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  1. #1
    TOW's Avatar
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    Question Price Increase and I am looking for feedback

    Crazy Larry's Hostel new price is $50 per person per night now. This includes lots of food and snacks, best Wi-Fi in Damascus-that's a fact, Smart TV in the Hiker Room-you have to be smart to operate the thing and I am not, breakfast, laundry, mail drops-anyone can have their mail sent to pick up-there is no requirement to stay, free parking for guests who want to take off hiking for a bit, HVAC.

    I edited this from the original post.

    Price is sometimes negotiable as well depending on how well you can haggle for a doable budget that you have set for yourself......

    Attention druggies and alcoholics find another spot..........
    Hope I get a good and fair discussion about this......

  2. #2
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    doing "drugs responsibly" will turn potential guests away. alcohol too for that matter

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    Registered User The Cleaner's Avatar
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    +1. I still meet hikers who are hiking w/o sufficient funds to hike. Many still expect to cook on a fire, stay in shelters every night and work for stay at hostels. More hikers on the trail and many have no idea of how things used to be.
    Sleep on the ground, rise with the sun and hike with the wind....

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    That's about twice the typical rate for hostels. In my opinion, alacarte pricing is better - let people who only want a bunk pay only for that instead of bundling in food and other services. the only service I'd bundle in is wifi which is a baseline expectation today.

  5. #5
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Are you wanting a good and fair discussion about responsible drug use or the subject of the thread?
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

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    I may be out of touch
    And i dont know what you really offer

    But $60 seems too high for any hostel ive ever been at. And ive stayed in really nice ones. About $38 has been tops, with great breakfast. Laundry ala carte. Food...if its in town...thats where i want food, not from hostel.

    Ill confirm wolfs statement. Responsible or not, open alcohol use, and drug use, will leave you with much smaller potential customer base. Many simply avoid.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-08-2018 at 10:12.

  7. #7
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    Responsible or not, open alcohol use, and drug use, will leave you with much smaller potential customer base. Many simply avoid.
    Crying shame that some that some Hostels have felt a need to prohibit all alcohol on their premises. Heck, even the AMC doesn’t do that.

    I get why some church and town facilities feel a need to keep their places dry — but is it really all that common for others places to be so draconian these days?

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Crying shame that some that some Hostels have felt a need to prohibit all alcohol on their premises. Heck, even the AMC doesn’t do that.

    I get why some church and town facilities feel a need to keep their places dry — but is it really all that common for others places to be so draconian these days?
    would no smoking be considered draconian?

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Crying shame that some that some Hostels have felt a need to prohibit all alcohol on their premises. Heck, even the AMC doesn’t do that.

    I get why some church and town facilities feel a need to keep their places dry — but is it really all that common for others places to be so draconian these days?
    Theres a difference between a few people drinking a beer.
    And what tends to happen when party people show up. Things get loud, infringing on those that want a quiet time.

    Youll never satisfy everyone.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-08-2018 at 10:49.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    doing "drugs responsibly" will turn potential guests away. alcohol too for that matter
    Good point think I will drop that

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    I read responsible drug use as enjoy a joint on the back porch butttttt I agree, it would probably be best to be tolerable of it but not specifically mention so.

    An important thing for lots of people here to consider is that this is in Damascus, which certainly sees its share of drunken lunatics.

    When I was in town last year the majority of hikers, myself included, went to the Fiddle because t was the only place that was ok with booze. I didn’t want to party like a 20 year old but I wanted to have a few beers sitting in a warm room after 4 days of frigid rain.

    I remember thinking Damascus is a strange place...

    Anyway, I get why you’re pricing it as you are, and suspect you’ll still sell out in peak season, but I’d never pay 60 buys for anything less than a hotel room

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Crying shame that some that some Hostels have felt a need to prohibit all alcohol on their premises. Heck, even the AMC doesn’t do that.
    AMC hut users don't stay up til all hours getting trashed and crappin'/peeing and having sex in full view of neighbors

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    That's about twice the typical rate for hostels. In my opinion, alacarte pricing is better - let people who only want a bunk pay only for that instead of bundling in food and other services. the only service I'd bundle in is wifi which is a baseline expectation today.
    It is always cheaper if you do not want all that

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Crying shame that some that some Hostels have felt a need to prohibit all alcohol on their premises. Heck, even the AMC doesn’t do that.

    I get why some church and town facilities feel a need to keep their places dry — but is it really all that common for others places to be so draconian these days?
    I don't drink nor do hardcore drugs unless you think pot is hardcore. I really do not have a problem with those who want to partake of those things but be cool about it

  15. #15

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    60 bucks, even with food is significantly higher then the other options in town. That's in the ball park of the B+B's in town.

    At that price you'll drive out all but the most affluent hikers or those who are desperate for a place to stay at any price since everywhere else is full up. That will keep the riff raft out for sure, but could limit your clientele.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    60 bucks, even with food is significantly higher then the other options in town. That's in the ball park of the B+B's in town.

    At that price you'll drive out all but the most affluent hikers or those who are desperate for a place to stay at any price since everywhere else is full up. That will keep the riff raft out for sure, but could limit your clientele.
    Good point...........

    Okay I am going to drop the price to $45 and be done with it....

  17. #17

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    From a business viewpoint $60 is a fair to low price for a bunk, laundry, shower and meal and snacks given the property values in Damascus. With the no tenting rule, every full paying customer is valuable, and if you want to work for more than minimum wage after paying your taxes, utilities, supplies and such, then that's the route I'd take. Full service, full price.

    The other route, is the loss leader in the cheap bunk and nickel and dime them with laundry fee, detergent fee, overpriced snacks and drinks to actually make a profit. The hostels that offer such pricing are usually more remote, where there aren't a lot of other options in the area. That crappy frozen pizza for $10 will sell, because they can't walk down the road and get something better. In a town like Damascus, there are lots of other options for food purchase, so the nickel and dime method wouldn't work for you all that well.

    Just do the math, and provide quality enough large portions of food, so that you aren't losing money on the food part of it. I'd also sell the snacks separately just to keep starving hikers from eating non-stop all day at your expense.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Puddlefish View Post
    From a business viewpoint $60 is a fair to low price for a bunk, laundry, shower and meal and snacks given the property values in Damascus. With the no tenting rule, every full paying customer is valuable, and if you want to work for more than minimum wage after paying your taxes, utilities, supplies and such, then that's the route I'd take. Full service, full price.

    The other route, is the loss leader in the cheap bunk and nickel and dime them with laundry fee, detergent fee, overpriced snacks and drinks to actually make a profit. The hostels that offer such pricing are usually more remote, where there aren't a lot of other options in the area. That crappy frozen pizza for $10 will sell, because they can't walk down the road and get something better. In a town like Damascus, there are lots of other options for food purchase, so the nickel and dime method wouldn't work for you all that well.

    Just do the math, and provide quality enough large portions of food, so that you aren't losing money on the food part of it. I'd also sell the snacks separately just to keep starving hikers from eating non-stop all day at your expense.
    I have a lot of support on it but I edited my original post and we will just keep it at $45 this year. I will have a good bookkeeping system this year that should help me figure where I am losing money at. I know my biggest culprit is none other than myself......

  19. #19
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    charge as much as the market will support, its supply and demand and you have a right to maximize your earnings.

  20. #20
    Registered User kestral's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Lone Wolf;2203581]doing "drugs responsibly" will turn potential guests away

    ”drugs responsibly “ might bring unwanted attention from law enforcement or folks looking to buy said drugs. Possibly not the environment you are looking for.

    good luck with your venture! Always great to have options.

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