Month: April 2019

When it comes to increasing occupancy rates for a guest house, B & B or hotel there are a few essential dos and don”ts. The two most important are: Do add value and do not lower rates.

Low rates, when compared to your competition, can actually devalue your establishment while at the same time do nothing to actually increase revenue. In most cases, a reduction in rates is not actually noticed by guests. Most people don”t shop for rate alone.

“You get what you pay for” is still true and when a product is not known, its price will define its quality.

Adding value is much easier to advertise and promote and is perceived as more appealing than a price reduction.

Creating a package is probably one of the best ways to add value as the added value is more tangible than in some of the other available options. You can create a package based around a calendar event such as a valentines package break. Here you can bundle in a free romantic meal, pillow chocolates, miniature wines and a spa type pamper package for the bathroom. With all of this added you are more likely to be able to increase the rate slightly while the customer still leaves with a feeling that they received good value for money.

Another example of a package might be a pamper weekend, bundle in some expensive toiletries for a spa experience in the room plus a free massage with a local practitioner add in a box of expensive chocolates and some free wine.

Yet another idea is to link up with a local restaurant to offer a meal package, combine this with a theatre ticket or equivalent entertainment activity to offer a great package for not much more than the competition charge for just a room. After all, most customers are likely to take in a show and eat dinner somewhere during their stay. This way, they feel like they got it for free or at least at a discounted rate.

The main thing to remember when it comes to adding value is that however you achieve it, try to offer something that really does feel valuable. Multiple additions are the easiest way to go about this, for example:

Valentines package: 3 nights plus 50% off dinner at X restaurant plus 50% off shows at X theatre plus free wines plus bathroom pamper pack plus pillow chocolates all adds up to a great value package and a very romantic weekend.

What you have done here is to add one or two large value items and then bulked the deal out with multiple small value items.

One of the most challenging aspects of planning a trip to an unfamiliar destination is the booking of your hotels accommodation. When you try to search for the ideal hotel, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of hotels that vie for your attention.

Selecting a hotel that suits your expectations is important to get the most out of your entire trip, as a good hotel can complement your visit with the right amenities and location. Also, expensive hotels may not always be the best choices when it comes to good service and convenience as there have been great improvements in hotel standards all around. Hence, some research is needed to select the hotel that is right for you, with the following helpful tips below to aid your search.

Setting your hotel budget

Setting a budget for your trip should involve deciding how much of it would go towards spending on your accommodation. This would help you to shortlist an accommodation type which you would be most comfortable with, whether it is cheap budget hotels or more expensive four and five-star hotels. Thus, it would be much easier to continue your hotel search within this smaller field.

Besides looking at the room rates of various hotels, you should also bear in mind their inclusions (or lack thereof) in the room rates to get a more accurate picture of what exactly you are paying for. These inclusions can be meals, facility use, in-house movies or parking fees, to name a few.

Choosing a good location

Choosing a good location for your hotel is essential for getting the most out of your hotel stay. Before doing so, do consider the purpose of your visit. If your visit comprises mostly of sightseeing or business in a certain area, you can consider choosing a hotel in the vicinity. This would help you to save on potentially expensive commuting costs. Staying near public transport networks is also a good idea if you rely heavily on public transport for travel.

Another factor that you may like to consider is the noise levels of the hotels surroundings. If you would like to relax in a quieter environment, do consider a location further from the main traffic and nightlife areas to enjoy an uninterrupted nights rest.

Considering what amenities you need

When booking your hotel, you should also consider what kinds of amenities you need that would be helpful to your trip and which ones you are willing to forego. This will assist in your hotel selection such that you only choose the one that provides you with the most convenience.

For example, you might want to consider a hotel with 24-hour room service if you wish to satisfy your hunger at night without purchasing many snacks. If easy accessibility to the airport or downtown areas is what you need, you might wish to consider a hotel with shuttle services to these areas.

The range of amenities in the hotel should also meet your needs, so be sure to check if it has gyms, spas, swimming pools, conference facilities or other facilities that you need. Lastly, an important consideration when you are bringing your family on your travels is whether the hotel has family-friendly amenities and services such as childrens activity or day care centres and swimming pools for children.