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?

@MaryRoze

Its as simple as this,

As long as you are a paying customer
It doesn’t matter if there’s one person or 10.

Life’s stressful, let yourself have this

If you’re paying for it, book what you like. My DH and I used to book 4 bed lodges. We liked the space.👍

I imagine that they are making sure you aren't paying the price for 2 and then sneaking more people in

I was already thinking they sounded a bit fly, and then I read about them charging for non-overnight guests
I wonder where they draw the line; if someone comes round to pick you up to go out, and stands/sits around for 10 minutes while you get your bag and shoes ready, are they a 'guest' and billable?

I'd have no problem at all with remaining in the 6-person cottage given this.

No it isn't like a resturant. Most holiday lets are booked by the unit, with the larger ones being more expensive,not the number of people in it

I booked a three bedroom cottage just for me and the dog last year. I'd been several times before with DH and it's perfect, so I don't see why not.

@MaryRoze just flagging that if you google the term you used about the T&Cs, it goes straight to what I presume is your location. Don't know whether you want to report that quote to get that bit removed from your post. the cottage looks lovely

But that isn't how the business charges. The OP was given a price by the business.

What dates in October have you booked? I'm wondering if they clash with the Scottish half term holidays and they hadn't realised at first?

YANBU to book the cottage.
They should change their pricing strategy if they don't want to lose money by having one person booking the six-person cottage compared to six people. They could charge for the entire unit, irrespective of how many people are staying. They could charge an underoccupancy rate. They could restrict bookings to a minimum of 4 persons. They could have different pricing strategies for low and high season use. Plenty of things they could do.
I think they would be unreasonable to cancel the OP's booking and they should suck this one up and then consider changing the pricing for the future if it doesn't suit them.

OP could only "take 5 friends" if she wanted an unpleasantly overcrowded experience with the sitting room turned into a bedroom. It's a 2 bedroom house. There's an advertised price for 2-person occupancy which OP has paid so the owners aren't losing out on anything.

Because there's been several threads recently where single and/or childless/child free people have been told they're unworthy of the things other people enjoy. Shouldn't have time off at Xmas. Shouldn't expect to live in anything bigger than a shoebox. Don't need a garden. Etc etc.

Hi ye sorry I was in a rush when I replied I must have picked you up wrong.

i was a bit sharp sorry.

Umm, because their mistake caused the inconvenience? Why should OP be inconvenienced by their mistake?

😂🙄 your response is far more dramatic (as evidenced by the fact that I’ve clearly said neither party is right or wrong but you’ve clearly chosen to ignore that bit, what can you do eh) than mine and the “cheeky twats” is in reference to people saying exactly that. If the income is lower than the business could earn by asking OP to book a different thing and they get the full income from people in said 6 person property then it is negatively impacting them, that a simple fact and has zero emotion attached to it.

Nope, it’s a math based issue. If OP rented a smaller one and the larger one was rented they’d want more than just OP renting the larger one. As I said, neither party is right or wrong and they’re perfectly entitled to ask.

But if they charged a flat rate they wouldn’t get any more or less regardless of the number of people sfaying there, so where is the maths issue?

They are being unreasonable asking OP to downgrade just because she’s single.

There are school holidays throughout most of October somewhere in Scotland though so midweek bookings will be popular too. Kids get 1-2 weeks off depending on the area, and the date vary across the country too. Some areas break up as early as Friday 4 October, and the latest don't return to school until Monday 28 October which I expect is the start of the English half term? Unless you've booked the w/b 30 September I can see why they would want you to move to smaller accommodation so they can charge more to a larger family, but you've paid the going rate to have single occupancy so I think it's fair enough to go ahead.

See my post above. Scotland doesn't have a fixed half-term week in October like happens in England. Holidays are set locally and this year Scottish kids will get 1-2 weeks off somewhere between 4 and 28 October depending on where they live. It's also not half term because our Autumn term finishes at the October break and the Winter term starts when the kids return.

My DH and I often stay in properties for 8 people. I like the space. I live in a cramped flat in RL. Holidays are a splurge for me. That might be why I live in a cramped place. 🤔

It’s a maths based issue only insofar as you need to work on yours. If they want more than OP is renting it for they need to increase the price. 🤣

Is it just a site with lodges or does it have pool, activities, restaurant etc?

I can see more where they are coming from if the latter as six people in what is probably the school holidays in Scotland is likely to generate a much higher spend on site.

If it's just accommodation can't see what difference it makes.

Either way the booking system should be set up accordingly.

I'm in Glasgow so I know how the October week works.