usvi-on-line
what is your price limit for lodging?
what is your price limit for lodging?
some times I find prices to be quite offensive especially since I hear travel is down and business is bad.
just wondering if folks have a limit they set for lodging? does it differ for a hotel room in a large city v. a small inn or B&B in the country? Or if you are going on a "vacation" vs. just looking for a quick get away?
interested to hear others take on this...discuss.....
just wondering if folks have a limit they set for lodging? does it differ for a hotel room in a large city v. a small inn or B&B in the country? Or if you are going on a "vacation" vs. just looking for a quick get away?
interested to hear others take on this...discuss.....
It depends. How is that for an answer?
I don't mind paying in the upper third for the area/market in order to get a nice place that is close to where we want to be. I just can't deal with "shabby" and I don't want to waste vacation time driving to attractions.
This is the complete opposite of how I was raised. My dad never met a hotel room that was too cheap or too crowded. I smile when I think back to how we travelled.
For example - we stayed at Caneel this summer. We definately could have stayed somewhere else for less money but I wanted to spend my time on the beach/in the water. I didn't want to cook, wash towels, pack a cooler, drive to the beach, etc. So I was willing to pay the price.
Personally, I am not a B & B fan. I live in a big old historic home so that type of accomodation doesn't appeal to me.
I am more flexible for a quick get away, especially if it to the city where I spend very little time in the room. For vacation vacation, I am picky.
I don't mind paying in the upper third for the area/market in order to get a nice place that is close to where we want to be. I just can't deal with "shabby" and I don't want to waste vacation time driving to attractions.
This is the complete opposite of how I was raised. My dad never met a hotel room that was too cheap or too crowded. I smile when I think back to how we travelled.
For example - we stayed at Caneel this summer. We definately could have stayed somewhere else for less money but I wanted to spend my time on the beach/in the water. I didn't want to cook, wash towels, pack a cooler, drive to the beach, etc. So I was willing to pay the price.
Personally, I am not a B & B fan. I live in a big old historic home so that type of accomodation doesn't appeal to me.
I am more flexible for a quick get away, especially if it to the city where I spend very little time in the room. For vacation vacation, I am picky.
-
Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
It varies a ton, depending on location and the reason for the trip.
I WILL NOT pay over $200 a night for a hotel room, anywhere. I prefer to stay in higher end places, so that can be a challenge at times. I am a bargain shopper, so I will use Hotwire and Priceline to get a good deal. I prefer to pay $100 to $150 a night. I will really only go up to $200 if I am in NY or Boston.
We like B&B's, but normally stay in the off season so we get good deals. We like staying in typical summer destinations in the winter, when no one is around so deals are easy to find.
I will not stay at a bargain basement hotel chain. I am very picky. Super 8, Motel 6, etc. are never an option for me. I want certain comforts that these hotels just don't provide. Not that there is anything wrong with them, it just doesn't fit what I am looking for when I get away.
I WILL NOT pay over $200 a night for a hotel room, anywhere. I prefer to stay in higher end places, so that can be a challenge at times. I am a bargain shopper, so I will use Hotwire and Priceline to get a good deal. I prefer to pay $100 to $150 a night. I will really only go up to $200 if I am in NY or Boston.
We like B&B's, but normally stay in the off season so we get good deals. We like staying in typical summer destinations in the winter, when no one is around so deals are easy to find.
I will not stay at a bargain basement hotel chain. I am very picky. Super 8, Motel 6, etc. are never an option for me. I want certain comforts that these hotels just don't provide. Not that there is anything wrong with them, it just doesn't fit what I am looking for when I get away.
-
Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
That is tougher,l but I am not afraid to ask for a deal. If you are traveling in the off season to a B&B and they have online availability, you can usually see if the inn is booked or not.mbw1024 wrote:looking for a B&B or Inn is what got me thinking about this. where do you find bargains on those?
If there are no rooms booked at all, I have found that it is harder to get a deal, sice they don't want to bother having one couple at the inn, but if they have 8 rooms and only 2 are booked, then I give it a shot.
It depends on where we are traveling to. Money goes further in some places than others. Sometimes there's just no bargain to be had. For example, I like to go to Tanglewood in the summer for a weekend. Hotels out there are outrageous. You can't even stay at a Comfort Inn out there for under $250/night in the summer. On the other hand, when I travel to Disney with my group, I can spend that same amount of money and rent a 6-bedroom, 7-bathroom home with private pool and spa for us. It's all about supply and demand.
Did you start this thread because of the B+B I sent you the link to on facebook?
Did you start this thread because of the B+B I sent you the link to on facebook?
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
This really depends on the market. One of the things that works well in some of the tighter markets is to check with friends to see if they can get preferred rate. I can sometimes get a Marriott employee rate. Some companies also cut very good deals. The Amazon rate at the Pan Pacific in Seattle is about 30% of their rack rate. My client in Secaucus gets a great deal at the local big chain hotel. I've saved those discount codes for booking later.
For Inns and B&Bs, I've spoken with owners about how they do pricing. Longer term folks who won't ask for much can sometimes negotiate a deal. It really depends on how much work the owner will have to do. I had an inn in Park City Utah offer me a discount the second year I stayed there because my kids were so well behaved the first year.
Small places are fun, but sometimes you have to deal with the personalities of the owners a bit more. I had one B&B owner a bit disturbed when I would site in the parlor and read for an hour. I think she felt like I was reading because I was lonely and kept chatting with me.
