Well, I've given in ................

[brenda]

Didn't want to lower our prices but, after just getting a cancellation for the only week booked in one of our rooms and with only one booking for the other room, I have given in and dropped our priced for May. Now charging €35 p.n. for the smaller room and €40 for the larger.

June is also very sparsly booked so hope things start to improve shortly as I don't want to have to drop thise prices too.

Anyone else contemplating reducing prices?

[Titti]

Ciao Brenda
we have not increased our prices for a couple of years. But in order to keep reservations steady we have increased advertisement every year. As all other expenses are considerably higher than in the past, I guess this is another way to make less money!

[Christine Kenyon]

Hi Brenda. At the moment we are planning to increase our price for next year from £32.50 per person to £35.00 per person.

The other thought I'm playing with is seasonal or variable pricing (as we already do with our holiday cottages). At weekends we are just about fully booked until the end of September so I'm wondering about charging a premium for weekend stays (or to put it another way ... charging a lower rate for mid week stays ). Haven't dared to bite the bullet yet as no-one else locally is doing that for B&B.

Do hope that season picks up.

[brenda]

Have had 2 bookings since dropping May price - one for a single night in May at the reduced rate and, joy oh joy, a 3 nighter at full price in June.

Will keep our initial 2008 prices for next year. Another B+B has just opened locally, with less facilities than us, and they are charging considerably more so hopefully we will now look a good option.

[pepsipuss]

We are at last starting to get some enquiries (no thanks to OD, I might say) and are resisting officially reducing prices on listing sites but offering something when we get the enquiries - although not for one-nighters.

Result was an immediate booking when I offered a 10% discount for 2 nights. Also got a French booking at full price for a week in July with a small, well-behaved Chihuahua. They have been warned that although our dog will probably treat it with respect one of the cats may see it as a meal....

[pete]

desperate stakes here too - we are not reducing fees at the moment as the present time. days are still spend with renovations but are considering the options for the summer weekends - what do you think about increasing costs instead ? so now is the bargin ?

pete

[TTP mk2]

what do you think about increasing costs instead ?

I've no idea if it applies to B & B but I published a computer program many years ago & we had to increase the price 4 times before we sold any real volume.

[pete]

dont think we would ever get anywhere 4x because that would take us over the chateau price (the dearest near us is 20 mins away and not divulging occupancy levels) but all the local chambres are 40- 60 euro and are all empty as well

pete

[TTP mk2]

dont think we would ever get anywhere 4x

I worded that badly, I meant 4 separate price increases, not a 400% price increase.

I'm sure there is a 'perceived value' somewhere in pricing, certainly I wouldn't stay in the lowest price B & B in an area.

[Cerise]

Don't despair. We're currently having an excellent April BUT every single booking has been last minute and that includes Canadians and Australians who you would think might want to know where they were laying their heads before making such a long journey. Have got very few bookings for July August, but last year was the same and in the end we were full.

I personally hate last minute bookings as it means I don't have a life, but hey ho need to eat and I feel that is the way it is going. Everyone is waiting until the last second to see if they have enough monye, what the weather is doing etc. Keep buying hte lottery ticket I think.

I don't personally think lowering the price makes much difference and it does strike of desperation. Staying with over anxious people isn't that relaxing and I personally, like TTP wouldn't necessarily go for the cheapest.

[Nessie]

Well I have discounted May, but to be honest that has not bought in any more bookings. The French are now starting to wake up and this week ,the enquires and bookings have started to come in, but mainly for August, June and July are looking very bad, at the moment But having said that the last two years it has always been last minute bookings, not something I like but its all part of the game, for us in this line .Been doing this now for 5 years and no year has a set booking pattern, well not for us

Took a booking yesterday, quoted our standard rate in the morning he rang my wife in the evening and offered to pay a supplement for the room of his choice

[brenda]

After reading comments on here that people would never book the cheapest B+B - even though it may well be the bet by far - I have put our single night rate up again.

May has filled up to a certain degree this past week and other months - except June - have also seen good bookings. Think I may write off JUne completely and go away somewhere ourselves.