Yesterday I did an inspection of a b&b that is applying for membership in our association. They've been innkeepers for many years and are very discouraged because business has really gone down in this economy the last two years.
Here's what I found:
- horrible website with bad small pictures and was created 8 years ago without updating (except for room rate)
- no online calendar or online reservations system
- 3 week cancellation policy in an area where all other b&bs have 3 to 7 day cancellation policy
- are listed on only 3 directories
Hmmmm....ya really think it's the economy???.
Breakfast Diva said:
Yesterday I did an inspection of a b&b that is applying for membership in our association. They've been innkeepers for many years and are very discouraged because business has really gone down in this economy the last two years.
Here's what I found:
- horrible website with bad small pictures and was created 8 years ago without updating (except for room rate)
- no online calendar or online reservations system
- 3 week cancellation policy in an area where all other b&bs have 3 to 7 day cancellation policy
- are listed on only 3 directories
Hmmmm....ya really think it's the economy???
100% agree.
The website is everything, for an inn to open or even exist, they need to realize this! When I see the new inns for sale on BBONLINE (in the newly listed inns from the past 30 days) there seems to be a trend of really crappy websites, not many with online reservations, or pertinent information.
All those policies and fine print make people click on to the next B&B, I know I do, I have said that this past year when planning a couple short getaways that made me pull my hair out.
And yet, there are still those B&B's open in the year 2010 that do not have an availability calendar or online reservations. There is one in a city near me, the owner is delightful, she excels at making her guests thoroughly enjoy their stay. She is PAYPAL ONLY, she has no avail calendar, so I cannot even check to see before I refer callers to her, and it just stinks, plain and simple. She has not changed the website one iota from the day she launched it, one done by a nephew or brother or something.
We have to stay ahead of the curve, like mentioned this forum is very unique in comparison to some out there who argue if online rez are necessary. DOH! If you want guests, let them book the rooms, please, stop making it difficult.
PS looked at an online system as some other family had booked this place at Nags Head in the Outer Banks NC, from there it took me to a new booking engine and didn't retain my information, I put in the dates and it showed 1 adult, so I changed/corrected it to 2 (which s/b the default anyway), lost everything the page went down, had to google the place again to find the website, and start over. What did I do? I walked away, said FORGET IT! STUFF THEM.