Who is BU? re wedding guests

[biser]

Wedding in country house hotel. Naice but not amazingly so.

How much would you, as a guest, be prepared to pay for a double room inc breakfast before you start to suspect "woah, I'm being ripped off to subsidise their costs".

An extra £20 for a weekend stay doesn’t seem outrageous.

How does it compare to weekend rates for similar places in the area?

Rooms are usually cheaper at weekends, so considerably less than their weekday rate - which is, OP?

How much is their weekday rate plus £20?

Cross-posted there, no way can you charge more than the weekday rate!

We went to a close family friend's wedding recently and the room rates were "pay what you wish"

I’d feel like I was in a real life episode of 4 in a Bed 🤣

Why are your guests being charged an extra 20??

Bloody cheek considering you are booking your entire wedding there. I wouldn't book a place that took such advantage of my guest.

Outrageous.

Your guests and their costs, convenience and comfort should be your first priority when planning a wedding.

Average for wedding hotels I've been to are around £140 for a double with breakfast. I tend to get the nearest travelodge/ premier inn etc though as I'm tight.

One wedding we went to it £600 a night for the suite we had been 'assigned' we just said we couldn't stay. The B&G were actually really nice and said that was just what the hotel suggested (and charged for weekends where there were no weddings), they'd paid for exclusive use so we could just contribute what we could afford.

If there is no transparency around weekend room rates then I would suspect that they are geared towards funding the wedding costs.

I would be looking for alternative accommodation close by.

no way can you charge more than the weekday rate

It would be extremely unusual but if the B+G are looking to financially gain then it does not surprise me.

£150 a night I'd say. The last wedding we went to was £120 a night. It does depend on your guests tho - if some don't have much money and are used to staying in £50 a night Premier Inns then you can't expect them to pay that sort of amount.

I'm confused. So are you inflating or decreasing the price you have to pay the hotel? The former is not a good way to treat your guests.

It would depend on 2 things - did I really want to be at the wedding, and does it look worth the price? If it was for my best friend and looked lovely with a great breakfast then maybe up to 250 for both of us. If it was for someone else I didn't particularly want to stay for the next day I'd drive/find somewhere cheaper.

Rooms are usually cheaper at weekends

This is odd - rooms are more expensive when there is more demand, i.e at the weekend. The only time I've seen rooms cheaper at the weekend was in the business district of a large city where rooms are rarely booked at the weekend.

Rooms are usually cheaper at weekends, so considerably less than their weekday rate - which is, OP?

That’s definitely not the case where I am. Just did a quick booking.com search for my nearest big town and it’s between £10 and £20 extra for weekend bookings for the same hotels.

Demand is higher at weekends so they can charge more.

We paid £240 for 1 night last month (it didn't include breakfast either, that was £22 EACH more!!!!!!! I was shocked!) that had a wedding discount on it too. My husband was best man for his best mate and we have 2 children under 3. The wedding was in the middle of nowhere and logistically we couldn't stay elsewhere, we tried to work something out but nothing worked (church was also miles from the venue). We had to suck it up and pay it. Normally I'd say £125 vv max for a wedding staying at the actual venue and I'd only pay that if I was invited all day and actually wanted to go.

So would it be cheaper to stay elsewhere and drive/taxi?

Lots of people I know have done the whole thing of getting guests to unwittingly pay towards venue costs in this way so I would probably stay elsewhere just to not feel like a muppet.

no way can you charge more than the weekday rate
It would be extremely unusual but if the B+G are looking to financially gain then it does not surprise me.

B&G are being naive. They didn't realise that the hotel are pulling a fast one. When it was pointed out, they said the rate wasn't too bad anyway.
Which is why I asked how much people would generally pay.

When it was pointed out, they said the rate wasn't too bad anyway

That's a horrible attitude to have towards your guests.

@biser how does what they're asking compare to the week rate?

That's a horrible attitude to have towards your guests.

Yup. That's what I told them.

Surely you would expect to pay whatever the going rate was for the room WITH a discount because I would expect the bridal couple to get a discount for any guests based on having their wedding there. That is standard and I've been a Venue Manager.

how does what they're asking compare to the week rate?

I know the weekday standard tariff.
The internet says that, in reality, it is more like weekday minus £20~30.
Wedding/weekend guests will be asked for weekday plus £20.
So an increase of £40~50 per room.

I'd expect to pay £150 to £180.

DH & I have weekends away like this once or twice a year.

If it was for a wedding only, I'd probably try & find a Premier Inn nearby to save money.

We just paid £160 for 2 nights B&B in the hotel my cousin was married in. How much are they trying to get from guests?

OP, what is the actual room rate you are being charged?