Covid-19: when luxury hotels cut their prices to continue their activity
Audio 02:35
Luxury hotels are selling off their prices to keep their business going © CC0 Pixabay / Jill Wellington
By: Stéphane Geneste
6 mins
Despite the Covid-19 crisis, some luxury establishments in Paris have found a way to continue to pursue their activity, by selling off their prices, for example;
which attracts new customers.
Publicity
Barely passed the doorstep, Geraldine and Dory are greeted with ceremony.
Le Ballu, a 4-star hotel a stone's throw from Montmartre, offers discounted offers to spend a night in a room and take advantage of the establishment's facilities.
The particularity of Geraldine and Dory: they live a few kilometers from the establishment and will stay there for 24 hours.
Their room is on the second floor of the hotel.
The two friends spent 180 euros to be able to afford this suite.
It is 20% less than the usual price.
An opportunity made possible
thanks to the Staycation platform
.
This site allows you to live an experience in a hotel a few kilometers from home at very affordable prices, by connecting clients and luxury hotel establishments.
Kevin Hutchings is one of the co-founders of Staycation and for him a stay in a hotel is a journey in itself.
"
Our challenge is to rely on this hotel know-how, to put together packages that will magnify this experience for a public of locals, for people who will stay in the hotel for 24 hours and take advantage of it,
" explains he does.
Then he adds: "
You just have to book, come and you have the best themed experience for you in the hotel you have chosen."
"
Slashed prices to keep his hotel open
Offers can go up to -70%, and with good reason.
In luxury hotels, more than one in four rooms is vacant all year round and 40% on Sundays.
And with lockdowns and curfews, it's sometimes difficult for hoteliers to cope.
Julia Vidalenc is the director of Ballu.
For her, “
the most important thing is that the hotel is open.
We manage to achieve a balance which, unfortunately, does not allow for profit, but in any case to be more or less in balance and to keep some of the teams in activity, to keep the hotel open.
Not closing is extremely important so as not to be cut off from the clientele, especially since we are a young hotel.
It helps keep morale up and look to the future
, ”she says.
► To read also: The coronavirus crisis pushes Portugal to rethink its tourism model
Unexpected experience
Keeping morale up is exactly what Geraldine and Dory have planned to do.
After settling into their room, it's time to take advantage of the hotel's services.
On the program, swimming pool and spa reserved especially for them.
“
We said to ourselves that it was a great break and we don't have the opportunity to be able to go very far.
You just have to take the metro and go somewhere else.
It is perhaps the budget, even less, that one could have put in bars, restaurants ... There, it is perfect
”, affirm the customers.
The two young women confirm it, they live an unexpected experience.
They are ready to renew it in the coming months.
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