Booking a villa with flexible dates

[Snapper]

I wonder if I could pick the brains of villa renters please? (Guests only please for voting on this one)

Here's the qeustion ...

Suppose you were offered a discount on your villa booking but in exchange you had to be flexible for a day or two with your arrival and departure dates ... that is the dates could change up until, say, a couple of weeks before you arrived.

I know there are tons of things to consider so let's not worry too much about the details and fine print and I'll just solicit your opinions on the concept.

So ... would you like the opportunity to save money on your villa booking in exchange for being a little flexible with your dates?

[Lyn]

I voted yes as when I go now I stay for at least a month. If I had to stay say the first or last couple nights somewhere else I could work that in by touring. The cheaper the holiday the longer I can stay[msnwink]

[Katys Grandad]

I think the vote would differ according to the number and make-up of your party. There is usually only my wife and I and we could easily be flexible (provided the discount was worthwhile) but a larger group with children might not see it as so attractive. You would also have to consider the impact of a late change on other pre-booked items like car rental and attraction tickets.

Ultimately, I think it would depend on the size of the discount.

[Snapper]

Thanks heaps for the comments, and please do feel free to keep them coming.

It's an idea I had quite recently so I don't have any fixed or firm details but I'm more than happy to discuss any aspect of it as maybe there is something there that might work. If something do-able emerges I'm more than happy to take the risk and trial it for 6 - 12 months ... but making sure at the same time that it is completely optional and so would be entirely up to the guests booking to decide if it suited them or not.

[Tonish]

I think it's a fair ida, but can't really imagine it could have much of an uptake. Presumably (although I may be wrong), most of the renters are families like mine, where the flights have been booked months in advance and there's just no room for manoeuvre. Any thought that the villa dates may change (even by a day or two) would just put me off booking with you - so best to keep it optional I guess.

[steph_goodrum]

I know when I am booking something and have sourced and sorted accommodation, once flights are booked I would not want to be sitting on tenterhooks wondering if it was going to be changed last minute. We have often booked overseas accommodation and like it fixed. If I were American though and were perhaps driving then I would possibly be a bit more flexible but again it often comes down to taking time of work which can't be changed once booked very easily. I suspect if I were in the situation of being able to be as flexible I probably wouldnt book in advance but would book last minute when I could see what was available.

I know it was a lot of hassle to change things when BA decided to reschedule a flight by 2 days months after we'd booked it.