Minimum Stay Booking Gripe!
Submitted: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 13:05
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ExplorOz Team - Michelle
I really don't understand this "minimum 3/4/5 night stay" business for booking a cabin at a caravan park. My problem is I've booked a year ahead at one (having stayed there in 2013 and booking for same period 2014) so you would think they'd book the same day of check-in allowing for the 1 day date shift (ie. 3rd Jan becomes a Fri, not a Thurs) but our "event" requires we arrive on a Thursday so by checking in the following year on a Friday is not going to work hence I now need a 1 night stay elsewhere but finding this difficult due to this minimum multi-day stay rubbish. They have the vacancies - and I'm booking 8 months ahead. But they don't want my 1 night booking. Pah! The only
places that offer the single night stays (and I'm talking 6 hours out of
Perth - regional on the SW Highway) is the Hotel or Motel - but I'm not setup for that and need something fully-self contained with room to offload bikes off the carrier etc for security.
There - gripe over. I think I'll live, and like most things, some compromise on my behalf will solve it, but I'm just saying camping is so much simpler!
Reply By: Rangiephil - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 14:25
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 14:25
If linen is included it is usually only cost effective to have a minimum stay of 3 days to average out the cost of the laundry.
I had a rental property in Qld, and it was OK while the cleaner did the laundry, then they changed the law that you had to have laundry professionally done and only have white sheets.
This increased the cost greatly so then everyone had to bring in the three day minimum.
Ask about bringing your own linen, although they may only clean after three days as well.
Regards Philip A
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 14:33
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 14:33
Thanks for the suggestion Philip I'll do that. This is a totally different viewpoint to what I had considered and is a fair reason although I was told it is because it is a busy time - I still don't fully understand what that means - ie. we have the demand so can force a longer booking - if you don't want it someone else will. ? or is that just being cynical?
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Reply By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:15
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:15
Michelle, not that unusual for special events. Stinks I know, however the the reasoning is along the lines of "if you don't like it, there's plenty who will pay"
Try booking a single nights accommodation in
Sydney over New Years Eve...... most hotels have a minimum of 3 days and for some it's a week.
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:20
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:20
Humph! Proves my point then, the world's gone crazy and I am getting grumpy in my old age. I really dislike most of the changes a growing
population puts on life. BTW - no special event in that town I am trying to book 1.5hrs drive away from where I need to be the next day but its the time of year - first week of January. I understand it, but I don't like the principle of it .
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Follow Up By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:59
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 15:59
Michelle, that sort of New Year minimum stay booking has been operating up the East Coast for years .... looks like WA has joined the 21st century :-)
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Follow Up By: baz&pud (tassie) - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:11
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:11
Isn't there a saying in WA, wait a while and it will happen,lol.
Baz
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:31
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:31
Oh I'm sure its been happening here for years too, just we rarely find ourselves in this position and I hate it when I am not impervious to the rules!
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Reply By: Member - Michael P (QLD) - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:26
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 16:26
Michelle HI,
And I thought I was the only travelling grump.
Maybe it's a WA thing. When returning from WA at the end of March a couple of hours short of Kal. rang Caravan Pk for booking, All ok. When I arrived was informed minimum booking ONE WEEK.
No sorry will find a
roadside camp.
Guess it gets down to supply and demand. If the occupancy rate was say 75/85% may be a different story.
Regards Mike.
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Reply By: adamtrex - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 17:26
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 17:26
It's a law to have white sheets?
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Reply By: cookie1 - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 17:38
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 17:38
Here in SA we needed an overnight stay in
Robe, unpowered site for night for 3 x swags, "sorry we have a minimum 3 nights as it is a long weekend" - go figure, we stayed for a night at
Cape Jervis, arrived at 8pm and out at 7am, easy money I thought for the operator who we met up with in the morning and he was a great guy.
Yes the world is going insane
cheers
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Reply By: steved58 - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 19:08
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 19:08
If enough say no it would have to change I hate long weekends I work saturday and only need saturday and sunday nights but are constantly told 3 night minimum on long weekends so now stay
home and go other times It sucks
Steve
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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 00:08
Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 00:08
Where do the people go if they only want one night, spend one night, pay for three, now that's a twist..... Hope you find a solution Michelle.... I agree with you entirely, best idea is camping/ caravaning... but in this instance, you need the cabin and security for your bikes....
Cheers
D
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Reply By: Member - Woodsy - Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 08:51
Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 08:51
At the McDonnell Ranges Tourist Park in
Alice Springs during the Masters Games in October every 2 years, they demand a minimum stay of 9 days for booking a cabin.
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Reply By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 09:50
Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 09:50
You only think its stupid/bad for the traveller , try booking anything in a mining /FIFO town
"sorry booked out Monday to Friday" unless your prepared to book for the whole week at inflated prices there are no beds available.
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Reply By: Rangiephil - Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 13:34
Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 13:34
It's a law to have white sheets?
As I understood it from the agent , I would have to buy a set of "standard" sheets from Alsco or whoever in
Townsville, then they would take them away and swap them over for clean ones. So yes white sheets were mandatory.
I hear all of the above and sympathise with those looking for one night, but I still think it all comes back to trying to maximise profitability by minimising the overheads. AFAIR, I made almost nothing for single nights even charging $85 per night because of the cleaning fees and linen. It only started looking like a proposition after 3 nights.
So the issue is more like that there is no profit in one night but if that is all that is forthcoming then you take it, but if you get the chance , of course you will specify a minimum of three nights or more if you can get away with it.
Regards Philip A
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