To many ammenities ?

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One Day

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At what point does one offer to many ammenities for the room rate?
I've seen many, many establishments websites......the listing of ammenities varies.....for some the difference is significant....I'm just wondering when is it to much?..........when has one offered to much to make it doable? ......whether that would be increased work loads, more working hours......to reduced profits.
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59.
 
Thanks......
Your point of the ironing of sheets till midnight is where i am going with this thread
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59..
Morticia said:
Where are you located? (...no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat...
[Arkansawyer raises hand.]
Morticia said:
...attracting guests away from more populated areas...
[Arkansawyer raises other hand.]
You nailed me perfectly. I've GOT to offer lots of amenities, and the beer/wine permit. Otherwise, there are minimal reasons for anybody to visit this place! Certainly, some amenities will cost more than the room rate will repay. But some guests come for one thing, others come for a different amenity. I feel I've got to offer lots of different things to attract a few people from point A, a few more from point B, who want different things.
And if none of it works out, I'll put on the thinking cap and come up with Plan B.
 
Depends......
Location, location, location.
What is the "competition" (hotels and other B&Bs/inns) offering?
How do you carve your niche in the lodging market in your area? If you're the one quaint B&B in town, you can offer what you feel like offering to some extent as long as there's something that defines you as opposed to the chain hotel (if there is one). If there's more in the market, you have to figure out your price point for what you want to offer.
Do the amenities make a difference in the market that you're in? (For example, some inns on the forum don't have TVs in the rooms and that works for them vs. here I would have zero bookings with no TVs and I need some cable service to make the sale, like sports channels - football is important here, very important.)
Who are you selling your rooms to? If you don't have a romantic market, you probably don't need big jetted tubs. But, if you have business travelers an awesome shower could be a draw. If you have a lot of outdoor enthusiasts, it might pay to have an outdoor hot tub.
I think you have to be willing to either adjust rates or reconfigure rooms and amenities if something just isn't working.
A lot of it is good market research and then some of it is trying to figure out your brand. You definitely have to do the numbers when you plan to put in some new expensive amenity improvement.
 
Question B) Do guests even know you have these extra amenities or are they something the guest is pleasantly surprised with upon check in?
On the other hand, I have seen websites where they list every little detail to make it seemingly more. This, as a guest, annoys me. Things I expect to find at a B&B or in my room, standard stuff,
I believe most inngoers are surprised when they arrive at the little extras they find. Some of these are not done for every guest and fall under the service category, like it is her birthday so we set up something small in their room. Or they mention going to get a bottle of wine and the come back to a tray with wine glasses and dessert waiting for them. These are amenities that are unadvertised.
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59..
Morticia said:
Where are you located? (...no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat...
[Arkansawyer raises hand.]
Morticia said:
...attracting guests away from more populated areas...
[Arkansawyer raises other hand.]
You nailed me perfectly. I've GOT to offer lots of amenities, and the beer/wine permit. Otherwise, there are minimal reasons for anybody to visit this place! Certainly, some amenities will cost more than the room rate will repay. But some guests come for one thing, others come for a different amenity. I feel I've got to offer lots of different things to attract a few people from point A, a few more from point B, who want different things.
And if none of it works out, I'll put on the thinking cap and come up with Plan B.
.
I hate to tell you but amenities will not bring them - there has to be another reason. They can get beer & wine down the street, why travel to you?
Take some Sunday drives within 60 miles in every direction.route of your place. What do you find? A little museum? A craft shop? An historic site? A breath-taking view? A lake or fising hole? Market this.
Nice amenities count but why are they going to be there to use your amenities?
 
I agree K.
As other mentioned elsewhere boasting thread county or linens brands might help them to decide between two inns, but won't bring them to your website.
It is a fine line, what you offer to sell the rooms. 75% of the calls I receive currently are about price, then I need to convince them it is good value. Those are the callers, those who peruse the website read and see the value. Back to the website being up to snuff thing. Add a photo gallery or blog for additional space for more photos of what you have to offer.
 
