How important is location?

[happykeeper]

Well, it was great to read some of the gems in the various replies. While we may say things differently or take different questions to mean different things, I was struck by the similarities of the way many of us think that have led to success. Some of those gems......

• So we fashion our inn to attract those type of people.
• Customer service is the selling point for me!
• do what we do best, but do less of it"
• We are in an area where luxury lodging with scenic views and personal attention is very limited at our price point.
• Location alone is NOT enough to make a sustainable business in the hospitality realm.
• I'm pretty sure I'd press to excel even if I had people lined up for a room regardless
• Isn't it about the overall "value proposition?" Location and price are two components, but not the only components
• I've really been working hard to establish solid partnering
• But I also refuse to compete.

.

You can take my word on it that the place we stayed has location. Service? Not so much. Food? We do better. Marketing? They have a website and belong to a couple of directories. Cross promotion? They have a list of things to do and will show you how to get there.
For them, location is everything. If they were 2 blocks over they'd have to work harder but they still might not break a sweat.
They have a lifestyle to envy. Prime location, walk to everything, family nearby, time to belong to community organizations, volunteer at school & scouts.
But stay there again? Nope. For that kind of money I expect a lot more innovation in the food, better housekeeping, upscale amenities, more style in the decorating, etc.
.

Mort- you've hit on something that has been lurking in the back of my mind, up to now, without focus.
it seems we all have this price-point comparison thing in our heads. We all have an idea of what we expect at a certain price and location. I recently read scads of reviews with variations of: 'expected more at this price' or 'exceeded my expectations at this price'.
This past summer we had more guests than ever before. I was just getting a bit on the pride side about number of bookings and happy reviews, then realized after our trip that there are darned few B&Bs out there in our general area at our price point. One lesson, we're not so special after all - just less expensive!
First reaction - definitely raise prices!
Second reaction - yes raise prices but also figure out what else is setting us apart - and put more focus-and marketing - on that.
Although we all have that mental list of what we expect for price paid - the trick is to know in general what the commonality is amongst travelers regarding what is on that list - then determine how your place can best meet or beat those expectations.
perhaps longevity in business helps reveal those things. Since our 'wow' factor is most often about the food, I find myself spending more time on that aspect.
After our recent trip, I've made a few changes to other things too. We now have a dedicated room for B&B supplies. Previous to just a few weeks ago, various supplies were kept in five different places, sheets, towels, amenities, ironing - all in different rooms. Now most everything is in one room. Hopefully this will lessen the exhaustion factor and fre up more energy for service - where we also typically get high marks.
I can hardly wait to post before and after pictures of our smallest room - and what we're going to do about that - but I have to get it done first! The changes will contribute to the price rise - and also the value aspect for that room.
This post is too long and somewhat unfocused so I'll stop now!
.

it seems we all have this price-point comparison thing in our heads. We all have an idea of what we expect at a certain price and location. I recently read scads of reviews with variations of: 'expected more at this price' or 'exceeded my expectations at this price'.

Just a slightly different spin on this from a, "be a big fish in a small pond" way of thinking. A compelling value proposition can help remove your inn from the pack. We rarely see these comments in our reviews and I think that is because we offer a compelling reason to stay with us and than we deliver the associated value.
Now I have to stop before I confuse myself anymore about what I'm trying to say.

 

[Morticia]

Well, it was great to read some of the gems in the various replies. While we may say things differently or take different questions to mean different things, I was struck by the similarities of the way many of us think that have led to success. Some of those gems......

• So we fashion our inn to attract those type of people.
• Customer service is the selling point for me!
• do what we do best, but do less of it"
• We are in an area where luxury lodging with scenic views and personal attention is very limited at our price point.
• Location alone is NOT enough to make a sustainable business in the hospitality realm.
• I'm pretty sure I'd press to excel even if I had people lined up for a room regardless
• Isn't it about the overall "value proposition?" Location and price are two components, but not the only components
• I've really been working hard to establish solid partnering
• But I also refuse to compete.

.

You can take my word on it that the place we stayed has location. Service? Not so much. Food? We do better. Marketing? They have a website and belong to a couple of directories. Cross promotion? They have a list of things to do and will show you how to get there.
For them, location is everything. If they were 2 blocks over they'd have to work harder but they still might not break a sweat.
They have a lifestyle to envy. Prime location, walk to everything, family nearby, time to belong to community organizations, volunteer at school & scouts.
But stay there again? Nope. For that kind of money I expect a lot more innovation in the food, better housekeeping, upscale amenities, more style in the decorating, etc.
.

Mort- you've hit on something that has been lurking in the back of my mind, up to now, without focus.
it seems we all have this price-point comparison thing in our heads. We all have an idea of what we expect at a certain price and location. I recently read scads of reviews with variations of: 'expected more at this price' or 'exceeded my expectations at this price'.
This past summer we had more guests than ever before. I was just getting a bit on the pride side about number of bookings and happy reviews, then realized after our trip that there are darned few B&Bs out there in our general area at our price point. One lesson, we're not so special after all - just less expensive!
First reaction - definitely raise prices!
Second reaction - yes raise prices but also figure out what else is setting us apart - and put more focus-and marketing - on that.
Although we all have that mental list of what we expect for price paid - the trick is to know in general what the commonality is amongst travelers regarding what is on that list - then determine how your place can best meet or beat those expectations.
perhaps longevity in business helps reveal those things. Since our 'wow' factor is most often about the food, I find myself spending more time on that aspect.
After our recent trip, I've made a few changes to other things too. We now have a dedicated room for B&B supplies. Previous to just a few weeks ago, various supplies were kept in five different places, sheets, towels, amenities, ironing - all in different rooms. Now most everything is in one room. Hopefully this will lessen the exhaustion factor and fre up more energy for service - where we also typically get high marks.
I can hardly wait to post before and after pictures of our smallest room - and what we're going to do about that - but I have to get it done first! The changes will contribute to the price rise - and also the value aspect for that room.
This post is too long and somewhat unfocused so I'll stop now!
.

