Guest Information Booklet

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I'm finally working on a Guest Information Booklet for my guests. I know, I should have done it long ago, but didn't.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what I should include and what I shouldn't. I have the nearest hospital and emergency room, clinic, pharmacy.
Should I include information on things like parking? recycling? noise? local alcohol policies?
For transport, I have the city information, inter-city bus, rail and airlines. Should I include local car rental agencies?
What about cinemas, theatres, clubs and bars?
Do I add delivery restaurants? Or just local restaurants?
I have coffee shops, tea shops, pastry shops, ice cream shops, bookstores.
Should I put in local churches and synagogues?
I know that in smaller towns they often put in attractions, but being in a big city, I'm not sure.
 
Hard part is they change often, you wouldn't think so but print them out for each room and then have things change. Put a disclaimer on the bottom of each page about not being responsible for hours of operation, etc I had a couple ticked off at me when a restaurant closed down...uh actually I AM MORE TICKED! haha
 
I would include the things in bold.
Should I include information on things like parking? recycling? noise? local alcohol policies?
For transport, I have the city information, inter-city bus, rail and airlines. include local car rental agencies? NO they are at your place now.
What about cinemas, theatres, clubs and bars?
Do I add delivery restaurants? Or just local restaurants?
I have coffee shops, tea shops, pastry shops, ice cream shops, bookstores. GOOD
Should I put in local churches and synagogues? YES some people do want to go to church - especially MASS on Saturday
I know that in smaller towns they often put in attractions, but being in a big city, I'm not sure. Just provide your City Tourism brochure
.
 
I'd say yes to everything you ask about. Many won't find it or read it, but some will, and it will be helpful to them, plus save you the time of dealing with some of their questions..
Most inclusions will only have to be dealt with once, though you should plan to revisit it occasionally to make changes, removing things that are outdated, adding new things.
Restaurants are the big problem of course, because so many old ones close, new ones open, menus change, hours of operation change.
For a big city, I'd only list a few major attractions, though some minor attractions might have brochures/rack cards you could include in the book.
 
I used to have one information book, but it got too big so I split it into two, one has house and local info the other is things to see and do.
Having said that most people are happy to use the Internet so there's little point in listing everything, so for something like restaurants, there's loads in Inverness so we just list the ones we think are worth going to. That's not necessarily the grandest, for example sometimes people are on a budget and want something cheap, so I've listed a couple of pubs that do basic grub like pie & mash or fish & chips.
Personally I feel there is so much information out there, tons of leaflets and masses of websites, that our information pack should cut through all the c##p and just list the best/most interesting/most relevant to our guests.
 
Hard part is they change often, you wouldn't think so but print them out for each room and then have things change. Put a disclaimer on the bottom of each page about not being responsible for hours of operation, etc I had a couple ticked off at me when a restaurant closed down...uh actually I AM MORE TICKED! haha.
Our information pack is a word document bound with a comb. I deliberately didn't number the pages so that I can make changes without having to re-print the whole thing. I can also insert pages that I print off the Internet such as the local bus timetable.
 
I will approach it from the guest pov. I stayed at a few B&B's where there was no information whatsoever and they had assumed their guests do all the research ahead of time. Sometimes you can't sometimes you just go.
So for that, there s/b two different books or places for information. Room books with pharmacies, temples, etc are good. Is this the same book to put house rules and basic info? Perhaps. I might have a basic question and be hesitant to ask.
Then another for interesting restaurants, places to eat nearby, etc etc I would appreciate that as a guest, knowing there is a little pub 2 blocks away, or what places deliver food.
HJ if we visited you we would definitely want to know the best place for fish n chips and pies. Regional food especially! :) Every time I tell guests about our Mexican restaurant they roll their eyes. Well it is licensed for alcohol and the others aren't so I tell them.
 
Jay Karen of PAII suggests that your 'in room' book information also be on your website, complete with links, so that your smartphone and tablet user guests can access it that way.
Jay spoke last week at our state B&B association. Good tip!
 
