How to Start a Bed and Breakfast
Business Overview:
If you’ve ever had a relaxing weekend away at a well-run bed and breakfast, you might have wondered how to start a bed and breakfast of your own. Opening a bed and breakfast can be an exciting business idea for someone who has a large enough property to welcome guests comfortably and who has the type of personality that enjoys interacting with new people. Owning a bed and breakfast is a great way to start your own business from your home and offer an atmosphere that people will pay to experience. Sometimes the ambiance alone can be enough, especially if your town has its own allure—perhaps it’s full of great antique shops or loaded with highly rated restaurants. Other times your property itself might be the attraction, particularly if you live on a farm or in a historical home with a great deal of charm. Once you’ve realized your property will suffice for a business like this, you’ll want to know the details of how to open a bed and breakfast as well as the ins-and-outs of running a bed and breakfast. As the name implies, you will need to supply your guests with at least one meal, namely breakfast. You’ll also want to become an expert on attractions and events in your area, sort of like being your own concierge service for your guests. Finally, you will want to remember the golden rule of how to run a bed and breakfast successfully: Make your guests feel so special with unique details that they will not only recommend your business, they will come back to see you year after year.
A Day in the Life of a bed and breakfast business owner:
The daily schedule of a bed and breakfast owner will often be chock-full. If you’re the cook, you will need to wake up early to begin breakfast preparation. After you’ve entertained your guests through breakfast, you will need to help guests check out, plan their days, and hopefully welcome new guests. Then you will need to work on the back-end details like cleaning, shopping, bookkeeping, and advertising. The days might be long, but many bed and breakfast owners consider it a rewarding and lucrative business.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be vacation seekers who want the comforts of home without the work. The people who seek out bed and breakfast accommodations will also likely be looking for enticing activities to engage in during the days of their vacation.
What You Need to Start:
- A property that is both large enough and inviting enough to accommodate guests
- A personality that fits the B&B owner description—convivial, interesting, and gourmet
- A town or locale with attractions that can bolster your business and lure customers in
- Financial-tracking software
The Good:
- Your home is your investment in the truest sense of the word.
- You can enjoy your guests and what your home has to offer them.
- The business can be very lucrative.
- The initial investment can be minimal (if you already own the home).
The Bad:
- You might feel chained to your home since you work in it day in and day out.
- The daily schedule can be quite rigorous especially if you don’t have the initial funds to hire help.
Resources:
- The Professional Association of Innkeepers International
- American Bed and Breakfast Association
- Bureau of Labor Statistics on Hotels and Other Accommodations
- Wikipedia on Bed and Breakfast
About The Author
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