I think travel to other places opens our eyes to a lot of things. How something we thought was not quite good enough, someone else thinks is way over the top!
I based my expectations on what I see in my town at a price point under what I paid - individual coffee machines in each room, bathrobes in every room, locally grown amenities, 3 course breakfast that is beyond what we do (we're more diner-type food), or cooked to order breakfast.
Plus I 'know' around 30 innkeepers here who are constantly checking and upping their game.
That was the point of my original question - if you have a prime location can you let that do most of the work for you?

 

[Generic]

Well, it was great to read some of the gems in the various replies. While we may say things differently or take different questions to mean different things, I was struck by the similarities of the way many of us think that have led to success. Some of those gems......

• So we fashion our inn to attract those type of people.
• Customer service is the selling point for me!
• do what we do best, but do less of it"
• We are in an area where luxury lodging with scenic views and personal attention is very limited at our price point.
• Location alone is NOT enough to make a sustainable business in the hospitality realm.
• I'm pretty sure I'd press to excel even if I had people lined up for a room regardless
• Isn't it about the overall "value proposition?" Location and price are two components, but not the only components
• I've really been working hard to establish solid partnering
• But I also refuse to compete.

.

You can take my word on it that the place we stayed has location. Service? Not so much. Food? We do better. Marketing? They have a website and belong to a couple of directories. Cross promotion? They have a list of things to do and will show you how to get there.
For them, location is everything. If they were 2 blocks over they'd have to work harder but they still might not break a sweat.
They have a lifestyle to envy. Prime location, walk to everything, family nearby, time to belong to community organizations, volunteer at school & scouts.
But stay there again? Nope. For that kind of money I expect a lot more innovation in the food, better housekeeping, upscale amenities, more style in the decorating, etc.
.

Mort- you've hit on something that has been lurking in the back of my mind, up to now, without focus.
it seems we all have this price-point comparison thing in our heads. We all have an idea of what we expect at a certain price and location. I recently read scads of reviews with variations of: 'expected more at this price' or 'exceeded my expectations at this price'.
This past summer we had more guests than ever before. I was just getting a bit on the pride side about number of bookings and happy reviews, then realized after our trip that there are darned few B&Bs out there in our general area at our price point. One lesson, we're not so special after all - just less expensive!
First reaction - definitely raise prices!
Second reaction - yes raise prices but also figure out what else is setting us apart - and put more focus-and marketing - on that.
Although we all have that mental list of what we expect for price paid - the trick is to know in general what the commonality is amongst travelers regarding what is on that list - then determine how your place can best meet or beat those expectations.
perhaps longevity in business helps reveal those things. Since our 'wow' factor is most often about the food, I find myself spending more time on that aspect.
After our recent trip, I've made a few changes to other things too. We now have a dedicated room for B&B supplies. Previous to just a few weeks ago, various supplies were kept in five different places, sheets, towels, amenities, ironing - all in different rooms. Now most everything is in one room. Hopefully this will lessen the exhaustion factor and fre up more energy for service - where we also typically get high marks.
I can hardly wait to post before and after pictures of our smallest room - and what we're going to do about that - but I have to get it done first! The changes will contribute to the price rise - and also the value aspect for that room.
This post is too long and somewhat unfocused so I'll stop now!
.

I think travel to other places opens our eyes to a lot of things. How something we thought was not quite good enough, someone else thinks is way over the top!
I based my expectations on what I see in my town at a price point under what I paid - individual coffee machines in each room, bathrobes in every room, locally grown amenities, 3 course breakfast that is beyond what we do (we're more diner-type food), or cooked to order breakfast.
Plus I 'know' around 30 innkeepers here who are constantly checking and upping their game.
That was the point of my original question - if you have a prime location can you let that do most of the work for you?
.

Some people will... but it's a recipe for disaster.
We have a few hotels in town. The owners decided that their hotel was a cash cow, so they put nothing back into the hotel. Now those hotels were sold at bottom dollar to become University dorms. Too expensive to fix into modern hotel rooms.

 

[JBloggs]

I have said it before and will say it again, in the south you can fry a turd and people will eat it.
The same goes for location.
(Confused? Trying to figure that statement out, good my job is done here)

 

[JBloggs]

I have another analogy for those who didn't get my last one...
A singer songwriter said to me that those who don't have an incredible voice have to work harder at writing better songs.
Example: Neil Young.

 

[ChrisandShelley]

I have another analogy for those who didn't get my last one...
A singer songwriter said to me that those who don't have an incredible voice have to work harder at writing better songs.
Example: Neil Young..

I like that analogy.
On that note, check this out. One of my favorite Jimmy Fallon moments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6otmy3DAK8