Steam showers

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Arks

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Today I called and paid my tuition for a 3-day aspiring innkeepers seminar next month at a B&B on the other side of the state. While the guy had me on the phone, he asked a few questions to assess what stage I'm in on the project. Learning that I'm buying an old building and building the inside "from scratch", he quickly mentioned the need for a Jacuzzi in every room.
But then he said that, while the Jacuzzi is essential to get people to book the room, the new thing the guests are really excited about are the showers. In the process of the conversation he called it a steam shower, a luxury shower, a spa shower, and a power shower. He said though the Jacuzzi gets them into the room, a lot of guests these days never turn the tub on (a big plus, he said, since it's a pain to clean). He said people love the showers. He said make sure it's plenty big. His largest one will hold a small crowd of people (he said that room is $265/night and has a 70% occupancy rate).
So my question is, do any of you have recommendations on this? Brand, model, size, features, pluses and minuses?
Thanks!
 
I do not have a "power shower" but when I created the ensuite and moved the claw-foot to the new bathroom, I replaced it with a 60 inch shower. I am eternally grateful to the guest who asked me if it was going to have a personal showerhead because her husband liked them. Why am I grateful? Because with that personal shower thingy I get to "hose" the shower out when I am cleaning - I have no idea how I would have managed it otherwise.
 
My recommendation is to keep in mind who your guests will be and to gear your rooms towards their needs, not necessarily the needs of the leader of an aspiring innkeeper seminar.
Jacuzzis are nice. Guests like them. They are not necessary, though, to attract guests. Your B&B would be the only one in your town. If you're able to attract them, it won't be by jacuzzi tubs. No competitors with tubs will be able to erode your rates.
Steam showers are great. Some folks love them. I love them. DH hates them. He's not alone. Some guests hate them.
Figure out who your guests will be. Target to them. Don't experiment with expensive amenities to avoid doing the hard work of really really targeting to the needs of the guests you are most likely to (and want to) attract.
 
I could not have said it better, To Go.
Find out your target market and determine your rate structure and what amenites the rate will cover.
Remenber that jacussis and steam showers us a lot of water - hot water which equals to $$. If you go that route, be sure to check out different (power saving) water heaters like the different styles of in-line heaters available today.
Also make note that these also take time to clean.. I am recalling your other thread with your business plan of only 1 emp. - will they also be the housekeeper?
 
I could not have said it better, To Go.
Find out your target market and determine your rate structure and what amenites the rate will cover.
Remenber that jacussis and steam showers us a lot of water - hot water which equals to $$. If you go that route, be sure to check out different (power saving) water heaters like the different styles of in-line heaters available today.
Also make note that these also take time to clean.. I am recalling your other thread with your business plan of only 1 emp. - will they also be the housekeeper?.
copperhead said:
Also make note that these also take time to clean.. I am recalling your other thread with your business plan of only 1 emp. - will they also be the housekeeper?
Lord have mercy, whenever I see one of those things at an inn, all I can think is "no, I do not ever want to work here. Ever." because the cleaning would just be one huge gigantic pain in the arse that would take entirely more time than any innkeeper generally has. And eventually, housekeepers or no, it's sometimes we innkeepers who end up cleaning them. No thank you.
 
I'm in a town of 60,000. I have 4 rooms and am 2 1/2 years into this adventure. I can say that the most frequently booked room is the one with the double whirlpool tub. I have one room with a single whirlpool which is booked the least frequently. The room with the king bed and a slightly wider than standard shower is booked second most frequently. The room with a fancy multi spray shower (not a steam shower) is booked 3rd most. I have more business guests in the winter, and family of college students or of locals in the summer and during football season. Many of my guests are first time for B&B's, and there aren't many b&B's in my region of the state. I think I fall in the category of many of my potential guests have just never thought about staying in a B&B. I know that doesn't help much, but as to the trend to go with fancy showerws, it doesn't seem to hold up for my demographic.
 
First and foremost, you must know who your market is. What are the other lodging places like? Is there one that is more successful than the others? What sets them apart? You're in an up and coming area, so try to figure out the demographics of the people who are being drawn to your town. Just because you're starting from scratch doesn't mean that you should automatically put in high end tubs and it worries me a little bit that you were immediately told to put them in without knowing more about your place.
If I remember from another post of yours, you are looking to be at the higher end of the lodging in your area, but the rates you quoted were in the $150 range. At that rate, how long would it take for you to get a return on your investment? Those tubs are pretty pricey and they take a huge amount of water and energy to heat all that water. Fortunately we don't have to pay for our water, but we pay a pretty penny to heat it. We have 7 50 gallon water heaters to be able to heat all that water as well as laundry (electric).
We have 4 rooms/suites/cottage and all of them have jacuzzi tubs and it's a huge draw for us and sets us apart from the other b&bs and hotels/motels. 3 of our tubs are the double ones and those rooms rent first. These tubs do take more time and effort to clean and unlike your workshop leader saying that a lot of people never turn the tubs on, that has not been our experience. Our niche is a romantic getaway. We have never had anyone ask about a fancy shower/steam/sauna.
 
