January 2014 | Kristi Dement

Monthly Archives: January 2014

Bed and Breakfast Spas

Posted on January 31, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

French manicure with pink orchid on the white Stock Photos Woman getting facial massage . Royalty Free Stock Photography Beautiful woman in spa salon getting massage Royalty Free Stock Photos

Your guests like to receive special treatment. Your bed and breakfast may have a spa right on the premises to deliver just that. An easy alternative is to schedule massage therapists to visit your guests’ rooms at your bed and breakfast.

Reasons for Spa Services:

Beauty treatments
Cleansing
Detoxification
Exfoliation
Improve complexion, circulation, and flexibility
Relaxation
Relieve aches, pains, and tension
Youthful appearance

Services:

Aromatherapy: relaxing with enjoyable aromas
Facials: including masks, exfoliating scrubs, acne treatments, etc.
Hair removal: waxing any unwanted hair
Manicure: finger nails and hands given royal treatment
Massage: such as deep tissue, Swedish, prenatal, etc.
Pedicure: toe nails and feet given ultimate attention
Sauna: hot and steamy relaxation
Stones: strategically placed stones–hot to relax or cold to heal

Packages include a combination of services done on the same day. Some B&B’s let their guests decide for half day or whole day treatments. They can be pampered all day long! Couples love couples massages. All guests will love receiving care from the outside in!

Posted in Activities, Amenities, Guests, Promotion

Bed and Breakfast Tea Rooms

Posted on January 30, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Several bed and breakfasts in America have tea rooms. Their tea room can be open to the public or limited to their own bed and breakfast guests. Tea rooms are great for small gatherings and often they serve brunch and lunch. Each tea room has their own hours or they serve “by reservation only.”

Menu options can include:

Croissants
Quiche
Salads
Sandwiches
Scones
Soups
Sweets (like cookies and cakes)
Tea (bottomless usually costs extra)

Hours:

Regular year round hours
Reservation only
Seasonal hours
Sunday brunch

Events:

Baby shower
Birthday party
Bridal shower
Club meeting
Girls’ get together
Group meeting
Private parties

Some sell items such as:

Antiques
Jewelry
Tea
Tea cups
Tea pots

Marketing opportunities:

Blog: great fresh content for your website
E-mail marketing: send out information to those on your e-mail list
Photos of your bed and breakfast, tea room, food, and guests (with their permission)
Social media: Facebook fan page, Pinterest pins, Twitter updates, etc.
Website: you can have one of your main headings labeled “Tea Room”

When thinking of ways to increase your business, if you do not already have a tea room, this could be a great idea. For those who do have tea rooms, are you promoting them online? Kristi Dement of Bed and Breakfast Blogging is happy to help you with this.

Posted in Activities, Amenities, Food, Kristi, Promotion

Bed and Breakfast Shops

Posted on January 29, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Have you ever thought of having a shop on the same grounds as your bed and breakfast? If it has a separate entrance, you can serve not only your own bed and breakfast guests, but also members of your community and other shoppers in the area.

Some B&B owners sell items with their own name and/or logo on them:

Apparel: aprons, hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts
Bags: backpacks, drawstring bags, tote bags
Homemade: herb dips, jams, seasonings, soaps
Kitchen: coasters, coffee mugs, cookbooks, glassware
Office: calendars, letter openers, journals, pens, stationery
Outdoors: beach towels, blankets, coolers, umbrella
Tourist items: greeting cards, key chains, postcards

Some bed and breakfast owners sell antiques such as clocks and furniture as well as collectibles. If you are within local zoning laws and have the resources, space, and time, you can sell just about anything at your B&B’s shop. Think about what you, or the people in your community, do. For example, you could sell the work of local artists. Remember, anything with your bed and breakfast’s name or logo on it will serve as a reminder of your inn!

Posted in Amenities, Decorating, Promotion

When You Need to Unwind…

Posted on January 28, 2014 by kdement

We all have had days where we just need to unwind. For the bed and breakfast owner, it could be any of the following situations:

An unexpected expense (anything from needing a new roof to a new refrigerator)
Guests (most are great, but a few can be hard to deal with)
No time to yourself (you are always attending to everyone and everything else)
Not enough bookings (not earning enough)

Possible Solutions:

Fix repairs yourself or barter your rooms in exchange for something you need
Stick to your bed and breakfast policies even if it means turning away business
Hire an additional employee (housekeeper, chef, etc.) at your B&B
Hire inn-sitters or interim innkeepers
Add a blog with fresh content to bring more visitors to your website
Pay to be listed in popular bed and breakfast directories

There are always steps you can take to make the bed and breakfast way of life easier for you, the innkeeper. Don’t forget about reaching out to your community and making affiliations with a local florists, restaurants, spas, chambers of commerce, and so on. Remember too that there are bed and breakfast associations in which you can become members. The more interaction with other people, the more likely you will have success!

