Start with the dates, not the average
Look at the exact stay dates that feel weak or unusually strong. A monthly average can hide weekday gaps, weekend compression, event demand and room-type differences. Compare similar days and booking windows so the observation is useful.
Read booking pace with available inventory
Occupancy alone does not show how demand is developing. Review how many rooms remain, when recent reservations arrived, which room types are moving and whether the current pace is ahead of or behind a comparable period.
Check restrictions and channel consistency
Before lowering a price, confirm that priority channels show the intended inventory, meal plan, cancellation policy and minimum-stay rules. A closed room type or mismatched restriction can suppress demand even when the headline rate looks competitive.
Include cancellations and channel contribution
Gross reservations can look healthy while cancellations leave the final position exposed. Review net booking movement and the channels producing it. This helps separate a pricing question from a distribution or policy question.
Make one reasoned move and set a review point
Record why a rate changed, which dates it applies to and when the decision will be reviewed. That creates a learning loop and reduces reactive discounting. The next action should follow observed movement rather than habit.