Luxury B&B June 2018 Issue

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INDOOR LIGHTING

MANAGING M ANAGING R RENOVATION ENOVATION

Exploring the opportunties to light your B&B with LED

NAVIGATING THE HAZARDS OF PLANNING AND REGULATION

PLUS! AUTOMATED RECRUITMENT

FINDING STAFF ONLINE HELPS DRIVE RELIABILITY

UK’S FIRST

LUXURY

B&B MAGAZINE WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK • ISSUE 27 • JUNE 2018

this month...

NEWS

4

Welcome

10

This issue explores two distinct and extreme ways of GHYHORSLQJ \RXU % % 7KH Č´UVW LV UHQRYDWLRQ 7KLV LV a monumental task crammed with planning complications, regulation, business interruption, seemingly endless mess control from third party contractors, recalcitrant authorities such as the local listed buildLQJV RÉ?FHU DQG LI \RX DUH XQOXFN\ UXQDZD\ FRVWV :H speak to the architect behind the redevelopment of Cheltenham luxury B&B The Bradley for an insight to the hurdles you can face - and how to overcome them. At the other extreme is the implementation of an honesty bar. The owners of The 25, winner of Most Unique B&B of the Year (page 12), have chosen not to have a bar in their B&B, not least because of the VLJQLČ´FDQW DPRXQW RI WLPH UHTXLUHG WR RSHUDWH LW HÉ?FLHQWO\ 7R PDNH XS IRU WKLV DQG NHHS WKHLU WKLUVW\ guests content they provide instead an honesty bar. We look at the idea in more detail and suggest what drinks you may choose to stock (page38). Meanwhile if you are renovating your property or simply revisiting the indoor lighting of your property, there are plenty of issues to bear in mind with regard to location, power and design of your lights. LED technology has dramatically broadened the scope for lighting opportunities, and we speak to lighting expert Peter Reid (page 16) for an insight into the SULQFLSOHV EHKLQG OLJKWLQJ DQG WKH PRVW HÎ?HFWLYH ways of showcasing your B&B. After a long and lousy winter the sun brought out mass bookings for B&Bs across the UK in the past two PRQWKV D VHQWLPHQW FRQČ´UPHG E\ WKH TXDUWHUO\ 1Dtional B&B Index from online booking specialist eviivo SDJH +HUHȇV WR D ORQJ DQG SURČ´WDEOH 6XPPHU

12

Industry news from around the UK

16

22

26

30

34

38

COMMENT Bed & Breakfast association chairman David Weston

LUXURY B&B PROFILE A look inside The 25, winner of Most Unique B&B of the Year

INDOOR LIGHTING Making the most of modern LED technology to showcase your property

REFURBISHMENT PROJECT Tackling the planning, regulation and business interruption issues of major refurbishment

GUEST COMMUNICATIONS Achieving the right level of communication with your guests from enquiry to staying in touch

OUT OF EDEN Brighten up your guest house to give it a light and summer feel

RECRUITMENT 7DNH FRQWURO RI KLULQJ WHPSRUDU\ VWDÎ? LQ WKH EXV\ VHDVRQ ZLWK an online recruitment platform

