sgruning
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- Joined
- Jun 23, 2011
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We own an Inn, not a "B&B" per se. We do not live at the Inn. In fact, we live 5 hours away. We do have a housekeeper and manager in the immediate area. We also have our second home there so we are there frequently and plan to retire there as well. There are so many extras I would like to do for my guests, but it costs every time I have the housekeeper there. This is one of the reasons my rates are average. I feel we have a very nice, very spacious guest suite that we offer. We do get many repeats. But for example, like making the bed, my housekeeper would have to keep going back to the Inn to see if the guests have checked out or not. We do not have a kitchen at the Inn at all, so breakfast is out, although I partnered with another Inn to purchase a "breakfast basket". I think I might start having a "welcome basket" placed in the suites as a nice ammenity. My bottom line issue.....budget. I hear and see all these great ideas, but they all add up. I did post a while back about having conditioning shampoo in the room and many of you responded I should. I took this constructive criticism to heart and did purchase a box of conditioning shampoo with our logo (matches the soap). I have monogrammed bathrobes, towels, etc. I have a nice coffee bought from a local coffee maker (Prarie Fire Roasted), assorted teas, kitchenettes, etc. I have also been looking at where all my competitors market their lodgings on-line (BBOnline, Bedandbreakfast, BNBFinder, Pillowsandpancakes, the bedandbreakfastdirectory.com, etc.). Then there is the chamber and the dues, taxes - state, local, county, tourism tax, business property tax, cable, wi-fi, utilties, toll-free, webhosting, insurance, etc., I am struggling with all the costs. I do not pay myself, only the housekeeper/manager.
So bottom line question, how do you pick in choose? Do I raise my rates? Much of the updating we have done we paid out of pocket. Luckily I am an adjunct professor and this extra money goes into the inn when we are short through the winter months. Any suggustions on who you list your property with, the value add to it or how you manage in general? Just 3 more years until we move there full time.
So bottom line question, how do you pick in choose? Do I raise my rates? Much of the updating we have done we paid out of pocket. Luckily I am an adjunct professor and this extra money goes into the inn when we are short through the winter months. Any suggustions on who you list your property with, the value add to it or how you manage in general? Just 3 more years until we move there full time.