Well, I'm putting it together with Word 2010 and I ave the Navigation set up, but it's open to change. Once I have it done, I can certainly strip out the info and make a template that others can use for their own. I have it set up in booklet format, 8.5x11 folded. So it can just be stapled in the centre and it's done. Or hole punched and put into a binder.
We have a little sign in the room with the stuff they need to know about the B&B. I'm looking to put more of the stuff they ask us for and about.
I was thinking about the Car Rentals and I think I'm going to add it. Firstly because sometimes they have rented a car that they need to pick up the day they leave, so if they need the local number or address, it's there. Secondly, sometimes they ask us about renting, this way the info is already there.
I'm sure that some of you need to put the sights, but I'm going to have to assume that they know ours, because if I have to start writing it, It would be a tome.
 
Most important stuff first on a single page.
Then whatever else you would want to know if no one was around to ask. Pretty much everything you've listed, broken out into sections.
 
I think the key word was book"let". :) I don't know, it seems there is so much and so many changes that keeping it simple is the only way to go. Otherwise I would have a CENTRAL STATION with a larger book, and dividers in it for all the ancillary stuff like RX, Trains, Car Rentals etc.
 
Jay Karen of PAII suggests that your 'in room' book information also be on your website, complete with links, so that your smartphone and tablet user guests can access it that way.
Jay spoke last week at our state B&B association. Good tip!.
Might be a good idea, but I wouldn't put it available publicly, but on a private URL... I don't need my competition getting an advantage over me. It's a service I provide :)
 
Jay Karen of PAII suggests that your 'in room' book information also be on your website, complete with links, so that your smartphone and tablet user guests can access it that way.
Jay spoke last week at our state B&B association. Good tip!.
Might be a good idea, but I wouldn't put it available publicly, but on a private URL... I don't need my competition getting an advantage over me. It's a service I provide :)
.
Eric Arthur Blair said:
Might be a good idea, but I wouldn't put it available publicly, but on a private URL... I don't need my competition getting an advantage over me. It's a service I provide :)
Agreed. I have the "things to do in the area" on the website because that can help entice people to come visit this place. But all the work I've done putting together a list of area churches, selected restaurants, places to shop, etc. will only be in the room book for those who actually stay here.
 
The positive feedback I gets from guests all the time is how much they appreciate my driving trips. I have one that is of our scenic area, turn by turn, then I have an additional 2, one is for a day trip north of us and the other is for a day trip south of us. I print these up and have a stack of them in our brochure area and also provide the local area one in the pocket of the binder.
People really appreciate not having to do the research. If I were in a city, I would probably do a walking map/guide.
 
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel..
Bob said:
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel.
I'm going to disagree there. 9/10 our information pack is on the bedside when we clean the rooms. People do seem to read it in bed.
 
I'm going to make these available for a limited time only, here are my two info packs in PDF format.
This is the house pack.
This is the things to see and do.
I bind them with a comb, I put a white card front on it which I print and then a sheet of acetate on top to protect it: So they look like this.....
d999aj8
 
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel..
Bob said:
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel.
I'm going to disagree there. 9/10 our information pack is on the bedside when we clean the rooms. People do seem to read it in bed.
.
Highlands John said:
Bob said:
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel.
I'm going to disagree there. 9/10 our information pack is on the bedside when we clean the rooms. People do seem to read it in bed.
I read the packets of info, even in hotel rooms. Maybe be I am there, and it is there.
 
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel..
Bob said:
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel.
I'm going to disagree there. 9/10 our information pack is on the bedside when we clean the rooms. People do seem to read it in bed.
.
Highlands John said:
Bob said:
Do the K.I.S.S meathod! They will not sit down and read a novel.
I'm going to disagree there. 9/10 our information pack is on the bedside when we clean the rooms. People do seem to read it in bed.
I read the packets of info, even in hotel rooms. Maybe be I am there, and it is there.
.
I do too! All I am saying is to put good useful info in it. We have all been doing this long enough to know the kind of info our guests ask about. Have a list of a dew things in town but not all of them. That can be overwelming. You can always throw a little extra in. But I would not type out a phone book of info. I have stayed at places that have done this. It was to much! I would also make it fun to read. Add some pics and personalize it!
 
I'm going to make these available for a limited time only, here are my two info packs in PDF format.
This is the house pack.
This is the things to see and do.
I bind them with a comb, I put a white card front on it which I print and then a sheet of acetate on top to protect it: So they look like this.....
d999aj8
.
Highlands John, great booklets. I can see you put a lot of work and thought into them.
I used streetview to drive up to your inn. Amazing that the Google camera truck drove so far up your driveway! Beautiful setting. No wonder it's popular!
 
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