Mind the Gap!
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- Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:45 pm
- Location: Villa in Gale, Algarve, Portugal. At home in Fetcham, Surrey, UK
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Mind the Gap!
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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dont mess in the affairs of cats for they are subtle and will p on your computer.
www.algarvevillatrinity.co.uk
www.facebook.com/villatrinity
www.gardenerscottage.promotemyplace.com
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!
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!
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!
In a lax moment, my generosity recently spilled over, and I gave a guest a spare, gap night for free!zebedee wrote:If it is one night,
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.
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Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @esmescottage
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
Also gives me the choice to allow early access or late departures, if they ask nicely of course
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
- French Cricket
- Posts: 3058
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- Location: French Pyrénées
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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!
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!
- Ben McNevis
- Posts: 846
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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.
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.
Cheers, Ben
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Visiting Glenrothes? It's one of your Fife-a-day
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:
Would I do it again or recommend it ?
I just don't know, but its an interesting data point.
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:
Would I do it again or recommend it ?
I just don't know, but its an interesting data point.
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
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!
Mousie
x
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!
Mousie
x
Last edited by Mouse on Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
- Lets Go To Puglia
- Posts: 163
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- Location: Puglia, Italy
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Ditto +1Marks 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
Ciao, Debbie
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It's not the things you did you look back on and regret it's the things you didn't do!
Puglia Holiday Villas Facebook Page
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It's not the things you did you look back on and regret it's the things you didn't do!
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.
Kerry
As Hamlet said ;-"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"
As Hamlet said ;-"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"
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.
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.
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.
In fact it's a win win as I don't look at it as a job anymore.