We're lucky to have city and county governments that have realized that factory jobs and their multi-million dollar payrolls are gone forever and tourism is one of the only ways we have left to bring outside money into our county.
We have a very active tourism committee with good local government support, and they've come up with all kinds of local sights and things to do. We have no major attractions, but lots of little things that can add up to make a decent offering. Several museums, some decent shopping, a dinner theater, things for hikers and bird watchers, a nice mix of things.
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59..
Morticia said:
Where are you located? (...no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat...
[Arkansawyer raises hand.]
Morticia said:
...attracting guests away from more populated areas...
[Arkansawyer raises other hand.]
You nailed me perfectly. I've GOT to offer lots of amenities, and the beer/wine permit. Otherwise, there are minimal reasons for anybody to visit this place! Certainly, some amenities will cost more than the room rate will repay. But some guests come for one thing, others come for a different amenity. I feel I've got to offer lots of different things to attract a few people from point A, a few more from point B, who want different things.
And if none of it works out, I'll put on the thinking cap and come up with Plan B.
.
I hate to tell you but amenities will not bring them - there has to be another reason. They can get beer & wine down the street, why travel to you?
Take some Sunday drives within 60 miles in every direction.route of your place. What do you find? A little museum? A craft shop? An historic site? A breath-taking view? A lake or fising hole? Market this.
Nice amenities count but why are they going to be there to use your amenities?
.
gillumhouse said:
...amenities will not bring them...
In thinking about this some more, I agree you're right of course, but I'm also thinking this mainly applies to the first visit.
In my travels I've never gone to a town just because I want to stay at a really nice accommodation I've read about. But I can tell of many instances where, once I got there, I liked the inn so much that as we're leaving, I'm saying, "I definitely will be back here some day!"
If people have a really great experience, and really enjoy some of the amenities and the time they had with you, I do think that can play a big part in bringing people back for future stays, assuming, as you say, there are also some things to do in the area, which I think any place on earth can provide, at least to some extent.
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59..
Morticia said:
Where are you located? (...no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat...
[Arkansawyer raises hand.]
Morticia said:
...attracting guests away from more populated areas...
[Arkansawyer raises other hand.]
You nailed me perfectly. I've GOT to offer lots of amenities, and the beer/wine permit. Otherwise, there are minimal reasons for anybody to visit this place! Certainly, some amenities will cost more than the room rate will repay. But some guests come for one thing, others come for a different amenity. I feel I've got to offer lots of different things to attract a few people from point A, a few more from point B, who want different things.
And if none of it works out, I'll put on the thinking cap and come up with Plan B.
.
I hate to tell you but amenities will not bring them - there has to be another reason. They can get beer & wine down the street, why travel to you?
Take some Sunday drives within 60 miles in every direction.route of your place. What do you find? A little museum? A craft shop? An historic site? A breath-taking view? A lake or fising hole? Market this.
Nice amenities count but why are they going to be there to use your amenities?
.
gillumhouse said:
...amenities will not bring them...
In thinking about this some more, I agree you're right of course, but I'm also thinking this mainly applies to the first visit.
In my travels I've never gone to a town just because I want to stay at a really nice accommodation I've read about. But I can tell of many instances where, once I got there, I liked the inn so much that as we're leaving, I'm saying, "I definitely will be back here some day!"
If people have a really great experience, and really enjoy some of the amenities and the time they had with you, I do think that can play a big part in bringing people back for future stays, assuming, as you say, there are also some things to do in the area, which I think any place on earth can provide, at least to some extent.
.
But I can tell of many instances where, once I got there, I liked the inn so much that as we're leaving, I'm saying, "I definitely will be back here some day!"
Yep, and if I had a neckle for everytime I heard that I would not have any money worries. How many times, after saying that, did you actually go back? I do have some that do, but the majority are BTDT travelers. I was, for the most part, a BTDT traveler. So much to see and do and so little time to do it.....
 
