What sense does it make to make the pro pay for the hotel? I mean for three hours I charge 174... That's nearly the price of a hotel room. This is why I say it is up to the client to pay for those fees. What are every one's opinions on this?
I agree. I have heard of some folks giving discounts such as a free hour and not charging for travel fees etc if they get a room. No real set in stone process for that. Maybe some of the other paid cuddlers can chime in on this one.
@reyna You shouldn't have to pay for it, but like pmvines noted, some pros give a discount if a room is having to be secured for the cuddle.
Reyna, your rate is low. We as clients should consider the cost of the hotel when scheduling. I found a hotel for 48 through priceline in your area.
I do exactly what @pmvines mentioned. I have already factored base cost of transportation as well as cost of supplies into my hourly rate and packages, so I don't charge additional for anything that isn't a serious expenditure. I make it clear that I cannot host at this time due to a landlady who doesn't want guests over (much less male guests), so if the client also cannot host, we have to work around that. Sometimes a hotel is the only option. In the past, I was able to pay for hotel rooms myself, but I stopped doing this after multiple no-shows. I had spent about $500 total on hotel arrangements for SEVERAL people who did not show up, and I wasn't able to get bookings to replace these expenses.
The provider paying for a hotel doesn't make sense to me because as far as conducting business goes, we are way more at risk of having the client cancel or not show up after arrangements are made. Granted, there are quite a few pros who also flake, but most of the time I don't think that's happening with established people in this industry who are doing this seriously. Now, if the client pays for a hotel, and for some reason the pro doesn't show up, I think that's kind of fair game. The pro is not the one losing money in this case and should somehow compensate for that loss whether that be paying for the room, or offering additional free time, a free booking, whatever can be resolved upon. Rooms aren't cheap and it's just good customer service to solve the problem +1 when something doesn't turn out right. The provider would want the client's due diligence if it were the other way around, I think.
Those who get a hotel themselves are usually proving to me that they're serious, and really want to make the session happen. They're taking that leap, paying for that room, and trusting that I am going to show up and we'll have a great time. The only time I have come across folks who do have an issue with accomodating their hosting issue via hotel, are sketchy people who usually don't understand why they're paying for cuddles anyway, or they are cheap and intended to stiff payment somehow. You might have folks who genuinely can't afford a room, but they are usually polite with this and admit their situation rather than exclaim to you that it's too expensive without offering a solution.
I have never paid for a hotel. That’s up to the client that way they pay what they want and they make the arrangements. Every cuddler I have had got awesome deals off of Priceline and never had a bad hotel and the rooms are always very nice. I typically do give a discount to those that have to get a room but I give more of a discount if they travel quite a bit to me and also get a hotel. You can increase your price a little to make up any discounts you may give. Also, think about making your price in terms of equal amounts rather than 58$. A client is more apt to stop at a mac machine for cash which typically only dispenses in 10$ or 20$ increments. (It’s just an idea)
If a client pays for a room and an emergency came up and I HAD TO CANCEL I would either pay for the hotel next time or refund their money. We would decide and I would go with whatever they decide because I am the one that had to cancel.
The only way I WILL pay for a room is if I travel and I am somewhere else for reasons other than cuddling. I plan on traveling to see my mentor after the new year and intend on trying to book 1 cuddle per day just to help with some of the cost of the trip and we will do some double cuddles as well.
If a pro can't host (and it seems most can't or won't), I would think it's a good business practice for them to offer the client a hotel discount if they can't host either. Pros don't have to offer any discount of course, but also the client does not have to hire that pro, they can hire a pro who does offer a discount.
From what I've heard a Pro can rent a hotel and have multiple clients in one day, easily clearing the rate of the room a few times over.
Agree with @ukguy as well. Etiquette and generosity should be practiced on both ends.
Also this should be in the Pro Cuddling section.
(yeah yeah I'm a big meanie)
I often host and get a room and schedule sessions w/a slight increase in my rate to hopefully pay towards the room. I agree w/the other pros in that you're totally at risk of no shows because the site enforcement of the cancellation fee is weak at best but it does allow you to see clients who otherwise would not be able to see you otherwise. Also it allows the pro to have some control over the environment if she (or he) can not or prefers not to host at their residence. And yes Chococuddles this should probably be in the pro forum you big meanie ;p
@chococuddles my area does not have a high enough demand to be able to do multiple cuddles in one night at a hotel. I get 1 or 2 people a month if lucky. So I have made my rate comparible if not lower than other pros in my area. Plus I give a discount at 6 hours. It just doesnt make sense to me. Plus when I suggest airbnb or cheap hotels for 50 a night, people brush them off thinking its not good enough. Yet the 'good enough" hotel rooms would be the price of what I charge for 3 hours . I think people are cheap ... In my honest opinion and in the micest way I could ever put it
*nicest
People never pay the cancellation fee. Lol and @chococuddles youre not mean.
