To book a 6 person lodge for myself?

[MaryRoze]

One of my favourite things to do since escaping my controlling ex is to get away by myself for a couple of nights, somewhere remote with a good view, a hot tub, where I can just relax and recharge.

I've found a lovely site that has a few 2 person glamping pods, and 2 self-catering cottages. One cottage sleeps 4, the other sleeps 6. I dithered over both of them but decided to go for the 6 person lodge as it has nicer facilities, bigger kitchen, nicer views, and an enclosed garden for if I decide to bring my dog with me.

I've just received an email from the company asking me to clarify it's just for me. I've said yes. They've come back and said it's a busy time of year for them (October), so would I like to have one of the glamping pods instead as the cottages are really for bigger parties only.

I've had another look on their website and can see now it says they charge a fixed rate for 2 people, and for each additional person it's an extra £50 per person, per night! So they're obviously thinking they can make more money out of a bigger party rather than just me on my own.

I haven't specified this to them yet but I was planning on paying extra for early check in (£30), bringing the dog (£25), and a bottle of fizzy on arrival (£40). So it's not like they won't be getting their moneys worth out of me.

AIBU to book the larger property just for me?

Go for it! I certainly would if I had the money

Cheeky twats, you are not being unreasonable. Why don't they just charge for the unit rather than per person.

No, if you're willing to pay for the accommodation. Because of the large age gap between our DC, we tend to book 6 sleeper accommodation, because it will have 3 bedrooms, although there are only 4 of us. sometimes we've had to pay a supplement because we're under-occupying.

I see no reason for you not to have the accommodation you're happy to pay for though. "Thank you for your email, but I will be bringing a dog, and so need the contained garden with this accommodation, and will be paying for early check in and a bottle of fizz, which will help cover cots associated with it being let under occupied" might do the trick. A rental is a rental, they may not get the big group coming along.

YANBU to ask to book it.
TANBU to decline if they think they can book a larger group and make more money.

YANBU to refuse a glamping pod instead. Take your money elsewhere if they don’t want it.

Go for it but it sounds like they might refuse your booking.

No harm in trying though.

Yanbu

Just reply and say you chose that because it had the enclosed garden for your dog and you want space and comfort to relax rather than being in the rather cramped conditions of a glamping pod where you are standing right by your bed as you cook.

Your money is as good as the next person's. You've paid the advertised rate and it's not reasonable of them to shift the goalposts now. If they only want 6 person groups they should whack the cost up by £200 and get rid of the extra charge per-person but they can't do that retrospectively.

I would be going elsewhere.

They’re being cheeky!

You could explain the reasons you’ve given here for booking the bigger lodge and ask whether they can guarantee a glamping pod which satisfies all those criteria. And when they say no - you can simply 🤷‍♀️ and continue with your booked accommodation!

Most places charge per place rather than per person if in UK, which is why the larger the accommodation the more expensive it is.

We stayed in a cottage recently which slept 6 and there was just 2 of us, so only used one bedroom out of three but the price was per cottage so they still got the same amount of money.

This seems a strange way for the site to operate.

Thank you all. To clarify, I have already booked it. This email came 2 days later asking if I would consider moving to one of their pods. I'm not sure what their response will be if I say no.

I think I'll pinch your reply though MabelMaybe, thank you

I don't think they will accept your booking. I suppose YANBU to ask but I would expect them to say no, and I think that's fair enough.

If it's very short notice and you refuse the pod then they may decide to take your money rather than risking it going empty. It's a game of chicken.

Why should a single person not have a nice sized kitchen, nice views and good facilities including an enclosed garden? Why should these things be reserved for larger groups?

If you wanted the pod you would have booked that.
If it is so busy a time why was it still available when you booked it?

Have they changed the booking conditions since you booked?
I bet it would be very crowded with 6 people.

Stand your ground. I would not be happy about this.

It's like a restaurant not wanting a single person to sit at a table for 6 so you can understand why they are asking when they have a per person supplement

That's not unreasonable either as they aren't penalising smaller parties for not using all the rooms and bedding

Neither of you is wrong, you're just coming at it from different directions.

They’re cheeky and their pricing model is weird - I’d expect to pay one price for the whole property (with maybe a discount for under occupying in eg middle of February). I always under-occupy holiday accommodation as my children can’t share a bedroom, I’d be unimpressed if a company felt the need to question it.

A glamping pod is hardly comparable. Why should you have less luxurious accommodation just because you’re a single individual not a family?!

Not be long now until someone comes along to tell you you're being selfish booking this property when there are families with children that might want it. If you really must have a holiday a one-man tent in a field will suffice.

It's a business arrangement, no emotion needed, you don't have to feel proud/guilty/angry/friendly it's just business.

Lots of UK holiday stuff is, never mind under occupied, empty at the moment.
I feel besieged by last minute availability in Cornwall, Wales and random market towns.

I also think the bottom has slightly dropped out the glamping pod market. The novelty has worn off, many older ones look tired, people have been caught out and they are often not particularly cheap.

I hope you have a lovely time away and definitely take the dog!

But the table for 6 wouldn’t generally have better facilities.

I don't think you're unreasonable for booking it, I also don't think they're at all unreasonable for asking. They have a business to run, not a charity - of course they're going to want to make the most amount of money.

But they would be unreasonable if they cancel the booking now, you've booked it fair and square. If you carry on with the 6-bed rental then they'll have to take it on the chin this time and probably change their booking T&C's going forward. But I can't really fault them for trying.

Enjoy your holiday!

Good for you!!! What a great thing to do for yourself.

No downgrade for you.

Tell them no politely and have the wonderful time you deserve.

If it were me, and they had already accepted the booking, I would be telling them "no, it's that lodge I want for the enclosed garden if I bring my dog. If I had wanted a glamping pod I would have booked it. So either it's that lodge or a full refund if you are now refusing the booking"

Yes, I totally agree. They have a business to run and I don't think it's cheeky at all that they've asked.

I just wanted to know if IWBU to book the 6 bed in the first place.

I've been to a lot of self-catering accommodation over the years and it's always been charge per unit, not per person, so I do find this odd.

It is a bit weird they charge extra pp in the lodge, though. Generally things are just priced per unit - which seems like a much more sensible model and keeps everyone happy as if a single person wants to pay for a nicer place they can, and the business gets the same amount regardless of number of occupiers.

Definitely not unreasonable to book a place that can sleep more than you need.

DH and I often book a 4 bed place just for ourselves and dog, as we want the extra living space and facilities that usually comes with it, just like you.

The price is usually the price though, same for 1 or 6 people. With additions on top for dog or extras.

So the owners of your place have shot themselves in the foot by underpricing, if they wanted to actually get £££ for it.

Not your fault at all.

YANBU booking it.