Bed Slippers

bed slippers

Making The Most Of Your Vacation Property Or Bed And Breakfast

You may already be a veteran Holiday rental owner or brand new to the industry, either way taking another look at where your business is today is essential to its future success. So how do you make your B&B or vacation rental stand out from the masses? You need a competitive edge and in the hospitality field it is all in the tiny details.

Your first impression whether it by via a drive by, photo or website will make or break that much needed reservation.  In today’s market most reservations come from web bookings, so make sure your site is easy to find your way around, has all the essential info a guest may need to know, rates, location, beds, pet friendly, supplies and equipment, area info and lots of high definition pics showcasing your holiday rental.  Don’t forget to list any special features and tourism info and positive customer comments.  Listing your website on one of the many vacation rental directories is probably a good idea, try to find something niched to your specific market. Are you close to the beachfromt?  Look for a site specializing in this field; it will target a browsers search so that they may find you fast.  One I am quite fond of is www.beach-rooms.com, it is a new and up and coming website, the membership if free for the first year and it could pay dividends down the road.  Whatever website you choose, keep track of how many of your bookings come from the website to see if it is worth your cash in the long run.

I am assuming if you already run a B&B or vacation property that you understand there are certain basic needs that guests are looking for, extreme cleanliness, (you can never be too clean) tidiness, (don’t clutter the space with nick knacks) a nice light filled room, up to date furnishing and bed linens, a high quality bed and of course a warm welcome.  In high traffic tourist areas, this may be all that is required of you, but is it enough for repeat business and great word of mouth, which quite frankly is the marketing jackpot?

Like I said it is all in the details, so make the guests stay memorable, make them feel special and watch your guests grow.   Monetary Budgets vary so the decision is your own as to what you think is worth the cost or will be valued most by your clients.

Lets start with the bedroom, when was the last time you laid down on a guests bed? Do not underestimate the power of a comfortable bed, 2 nights in your establishment equates to 16 hours of use.  I bet everyone can remember at least one experience in a bed that did not pass the grade.  Try your beds out, think about replacing any old, to hard, saggy or stained mattresses, if this is out of the budget for now, consider a nice mattress pad instead.

The pillows should be the best you can afford, mix them up some soft some harder to please every guests taste. The same for the linens, the higher the thread count the more luxurious they feel, but beware the higher the count the more ironing they need.

Fresh cut flowers show a level of personal care, attention and elegance that is so often passed over yet so appreciated, whether they be a centre piece or a few stems on matching bedside tables.  Ditch the dusty houseplants and bring some color, fragrance and life to the environment.

Bringing some form of unity to your business adds a touch of professionalism and shows you take it seriously, consider creating an logo or illustration that depicts what your property is hoping to portray, use this illustration on business cards, website, the sign in front of the property, stationary, it can even be stitched or ironed onto pillow cases and towels.  It is a way of branding your business and creating a special connection.

Handcrafted or specialty soaps also really add the personal touch, buy a block from your local market or storekeeper, cut it into smaller pieces to lessen waste and save money.  A nice idea is to wrap the soap in parchment paper or material and tie with a ribbon or wax seal with your property logo or name and present as a gift, remember all in the details.

Chocolates, a bottle of wine, slippers to take home, a fruit basket, soap, a sprig of lavender, shells from the local beach, discount tickets to a local attraction, the choices are only limited to your imagination but a speciall gift can and will make your guests feel wonderfull, make them smile and create a sense of wellbeing towards their stay.

If you are supplying breakfast especially if you are a B&B property take extra care with the meal, throw out old ideas of what is everyday boring and get inspired.  Turn breakfast into an experience, for you this may mean local organic fare, breakfast courses or simple food presented with a sense of style.

Extra Steps

I will be the first to confess that some of the extra steps outlined below are not overly realistic but they can be done and if nothing else they may give you a few inspirations.

One of my favorite B&B experiences was coming home after a day of sightseeing to my room, the fireplace had been lit and a thermos of hot chocolate and a plate of baked cookies was waiting for me, pure decadence and a very nice touch.

Or the time in Canada when I stayed in a little cabin for two, the owners had enclosed the deck and placed a claw foot tub outside.  An Outdoor shower or hot tub would also be just effective.

A chandelier above the bed, up to date magazines and a selection of bestsellers, a fluffy throw draped across the bottom of the bed or over a cozy rocking chair, built in speakers in all rooms including the bathroom, power shower with massaging heads, a sauna, a flat screen TV in the bathroom to watch from the tub, a sauna, wireless internet, spa services, I could go on and on…

Get networking with your local Spa to offer in house treatments or team up with local artisans, potters or wineries to offer themed weekend packages.

Hopefully if you have read this far you are gaining some new ideas that could be of value to you.  My aim is to help your business stand out from the pack.  The more pleasurable you make the over all sensation the higher your odds of repeat business and great references. Best of luck to you.

About the Author

Paul Goodwin