HONESTY BAR Suggestions for raising revenues from a bar without the manpower

22

Bill Lumley

Editor

16 Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 3 - June 2018

- News -

Four in a bed news

Secrets to the perfect guest experience A quality bed tops guests’ essentials list above a warm welcome, an attractive view and quality facilities as important factors for a good stay, according to a survey of UK hotel workers commissioned by the Professional division of German appliance manufacturer Miele. 5HVSRQGHQWV LGHQWLȴHG EHGURRP DQG EHGGLQJ FOHDQOLQHVV DV WKH QXPEHU RQH SULRULW\ IRU WKHLU JXHVWV Ȃ EHDWLQJ D ZHOFRPLQJ UHFHSWLRQ IDFLOLWLHV DQG VWDU UDWLQJ DQG HYHQ JRRG YDOXH IRU PRQH\ $Q RYHUZKHOPLQJ VDLG WKH EHGURRP ZDV PRUH LPSRUWDQW WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU SDUW RI WKH KRWHO DQG D ZHOO UXQ ODXQGU\ DOVR YLWDO WR D SRVLWLYH JXHVW H[SHULHQFH LQ PDQ\ 8. HVWDEOLVKPHQWV <HW GHVSLWH WKH REYLRXV LPSRUWDQFH RI URRP K\JLHQH KRWHO ZRUNHUV LGHQWLȴHG VWDLQHG EHG OLQHQ DV WKH VHFRQG PRVW OLNHO\ FXVWRPHU FOHDQOLQHVV FRPSODLQW 7KH VXUYH\ SURGXFHG IRU 0LHOH E\ PDUNHW UHVHDUFK FRPSDQ\ 6DSLR IRXQG WKDW PDQDJLQJ ODXQGU\ RSHUDWLRQV LQ KRXVH LV NH\ WR PDLQWDLQLQJ WKH VWDQGDUG RI WKH ODXQGU\ ZLWK RI UHVSRQGHQWV LGHQWLI\LQJ ȆUHOLDELOLW\ȇ DV WKH WRS DVVRFLDWHG IDFWRU ZLWK DQ RQ SUHPLVH ODXQGU\ 23/ 0DQDJLQJ GD\ WR GD\ RSHUDWLRQV DQG FRQVLVWHQWO\ DFKLHYLQJ KLJK VWDQGDUGV ZKLOVW PHHWLQJ JXHVW GHPDQGV LV WKH ELJJHVW SDLQ SRLQW IRU KRVSLWDOLW\ EXVLQHVVHV DQG RI UHVSRQGHQWV ZHUH LQ DJUHHPHQW WKDW ODXQGU\ LPSDFWV WKH JXHVW H[SHULHQFH PRUH WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU RSHUDWLRQDO DUHD 0DQ\ KRWHOV DSSHDU WR KDYH TXDOLW\ DQG K\JLHQH LVVXHV UHODWHG WR ODXQGU\ RXWVRXUFLQJ

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Channel Four TV show Four in a Bed is looking for the remaining competitors in its latest series this year. &KDQQHO )RXU 79 VKRZ )RXU LQ D %HG LV ORRNLQJ IRU WKH UHPDLQLQJ FRPSHWLWRUV LQ LWV ODWHVW VHULHV WKLV \HDU ([HFXWLYH SURGXFHU 0DUN :LOGDVK WROG /X[XU\ %HG %UHDNIDVW Ȋ)LOPLQJ RQ WKH QHZ VHULHV RI )RXU ΖQ $ %HG LV ZHOO DQG WUXO\ XS DQG UXQQLQJ DQG ZHȇUH ORYLQJ VKRZLQJ R΍ WKH XQLTXH DQG YDULHG DFFRPPRGDWLRQ WKDW WKH 8. KDV WR R΍HU :H GR VWLOO KDYH DYDLODELOLW\ ODWHU LQ WKH \HDU SDUWLFXODUO\ LQ ODWH $XJXVW 6HSWHPEHU DQG HDUO\ 2FWREHU DQG LI \RX ZRXOG OLNH WR WDNH SDUW RU ZRXOG MXVW OLNH VRPH IXUWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ ZH ZRXOG ORYH WR VSHDN WR \RX Please email fourinabed@studiolambert.com.

For Sale

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- News -

EDITOR

Bill Lumley bill.lumley@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 345 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Caroline Sargent 07076 362082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Matthew Attwood 01737 852 345 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR

Francis Higney 01737 852 345 SALES MANAGER

Dywayne Ramsundar dywayne.ramsundar@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 342 DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 343 DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Ryan Goble 01737 852 341 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

helen.richmond@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 344 No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted. The opinions and views expressed in Luxury Bed & Breakfast are not necessarily those of JLD Media. Being subject to the Advertising Standards Authority guidelines in place at the time of going to press, all data submitted by advertisers and contained in their advertising copy is accepted by JLD Media in good faith. Luxury Bed & Breakfast is available on subscription. UK & Ireland ÂŁ65; Overseas ÂŁ98. Luxury Bed & Breakfast is published monthly. Printed by Stephens & George Ltd

