Hotels increasing prices - its hard to feel any sympathy for them

We have been seeing loads of news reports about how the hotels are struggling and closing all over the place, but I heard something today which made me lose all sympathy for them.

Apparently some Dublin hotels that are within walking distance of Croke Park would normally be charging €89 for a room in these hard times, up'd their prices to €289 over the 2 nights surrounding the Ireland v France Six Nations encounter.

Then some internet rumours started of U2 playing 3 consecutive dates in the summer at Croke Park. The hotel prices went from €99 to €299 for those nights involved.

Now some will say that they are entitled to do this, with supply and demand and all. But for me its just fleecing customers.

Putting up the price even BEFORE you get customers is trying to fleece a potential market, not just supply and demand.

How can you feel sorry for these people? It shows that the whole greed culture is alive and well, especially in Dublin.

I'll not be shedding any tears the next time I hear about a hotel closing down.

I half caught an interview on the radio this afternoon with someone who was due to fly out of Dublin Airport which then closed because of the weather. He rang his wife to book a hotel for him online and as she was booking , the price went up by 39 quid. He went elsewhere but I thought it was particularly nasty of the hotel.

baldyman27 said:

I half caught an interview on the radio this afternoon with someone who was due to fly out of Dublin Airport which then closed because of the weather. He rang his wife to book a hotel for him online and as she was booking , the price went up by 39 quid. He went elsewhere but I thought it was particularly nasty of the hotel.

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Yeah, I heard that on Matt Cooper's show also. He and texters to the show were not at all happy about it. It's a pity they didn't name and shame these hotels or ask their managers to come on so we could listen to them trying to justify their disgraceful behaviour in this current economic climate, while they continue to pay their Irish and foreign national staff a pittance, I'll bet. I'm sure we'd get the supply and demand story - we'll screw ye while there's demand and we'll cry when there isn't!
I'm sure they'd be just like Government politicians ranting on with their prepared spiff and talk totally off the point when asked a direct question (Mary Hannafin springs to mind). Having said that, Matt Cooper is good at pinning them down or taking them on when they start spouting rubbish, as he did this evening when Noel Dempsey said that voting machines in Ireland had been a great success. First time I heard a FF Minister taking 5 or 6 seconds (it sounded like an eternity) trying to think of a reply that wouldn't sound utterly ridiculous. And he failed miserably!
Matt would have made the hoteliers feel very uncomfortable also. Maybe he'll invite them on some other day.

RMCF said:

It shows that the whole greed culture is alive and well, especially in Dublin.

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Episodes like this are clear evidence as to why this worldwide slowdown has become a major depression in this country. GREED, GREED and more GREED.
These operators should be named and shamed.

But near Croke Park don't you know the cosy club is in operation.

I've often wondered how hotels can survive by charging say, 99 quid for a room. To me it just can't add up, presumably they hope the guest will spend more once they're in the door. Are they just making the long goodbye??

I agree with Lex's post, they should be named and shamed, would keep me away from them.

I believe in the boom years a new Hotel opened on average once a week in Ireland, now one closes once a week, oddly enough many B&B's are suffering because of the general low prices of a good hotel room, as they are on a par with what you would pay for a B&B

Do people think hotels exist as charitable foundations? They are businesses, seeking to make a profit (or, in these recessionary times, minimise losses).

If I want a room on a miserable wet Thursday in February, they'll cut me a deal because a little revenue is better than an empty room. On the other hand, if there is a major even on nearby and there are fifteen applicants for every room, it makes sense to raise prices and compensate themselves for those miserable wet February nights when only three rooms have been occupied at bargain rates.

Padraigb said:

Do people think hotels exist as charitable foundations? They are businesses, seeking to make a profit (or, in these recessionary times, minimise losses).

If I want a room on a miserable wet Thursday in February, they'll cut me a deal because a little revenue is better than an empty room. On the other hand, if there is a major even on nearby and there are fifteen applicants for every room, it makes sense to raise prices and compensate themselves for those miserable wet February nights when only three rooms have been occupied at bargain rates.

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I could accept a small premium, but a 200% price hike is just wrong imho.

And if all the hotels in the area are doing the same, I would be very suspicious of price fixing going on behind the scenes.

If the hotel is full on the nights where they have doubled or trebled their rates then, in my opinion that is good business. If not, then it is pure greed. Either way I don't think any of them are looking for sympathy.

baldyman27 said:

I've often wondered how hotels can survive by charging say, 99 quid for a room. To me it just can't add up, presumably they hope the guest will spend more once they're in the door. Are they just making the long goodbye??

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I think 99 is plenty for a 3* hotel room.

I have paid 55-70 pn for a 2* Ibis hotel 10 mins walk from the Eiffel tower.

I have paid 99 pn for a 4/5* Sofitel in Berlin.

At home, the rate at Markree castle in Co. Sligo is 175 BB. Now that's too high, compared to the previous rates.

I often think that general hotel prices are too high here, caused by the general boom in property costs over the past 15 years.

Padraigb said:

Do people think hotels exist as charitable foundations? They are businesses, seeking to make a profit (or, in these recessionary times, minimise losses).

If I want a room on a miserable wet Thursday in February, they'll cut me a deal because a little revenue is better than an empty room. On the other hand, if there is a major even on nearby and there are fifteen applicants for every room, it makes sense to raise prices and compensate themselves for those miserable wet February nights when only three rooms have been occupied at bargain rates.

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I agree. Ye cannot change the market. Let the original poster set up a hotel if he / she thinks they can run a business in Ireland profitably nowadays.

Protocol said:

I often think that general hotel prices are too high here, caused by the general boom in property costs over the past 15 years.

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I agree, prices are too high. Its the cost of building in the boom that makes me wonder how they can survive on even e99 per night though. The capital costs alone are huge, nevermind running costs on top for hotels that surely are nowhere near full occupancy.

RMCF said:

I could accept a small premium, but a 200% price hike is just wrong imho.

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It is the hotelier's right to set the prices. A 200% price hike is wrong if the rooms do not sell -- if they do sell, the price is right.

And if all the hotels in the area are doing the same, I would be very suspicious of price fixing going on behind the scenes.

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Consider the possibility that they know the market, and they are maximising revenue. If I were a hotelier, I would not have a hotel near Croke Park except for the possibility of bonanza dates when there are major matches or entertainment events. It's not a premium location except on those dates. So the business plan is to make a killing on 30-40 days a year, and try not to lose too much on other dates.

My missus had a very poor experience when trying to book a hotel function room for a family event. They were left waiting 45 minutes for a pre-booked appointment to see the room, and the person showing the room had no idea of prices. Maybe that's why they are going bust?