Am I cheeky to ask a hotel for a discount?

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Basically DP and I are staying at a hotel in the summer for 5 nights. We booked directly with them, incurring foreign card charges, but however saving 3rd party booking agent commission for us, and also them.

The hotel has a rule that you must stay a minimum of 5 consecutive nights. We booked 5 nights. The hotel then has 2 nights unbooked following our stay, and is then booked up for another 5 nights. Therefore, no one can book the 2 nights they have unbooked.

AIBU in emailing and asking, hey because it's unbooked, and two because we'd be staying a full week at your hotel, would you give us a % off?

For example, airbnb often has deals whereby you save % if you stay X amount of days, often a week.

Of course, try. You have nothing to lose. How can you see the whole hotel’s availability though?

The hotel only have one suite so if that's unavailable then our room is

Maybe someone else is using it? I've honestly never thought to ask a hotel for a discount becuase they are booked when I want to stay?

Might as well ask, what's the worst that can happen?

How long until you go and what days of the Week are unbooked. They may think a weekend in high season in 3 months time might go to full price. If next month middle of the week then might be more successful but either way, no harm in asking!

No harm in asking though at short notice they may well sell those two nights through a booking site

@Mumofone1593
I think you have misunderstood. The hotel was available for the 5 days OP wanted. It is also available for the following 2 days. They have a 5 day minimum stay, so those 2 days will remain unbooked. OP wants to book those days at a discount to extend her holiday. As the hotel would otherwise have empty room for 2 days.

Oh yes, I missed the bit about 5 night min being relevant too. Sounds like it's worth the Q. Would you stay anyway if not discounted?

There’s no harm in asking but they’ll have either factored the cost of having un-bookable dates into the prices they charge, or they’ll relax the 5 day rule for bookings when they’ve got odd days free.

Is it in a built up area with a good reputation? If so, they will probably keep it free for possible walk ins. I thought this was unusual until I had more experience in hospitality. Lots of people just stay somewhere on a whim. Always worth asking though.

I would!you've got nothing to lose.i would ask for50% off and then barter!

I ask hotels for their "best price" all the time and normally get a discount :)

Yes of course. We’d rarely pay full price for a hotel and always ask about best deal they can offer.

Ask. My dpil walk into posh hotels and ask for rooms and get amazing deals. However be aware op the room might already be booked as they propably relaxed the rule

Bugger! Well I asked if they would be "willing" to offer us their best price as saying a week etc etc. The response was a simple, "the price is X per night as you see on our website."

worth a go right? I once got a hotel upgrade for £30 a night for a room worth £400 more a night... (in the rainforest)

It’s always worth asking a hotel for a discount especially if you are booking direct. Ask to speak to the reservations manager, as the front desk may have limited capability to authorise price cuts.

I worked in hotels for 20+ years and selling a room which would otherwise be vacant, and therefore increasing occupancy percentages, is one of the main targets.

May as well try - nothing to lose! Although if it's a weekend they're likely to sell those dates last minute.

(As an aside, why have people started using the word 'barter' when they mean 'haggle'? Barter is a totally different thing!)

I always book direct and ask for best price and have very rarely paid the rack rate - sometimes they just upgrade the room or give free breakfast where it's at an additional cost - always worth it

I always book direct and ask for best price and have very rarely paid the rack rate Part of my job is to book hotels and I am always amazed when booking direct doesn't yield the lowest price (Hilton - I'm looking at you!) - even when I tell them I can get it cheaper through a booking site (that they will have to pay commision on!) It's worth checking direct and through websites that scan all the other booking sites. And always worth asking for a discount.

Shamelessly placemarking.

If I walk into a hotel, and ask for their best price, I'll get a great deal? Or by calling and asking to speak to the reservation manager?

OP I think you should ask.

It's not clear cut. ..sometimes they won't match the cheaper price online...sometimes they will give a mug lower price. ...

IMHO especially when very last minute....unlikely to sell.

Or they may throw in breakfast/upgrade etc etx

It was absolutely worth a go - if the room remains empty for those 2 nights because they said no, they've lost money. Odd. Maybe the 5 day minimum doesn't always apply 🤷🏻‍♀️

personally I drop them an email saying how much I like the look of the hotel but am torn between it and one other and ask what their best price for booking direct is

Is the hotel a big chain, or privately owned? If the former, the reduced profit per owner is so small they wouldn't care and would likely say yes, but if it's the latter, it's getting a bit cheeky to demand they wipe out their profits just to suit you.

Is the hotel a big chain, or privately owned?

If they're using a booking site then they're already paying a commission but this way they can pay less than the commission or they can offer something in kind which could cost less