48 bucks for a hotel room ? That must be a real flea bag motel!. Out here that would get me a room with bed bugs. I just stick to pros who can host. No bed bugs so far and no hassle with check-in and checking out etc.
@reyna if you think the price is too high for the area and there are no clients around you what you could do is decrease to 50$ build up some clientele and then you can increase it. When you offer to travel a little I know for me it made a huge difference. You will be ok just give it some time. Once you start getting more clients you will see they come in spurts. One week I can have 4 the next week none and I have clients from word of mouth too and not off here.
@chococuddles I would do multiple cuddles in a day if I paid for a room but typically it’s the client. I’m just weird about that. I have thought about splitting the cost of the hotel and asking the cuddler if they mind if I use the room for another cuddle. The only way I could do that is if there were 2 beds in the room and there were several hours in between. I couldn’t cuddle on one I just cuddled with someone else. Yes, I’m weird ?
@melancholy my last 3 cuddles got their room off of Priceline and the highest price was 59$ The lowest 50$ and I assure you it was far from a flea infested hotel. If you are in a certain area and have no pro’s that host then what?
@chococuddles Camping for clients at a hotel is totally something I'm willing to do if I ever travel to a busier area with a solid foot in the movement. Unfortunately I have the same problem as @reyna. Not enough new people coming in, but I usually have a few regulars who book monthly and others who do quarterly.
It's funny, because that type of setup is not uncommon in the neighboring industry. The difference between us and them is that they can spend whatever they want on a couple days in a decent room in just about any city, and they will be guaranteed to profit off it in a fold. A pro cuddler is incredibly lucky (and definitely in the right area) if they can make more than the cost of a good room off this type of arrangement.
@Reyna A few people have said that your fee is too low. It may be a little low, but the folks from bigger metro areas need to know that while Madison is a wonderful place, in general I’m not sure you’d get a lot of business at the typical $80 per hour charged elsewhere. I don’t think any reasonable person would think you should be expected to pay for a hotel room, especially when you only charge $58 an hour.
If you pay for the room then subtract the room cost from the fee to compute your profit. Your fee must be high enough to provide enough profit to make the job worthwhile for you. If the client will not pay such a high fee then don`t take the job.
This relation between fee, cost and profit is no different than for any other business.
@mickcuddle I think her price is very reasonable I just meant to make it an even amount so she or the client wouldn’t have to worry about having change. It’s only a 2$ difference. I am only 65$ and a lot of times I don’t even charge that.
My favorite pro raised their rate from $70 to $100 an hour over the course of a couple weeks. That's almost a 50% increase.
@sethryan44 - that's unfortunate, but no-one says you have to hire her again. I don't think she will get that much business at that rate, but maybe she doesn't want it. If you are hiring pros, it's best not to get too attached to only one.
@sethryan44 yes that’s a big jump but just like you if you have paid 70 and she jumps to 100 I am sure you won’t be the only cuddler she loses.
@sethryan44 I agree with UKGuy on this. Go see @Lylliette or @SnugglyBuggly for example. $75 and plenty of good karma for both, within 50 miles of you and they can host. They are experienced cudllers and will deliver a better experience than a newbie. The best cuddlers I've seen are actually more affordable (and have plenty of good karma). On the few occasions I've paid more it wasn't worth it. I think the real pros want to cuddle and would rather do 8 sessions a week for $75 each than 1 session every 2 weeks for $100.
@11rollover and some pro’s are even less than 75$. ?
A pro getting a hotel for cuddling purposes doesn't make sense unless you are able to get enough people to cuddle with to offset the cost. Then you have to worry about if they will show up or not. I have only ever got a hotel room for that purpose once and was burned(the person had booked multiple hours but didn't even show up) so I was out -$110 plus round trip Uber fare). I will never do that again. If someone wants to cuddle at a hotel, that's on them. I have out-of-state cuddlers who travel and are staying at hotels anyways when they come here so that works out.
I don’t use professionals, but I have to say, the number of pros reported herein to be no-shows or even habitual no-shows, I think anybody would becwell advised not to rent a room until both are present.
@mickcuddle Yeah totally makes sense. Don't think I would book a room until the other person arrived either.
I like the idea of the pro giving a half an hour free if the client gets the room. This offsets the room rental a little bit. I usually get the room. And none of the cuddlers have offered to give half an hour free for the room.
If I am paying for a cuddling professional, it is a nice gesture on her part to offer an extra hour for the extra expense which could have been used for more cuddle time. I failed to ask her for that, however, and so lost out, so I learned that communication is key to getting what I want.
Yeah, I don't pay for hotels, if the client explicitly wants / needs a hotel, they're buying. Besides, that way they get the option of deciding on how ritzy of a place they want to have the session in. Though yes, I've certainly offered bonus hours / discounts, stuff like that, depending on the circumstances of cuddle sessions and the client's individual situation.
I've had too many hotel session cancellations, honestly, it's risky.