One of the best ways to experience a new place is through its food and drink. That’s why we created this guide for those who want to take their first steps into running a bed and breakfast. Here, you will find eight essential tips and tricks that should help your business thrive as well as information about what makes a great B&B!
Comfortable rooms
One of the first things you must do is make sure your rooms are extra comfortable and cozy. The customer must feel as if they are at home and enjoy their stay rather than feeling like they’re sleeping in a hotel. If you want to achieve this, make sure the bedding is soft and inviting, the walls aren’t bare or too colorful (this can hurt someone’s eyes), and don’t forget to stock your bathrooms with towels, hairdryers, and other toiletries.
The easiest way to raise the level of comfort is to get quality mattresses and Linenly Australia bamboo sheets for your beds. You can look online for mattress reviews and pick the ones that have the best customer satisfaction. This way, there’s a higher chance that your guests will love the comfortability of your beds and provide you with 5-star reviews.
Location
There are many factors to consider when choosing the perfect spot, but one of the most important is proximity to public transportation. If people can’t quickly get there by foot or public transit, then they won’t be able to visit your restaurant! Location is also important for helping people feel at ease – if the area is too noisy or doesn’t have a friendly atmosphere, it can deter visitors from visiting!
Facilities And Amenities
Be sure to offer your guests a variety of amenities. If you have more than one guest room, be sure there are no adjoining walls so that your guests can keep an eye on their kids or if they just need the extra space. Other facilities that might be useful include:
- Free Wi-Fi
- A computer in the common area for guests who might not have brought laptops
- Library of books for people who just want to sit down and read
- Tourist information for people who might be visiting the area
- TV lounge with comfy seating for when guests want to veg out or simply relax before bedtime
- An outdoor patio where guests can enjoy breakfast al fresco in warmer months or sip hot chocolate by the fireplace in colder months
- Disabled bathrooms/rooms for guests with special needs
Eating And Cooking
Be sure to offer breakfast for your guests – nothing says “love” like a home-cooked meal in the morning! You should try and provide the best food possible, and if you aren’t good at cooking yourself, you might want to look into hiring a cook. When deciding on your menu, think about what time of day it is and what season. During the summer months, people might be more likely to make pancakes for breakfast while they are cooking fondue in the wintertime.
Pricing
If you are too expensive, then no one will want to stay with you; if you are too cheap, then they’ll think you’re cutting costs in some way. A reasonable B&B price is around $90/night, which includes breakfast and accommodation. Be sure that they know what they are paying for – if they are paying more, then they expect better quality service, facilities, and food!
Don’t forget to mention any additional fees that might be included in the price. For example, you might have a cleaning fee or parking fee. Be sure to list these, so people know what they are paying for!
Packages And Offers
Offer packages to guests who might want to spend more than one night with you. For example, a 1-night package might include breakfast and accommodation, while a 2-night package might include an upgraded room as well as breakfast and maybe even a free glass of wine! You can also offer meals and drinks in your restaurant for guests. If people want to spend a night out on the town, they’ll need someplace to come back to after dinner, so it’s a great idea to offer an overnight package at reasonable prices.
Staff
Staff is extremely important and should be well-informed, available, and courteous. You might want to hire a younger staff – who knows the area well and can give you great ideas about where to go – as well as an older staff member who understands your guest’s needs and serves them accordingly! Staff should also be friendly and helpful because if no one likes them, then they’ll lose customers due to bad service.
Furthermore, you might want to hire a live-in staff member who is on-hand during the night so that guests can call them if they need anything or have an emergency. If people feel that they are safe – even if it’s their first time staying in a B&B – then they will be more likely to visit your establishment.
Marketing
Once all of this is prepared, it’s time to advertise! Make sure you plaster posters around town and on social media, so people know where they’re going when they book with you. They’re coming to stay with you because it sounds like a great deal, but if no one knows about the deal, then no one will come! Advertise everywhere possible (social media, newspapers), and most importantly, carefully choose where you post. If your hotel is in a small town, focus on putting up posters in the surrounding towns. If your hotel is also a restaurant, advertise both aspects to attract people from different areas.
As you already know, you won’t have many guests at your B&B if no one knows about it! There are many ways to market yourself, including:
- Having an informative website with all the information about your property listed along with pictures of the rooms/property
- Offering special deals if someone books in advance or before a certain date through your website
- Joining online forums so you can meet people who are planning to come to your area, and chances are they might want to stay with you!
A bed and breakfast is a great way to create a welcoming space for guests. It can also be an excellent side business opportunity or even the perfect retirement plan if you have enough land. But before you start your very own B&B, it’s important that you consider all of these factors so that you don’t run into any problems down the road. In our blog post today, we’ve covered eight essential tips and tricks from location to pricing – everything there is to know about starting your own bed and breakfast! We hope this article has been helpful in getting started with one of your next big dreams.
