Bookings - what am I doing wrong?

[Giddy Goat]

Yes, but it does come back to the fact that many self-caterers are looking for a different kind of holiday from that of people who choose hotels...

[Hells Bells]

My hotel room may have a TV, but you can bet your life I won't turn it on, unless it has digital radio on there too.

[fibi]

I think there is niche market for the "simple" holiday but why limit your market is my only real point. Its not about whether we want a television or wifi or whatever but whether the customer does. And OK some will be like Helen and not want one but the majority will.

[Hells Bells]

Fibi, I agree, and we do have a TV and DVD in the apartment. It's only a small portable one though as when we were furnishing the place, we ran out of dosh. , and have never got round to changing it for a better one. When we look in the local shops, they all seem so expensive.

[Big Sis..]

and have never got round to changing it for a better one. When we look in the local shops, they all seem so expensive.

Thats just reminded me in Spain most stuff seems to be a lot cheaper
but when we were getting our houses furnished silly things seemed a lot more expensive like nest of tables some sunbeds..safes..[so we ended up taking them over with us...]though I must admit they seem cheaper now.....
It made me think that especially if youre in a resort and they know youll need furniture etc for holiday homes they put prices of those things up.....

[Hells Bells]

It's about an hours drive to the nearest large town/city (Turin or Gap), Briancon is OK, but I think that the problem was more the sheer amount of stuff we had to buy, and we were furnishing a small apartment rather than a large house.

[Big Sis..]

Dont laugh Helen
but we furnished both our houses[and signed for em] on a long weekend and let me tell ya its wasnt long enough....I naively thought as we had ordered most of the stuff months in advance[including Sofas Beds Tables chairs... bedding covers to be made curtains Light fittings fitted..etc..] that they would all arrive on the given day and as we only had three of said days it was a bit manic.[a bit ]
Of course we also had to get the incidentals ..saucepans plates..glasses..Towels.. Tele.. Cds..Cutlery..Lamps etc etc...
It had to be done then as we had a booking a few weeks later and wouldnt have the chance to come out again[I did say Naive ]

[Hells Bells]

We went down to our place on the 16th December (booked an awful apartment but that's another story), and got the keys on the 23rd ro 24th I can't quite remember which, although the first night we slept in it was Christmas Eve. All the big stuff was deliverd from IKEA on the 21st (the day we should have had the keys), and so had to be diverted to a friends garage. In between, we had another trip to IKEA to get the small stuff, although a lot of that had already come with us (you should have seen the piles of stuff in the rotten apartment, both bunks were covered). We didn't have guests until the 8th January (fortunately).

[fibi]

Well you would never guess that either of your places were furnishes "on the quick" as they both look gorgeous Well Done!

[Giddy Goat]

I think there is niche market for the "simple" holiday but why limit your market is my only real point. Its not about whether we want a television or wifi or whatever but whether the customer does. And OK some will be like Helen and not want one but the majority will.

The bottom line is the bookings - we do offer TV/DVD/CD and masses of CDs, DVDs and Videos, there is satellite, but to date no French TV as we're waiting until our UK TVs bite the dust before buying a French one, which is what you need. But as for wi-fi, it will be nice to be able to offer it and to not have to go to the internet cafe when I'm there, but so far only one person has enquired about internet access, and wasn't put off when I confirmed there was none.

So the indications are that there are still more than enough people out there who are seeking the simpler holiday, in nice surroundings. But I will be monitoring things closely and ahead of the game, you can be sure; we have a huge mortgage to cover! We have an outdoor table tennis table but don't have bicycles (it's perfect cycling territory,) no trampoline or climbing frames, nor toys at the house, (though we do carry a good range of board games,) just high quality baby equipment, but so far, families are coming Feebs, and having a lovely time. I'm sure others here will be reporting the same.

[enid]

GG - if you have a Decathlon near you they do great bikes at great prices - if you don't then you'll just have to come by here again!

I am happy to have TVs DVds etc - I think my point too far was TVs in the bedrooms.

[Giddy Goat]

It would be nice to have them available, but the prob is housing them safely Enid! Our one outside storage area is already chokka!

[Hells Bells]

Thanks Fibi. It was one reason I chose Ikea, as I could choose the furniture in our local store in the UK, then order it in France. It also looks reasonable, and is easy and fairly inexpensive to replace.
Having a useful hubby, and two teens got the flat packs together pretty quickly.
I got all the bedding and towels in the UK, as I didnt want to risk getting there and getting snowed in and ending up with mismatched stuff, or there not being enough in the shops-we did get duvets and pillows in the supermarket, and were lucky to get enough. We did have to asseble a couple of flat packs (bedside tables) on Christmas Day, and we were still thinking of things to add right up until we left. I didn't manage the curtains until later in the winter though.

[la vache!]

It would be nice to have them available, but the prob is housing them safely Enid! Our one outside storage area is already chokka!

GG, it isn't just that, if you aren't on site to maintain the bikes, who is going to do it? Punctures happen and it is yet another thing that your caretakers would have to look after. I offer them because I'm here on site to check the state of the bikes before they are used. I never charge people for borrowing them, mostly they borrow them for a couple of hours max. Serious cyclists will always bring their own bikes.

[Moliere]

but to date no French TV as we're waiting until our UK TVs bite the dust before buying a French one, which is what you need. But as for wi-fi, it will be nice to be able to offer it and to not have to go to the internet cafe when I'm there, but so far only one person has enquired about internet access, and wasn't put off when I confirmed there was none.

Straws in the wind though, GG, we have lost bookings because we didn't have ADSL at least (and pref WiFi) so we're putting it in next year. We are in a market-driven business, and if we supply what the market demands, then we can price accordingly (I have no intention of losing money, but I know I have to meet what our guests want, and if they are prepared to pay a reasonable rental, then I will provide for them - the trick is in striking the balance, as usual!)

btw - your English tvs should pick up French national tv, surely?
I've never heard of any problems, subject to aerial etc.

Mols