Posted in Associations and Ratings, Blog and Social Media, Promotion, Success

B&B Guests: Business Travelers

Posted on January 27, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Business woman Royalty Free Stock Photography Handshake Stock Image Senior business man Royalty Free Stock Photo

You may host business travelers who decide that they would like the bed and breakfast experience rather than an impersonal hotel. There may be a business conference in your area or a large corporation nearby. You can cater to their unique business needs by providing things such as a roomy desk with a comfortable office chair and wi-fi internet access as well as a coffeepot with freshly brewed coffee in their own room. You can find out the most convenient time for them to eat their breakfast. When you go out of your way to be hospitable, they will remember your extra consideration and be a regularly returning guest!

Posted in Conferences, Guests

B&B Guests: Sports Spectators

Posted on January 26, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Basketball Tournament Royalty Free Stock Image Golf Professional Stephen Gallacher Royalty Free Stock Photography NASCAR - Neck and Neck Racing! Royalty Free Stock Photography

Your bed and breakfast guests could be staying with you because of local area tournaments and games or even major sporting events like hockey or racing in a nearby stadium. Your guests may not play the particular sport, but they sure do enjoy watching it live and in person.

You can offer tickets to local sporting events and tournaments as part of a sports spectators package. Your sports package entices more guests to visit your bed and breakfast. You can even offer extras such as T-shirts and sweatshirts with your bed and breakfast’s name on it. They could even be seen wearing your B&B’s apparel at the televised sporting event they attend!

Posted in Activities, Guests, Promotion

B&B Guests: Special Occasions

Posted on January 25, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Wedding Ring With Rose Royalty Free Stock Photography Birthday Gift Stock Photography Family reunion Stock Image

Perhaps your bed and breakfast guests are celebrating a special occasion, such as a wedding, honeymoon, anniversary, birthday, or reunion. When you communicate with them, be sure to find out if they are coming for a memorable reason.

You may offer a special package for honeymooners or people celebrating their birthday or anniversary. Depending upon the size of your bed and breakfast and the number of relatives, you could offer a deal to a family if they book all of your rooms.

Make mutually beneficial agreements with local florists, musicians, and other business people offering complementary services. You can refer each other to more business. Just as important, your guests will enjoy their stay so much that not only will they return again, they will also refer your bed and breakfast to other potential guests.

Posted in Decorating, Guests, Promotion

B&B Guests: Sight Seers

Posted on January 24, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

If your bed and breakfast is near a major tourist attraction like the Grand Canyon or even a college campus, you will have guests who want to visit them. You can find out from local college campus when certain events, like Parents Weekend, are being held.

Knowing , for example, that Grand Canyon National Park may have some free dates of admission (or more importantly, the facts about the attractions near you) can help you plan and promote your bed and breakfast marketing.

Remember that your website, blog, and social media presence are a big part of getting the word out to potential guests and will lead to more booked rooms!

Posted in Activities, Events, Guests, Promotion

B&B Guests: Shoppers and Antique Lovers

Posted on January 23, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Group of female shoppers Royalty Free Stock Photo Shopping mall Stock Image Stamps Royalty Free Stock Photos

Some guests visit your bed and breakfast because of the terrific shopping available in your area. Whether it is special boutiques, retail outlets, flea markets, or antique dealers, their mission is to find some great buys. Some come as collectors to attend conventions for valuable items such as stamps, dolls, and cars. Whatever their reason, your website and blog can promote these opportunities and events.

Posted in Activities, Events, Guests, Promotion

B&B Guests: Relaxation #1 Priority

Posted on January 22, 2014 by kdement Leave a comment

Relaxation Royalty Free Stock Photo Relaxed couple reading books on the couch smiling at camera Royalty Free Stock Photo Crocheting Royalty Free Stock Photos

Some guests will retreat to your bed and breakfast simply because they want a calm scenic place to relax and do not have anything to do. They may just sit and watch the lovely ocean or mountain views your B&B may have.

Their idea of activity are quiet things such as reading, picnicking, and crocheting. You can assure them they will have the peace and tranquility they are seeking when they become your guests. If you offer an in-room massage or house a home library, be sure to mention that in your phone conversation and feature that on your website.

Posted in Activities, Amenities, Decorating, Promotion

« Older Entries