Cheers, RIckG
For Inns and B&Bs, I've spoken with owners about how they do pricing. Longer term folks who won't ask for much can sometimes negotiate a deal. It really depends on how much work the owner will have to do. I had an inn in Park City Utah offer me a discount the second year I stayed there because my kids were so well behaved the first year.
Small places are fun, but sometimes you have to deal with the personalities of the owners a bit more. I had one B&B owner a bit disturbed when I would site in the parlor and read for an hour. I think she felt like I was reading because I was lonely and kept chatting with me.
Cheers, RIckG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
I don't like staying in B+Bs for the reason RickG cited. I know some people find them charming but I always feel like I am intruding in someone's home and I hate that feeling of having to make polite conversation when I would rather be left alone.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
Coming from being a travel agent for years...best advise is to always, always, always ask for the bests rate. Even do so while checking in. I'll be signing the check in form and say something like , "by the way, I read that you are offering a special deal for the next few nights" You will be surprised at the come back response. It has worked 99% of the time. I tell them that I saw it on their website.
B&Bs are my favorite. They are a tough market to find a good deal at, however, you must be persistant. They want your repeated business, your referrals, a family reunion perhaps. We have stayed at some amazing, larger, B&Bs and had a marvelous time. One example is the Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point. It has 3-4 sister B&B's up the coast of CA. They are wonderful.
The other is the Inn Above the Tides in Saulsalito,CA.
B&Bs are my favorite. They are a tough market to find a good deal at, however, you must be persistant. They want your repeated business, your referrals, a family reunion perhaps. We have stayed at some amazing, larger, B&Bs and had a marvelous time. One example is the Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point. It has 3-4 sister B&B's up the coast of CA. They are wonderful.
The other is the Inn Above the Tides in Saulsalito,CA.
Thanks for starting this thread - its interesting and I've learned a few things from the responses. I feel the same way about 'offensive prices', but sometimes pay them anyway.
When we go on our primary vacation for the year to the Caribbean, we tend to spend about $2000-$2200/week for a villa. About every 5 years we use the excuse of 'big anniversaries', to go someplace nicer and more expensive. This past year, I shopped LuxuryLink and got a 'decent' deal at Peter Island (at least compared to their normal prices). We loved it there and would do the LL deal again.
Last October, we traveled around the mountains of Virgina and stayed at B&Bs. I have mixed feelings about staying in them as OPs noted. Most were in the $150/night for mid-week prices. Seems steep, but some of them were beautiful historic homes and you got an elaborate gourmet breakfast.
Last weekend, we went to an old-timey historic place called Capon Springs in West Va. We paid $136/nite PER PERSON, which included 3 meals and snacks. This is very pricey, especially since the accommodations are very basic. However, there is a lot to do for kids (had my 3yo niece) and I love this place because its such a beautiful and peaceful setting.
When we are in-transit on the road, I hate paying more than $100/night since its just a one night stop and minimal time in the room. But I really don't like staying in the real cheapo places - have had some really yucky rooms in the days when we couldn't afford much.
When we go on our primary vacation for the year to the Caribbean, we tend to spend about $2000-$2200/week for a villa. About every 5 years we use the excuse of 'big anniversaries', to go someplace nicer and more expensive. This past year, I shopped LuxuryLink and got a 'decent' deal at Peter Island (at least compared to their normal prices). We loved it there and would do the LL deal again.
Last October, we traveled around the mountains of Virgina and stayed at B&Bs. I have mixed feelings about staying in them as OPs noted. Most were in the $150/night for mid-week prices. Seems steep, but some of them were beautiful historic homes and you got an elaborate gourmet breakfast.
Last weekend, we went to an old-timey historic place called Capon Springs in West Va. We paid $136/nite PER PERSON, which included 3 meals and snacks. This is very pricey, especially since the accommodations are very basic. However, there is a lot to do for kids (had my 3yo niece) and I love this place because its such a beautiful and peaceful setting.
When we are in-transit on the road, I hate paying more than $100/night since its just a one night stop and minimal time in the room. But I really don't like staying in the real cheapo places - have had some really yucky rooms in the days when we couldn't afford much.
Interesting thread. 
When we've travelled around the US we've tended toward the B/B route-I usually try and research reports pretty extensively to ensure that the owner's don't get too chatty-that's not what we're looking for. Generally these have usually run in the $200+/night price range which includes breakfast obviously.
We tend not to like a chain hotel but prefer something more unique so B/B's work for us.
If I'm going to a city then I'll usually try to Hotwire or Priceline a four star in the $100-150 range.
If I'm vacationing somewhere more "exotic" and outside the continental US then the price goes up if the location/view is perfect.
Terry-we've stayed in Maison Fleurie which I think is another one of the sister inns in California. They are a very nicely run organization and would recommend them highly.
When we've travelled around the US we've tended toward the B/B route-I usually try and research reports pretty extensively to ensure that the owner's don't get too chatty-that's not what we're looking for. Generally these have usually run in the $200+/night price range which includes breakfast obviously.
We tend not to like a chain hotel but prefer something more unique so B/B's work for us.
If I'm going to a city then I'll usually try to Hotwire or Priceline a four star in the $100-150 range.
If I'm vacationing somewhere more "exotic" and outside the continental US then the price goes up if the location/view is perfect.
Terry-we've stayed in Maison Fleurie which I think is another one of the sister inns in California. They are a very nicely run organization and would recommend them highly.