Filtration system fights plastic waste Chilled drinking water supplier EcoPure Waters has brought out a 75cl glass bottle to supplement its range of branded water bottles. 7KH UHFHQW EXW JURZLQJ SXEOLF EDFNODVK DJDLQVW VLQJOH XVH SODVWLF ERWWOHV SURYLGHV JXHVWKRXVH RZQHUV D UHDO RSSRUWXQLW\ WR PHHW WKHLU JXHVWVȇ GHVLUH IRU D PRUH VXVWDLQDEOH DQG HWKLFDO DOWHUQDWLYH $FFRUGLQJ WR D VSRNHVPDQ IRU (FR3XUH % % RZQHUV FDQ QRZ VHUYH LQ KRXVH Č´OWHUHG ZDWHU LQ WKHLU RZQ EUDQG ERWWOHV LQ D ZD\ WKDW LV QRW MXVW PRUH HQYLURQPHQWDOO\ IULHQGO\ WKDQ EX\LQJ LQ ERWWOHG ZDWHU EXW DOVR LQ D ZD\ WKDW LV PRUH FRVW HÎ?HFWLYH ČŠ6\VWHPV FRVW IURP OHVV WKDQ e D ZHHN WR EX\ DQG UXQ VR LI \RX VSHQG PRUH WKDQ WKLV RQ ERXJKW LQ ERWWOHG ZDWHU DURXQG OLWUHV GDLO\ \RXȇOO EH VDYLQJ PRQH\ IURP WKH RXWVHW ΖWȇV QRZ PXFK PRUH

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Report reveals generous hospitality sector salaries $ UHSRUW E\ DFFRXQWLQJ DQG DGYLVRU\ Č´UP 0RRUH 6WHphens has revealed positive insights into pay conditions in the hotel sector. The salary survey provides an insightful comparison for luxury B&B owners. 7KH UHVHDUFK FRQGXFWHG LQ SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK %XHOO &RQVXOWLQJ *URXS DQG 8.+RVSLWDOLW\ EHQFKPDUNV VDODU\ GDWD ZLWKLQ WKH KRWHO WUDGH DFURVV D ZLGH UDQJH RI KRWHOLHUV LQ WKH VRXWKHDVW 5HYHDOLQJ GHWDLOV RI WKH PLQLPXP DQG PD[LPXP DQQXDO EDVH VDODULHV IRU D YDULHW\ RI HPSOR\HH UROHV WKH UHSRUW VKRZHG WKDW RI WKH ORZHVW JUDGH UROHV RÎ?HU VDODULHV DERYH WKH PLQLPXP ZDJH 7KH UHSRUW DOVR IRXQG WKDW JHQHUDO PDQDJHUV HDUQ WKH KLJKHVW DYHUDJH VDODULHV ZLWKLQ WKH KRWHO LQGXVWU\ ZLWK KHDG FKHIV HDUQLQJ WKH VHFRQG KLJKHVW DQG WKRVH ZRUNLQJ LQ KRWHOV LQ UXUDO DUHDV HDUQLQJ RQ DYHUDJH PRUH WKDQ FKHIV ZRUNLQJ LQ WRZQ FHQWUH KRWHOV 5RGG\ :DWW &(2 RI 7KH %XHOO *URXS %XHOO 6HDUFK 6HOHFWLRQ DQG 7KH +RWHO 0DQDJHPHQW &RPSDQ\ FRPPHQWHG ČŠ3D\UROO LV WKH VLQJOH ODUJHVW FRVW IRU DQ\ RSHUDWRU RI D IXOO VHUYLFH KRWHO <HW WKHUH LV YLUWXDOO\ QR ZRUWKZKLOH GDWD RQ VDODULHV DQG ZDJH OHYHOV LQ WKH

Luxury Bed & Breakfast JLD Media, 25 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QZ Tel: +44 (0) 1737 852 100 www.luxurybbmag.co.uk All rights reserved Š JLD Media 2018

