Christmas Question

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Hello All,
We are preparing to open, and I'm curious as to how busy your inns tend to be on and around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Does it vary by region? Is it pretty consistent across the board or wildly different? Thanks for the help!
 
We close for Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas until New Year's Eve but we get a lot of calls so if we were open we'd be booked.
 
We close for Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas until New Year's Eve but we get a lot of calls so if we were open we'd be booked..
I really think it varies by region, and what holiday attractions may be located near your inn. I am not typically busy during these times - located Gulf Coast Texas here.
 
Yes, I think it varies depending on your location and perhaps events going on that time of year. We always closed in winter because it is so dead around here at that time. We would normally close for holidays so we can spend them with our family. If you however, don't have family to visit or they are too far away, you may want to consider providing a place for folks for the holidays. Make it special though if you do:)
 
Wildly different and even wildly different by year. Does your town/area do anything special for the holidays? If yes, you may find you are very busy. Even if no, you may find you are the go to place when relatives come in for the holidays.
 
I do not get much business at all during the holidays. Maybe one or 2, but not much.
 
It really depends on several factors including but no limited to your location. We are a destination location, so that time of year drives a new tourist group - the skier and snow people. As Mort said, it varies from yr to yr on how busy you are. If snow is light, as it was last year, it can put a major hit on your bottom line. But since we are chef owned, we offer culinary getaways all winter long, starting from the Holiday season. So to answer your question, it is first driven by location, followed by your own creativity.
 
Are you wanting to be open during the Christmas New Year season? If so you may be busier as most B&B's close.
We found we have guests who only want to stay here Christmas eve enroute to relatives so they show up Christmas day. THAT SUCKS! Waking up Christmas morning here with people to serve and rooms to clean? OR, the opposite, they spend Christmas Day with rel's and want to stop over enroute home Christmas Day. Same Same.
So whatever you decide get it ready in your online system NOW so you don't have any fall through the cracks.
We have had a lovely couple from across the country stay a full week who use the room with its own entrance and spend all their time with their kids and grandkids. No breakfast or anything, they come back late and shower, sleep decompress. That worked well for us and for them! But there is no way or knowing you will get this when someone books a room.
If you decorate to the 9's for the holidays, it is fun to have guests in to enjoy it! Some who travel to go shopping etc, they will enjoy your decor and atmosphere. I traveled last Dec and stayed at two B&B's and will say I did enjoy their decorations, it was lovely!
There will be some who do not wish to stay home, as we know that time of year is most stressful for many people. So those who have lost a child or a parent, like to go away and not be home. So there is always that. But nothing is open Christmas Day for them to even eat a nice meal out, will you invite them to partake at your own table?
Just some things to think about from my experience. If you have children or grandchildren, save the date, ie make it theirs alone.
 
PS Thanksgiving is the same, many who want to travel so you should set a minimum stay period if you like, some years we have a full house for Thanksgiving here for 3 full days, make it so there are no check ins ON Thanksgiving. Last year I had this lady from DC irate over not being able to check in on the day at 4pm. Set the boundaries now.
 
There are holiday festivities in our area but we tend to book family/friends coming to see relatives. Many times they take all or most of our rooms. We do set a 3 day limit and do not allow checkins on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or Day. Most guests (here) will bow out of breakfast Christmas morning as they run on to be with family. We have decided this year to replace a full breakast with a continental for Christmas morning, just 'cause we want people to have something, if they wish before heading out the door. I think many opt out of breakfast as much for our sake as their desire to be with their families.
 
PS Thanksgiving is the same, many who want to travel so you should set a minimum stay period if you like, some years we have a full house for Thanksgiving here for 3 full days, make it so there are no check ins ON Thanksgiving. Last year I had this lady from DC irate over not being able to check in on the day at 4pm. Set the boundaries now..
Joey Bloggs said:
PS Thanksgiving is the same, many who want to travel so you should set a minimum stay period if you like, some years we have a full house for Thanksgiving here for 3 full days, make it so there are no check ins ON Thanksgiving. Last year I had this lady from DC irate over not being able to check in on the day at 4pm. Set the boundaries now.
Good points about the check-ins check-outs on holidays. It IS a royal pain to have to clean on holidays.
 
