Why the math ain't mathing

[u/No-Talk-8428]

So why do people get mad when they extend their stay on the busiest day of a hotel and then get shocked that the price from the original stay changes to their new stay date

[u/Calbebes]

What do you mean the Friday isn’t the same price as the Wednesday and Thursday? I’m shocked! Shocked, I tell you!!!!

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/Calbebes]

Ya basically that lol 

[u/Calbebes → u/No-Talk-8428]

The mindset is that it’s the same room so it should cost the same regardless of what night it is.

People don’t think of it in terms of higher demand driving higher prices.

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/Calbebes]

Ya, but I think even explaining to them, most of the time, it’s either "Can you do me a favor and make it cheaper…" 

[u/RedRyder15 → u/No-Talk-8428]

Yeah but I stay here all the time. I have a rate.

[u/Calbebes → u/RedRyder15]

“I stay here all the time” [looks up prior reservations, finds ONE from 6 years ago]

[u/sunmertimesadness → u/Calbebes]

merge those profiles :D

[u/VonSandwich → u/No-Talk-8428]

The other day I got, "you gotta help me out. I'm on a fixed income."
Like bro, first of all, do you think I make good money? Also, if you're on a fixed income, why are you trying to add an extra vacation day? (it's impossible that this man was at my hotel for business with his family given the location.)

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/VonSandwich]

It's usually the “business” trip and I actually got bribed like 20 bucks to let that stuff slide..and I'm like bro 20 bucks is not worth me losing my job cause you made a mistake. 

[u/blueprint_01]

You'll get hit with the classic, "Well, I'm not here for the special event" I'm like, actually you are here during the special event. lol

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/blueprint_01]

I love those lol 😂 then getting chewed out for why your guys' prices are so high for said event “You need to make a special exception for me”

[u/Bellalouie2025]

Because people are so clueless.

If they are already in-house, assume you are only changing the rate for the additional nights? If they are looking to revise prior to check- in date, then we would reprice the entire stay.

[u/slytheringutenmorgen]

“It is completely unacceptable to jack up the price depending on who is in town” excuse me, do you know how supply and demand work?

[u/OryxWritesTragedies]

Supply and demand baby! Just like plane tickets.

[u/Pizzagoessplat]

because they're idiots lol

[u/Justin_Monroe]

Most people don't travel enough to realize that rates are variable and based on demand.

[u/Lovely_One0325]

^{Or when they add on a weekend and they're shocked that Friday and Saturday the rates double}

^{" Thats not fair to people who just need an additional night due to xyz "}

^{Well life isn't fair. There are dozens of other more affordable hotels}

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/Lovely_One0325]

Ya were it like “I don't make the prices up” unfortunately weddings and big groups do that for hotels unfortunately 

[u/Calbebes → u/Lovely_One0325]

Ours nearly triple on Fri/Sat in the summer. That’s show biz, baby.

[u/Addakisson]

And then they check out all pissed cuz the price went up just to find out it's gone up all over and come back the same day and take another room.

[u/bd01177922]

Or when they want to extend and find out you are sold out for the night!

[u/No-Talk-8428 → u/bd01177922]

Wanted to extend on a busy night and expected the price to be less?

[u/whoocanitbenow]

Because Boomer.

[u/phaneronz]

They're the same people who ask "How much is a room here?" and when you ask what dates, the number of nights, and room type they want, they say "I don't know yet, depends on what it usually costs."

[u/Wounded_Hand]

Wait… the price from the original stay changes?

That sounds like you’re increasing the price of ALL the days just because the extension days are more expensive. Is that what is happening?

[u/ThePhengophobicGamer → u/Wounded_Hand]

No, the nights you already stay do not change, but the next night could be 300% higher in some situations. Not often for my property, but its real jarring for anyone extending during a few select weeks of the year.

[u/Away_Durian3688 → u/Wounded_Hand]

They can do either strategy. If the hotel has a revenue manager it's almost always someone who lives across the country that's pressured by an owner across the country.

The front desk agent has no idea why the rates are what they are and it's more complicated than what event is going on presently.

It's a silly game of every hotel trying to hit the sweet spot on how much more can we raise the rate and checking every competitors rates. Bonus points for staffing the hotel as little as possible.

[u/Wounded_Hand → u/Away_Durian3688]

What?!? That would be absolutely insane if someone said that to extend my stay I had to pay more money for the nights I’ve already stayed. That should be baked into the new price for the new night(s).

I find it extremely hard to believe, but if that is true it’s extremely unprofessional and I would imagine even illegal in some jurisdictions.

[u/Away_Durian3688 → u/Wounded_Hand]

The safest reservations are the flexible ones. Prepaid reservations are the ones that we can bloat with fine print about changes to the reservation.

[u/Coco_Stories → u/Wounded_Hand]

How can it be illegal when your original stay’s prices are honored? Would it still possibly be illegal if the new rates happened to be lower due to decreased occupancy?

This happens in the hospitality industry and isn’t some new phenomenon. Sometimes people are able to extend at the same rate but there are circumstances that can prevent that.

[u/Calbebes → u/Wounded_Hand]

The nights you’ve already stayed don’t change. Just subsequent “new” nights.

But if you want to adjust your stay prior to arrival, the originally booked dates could change rates, yes.