Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in guests looking for better value spaces to stay. Whilst everyone loves staying in luxury treehouses and cabins, sometimes you just need a quick last-minute escape that won’t break the bank. So, how can you utilise this trend to maximise your full booking potential?

Special offers

Special offers are a great way of shifting last-minute availability and guests tend to respond well to money off incentives. Guests have been more likely to book a space if there’s a monetary offer applied over a value-added offer, especially those booking last-minute. Special offers are also a good way of incentivising guests to stay midweek, when business is quieter, as well as on the weekend.

Do note that if you are finding yourself regularly putting on a special offer, why not consider tweaking your rates in general. Reducing them will not only reduce the from price on site, but by keeping them down you will face less admin and more bookings in the long run.

Talk to us if you’d like to adjust your rates, or submit a special offer for your space when you’re logged in to the Owners Area: https://owners.canopyandstars.co.uk/account/login

Putting it into practice

We see lots of our lower-priced spaces perform well, with most having consistently high occupancy.

The Shellter, priced from £100 per night, has been very successful over the past two years. A combination of their flexible booking rules – 2 night minimum all year round – and affordable rates has attracted plenty of guests looking for a quick getaway. Guests also receive a welcome basket on arrival with freshly laid eggs, milk, fruit, homegrown veg and more, creating a great first impression from the offset.

But what if I own a more expensive space and my calendars are booked up far in advance?

This isn’t to say that guests aren’t willing to splash the cash for special occasions. In fact, some owners like Angus and Sara at The Straw Bale Lodge have said that the majority of their guests are honeymooners and anniversary celebrators, who are looking for a few days away. There is definitely still a place in marketing for all, and we have success stories from all kinds of spaces.

For owners whose calendars are already filling up well in advance, it’s important to look beyond just bookings alone and consider overall occupancy and revenue performance too. Strong forward demand can present a valuable opportunity to review pricing, optimise gaps in the calendar, and maximise returns during peak periods.

Shorter stays

We often receive calls from people who can’t book online because they’re looking for stays that are not within the normal booking rules of a place. You could consider increasing flexibility by offering shorter midweek or weekend stays, especially during low season, when guests are often looking for last-minute short breaks. If this is something you’d like to do, or simply be open to the idea of, it’s better if we can agree the varied prices in advance so that we can convert the enquiry on the phone and get the guest booked in straight away.

Whilst we wouldn’t recommend promoting single night stays to guests (as well as not being the most relaxing guest experience, turnover costs are high), there’s no getting away from how sought after they are. If you have a high-value space, could you consider one night stays when they are available in between bookings? The Lodge Treehouse do this, as do Bowcombe Boathouse – who offer midweek single night stays when they become available. These can be charged at a premium to cover the higher changeover costs, but guests will see this as good value as they won’t be paying for more nights than they need. Another bonus is that this will generate more revenue for you at a quieter time and keep your occupancy up all year round.

If either increased flexibility or single night stays appeal to you, do speak to your Account Manager (by emailing owners@canopyandstars.co.uk or calling 0117 204 7857 as they can offer more strategic advice and make any necessary changes for you.