I made the change this year to no check-ins on holidays. Stayovers welcome...ruining the whole day by hanging around waiting for checkins that never arrive when expected got old finally.
 
I made the change this year to no check-ins on holidays. Stayovers welcome...ruining the whole day by hanging around waiting for checkins that never arrive when expected got old finally..
T-day is the worst. It is all one-nighters starting T-Day and thru the weekend.
 
There's a huge family reunion in the area during Thanksgiving week and have booked the whole house in the past but last year their plans changed and we didn't have them with us. Not sure if they're coming again this year. It might be nice to go see family then... guess we'd better make a decision now before it's too late.
We've had a few bookings during Christmas and that's been nice to have them here. When we've blocked off rooms in the past during those times seems to be when we get a lot of requests for rooms.. Murphy's Law
 
We are open almost 365. Kids live far enough away and where the roads go from great to crap in 5 minutes so we do not do Thanksgiving or Christmas at the proscribed times. We do Christmas when they come here.
It varies. We have had folks visiting family for Christmas - so far no one has come for the 18th Century Christmas but we have had folks for the Thanksgiving. Last year 2 couples did Thanksgiving - each had their own 10 lb turkey but shared the rest of the fixings. Made them take the leftover turkey home too!
If we were to have someone here either holiday that were not on a package - just traveling through or just here, we would probably invite them to join us with our friends - it is just the way we do things here.
 
Thanks for all the info! We plan to be open for both holidays. We're in that wierd limbo land where the kids are grown, but we have no grandkids. The kids will be home, and I think they would enjoy helping with the inn. I've had a request from a friend's mother to book rooms for her 6 adult kids and their significant others. Since she lives down the road from me, I thought it would be nice for my family to make their family a nice breakfast, and we will have ours after.
Lots of great points brought up that I hadn't thought of. Thanks for helping me think this through!
 
We are full on all holidays. For the last few years on Christmas & Thanksgiving I've always cooked a big spread & invited all guests to join. I always felt bad because few, if any restaurants are open.
Husband wants a break this year, so we may do something different. Which, will be ok, too, as it isn't as relaxing when you still have to be "on" for guests & watch conversations/drinks with guests joining in.
 
It is hard to determine it right now, you may end up being open for only one or two room nights then kick yourself! But on the other hand if you go all out to decorate, those one or two room nights might really appreciate it. So the call is never easy at this time. If you love Christmas it may make it not as fun, or the opposite, sharing it with your guests.
 
We are always open for Xmas .... and for us it works PERFECTLY. We decorate, including a tree in every room with gifts under them. Everyone else is closed so we are always full.
Pick your check-in days and minimums. For us, it is always people up here to see family with NO check ins on Xmas Day. So - everyone is happy and in the Holiday Spirit. I'm in a fabulous mood.
I serve breakfast to a room full of festive folk, they leave for the entire day, I get my "fluffs" done and then the day is ours until they get back in the evening to a Good Night cup of hot chocolate and something silly left on their pillow. It's fun and a much needed income boost at the end of the year.
 
Thanks for all the info! We plan to be open for both holidays. We're in that wierd limbo land where the kids are grown, but we have no grandkids. The kids will be home, and I think they would enjoy helping with the inn. I've had a request from a friend's mother to book rooms for her 6 adult kids and their significant others. Since she lives down the road from me, I thought it would be nice for my family to make their family a nice breakfast, and we will have ours after.
Lots of great points brought up that I hadn't thought of. Thanks for helping me think this through!.
as another point where I used to work it was 365 but on christmas day (2 day christmas eve, christmas day package) on christmas day they only did limited housekeeping ie you got a package of tea coffee mini milks etc in a little bag with your clean towels and a little note put in on christmas eve saying please put your dirty towels out for changing on christmas eve night and you will get your pack ourside your room in the morning. If you did something similar you could do your whole place in less than 30 mins depending on rooms. I wouldn't try to do a full service its christmas! plus I don't think people want it as they just want to hang out in their room and sleep in and also feel bad for making you work to. It is a compromise. I would do a 2 or 3 night minimum definately.
 
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