Whatever you get, make sure the controls are easy to use.
Two of our rooms have heated tile floors. One has a nice, simple control... on/off, up/down. The other has this programmable, digital thing that NO ONE can use, not even me, so I know the guests rarely do.
KISS!!!
=)
Kk.
 
i vote for a two person jacuzzi or whirlpool tub plus a separate, wide shower stall with regular shower head and also the hose that you can rinse with. i got some of these off qvc .... http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.V28697.desc.EcoSpa-8Function-Chrome-Finish-Massaging-Dual-Showerhead
i don't know how they are holding up with all the continued guest use, but we had them for two seasons okay. and i wouldn't rely on any suction cup thing to hold something ... but it gave all the options guests wanted.
if you can afford them, i would have the tubs in all rooms. and yes you will have to research the cleaning aspect. consider this ... in crummy weather with nothing much going on in the area around you ... with the jacuzzi tubs, you can still promote romance or spa stays. if you don't have fireplaces, you can buy the stoves from dimplex and then you've also got 'fire' in the rooms.
 
The showers unless you buy the Kohler or other top brand are finicky. We have them and they did not tell us that if one is on a well you have to have a water softener. They are also computerized so you need to be able to maintain them youself and that is a pain.
If you can afford the Kohler etc go for it but I hope you don't have any water shortages. I don't like them as they will stay in the shower for hours. Not very green. Plus, are you going to allow kids? I don't, and the computers in the showers are one reason why.
I love love love my whirlpool tubs. Had them for over 2 years and no problems. But DO NOT BUY JACUZZI.
Buy Bath Tec or MCI. Difference: they both have a sanitary flushing system to clean out any skin or oils or whatever inbetween guests that only use a couple of gallons of bleach water.
Jacuzzi has to be COMPLETELY FILLED with water and run to clean. And besides the waste of water, are you really sure when your staff is pushed with one night turnovers that they will do that? Jacuzzi may have changed their design but I have not heard that they have.
But I would not have a room without a whilrpool tub. The shower - I'm not that impressed with. Would rather see you put in a spot for a sauna room kit.
RIki
Both companies should give you a great quote since you'll be purchasing
 
Absolutely do the heated floors. We bought it all online and the guests love them. You can use the computer to time them to go on and off.
ONline was about half the price of local contractor.
RIki
 
My tip is this don't do every bathroom the same I would do some with showers and some with jacuzzi baths as older people and people with mobility problems struggle to get in and out and so would do better with a walk in shower. I would also look at ease of cleaning and ease of use the number of times I have been called out to a shower (It doesn't work etc) to find the customer can't operate simple on off switches. You want the style that is as idiot proof as possible. Also look at your competition and what hot water your boiler can produce (the bigger the better!) as you don't want other guests unable to shower due to one person being in the tub.
 
My tip is this don't do every bathroom the same I would do some with showers and some with jacuzzi baths as older people and people with mobility problems struggle to get in and out and so would do better with a walk in shower. I would also look at ease of cleaning and ease of use the number of times I have been called out to a shower (It doesn't work etc) to find the customer can't operate simple on off switches. You want the style that is as idiot proof as possible. Also look at your competition and what hot water your boiler can produce (the bigger the better!) as you don't want other guests unable to shower due to one person being in the tub..
My tip is this don't do every bathroom the same I would do some with showers and some with jacuzzi baths as older people and people with mobility problems struggle to get in and out and so would do better with a walk in shower.
Here in the US I can't agree. The rooms with the whirlpool tubs sell first and if I don't have a room with one they go to the next B&B. It is strange, but some insist on it and don't end up using it. All US baths have showers which the older folk prefer, they just won't use the tub.
RIki
 
I could not have said it better, To Go.
Find out your target market and determine your rate structure and what amenites the rate will cover.
Remenber that jacussis and steam showers us a lot of water - hot water which equals to $$. If you go that route, be sure to check out different (power saving) water heaters like the different styles of in-line heaters available today.
Also make note that these also take time to clean.. I am recalling your other thread with your business plan of only 1 emp. - will they also be the housekeeper?.
The plan is to use the person manning the "country store" to also check guests in and out. That person won't do housekeeping. I'll hire dedicated housekeepers for that.
 