I don't think there is a line anyone crosses on purpose. I know I've read stuff on here that makes my hair curl. Innmates are offering WAY more amenities than I do for $50+ less than I charge.
It probably depends on a lot of parameters.
Where are you located? (Lots of competition, no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat, attracting guests away from more populated areas, transient guests?)
What you had as your vision- keep 'em coming back with everything they could possibly want?
What you read from a trusted source? (I got all cotton sheets because I read that's what guests wanted. Hated ironing until midnight every stinkin' night in the summer, so I gave all the stinkin' cotton sheets to the homeless shelter!)
Now, there are stats that show more Worker'sComp filings as hotels got more amenities...Jacuzzis that had to be climbed into, gym equip that needed to be wiped down, king beds, etc. All of that comes at a price, especially if the mgmt thinks the same housekeeper can clean the same number of rooms when they add all that stuff into it.
My take on rooms is that they should be streamlined so it's easy in-easy out for housekeeping (me & Gomez for 8 months of the year).
I've looked at places that charge $1500/night that are in some of the most depressed parts of the Adirondacks. A few miles away you can get a basic room for $59/night. So, you can make your place the reason someone goes to that depressed little town or you can just take advantage of whatever business happens down the pike at $59..
Morticia said:
Where are you located? (...no other reason to go to the town but for a really special retreat...
[Arkansawyer raises hand.]
Morticia said:
...attracting guests away from more populated areas...
[Arkansawyer raises other hand.]
You nailed me perfectly. I've GOT to offer lots of amenities, and the beer/wine permit. Otherwise, there are minimal reasons for anybody to visit this place! Certainly, some amenities will cost more than the room rate will repay. But some guests come for one thing, others come for a different amenity. I feel I've got to offer lots of different things to attract a few people from point A, a few more from point B, who want different things.
And if none of it works out, I'll put on the thinking cap and come up with Plan B.
.
I hate to tell you but amenities will not bring them - there has to be another reason. They can get beer & wine down the street, why travel to you?
Take some Sunday drives within 60 miles in every direction.route of your place. What do you find? A little museum? A craft shop? An historic site? A breath-taking view? A lake or fising hole? Market this.
Nice amenities count but why are they going to be there to use your amenities?
.
gillumhouse said:
...amenities will not bring them...
In thinking about this some more, I agree you're right of course, but I'm also thinking this mainly applies to the first visit.
In my travels I've never gone to a town just because I want to stay at a really nice accommodation I've read about. But I can tell of many instances where, once I got there, I liked the inn so much that as we're leaving, I'm saying, "I definitely will be back here some day!"
If people have a really great experience, and really enjoy some of the amenities and the time they had with you, I do think that can play a big part in bringing people back for future stays, assuming, as you say, there are also some things to do in the area, which I think any place on earth can provide, at least to some extent.
.
But I can tell of many instances where, once I got there, I liked the inn so much that as we're leaving, I'm saying, "I definitely will be back here some day!"
Yep, and if I had a neckle for everytime I heard that I would not have any money worries. How many times, after saying that, did you actually go back? I do have some that do, but the majority are BTDT travelers. I was, for the most part, a BTDT traveler. So much to see and do and so little time to do it.....
.
We're in an interesting location here. I have a lot of what I call 'transient' stays. These are folks in transition from here to somewhere else. Their big vacation is in the other place. But we're halfway to the other place and they stay here to break up the trip. They go to the same place every year, have done so forever. They treat the other place like their summer home.
During the rest of the year they go somewhere completely different (Africa, Israel, India, the other coast, wherever). But we're part of their summer vacation.
I am continually surprised by guests who call or show up at the door and say, 'We stayed here for our (honeymoon, vacation, whatever) 10 years ago.' We always suggest they not stay away so long next time!
 
We're lucky to have city and county governments that have realized that factory jobs and their multi-million dollar payrolls are gone forever and tourism is one of the only ways we have left to bring outside money into our county.
We have a very active tourism committee with good local government support, and they've come up with all kinds of local sights and things to do. We have no major attractions, but lots of little things that can add up to make a decent offering. Several museums, some decent shopping, a dinner theater, things for hikers and bird watchers, a nice mix of things..
We fall in this category and so far it seems to be enough. A getaway location doesn't have to be Disneyland to work.
 
We had to draw the line on certain amenities. We went minimalist on soaps and shampoos because most of it was walking out the door to be used on guests' other trips. So we took a look at what added value to the room while minimally cutting into our profits.
We have really discovered the things that guests appreciate most, costs the least.
For example, we have 72 acres of wooded land cut with walking trails that we placed here and there. These walking trails must be maintained and part of that comes in the form of removing fallen branches and twigs that make a regular appearance especially after a thunderstorm.
Rather than create double work by collecting and then disposing of this wood (most of which is unsuitable for the fireplace), it becomes fodder for our nightly campfires, which are a huge draw for most of our visitors. So, I'm killing two birds with one stone by taking care of my problem and by providing my guests with an amenity.
If courtesy and attention to detail are amenities, then they're another freebie that guests recognize and appreciate.
 
We had to draw the line on certain amenities. We went minimalist on soaps and shampoos because most of it was walking out the door to be used on guests' other trips. So we took a look at what added value to the room while minimally cutting into our profits.
We have really discovered the things that guests appreciate most, costs the least.
For example, we have 72 acres of wooded land cut with walking trails that we placed here and there. These walking trails must be maintained and part of that comes in the form of removing fallen branches and twigs that make a regular appearance especially after a thunderstorm.
Rather than create double work by collecting and then disposing of this wood (most of which is unsuitable for the fireplace), it becomes fodder for our nightly campfires, which are a huge draw for most of our visitors. So, I'm killing two birds with one stone by taking care of my problem and by providing my guests with an amenity.
If courtesy and attention to detail are amenities, then they're another freebie that guests recognize and appreciate..
Proud Texan said:
We went minimalist on soaps and shampoos because most of it was walking out the door to be used on guests' other trips.
I'm planning to go with a liquid dispenser in the showers, to save on soap/shampoo waste. I bought THIS one from a company I ran across called Simple_Human. Unlike the all-plastic dispensers, these are really nice, with heavy-duty metal parts. I bought one for our shower and I really like it. Looks classy. The 3 reservoirs will have body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. To refill them, the top slips off and you pour refills right in. No need to remove the reservoir from the wall to refill like the all-plastic dispensers I've used before.
For the lavatories, I'm planning to offer bar soap and THIS Simple_Human single dispenser with body wash.
I also like the Simple_Human toilet brushes and their recycling products. They just have really high quality, nice looking stuff.
 
