Mastering the Dynamic Pricing Algorithm
Finding Value in Irish Hotels.
Well, waddaya know!? Right now Ireland offers good value in terms of hotel accommodation - and, surprisingly - the city of Dublin is the best value in these islands.
Throughout the year, the prices we’ve paid in our hotel visits have seen Dublin comparing well with not only the rest of the country, but also London, the UK in general, as well as Berlin and Rome.
There is also good value to be had in restaurant eating, as restaurateurs don’t want to raise prices, even though they are under severe financial pressure right now. Prices are artificially low, which means the customer benefits.
Of course we all still see those cyclical media reports about “rip off Ireland”, with consumer journalists comparing Ireland to countries that either have low levels of taxation, duty and VAT, or have low wage bills. While we personally think Irish pricing is fair, it’s usually difficult to say that eating and staying here represents a bargain.
But, here’s more good news: things are about to get cheaper. We’re in the off season, where the dynamics of dynamic pricing work in reverse order. Remember those huge price increases that happen in and around stadium concerts and rugby matches? The debacle over tickets for Oasis gigs showed dynamic pricing at its worst. However, the reverse is happening now, as hotels make rooms available at a steep discount to the cost that they charge in the summer, or during popular events.
So, here are some tips to get the best out of a shoulder season holiday, or a work trip in Ireland.
The Worst Value in Ireland?
If there is value in Dublin, then where is value in short supply? From our experience, the most expensive city to stay in Ireland is Galway! By a long shot. This summer (ok, it was Culture Night and the city was as jammers as ever that September evening) we paid the eye watering price of €375 to the city centre Leonardo Hotel for a Thursday stay.
Did it include breakfast? Not a bit of it. They didn’t even provide a bottle of water in the room. Why did we pay so much? Well the city was booked to the rafters, we needed to be there, and this was the only place we could get availability.
In our experience throughout the year, Galway is running around € 70-€100 more expensive per room to similar properties in Dublin. Galway has a number of good value boutique operations, but these are very often fully booked. If you’re going to Galway, the secret is to book well in advance, and see our other tips for strategies to bring the price down.
Opening Offers
One of the best value stays we had in Dublin this year took advantage of the opening offer at NYX (also a Leonardo Hotel). Room Only, Non Amendable, Non Refundable, and so we stayed in Dublin’s Portobello for three nights at €99 per night in one of their Superior King rooms (King Dream bed, TV with Chromecast, Air Conditioning, Nespresso machine, Mini fridge, hair dryer, White Company Noir toiletries, Iron, Free Wifi, Pillow Menu). How bad?
In April, we found value in a Non Refundable reservation in the new Chancery Hotel (€153 for a room that now costs around €180 - still reasonable tbf).
Note: Prepay non refundable can save you about 15% of the cost.
Right now, new hotels with opening offers include Ruby Molly (20% discount) Moxy Cork (15% discount)
Dynamic Pricing
Yes, we all hate Dynamic Pricing, or Price Gouging, or Surge Pricing, or whatever you like to call it. These are those fluctuating charges we’ve been subjected to by airlines, and which we are now having to come to terms with in concerts, hotels, even pints of beer!
People won’t soon forget the Dublin hotel that cancelled all bookings made just before Taylor Swift’s Dublin tickets went on sale, due to an “operational system error”.
But consider that fluctuating prices mean prices go down as well as up. A good number of Dublin hotels use a “yield management” system that “maximises potential revenue”. So the rule is, don’t expect value if there’s any kind of a buzz in town.
But outside of these events prices can take a tumble. Food writer and RAI and H&C Hotel Gold Medal Awards judge Eamon Barrett advises “wait for the algorithm to pick up on the drop in clicks, and watch the price drop”. He continues “Rates seem to move in tandem to the rating. All the 5 Stars in Dublin tend to be either ALL super expensive or ALL reasonable depending on demand.”
Packages, and sorry about this, but have you just missed the Black Friday hotel deals?
Packages are always worth considering - they come in every form and style from signing up to newsletters, getting a free night’s stay if you book dinner, staying multiple nights, booking early, booking late. One tip - avoid booking through booking.com. It’s often top of the pile when you google the name of a hotel, but it’s worth scrolling down to the actual website and booking direct. Always the best value. And, sorry about this, but have you just missed the Black Friday deals?
Be a regular
“I’ve often done better for phoning the place I want to stay and leveraging my customer file which will show me as a repeat guest” says Eamon Barrett. Many hotels offer you a chance to become “A Member” and log in for probably a 10% discount. This is handy if you think you might visit again. StayCity is a good brand with a number of hotels in Dublin, but also throughout Europe, and Membership benefits apply to not only Dublin, but Paris, Venice, Liverpool, Marseille and many more destinations. We always leverage a membership deal with The Bristol, a Doyle Collection hotel in the city that we return to each year when heading to Latitude Festival in Suffolk.
Pick up the phone
Hotels love when you phone reception to book. This saves them booking fees from their end, it consolidates repeat business, and gives you a real chance to get the best possible deal. So don’t click: pick up the phone.
Ray Hingston, Staunton’s On The Green
If Dublin is the best value in Ireland, then Staunton’s On The Green could be the best value hotel in Dublin. You could not get more centrally located than this grand Georgian house, with St Stephen’s Green to its front, and Iveagh Gardens to its back. “There is no better location” says the Irish Examiner. Breakfast is superb, and the price, even before the regular offers including Afternoon Tea and Shopping; Christmas, and Autumn and Spring breaks, are hugely competitive.
When preparing for this article, we spoke to Ray Hingston, Director of Operations at NHance. Ray oversees the operations of many hospitality businesses throughout the country, including Staunton’s. We asked his advice for getting the best value when staying at hotels throughout Ireland.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for the best price” he assured us. No offence is taken if you are looking for a deal. Ray tells us that occupancy, and consequently prices this year are down from last year, and without the momentum in 2023 with everything emerging out of Covid, value is good. The riots this year had a brutal effect on hotel occupancy in Dublin, “it was like a tap being turned off”. All this means that hotels in Dublin are welcoming customers, and giving rooms at the best price they can.
Ray tells us the best packages are available November to March, and advises, ring the desk to book. Be a loyal customer, and never be afraid to ask: “Is that the best price you can do?”.
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