Hotels giving the poor mouth but keeping prices high

Kashkai

There's been a lot of moaning lately from the hotels and their representative bodies on how hard they have it at the moment.

Anyways, we decided to "splash out" on a 4 night break in a hotel/self catering holiday home/apartment in Ireland as our annual holiday for the 2 of us and our 4 kids. Well of the 15 places we rang, 8 had no vacancies and of the remainder, the cheapest price we got was €600 for 4 nights on a self catering basis. ESB was extra on top of this (which is another rip off item as we've been charged €100 for 5 days electricity in another holiday home despite us only sleeping there and thus not using the electricity at other times).

Is it just me or is €150 a day a bit rich especially when we have to provide our own food and then stump up for electricity as well? BTW we were quoted up to €1,000 for a 4 night stay in another holiday home. At these prices, we are sorely tempted to stay at home and use the money to buy the kids a playset for the garden that they'll have for years and let the hotels/holiday home owners go to the hot place down below.

PCPhoto

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

There's been a lot of moaning lately from the hotels and their representative bodies on how hard they have it at the moment.

Anyways, we decided to "splash out" on a 4 night break in a hotel/self catering holiday home/apartment in Ireland as our annual holiday for the 2 of us and our 4 kids. Well of the 15 places we rang, 8 had no vacancies and of the remainder, the cheapest price we got was €600 for 4 nights on a self catering basis. ESB was extra on top of this (which is another rip off item as we've been charged €100 for 5 days electricity in another holiday home despite us only sleeping there and thus not using the electricity at other times).

Is it just me or is €150 a day a bit rich especially when we have to provide our own food and then stump up for electricity as well? BTW we were quoted up to €1,000 for a 4 night stay in another holiday home. At these prices, we are sorely tempted to stay at home and use the money to buy the kids a playset for the garden that they'll have for years and let the hotels/holiday home owners go to the hot place down below.

I've never heard of a hotel that would charge you seperately for ESB ???? Very strange .... dont stay there anyway - theres always another place....even if you change plans and travel to another destination.

ejmaztec

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

There's been a lot of moaning lately from the hotels and their representative bodies on how hard they have it at the moment.

Anyways, we decided to "splash out" on a 4 night break in a hotel/self catering holiday home/apartment in Ireland as our annual holiday for the 2 of us and our 4 kids. Well of the 15 places we rang, 8 had no vacancies and of the remainder, the cheapest price we got was €600 for 4 nights on a self catering basis. ESB was extra on top of this (which is another rip off item as we've been charged €100 for 5 days electricity in another holiday home despite us only sleeping there and thus not using the electricity at other times).

Is it just me or is €150 a day a bit rich especially when we have to provide our own food and then stump up for electricity as well? BTW we were quoted up to €1,000 for a 4 night stay in another holiday home. At these prices, we are sorely tempted to stay at home and use the money to buy the kids a playset for the garden that they'll have for years and let the hotels/holiday home owners go to the hot place down below.

Good idea, and you'll be even more prosperous, Dave.

A lot of these "holiday" places haven't kept up with the times, and think that people will use them whatever they charge. They haven't a hope.

whippet

keep calling around !!!

I usually spend at least a week every year self-catering in ireland .. this year, a two bed cottage (sleeps up to eight) for less than €600 for a full seven days in killarney.

Slunk

I find hotels in Ireland very expensive. I have been to germany a good few times over the last year and the prices over there are very good. 4* in Berlin for €80 ish per room including breakfast. €110 for a room the sleeps three in Essen. Was thinkin of going to kilkenny this weekend myself but prices are a bit much

Mylow

I currently spend on average 3 nights a week away. I have found Hotel charges ranging from €45 a night for 3/4 Star to €100 a night for a 5 Star, the 5 Star offered to match a well known City Centre chain we have a corporate rate with. Room rates I pay have dropped by minimum 25% , which is just as well as we had our expenses lowered.

I work for a fairy big multi-national, but rates I have found were me ringing asking for corporate rate.

I think eating out has not dropped significantly, and find eating in Dublin susburbs is very expensive compared to Cork/Galway etc.

stepbar

Over the past week I've stayed in 3 hotels and I'll be staying in one on Friday & Saturday. Big difference between price and quality

1st Jurys Inn Leeds 3 star (1 night) - Eur equiv 70 eur + free breakfast. Could sleep 3 people (however room was intended for 2).

2nd Palace Hotel Manchester 4 star (1 night) - Eur equiv 95 eur + free breakfast. Could sleep 4 people (however room was intended for 2).

3rd Park Inn Doncaster 3 star (1 night) - Eur equiv 40 eur. No breakfast. Could sleep 2.

4th Westport 4 star (2 nights) - 229 eur. Breakfast on both mornings and one evening meal. Room intended for 2 people but probably could sleep 3.

2 and 4 would compariable. However Gael Force is on in Westport this weekend and as such hotels are fully booked out. It's reasonable but only just about.

Kashkai

We were looking at self catering houses/apartments on the grounds of hotels so that we could have the use of the leisure facilities when the weather was bad. Perhaps this is why we were being asked to pay a premium but I was led to believe by media reports, that a lot of hotels were on the verge of going under and that perhaps we could have a good deal somewhere as they'd be happy for the business but that wasn't how we found it. It was a case of "thats the price so like it or lump it" or words to that effect.

€600 to me is a lot of money for a bed for 4 nights with no food supplied, AND being asked to pay for the electricity on top of that is a joke. BTW how can they get away with charging astronomical amounts for electricity in these self catering houses. If what they charge for a week's electricity was applied to domestic bills, we would all be paying €800 every 2 months to the ESB.

thebiglad

I have stayed in holiday homes before and had to pay a deposit of €100 for electricity.

Owner takes meter reading reading on arrival and departure, works out actual useage and refunds the deposit.

Are you sure €100 is not a deposit, is it possible to use €100 electricity in a week on a holiday letting?

I think paying bills on top of letting cost is perfectly acceptable, they cannot be that high anyway, maybe another €10.

Rex Manning

thebiglad wrote: »

I have stayed in holiday homes before and had to pay a deposit of €100 for electricity.

Owner takes meter reading reading on arrival and departure, works out actual useage and refunds the deposit.

Are you sure €100 is not a deposit, is it possible to use €100 electricity in a week on a holiday letting?

I think paying bills on top of letting cost is perfectly acceptable, they cannot be that high anyway, maybe another €10.

Paying for electricity is a bit scabby tho - it's like getting a bill in a restaurant with a little extra tagged on for cost of electricity used. Should be all included, or else it'll end up like buying concert tickets with handling charges, booking fees, etc

mcaul

Plenty of value out there if you look for it.

Last weekend in Falls Hotel Enistymon, 3 nights b&b + 2 evening meals €330 for both of us.

Excellent hotel in great location and superb leisure centre.

d'Oracle

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

ESB was extra on top of this (which is another rip off item as we've been charged €100 for 5 days electricity in another holiday home despite us only sleeping there and thus not using the electricity at other times).

Im Flabbergasted at this.

Flabbergasted.