Dynamic stay packages

An alternative option for working with stay package prices is the so-called dynamic packages. These differ from traditional packages with fixed length and fixed price per person/room in several important ways:

  • The price of a dynamic package consists of:
    • The price of the accommodation determined by the rate plan assigned to the package.
    • The price of meals determined by the meal rate plan assigned to the above rate plan.
    • The setting of local tax and the number of persons in each category for which the package is ordered.
    • Discounts set for the above price plan (long stay, last minute, first minute….)
    • Discount per guest category
    • The price of the services that are included in the package and, if applicable, the price of services that can be added to the package.
  • Date range of the package
    • If you offer a specific package in several variations e.g. for 2-6 nights, it is not necessary to copy this package, but just set the corresponding date range. The price will then be calculated using the above parameters for any chosen booking duration of the stay package.
  • Restrictions on the sale of the dynamic package
    • All restrictions on the sale of dynamic packages are based on the restrictions of the assigned pricing plan. You can also adjust the length of stay in different seasons beyond the set package date range by using the min stay and max stay restrictions. This means that a dynamic package can be booked for stays of 2-6 nights. However, in summer you can add min.stay 4 above this setting, so you can only book a dynamic package of 4-6 nights during this period. For the other dates, the 2-6 night option will remain.
    • Similarly, you can work with restrictions on arrival and departure days, which are also set at the rate plan level.
    • Package sales can also be restricted by closing dates for sale, either at the level of specific rooms or entire seasons where you do not want to offer the package.
  • Dynamic packages will ONLY be offered on your own website within the RESERVATION+ booking engine
    • For other partners such as spa.cz these packages are not transferred.
    • Similarly, it is not possible to sell dynamic packages in the form of gift vouchers either for a specific date or with open date.

Dynamic stay package settings

The basic setup of dynamic packages is very similar to classic stay packages. In the first tab “basic” you mainly set the textual information about the package. Here, pay primary attention to the “active” checkbox. If you are only preparing the package, be sure to uncheck this item, otherwise the package will start to be offered on your website immediately after saving (assuming you have already set up and associated rate plan for the package).

All important settings can be found primarily in the following two tabs.

In the first “price calculation” setting, choose that the package works with the so-called dynamic price from the price plan (the price per person/room for the whole stay are the classic older versions of the packages). This change will show you other important settings for the dynamic package.

Fill in the date range in which the package can be booked, i.e. 3-7 nights, but you can also set the package to a single option of 5-5 nights for example.

Then choose which rate plan (and the associated meal plan) will be used to calculate the package price. Once you have selected a price plan, the meal types offered below will also be reloaded according to your specific meal rate plan settings and you can determine which meals will be selected within that package.

This is it from the settings and you can go to the third tab “Services”.

A stay package can include any number of services with different settings. The differences are as follows:

  • In the package price: YES – the price of the service does not increase the price of the package calculated from the rate plan (if the package items break down, the amount of accommodation services will be reduced by the value of the service).
  • In the package price NO – the service price increases the package price calculated from the price plan.
  • NOT included in the package price (optional service) – the service is not included in the price or in the package itself and guests can order it as an extra as part of the package order. Once ordered, the package price is increased by the price of the service.

What to watch out for

You can of course change the prices of accommodation / services freely and thus adjust the final price of your dynamic packages for specific dates. But remember that if you use a derived/child rate plan for your dynamic packages, the set values from the main/parent rate plan will “bubble through” into the derived rate plan. This means that the price settings, restrictions and sales closures will also be reflected in package sales, unless you manually adjust these values in the derived rate plan.

Of course, you can also use the non-derived and completely separate rate plan to sell dynamic packages, where you can enter prices and restrictions manually (or perhaps using calculation formulas).

Ordering a dynamic stay package

Dynamic packages within R+ are primarily identified by their date range and are classified as classic stay packages. The order process itself is then partially different. First, you select the number of guests.

You then proceed with the selection of the date. After selecting the arrival date, you will only be offered dates that correspond to the possible length of stay within the package and, as mentioned, the restrictions of the assigned price plan. In my example below, you can see that the package can be booked for a minimum of 3 nights and a maximum of 7 nights with arrival from 10.10.

 

The remaining steps of the order are identical to the classic stay packages. In the third step it is possible to order additional services (if the package allows it) beyond the package price and in the last step the contact details are added, the payment method is selected and the order is completed.

Example of package price calculation

  • We book a package for two guests for the period 4.10. – 8.10.
  • The prices for two guests according to the price list are 1000, 3000, 1000, 1000
  • The price of half board is 100 CZK / person / night
  • Local tax is 50 CZK / person / night
  • The package includes a service which is not included in the package price and which is worth 700 CZK
  • The total price of the package will therefore be 7 900 CZK (accommodation 6000 + meals 2x4x100 + fees 2x4x50 + service 700).

If the service was already included in the price, the package would cost CZK 7,200. To maintain this price even with the service included, the value of the accommodation would be reduced by the cost of this service. That is, it would be worth 5,300 CZK (1000+3000+1000+1000-700). The other items would remain unchanged.