Posts Tagged bed and breakfast inns

Remaining Relevant – Edging Out Your Competition in the Hotel Industry

Unless they’re historic bed and breakfast inns, most hotels are modern and up-to-date, boasting high speed internet, sound wave alarm clocks and versatile hangers, among other hotel supplies. If you’re like most people who work in hotels and handle the amenities, in some capacity, on a daily basis, after a while you might not notice the details anymore. As with most day-to-day tasks, buying hotel supplies and amenities can become routine especially when you’re tasked with balancing budgetary constraints, style needs and guest preferences. If hotel supplies such as towels, ice buckets and bed spreads become dated, hotels can become dated, too, and get lost amongst the competition.

Hotels that are successful long-term attribute their success, in part, to their ability to remain relevant which means they know themselves and their brand identity. They also know the hotels near them and what makes them stand out. When you think about your hotel, what do people pay for? Is your service exceptional?

Maybe the views are amazing and the hotel supplies and amenities are unique. If luxury and convenience define your business, plush robes and bed linens and complimentary breakfast would be relevant hotel supplies and amenities. To maintain their place among the masses, hotels must keep current with trends to remain competitive and relevant.

Timeliness very likely isn’t a high priority for you or anybody else who works in hotels. However, if hotels want to maintain occupancy rates, attract new business and offer a great overall experience ensuring that everything from the amenities and hotel supplies to the color palettes and furniture are current and inviting is paramount. Have you ever gotten a room in a modern hotel and, upon walking into the room itself, felt like you traveled in time back to the early 1990s or worse, and it’s not a historic hotel? While it might not affect the visit, most people think less of hotels that are dated, especially when the amenities, hotel supplies and conveniences one would expect are either not offered or unavailable during their stay.

Whether you’re working for an eclectic bed and breakfast or a posh spa resort, conveying value to your guests is important. Quality amenities and hotel supplies, amazing views, superb locations and complimentary meals or snacks all convey the “we’re trying to maximize your dollar” message. It’s important, especially when consumers of every stripe are counting their pennies and paying more attention to what they’re getting for their money than ever before. While hotel supplies and amenities are important components of hotels, they aren’t everything. The cleanliness of your hotel, a responsive staff, spacious guest rooms and modern furnishings all play important roles in the overall guest experience.

Being and remaining competitive in the hospitality industry is no small feat. Maintaining your edge by providing quality hotel supplies and amenities helps you as the competition among hotels is stiff almost everywhere. When people feel like their opinion matters, when they see updated fixtures, renovations that modernize hotels and high quality hotel supplies, they know they’ve been heard which typically translates into more business for you. That said, focused on details though you might be, it’s important that those same details remain fresh and relevant to both guest and hotel alike.

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Bed and Breakfasts for Business Travel

In recent years, Bed and Breakfast Inns have become popular as a quaint, home away from home lodging for the vacationing traveler. For some who travel alone, a Bed and Breakfast offers a secure feeling in a tranquil setting. And, for those who travel for business, it is a relaxing haven after a hectic day of business and meetings.

There are very few destinations where Bed and Breakfasts are not listed in the accommodation section of the local telephone book. If business takes you to a rural location there is a greater chance there will be a Bed and Breakfast in the area before a motel or hotel.

Farms, working ranches, acreage owners, rural and city families are all diversifying their daily lives to incorporate a Bed and Breakfast business into their homes. Each providing a comfortable retreat for vacationing and more importantly, for those traveling on business.

The home, the host and the location all make sure that the accommodations will vary at every Bed and Breakfast. Heritage buildings offer a characteristic charisma of their own. Often the hosts will play on the historical side decorating with antiques and collectable items. Memorabilia used will bring back memories of childhood times visiting Grandparents and stories of days gone by. Modern homes may offer a chic clean edgy feel and others may offer rooms which are no different than those we would find in our own homes. It is common in all of these settings to have access to the internet; however, this should be confirmed prior to making reservations if this is a requirement needed while away on business.

Some Bed and Breakfasts may offer refreshments in your room and often as not there is a common area for guest to prepare beverages and have a light snack should they choose to do so. Most will also offer a selection of books, movies and board games for your use as well.

Be prepared for a wonderful breakfast. Here, too, the Bed and Breakfasts normally will offer a selection of foods and will be more than accommodating in looking after any dietary needs. Courtesy prevails here. Make any culinary requests when booking the reservation to ensure all needs are looked after.

If business requires that you leave before breakfast will be served, inquire with your host when making the reservations, regarding items of food you may be able to take with you such as baked goods or fruit and a beverage to take in your go-cup.

The morning meal at a Bed and Breakfast is a perfect time to network with others who are staying there. These people may be on business as well or vacationers traveling from all parts of the world and all walks of life. Interesting conversation and connections have been known to transpire during the time it takes to eat your morning meal at a Bed and Breakfast.

Bed and Breakfasts are not hotels or motels. Therefore, there should be no expectation to drive up to the Bed and Breakfast of your choice and presume there will be a room available for you. These accommodations are booked months in advance and in some instances years and they may have black- out periods as well.

After a day of traveling or board room meetings, avoid disappointment and plan ahead by making your reservations online or by telephone before starting your travels.

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