My tip is this don't do every bathroom the same I would do some with showers and some with jacuzzi baths as older people and people with mobility problems struggle to get in and out and so would do better with a walk in shower. I would also look at ease of cleaning and ease of use the number of times I have been called out to a shower (It doesn't work etc) to find the customer can't operate simple on off switches. You want the style that is as idiot proof as possible. Also look at your competition and what hot water your boiler can produce (the bigger the better!) as you don't want other guests unable to shower due to one person being in the tub..
My tip is this don't do every bathroom the same I would do some with showers and some with jacuzzi baths as older people and people with mobility problems struggle to get in and out and so would do better with a walk in shower.
Here in the US I can't agree. The rooms with the whirlpool tubs sell first and if I don't have a room with one they go to the next B&B. It is strange, but some insist on it and don't end up using it. All US baths have showers which the older folk prefer, they just won't use the tub.
RIki
.
It may be that more people in the UK fancy themselves disabled LOL
 
The showers unless you buy the Kohler or other top brand are finicky. We have them and they did not tell us that if one is on a well you have to have a water softener. They are also computerized so you need to be able to maintain them youself and that is a pain.
If you can afford the Kohler etc go for it but I hope you don't have any water shortages. I don't like them as they will stay in the shower for hours. Not very green. Plus, are you going to allow kids? I don't, and the computers in the showers are one reason why.
I love love love my whirlpool tubs. Had them for over 2 years and no problems. But DO NOT BUY JACUZZI.
Buy Bath Tec or MCI. Difference: they both have a sanitary flushing system to clean out any skin or oils or whatever inbetween guests that only use a couple of gallons of bleach water.
Jacuzzi has to be COMPLETELY FILLED with water and run to clean. And besides the waste of water, are you really sure when your staff is pushed with one night turnovers that they will do that? Jacuzzi may have changed their design but I have not heard that they have.
But I would not have a room without a whilrpool tub. The shower - I'm not that impressed with. Would rather see you put in a spot for a sauna room kit.
RIki
Both companies should give you a great quote since you'll be purchasing.
Yes, sauna has always been in the plan. They don't require much maintenance except to mop the floor. I think sauna will look good on the amenities list, and I think it's one of those things most guests won't end up using, but we'll see.
 
Thanks to all for such excellent advice! Much to consider!
Regarding hot water supply, I must have the capacity to handle it if everybody is filling their tubs at once, while considering the possibility that there may be days at a time when not a single tub gets filled.
It seems crazy to me to have a huge tank of water kept hot 24/7 just in case anyone or everyone wants to use it.
So I'm thinking about the new on-demand hot water heaters that only make the hot water as you need it. They say they can make it as fast as it's needed and you cannot run out.
We're on city water so there should be unlimited water and plenty of pressure. If i have enough natural gas supply and enough on-demand capacity, I should be fine.
 
Thanks to all for such excellent advice! Much to consider!
Regarding hot water supply, I must have the capacity to handle it if everybody is filling their tubs at once, while considering the possibility that there may be days at a time when not a single tub gets filled.
It seems crazy to me to have a huge tank of water kept hot 24/7 just in case anyone or everyone wants to use it.
So I'm thinking about the new on-demand hot water heaters that only make the hot water as you need it. They say they can make it as fast as it's needed and you cannot run out.
We're on city water so there should be unlimited water and plenty of pressure. If i have enough natural gas supply and enough on-demand capacity, I should be fine..
I think the on demand type is the way to go. Be as green and as energy efficient as you can. If you can get it together enough...energy tax credits for this year, then they end:-(
 
Thanks to all for such excellent advice! Much to consider!
Regarding hot water supply, I must have the capacity to handle it if everybody is filling their tubs at once, while considering the possibility that there may be days at a time when not a single tub gets filled.
It seems crazy to me to have a huge tank of water kept hot 24/7 just in case anyone or everyone wants to use it.
So I'm thinking about the new on-demand hot water heaters that only make the hot water as you need it. They say they can make it as fast as it's needed and you cannot run out.
We're on city water so there should be unlimited water and plenty of pressure. If i have enough natural gas supply and enough on-demand capacity, I should be fine..
Arkansawyer said:
It seems crazy to me to have a huge tank of water kept hot 24/7 just in case anyone or everyone wants to use it.
So I'm thinking about the new on-demand hot water heaters that only make the hot water as you need it. They say they can make it as fast as it's needed and you cannot run out.
We're on city water so there should be unlimited water and plenty of pressure. If i have enough natural gas supply and enough on-demand capacity, I should be fine.
The on demand type is where we are going for our wing. Make sure whichever system you have those who can maintain it. Much cheaper than keeping the water hot 24/7.
Riki
 
Thanks to all for such excellent advice! Much to consider!
Regarding hot water supply, I must have the capacity to handle it if everybody is filling their tubs at once, while considering the possibility that there may be days at a time when not a single tub gets filled.
It seems crazy to me to have a huge tank of water kept hot 24/7 just in case anyone or everyone wants to use it.
So I'm thinking about the new on-demand hot water heaters that only make the hot water as you need it. They say they can make it as fast as it's needed and you cannot run out.
We're on city water so there should be unlimited water and plenty of pressure. If i have enough natural gas supply and enough on-demand capacity, I should be fine..
I think the on demand type is the way to go. Be as green and as energy efficient as you can. If you can get it together enough...energy tax credits for this year, then they end:-(
.
They sure like the on-demand water heaters on This Old House. That's all I know about them. But it sure makes sense to me.
 
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