Am I cheeky to ask a hotel for a discount?

[ighte]

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.

Last minute on the day after 2pm will often get you a cheap price for that night only. It often depends on what events are taking place in the place you are visiting - big demand at certain times means very little wiggle room. But I have seen rooms that we would normally book for around £100 or less sell for £400 a peak times, I've often wondered how gutted you'd feel to stay in the room thinking you were getting £400 worth of luxury - I mean the rooms were nice but they weren't £400/night nice.

I very much doubt in high season, despite their 5 night ‘rule’ that they’ll let empty rooms sit there.

it's getting a bit cheeky to demand they wipe out their profits just to suit you.

The room will be empty for those 2 nights due to their 5 night minimum. Giving a discounted rate would surely have been better than that? Making sure their costs were covered (maid service etc). They might have got extra money from restaurant/bar bills.

Is the hotel a big chain, or privately owned? It really doesn't matter - they still want to keep their occupancy high while getting the max rate they can manage - it's only cheeky to ask if you are rude when you speak to them, but why would you be?

it's getting a bit cheeky to demand they wipe out their profits just to suit you It's a bit cheeky to demand anything - I thought the OP was considering asking she hadn't mentioned demanding - did I miss something?

The response was a simple, "the price is X per night as you see on our website."

But it isn't, because the 2 nights are unbookable?

Perhaps if it gets out that you can book a week this way and get a cheaper price they think lots of people will try it. They might think you always wanted a week but were being sneaky by booking it this way.

I bet its a very expensive highly sought after place and sometimes those places would rather it sat empty then offer a discount as its about being seen to be unattainable for some

But if you are staying Monday to Friday for example, someone could still book Wednesday to Sunday presumably so the rooms could be booked for five days just not the same five days as you.

There's only 1 room so someone can't overlap with either the OPs 5 days or the 5 days of the next people 2 days later I think

Did you email them? If you did then call and speak to the Manager. Someone in reservations will just look and say it's X amount as that's what the computer says, and probably don't care if the room is booked or left empty.

A Manager will care, and will want the extra revenue from the room and your extra food/drink, so you need to call and ask them.

it's getting a bit cheeky to demand they wipe out their profits just to suit you

But OP isn't doing this - if their policy stands, it's a 5 night min stay so if a room is free for 2 days only, they won't let that room to anyone else so they won't be making any profit. Nor was OP demanding.

I personally think the 5 nights min stay is a bit daft and I've never seen it before - sure 2 nights min at the weekend is common but what sense is there in 5 nights midweek and not selling a room at the weekend - they are screwing themselves over..

Someone could book a normal room for three days and then the suite for two?

Nope. You have to have the suite for 5 nights in a row.

Anyway, I tried, and on this occasion failed

Unless they can get someone in for those 2 days they aren't wiping our their profits. They could be more than covering their head cover.

But hey...

How do you know the nights after are free though? You could be staying Mon-Sat and the next person Sat- Sat.

She's covered this! There is one suite. She's got it book for 5 days. There's a 2 day gap. Then someone else has it for 5 days. No-one can book the 2day gap because the suite has a 5 night minimum. Because there's only one, you can see the availability for their suite online.

DB runs a small hotel. He always offers people who book via web sites his card when they leave, and offers a discount on follow up bookings. Some sites take up to 25% of the room cost. Its worth his while to offer 10-15% off for a direct booking. Its worth asking to speak to a manager or the owner and asking for a discount.