If you watch 3 in a bed there is one chap with a B&B in Durham and he has in my opinion too many amenities one room (room not inn) had a sauna and a hot tub in it plus a shower with more knobs than you can think of the other couple had to sleep with the lights on cos they couldn't turn them off.
 
This Inn is not really a "destination" place, you can see the town and whats here in a couple hours, so did what Gillum did, we have traveled just a little farther this Saturday, but along the way we noted things that are 30-60 miles from the Inn-and there is ALOT to do in this state there are probably around 8 state and county park, lakes, biking etc...so we are getting all info and putting it on the website, collecting information and bringing it to the Inn.
I don't think amenities are all that guests look for, yea ok, wireless, TV and the regular stuff, but if you're not in a "destination" placee or not in in "in between' your next stop,then you kind of have to work a little harder to bring those guests that don't think about the Inn that is 2 hours away but they can do so much close to the Inn but not necessarily in town where there is not much of anything. Itsa fine line I know.
We are trying many different approches to bring the Inn back to what it was 4 years ago-its a on-going marketing and we are hoping that our boss notices that we really do care about this Inn even if we don't own it..its our job! Its actually getting better and communication these couple weeks have been easier and thanks to all of you its working.
Now to talk her into new mattrasses (these are at least 20 years old) thats our next Mission...he he he
 
We had to draw the line on certain amenities. We went minimalist on soaps and shampoos because most of it was walking out the door to be used on guests' other trips. So we took a look at what added value to the room while minimally cutting into our profits.
We have really discovered the things that guests appreciate most, costs the least.
For example, we have 72 acres of wooded land cut with walking trails that we placed here and there. These walking trails must be maintained and part of that comes in the form of removing fallen branches and twigs that make a regular appearance especially after a thunderstorm.
Rather than create double work by collecting and then disposing of this wood (most of which is unsuitable for the fireplace), it becomes fodder for our nightly campfires, which are a huge draw for most of our visitors. So, I'm killing two birds with one stone by taking care of my problem and by providing my guests with an amenity.
If courtesy and attention to detail are amenities, then they're another freebie that guests recognize and appreciate..
Proud Texan said:
We went minimalist on soaps and shampoos because most of it was walking out the door to be used on guests' other trips.
I'm planning to go with a liquid dispenser in the showers, to save on soap/shampoo waste. I bought THIS one from a company I ran across called Simple_Human. Unlike the all-plastic dispensers, these are really nice, with heavy-duty metal parts. I bought one for our shower and I really like it. Looks classy. The 3 reservoirs will have body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. To refill them, the top slips off and you pour refills right in. No need to remove the reservoir from the wall to refill like the all-plastic dispensers I've used before.
For the lavatories, I'm planning to offer bar soap and THIS Simple_Human single dispenser with body wash.
I also like the Simple_Human toilet brushes and their recycling products. They just have really high quality, nice looking stuff.
.
I have the plastic dispensers and chambers. The chambers come out and top caps come off for filling ease. My only problem with them after 14 years has been that some of them do leak when the button does not return properly. A gallon of liquid soap is a heck of a lot cheaper than little soaps.
 
This Inn is not really a "destination" place, you can see the town and whats here in a couple hours, so did what Gillum did, we have traveled just a little farther this Saturday, but along the way we noted things that are 30-60 miles from the Inn-and there is ALOT to do in this state there are probably around 8 state and county park, lakes, biking etc...so we are getting all info and putting it on the website, collecting information and bringing it to the Inn.
I don't think amenities are all that guests look for, yea ok, wireless, TV and the regular stuff, but if you're not in a "destination" placee or not in in "in between' your next stop,then you kind of have to work a little harder to bring those guests that don't think about the Inn that is 2 hours away but they can do so much close to the Inn but not necessarily in town where there is not much of anything. Itsa fine line I know.
We are trying many different approches to bring the Inn back to what it was 4 years ago-its a on-going marketing and we are hoping that our boss notices that we really do care about this Inn even if we don't own it..its our job! Its actually getting better and communication these couple weeks have been easier and thanks to all of you its working.
Now to talk her into new mattrasses (these are at least 20 years old) thats our next Mission...he he he.
Good for you! Exploring the area having a fun day and doing research at the same time.
 
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