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 6 - June 2018

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- News -

Gatwick B&B goes up for sale

A 13-guestroom luxury art deco design B&B close to Gatwick airport has been put on the market for £1.25m. 5DWHG E\ 7KH 'DLO\ 7HOHJUDSK 6SULQJZRRG +RXVH LQ +RUOH\ LV DQ (GZDUGLDQ SURSHUW\ ΖWV FXUUHQW RZQHUV 6XH DQG /HH 'HQPDQ FDWHU IRU DGXOW JXHVWV RQO\ ZKLFK WKH\ VD\ KDV HQDEOHG WKHP WR LQFUHDVH SURÈ´W PDUJLQV ΖQ WKH SDVW \HDU WKH EXVLQHVV VKRZHG VDOHV RI e QHW RI 9$7 ΖQFOXGHG LQ WKH VDOH LV DQ HOHFWULF FDU WR WUDQVSRUW JXHVWV WR DQG IURP *DWZLFN DLUSRUW 7KH DUW GHFR WKHPH LV FRQVLVWHQW WKURXJKRXW WKH SURSHUW\ ZKLFK WKH RZQHUV HPSKDVLVH LV RXW RI WKH ȵLJKW SDWK RI WKH QHDUE\ DLUSRUW +RUOH\ LV DOVR D FRQYHQLHQW EDVH IURP ZKLFK WR H[SORUH WRZQV YLOODJHV DQG DWWUDFWLRQV RI WKH 6XUUH\ FRXQWU\VLGH 1HDUE\ +RUOH\ VWDWLRQ KDV D GLUHFW VHUYLFH WR /RQGRQ 9LFWRULD ZLWK D MRXUQH\ WLPH RI PLQXWHV Ζ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or further information please visit: ZZZ ȵHXUHWV FRP VHDUFK DOO SURSHUWLHV VHDUFK IRU V

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 7 - June 2018

- News -

2018 Independent Hotel Show awards nominations open WKH VXFFHVV RI WKH HVWDEOLVKPHQW DQG WKH LQGXVWU\ DW ODUJH

Do you know someone who stands out as a passionate and innovative independent luxury B&B owner or hotelier? Which new guesthouse or hotel represents the crème de la crème of the sector? The ΖQGHSHQGHQW +RWHO 6KRZ LV LQYLWLQJ WKH LQGXVWU\ WR QRPLQDWH DQG YRWH for its champions in the 2018 awards. (VWDEOLVKHG LQ WKH DQQXDO DZDUGV FHOHEUDWH % % RZQHUV KRWHOLHUV DQG WKHLU SURSHUWLHV WKDW KDYH GHPRQVWUDWHG D VLJQLČ´FDQW DQG JDPH FKDQJLQJ IRRWSULQW RQ WKH LQGXVWU\ WKRVH UDGLDWLQJ RULJLQDOLW\ FUHDWLYLW\ DQG D SDVVLRQ IRU WKH SURIHVVLRQ The awards celebrate the manifestation of these factors in two categories: Independent Hotelier 7KLV FDWHJRU\ UHFRJQLVHV WKH SDVVLRQ RI LQGHSHQGHQWO\ VSLULWHG KRWHOLHUV ZKR KDYH PDGH D VLJQLČ´FDQW FRQWULEXWLRQ WR WKH LQGXVWU\ RYHU WKH SDVW \HDU 7KH LQGLYLGXDO ZLOO KDYH D UHSXWDWLRQ IRU SXVKLQJ ERXQGDULHV FUHDWLQJ H[FHSWLRQDO JXHVW H[SHULHQFHV DQG GULYLQJ WKH OX[XU\ ERXWLTXH KRWHO VHFWRU IRUZDUGV ZLWK FUHDWLYLW\ DQG ZLVGRP $ERYH DOO WKH ZLQQHU LV VRPHRQH FRPPLWWHG WR WKH GHYHORSPHQW RI WKHLU WHDP

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 8 - June 2018

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Are you trading your B&B or Guest House on a residential mortgage? Years ago lenders were not always aware that when lending on residential properties borrowers would set up a B&B business some of which have been trading for years. With the advent of Air BnB and other room booking platforms,

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there has been an increase in people operating B&B’s on residential mortgages. What’s so wrong with that?

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 9 - June 2018

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- Comment / David Weston -

David and Goliath: B&Bs and giant OTAs

Where does the real power lie in our industry? A reliable maxim, as ever, is “Follow the money�: if we do so, we find that one website is now worth more than all the hotels. David Weston Chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association.

