One Week Minimum

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
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apexblue
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One Week Minimum

Post by apexblue »

I note competitors who state one week and set start days are empty except for August. Are you being more relaxed?
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
Martha
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Post by Martha »

I find winter still books sat-sat but or summer I've been flexible for ever and it's always been better. I prefer it too, avoids the lunatic changeover Saturdays and I end up with more bookings so it all pans out.
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AndrewH
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Re: One Week Minimum

Post by AndrewH »

apexblue wrote:I note competitors who state one week and set start days are empty except for August. Are you being more relaxed?
Until last year, that was the way we did it in order to achieve back-to-back bookings (i.e. 7 days or multiples thereof, starting on a fixed day of the week) and we filled the calendar quite well. Then there came a day when I had to turn down a three weeks stay, from someone who had already bought his air tickets, because he wanted to start on the wrong day of the week.

That changed our course of thinking and so, taking a deep breath and keeping fingers crossed, we changed our method to "arrive on any day you like, stay as long as you like (subject to a 5 days minimum), depart when you like".

It has worked out well, with a minimum of blanks in the calendar. Guests like the idea, because they now can use their local airport, where there is just one flight per week on a set day to our island, instead of travelling miles from their homes to an airport to get a flight which tied in with our former fixed start day. They also like it because they can and do book (say) 10 days instead of a statutory week or fortnight.
Giuliano
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Post by Giuliano »

I've always set arrival on any day of the week and a minimum stay of 5 nights in high season. It worked perfectly, with the odd gap of one day between departures and arrivals which actually helps to arrange things less frantically.
petitbois
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Post by petitbois »

Here in SWFrance with the advent of bookingdotcom & airbnb offering more flexibility we have changed from fixed 1wk Sat-Sat or Fri-Fri stays to 3nt min in our Gitefor2 & 5nts in family gite. Has worked out quite well over last 5yrs, occasional gaps, but many of our regulars off season like to do midweek-midweek, so for the most part from late May till mid September we are getting bookings due to our flexibility. No more stressful Saturdays (we also have 4 B&b suites) occasionally a day to do changeovers, & higher nuumber of repeat bookings. 2018 is our final year, so has been a good way to wind-down for us.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Interesting.
We've always done Saturday to Saturday and never 10 days unless it's a 2 wk period I'm having difficulty selling.
Next summer we may be taking bookings late as our villa is up for sale (so I don't want to take bookings unless we have no interest to buy by the start of 2019).
I'll try the flexy approach then.

Mousie
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gardenboy
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Post by gardenboy »

I am flexible on start and end days but charge a premium for it. I do a fair bit more business than other similar local villas despite me being quite a lot more money. Look at summer uk spain flight prices, they are eye wateringly expensive.

Also, i quite like the breaks between lets, doesnt feel like a job any more.
Marks
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Post by Marks »

Never had a fixed changeover day in 18 years, works well as there are dozens of flights a day into Alicante. A gap here and there but so what.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Just a thought from those with flexible arrival days.....how do you manage your cleaners?
We have to book ours in January for the season, so 10am every Saturday. Not sure how I'd manage with flexible dates (and they won't work Sundays)

Mousie
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Rogthedodge
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Post by Rogthedodge »

Mouse, get new cleaners.... Just thought. :-)
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Marks
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Post by Marks »

Mouse wrote:Just a thought from those with flexible arrival days.....how do you manage your cleaners?
We have to book ours in January for the season, so 10am every Saturday. Not sure how I'd manage with flexible dates (and they won't work Sundays)

Mousie
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We do our own cleaning but cleaners round here work 7 days a week if we were ever stuck, certainly wouldn't need to book them in January :shock:
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Rogthedodge wrote:Mouse, get new cleaners.... Just thought. :-)
I wish.....but good ones that give you the most popular slot (10am Saturday) are practically non-existent now. I also get the 'sunday' thing. It's bloody hard work doing 4 changeovers a day in heat.

Mouse
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petitbois
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Post by petitbois »

I am the cleaner - I just get on with it.....
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