person. Mine is probably higher as I have the pool to heat too, but I just price according to experience and the local competition. The price has to be enough to make it worth my while and not too much to put people off booking as weekends are useful in low season.
Wally, my accountant said I shouldn't really use CESU to pay my cleaner, because she isn't cleaning my home, she is cleaning my business, but I do and so do a lot of other gite owners. I think you can as long as it is under a certain number of hours per week.( He said I should really use cheque TPE instead.) I don't deduct the amount on my tax declaration just in case there is a controle.
You can do a simulation for your cotisation payments here.
I sstand corrected, it was quite a while ago that I had the conversation with the accountant. I think it is moreorless the same thing though. Do you use it Ju? Is it as flexible as CESU?Ju wrote:Cheque TPE doesn't exist anymore, it is now under TESE. You use your own cheque book, then get a bill for the cotisations once they are declared.
On the subject of weekend charges we received an enquiry for late April/early May and note that it encompasses the two bank holiday Mondays.
We normally rent Saturday to Saturday and would have considered Monday to Monday if one bank holiday was included, but somehow I have the feeling we may prejudice another week if we do.
Would like some help and advice - would you accept the booking and if so would you charge a premium?
We normally rent Saturday to Saturday and would have considered Monday to Monday if one bank holiday was included, but somehow I have the feeling we may prejudice another week if we do.
Would like some help and advice - would you accept the booking and if so would you charge a premium?