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hat statement is hardly an exaggeration: the biggest online travel agent (OTA), Booking.com, is now (at $100 billion) worth more than the world’s top hotel groups Marriott ($49bn), Hilton ($25bn), Accor ($13bn) and IHG ($9bn) combined. Booking and Expedia between them have some 80-90% of the online travel agent market and dominate the lives of most hoteliers – and now many or most B&B and guest house owners too. How did a website/App get to the stage that is worth more than all the real bricks-andmortar businesses which actually provide the service they are selling, and actually employ real people to deliver it? The answer is a combination of brilliant marketing, sharp practices (like fake “discountsâ€?, false availability statements and manipulated search rankings), forcing hotels not to discount to their own direct clients (using “rate parityâ€? clauses, which incidentally are now banned in Italy, Austria, France and Germany) – and the very powerful “networkLQJČ‹ HÎ?HFWV RI WKH LQWHUQHW ZKLFK TXLFNO\ make very large players still more dominant, building up a virtuous circle (for them). The two dominant multi-billion dollar OTAs now make it impossible for a “smallâ€? – i.e. merely multi-million Dollar – new OTA to come up and challenge them. The normal rules of business competition have failed, making global “techâ€? giants the new monopolies. Goliaths indeed! And if even a multi-million dollar OTA can’t compete, and those big global hotel chains also say they fear the anti-competitive dominance of the two giant OTAs, how on earth can your business have any chance

of “negotiatingâ€? terms of business with the OTAs? The answer, as our members keep telling us, is: “none at allâ€?. In our dealings ZLWK 27$V LW LV D TXHVWLRQ RI ČŠWDNH LW RU OHDYH itâ€?. And nowadays, “leaving itâ€? – not dealing with the two giants – is less and less of a practical option when they control so much of the booking market. As Lord Acton famously said, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutelyâ€?; the power enjoyed by the dominant OTAs in our industry has corrupted their pracWLFHV DV WKH Č´FWLWLRXV GLVFRXQWV HWF SURYH DQG their business dealings with their “partnersâ€?, who by and large are small businesses. If you used to sell your rooms direct at say e EXW QRZ Č´QG PRVW RI \RXU EXVLQHVV LV through an OTA who demands 20% commission, you will – as many properties have had to – probably have increased your price to ÂŁ100 in recent years to fund the OTA’s cut of what was once your revenue. And why not sell direct at ÂŁ80 where you can, so you retain Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 10 - June 2018

control, can deal directly with your customer and still make the same? The reason why you can’t is the OTAs’ restrictive practice of imposing a “rate parityâ€? clause on you, preventing those direct online discounts. We have seen the emails sent by giant global OTAs to tiny family businesses – like this one: “While checking your property website we found cheaper available rates than those displayed on [the OTA]. “Having consistently lower rates on your property website may ‌ impact your own performance on [the OTA]. “Over time this could lead to lower visibility and slower business growth.â€? One B&B owner receiving this message tells us that he found it “intimidatingâ€?, and that’s not surprising, as the OTA can use its VHFUHW DOJRULWKPV WR WXUQ RÎ? WKH WDSV RQ WKH business the B&B receives, by dropping the property down their search rankings. We have been working hard to explain how your businesses are being badly treated in such ways to the UK competition regulator (the CMA), to MPs, the House of Lords, the Scottish Government, the Business Department (BEIS), and not least in Brussels, where the EU have just published draft plans to curb some of the excesses of ‘online platforms’. If you have any evidence which may help RXU Č´JKW RQ \RXU EHKDOI GR VKDUH LW ZLWK XV LQ FRQČ´GHQFH ΖW PD\ EH D ORQJ EDWWOH DQG *ROLDWK KDV DOO WKH Č´UHSRZHU The Bed & Breakfast Association is the UK trade association for B&B and guest house owners, and exists to inform, support & represent owners. Membership costs ÂŁ60 a year. www.bandbassociation.org

- Comment / David Weston -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 11 - June 2018

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 12 - June 2018

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

Top of their game Earlier this year we reported Devon luxury B&B “The 25� had been voted into the worlds top 10. Since then, the property has been named “Unique B&B of the Year� at the AA B&B awards.

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We catch up with co-owner Andy Banner-Price for the story behind their success.

