awkward booking?

[garlic]

I just got a booking enquiry for next July (yippee!) but they are asking for a Wed-Wed, which means that if I took it I'd sort of be giving 2 weeks for the price of one if you see what I mean, because changeover is Sat normally. Don't want to turn down bookings as I need them but it is last half of July, What would you folk do?

[la vache!]

Do you know if you would let the week generally? If it was out of high season, I might accept, but it is very early still and chances are you will get July fully booked eventually anyway. You could try explaining it to the person booking and try and cover your losses by charging extra for the weeks booking. I did this with someone who wanted a Wed - Wed booking in June '07 a couple of months ago - I explained the situation, i.e. losing a weeks business but said I could do it, but the weeks rental would be 1.5 x the weekly rent. They booked Sat - Sat in the end.
If you have no history of previous years bookings, it is always a gamble!!

[Ju]

If it were in low season I would go for the booking, but not in peak season. If they want the Wednesday to Wednesday then charge them for both weeks.

Ju

[garlic]

Thanks

It is a gamble but I'm hoping I could book those weeks anyway, although I still haven't built up a track record to go by.

I've gone with Susans 1.5 weeks charge. It would be great to have a definite booking now but at the same time losing a whole week is just too much. I've asked them if they can change their dates and explained why and why I'd have to charge something for the lost days.

Fingers crossed and we'll see

[Big Sis..]

Hi Garlic,

All good advice ,especially from people in your neck of the woods ...July & Aug always go early in Spain I think
Maybe its different in France.

But it is early days and to mess up your Sat-Sat at this early date would be a shame...

When I first started renting 4 yrs ago I thought Id never get any, so was considering accepting anything..My Daughter said you ought to do Sat-Sat and Im glad I did...
At least from June-Oct.

But even so its an enquiry again so your being found on the websites so thats good news...

[Partridge]

Hi Garlic

Urgh, I feel for you, have had exactly the same. I decided for next year to take my chances and go Sat or Sun only in order to maximise the full 6 weeks school hols. I figured that if I got booked with one loose one in the middle I could lose a week but equally once I allowed one mid week booking that the chances are I would only end up with 5 weeks total anyway.

I have already turned away two 2 week bookings and am pooping myself but it is early and will just have to see how it goes

[vrooje]

I get a couple of these every year. If they're for the high season, I always respond with, "of course! but we will have to charge for two weeks as our booking period is Saturday to Saturday" and then go into a short explanation of how that would result in lost bookings for us. Very polite, friendly, willing to accommodate... it's their choice as to whether they're willing to make up for my lost income.

I've never had anyone take me up on it, but I have had several change from their first-choice dates to Saturday-Saturday!

[garlic]

I think if I felt more proven then I would have asked for the full two weeks as it is I'm very much a beginner and still feel a bit insecure wondering if my property is lovely enough. I'm in two minds: either they book and I'm potentially down if I later get a better enquiry for those weeks but I have the security of knowing that I have a booking right now or they don't book and I keep my fingers crossed that a better offer comes along.

[Partridge]

Well, I've just completed my second full season so am still a newbie myself but what you have to say (well maybe) is that you will want the answer to this one sooner or later, so may as well be now.

[Normandy Cow]

I'm very much a beginner and still feel a bit insecure wondering if my property is lovely enough.

Garlic, don't panic! Your property looks fine, it is very reasonably priced, and you have that USP of the Llamas! I am sure that you will be able to get bookings for next July no problem. We live near the Ashdown Forest Llama Park, and people pay £25 per person just to walk with a llama for an hour!!! http://www.llamapark.co.uk/walking.php

I've said this before on the forum but I'll say it again - why is there such an obsession with getting bookings already for next summer??? Do not panic!! Most people don't start thinking about their summer holiday until Xmas and New Year have been and gone. You'll see, in January/February things will start picking up...

My advice is, follow vrooje's advice!

[Rocket Rab]

Garlic,

It's your call, but I so agree with Catherine and Vrooje. It's early days yet ....

Offer them Saturday to Saturday, they may take it. If not, I definitely wouldn't split your week and lose out.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

[brenda]

Personally I wouldn´t split a week high season - July + August should be so easy to book Saturday to Saturday. Don´t know what the market is like in France but we rented out property here in Spain between 1988 and 2002 - first in Majorca then CDS - always doing Sat-Sat and never had a single week not booked high season.

However, we rarely got any high season reservations before New Year. No need to panic yet + take mid-week lettings - you will get bookings for your usual change over day.

We always found November + December woefully lacking in enquiries.

Good Luck,

Brenda

P.S. Still waiting for our first Room Only/In Room Breakfast enquiry so keep your fingers crossed for us.

[garlic]

Hum well she came back to me asking for clarification on the price. I sort of feel that I have got to honour what I offered if she wants it but I suppose I should have been more tough! But they do sound like a lovely family

She can change her dates a wee bit so I've suggested that she does this would give her 6 nights at my place so a week running Sunday to Saturday but then she has another two nghts left at the end so I've suggested that I could find her a local B&B for the last two nights. This would suit me because I don't loose on the second week and is more economical for her plus I get to feel good about sending business on to someone else.

The Llamas are great and as an add on for renters this works really well for me. One of (my two) families last year did book a big picnic walk with us as well and that made the week relatively lucrative.

Any more enquiries I won't panic I'll hold out I'm just not very good at not panicing

[brenda]

6 nights + 2 in a B+B sounds a great compromise all round.

[Normandy Cow]

Also Garlic, why are you offering an early booking discount on your website?

From a renter's point of view that sounds a bit desperate! You want people to think that they are lucky to rent your place, not vice versa, and I think that offering discounts at this stage would make me wonder why. (I'm sure you must have been put off entering a restaurant because it is empty, well this is a similar scenario. It sounds like no-one wants to stay at your place so you are discounting already).

I would not offer any discounts until a couple of months before the rental! (The only exception to this is that I will allow previous customers to book for the following year at the current year's prices).

Hold out Garlic - remember, you are doing THEM a favour by allowing them to come and stay at your lovely property in a gorgeous part of France, with the added bonus of your lovely llamas!