he 25 Boutique in Torquay was opened just three years ago by owners, Andy and Julian Banner-Price, yet has already shot into the limelight, formally recognised as the best in the UK and one of the best in the world. The owners have physically been at the property almost four years because they bought a running guest house and then, durLQJ WKH RÎ? VHDVRQ WXUQHG LW LQWR D ERXWLTXH B&B called The 25. For seven years before that, they owned a hotel in North Wales – Plas Dinas, just outside Caernarfon – where they did the same thing, turning an existing business around and transforming it into a successful hospitality business. 7KH :HOVK SURSHUW\ ZDV Č´YH VWDU JROG EXW in contrast to the six-bedroom operation in Torquay, it was a large country house set in 15 acres with a restaurant. The venue also ran functions such as weddings. The 25 is purely bed and breakfast. “Part of our reason for moving to a less demanding environment was so that we had a greater quality of life,â€? says Andy. He admits running a business without additional events operations comes at the expense of a smaller turnover. “We are never going to get rich on just six bedrooms, but it is now more about quality of life,â€? he says. Speaking on a glorious sunny day he says: “When guests are checked in and settled on a gorgeous day like today we have the freedom to go down to the seafront and enjoy a beer or a gin and tonic in the sun, or take our dog for a nice walk. “There is no point in working yourself to death and never having time to spend and enjoy the money you earn. You may get to UHWLUHPHQW DJH DQG Č´QG \RX QR ORQJHU KDYH your health. Running a B&B is often called a lifestyle business, so we are trying to enjoy the lifestyle. You never know what’s around the corner, so it is important to make the most of life,â€? he says. A perfect solution, and at least they can say they have under their belt the experience of

running events and wedding receptions. Asked if it has always been their ambition to get into the top league, Andy says: “We haven’t necessarily been aspiring to win awards, but when we left our last property, which won a gold award and won ninth-best B&B in the UK and seventeenth best in the world in the Traveller’s Choice Awards on TripAdvisor, we knew we wanted the next one to be top of its game too. You can’t apply for the AA awards and are put forward by the inspectors,� he explains. “Because of the product we have produced, various people suggested we put ourselves forward for the regional awards, and when we did we were lucky winners.�

TRAINING COMPANY He says it was always a long-term ambition of his to set up a training company that would train prospective B&B owners and run some of those courses over the winter. He says: “I’ve now set that up, and having the awards adds weight to the fact that if anyone is attending a training course they may as well get that training from someone who knows what you are talking about, and the awards underpin that proven experience.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 13 - June 2018

“We’ve set up the website and we are ready WR JR RQ WKRVH ZLWK WKH Č´UVW WUDLQLQJ FRXUVH this November when we are closed to guests for the winter,â€? he adds. In keeping with their target, narrowing their focus onto bed and breakfast and away from other time-consuming business elements, the owners have chosen not to operate a bar, although they do have an honesty bar enabling their guests to indulge in alcohol without troubling the owners. Being an adults-only property, they have no issues with under-age drinkers. The honesty bar features a small selection of beers, wines, premixed cans and soft drinks that people can help themselves to. Indicative of how honest the visitor to a luxury B&B is, he says: “In 10 years we have only ever had one issue. At our last business although we would have a proper bar at weddings and other events, in the B&B itself on a day-to-day basis we also had an honesty bar. On one occasion we had some university students who hired the whole place to do some presentations to their lecturer and one of the students on his way out thought it was a good idea to take all our gin with him.â€?

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

He says he believes that if people are paying for rooms at this kind of price point they are unlikely to be the type of person looking to steal a bottle of beer. “It’s the same as with things like your hospitality tray and complimentary toiletries,� he says. “Ironically the less charge, the

more likely it is that a guest will take with them everything that is classed as complementary.â€? The issue of gaining a license to serve alcohol on the premises was not an issue for WKHP VD\V $QG\ ȊΖ Č´UVW JRW P\ OLFHQVH years ago. It was a one-day course with a multiple-choice questionnaire at the end. There is a bit of going back and forth when you enter a new property but once that is done and it is in place then you just renew once a year when the council bill you.â€? They reject a bar in their abode for much the same reason they eschew event management. “I know other B&B owners who only have small places and yet have a bar. The owners are almost never seen together because one of them has to always be around all evening just in case someone happens to want a drink. It seems absolute madness to me.â€? He says: “We enjoy interacting with our guests, but our guests are very self-sufficient because they have everything they could possibly need. Every room has an iron and ironing board for example, so they don’t need to go and find us if they need to iron a shirt. If they want a drink

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 14 - June 2018

they have drinks available. If they have forgotten their toothbrush it doesn’t matter because there is a spare one in the room. We’ve tried to cover off absolutely every reason why they would need us, so in the event we do decide to go out one evening, it’s unlikely we’ll get a call.�

TORQUAY’S ATTRACTION So what drew them to Torquay from North Wales? “Initially we didn’t even know where Torquay was. We’d heard of it, but I thought it was in Cornwall, much further south. As our parents live in the Midlands, we didn’t want to be too many hours’ drive from them,� he says. At one stage they were going to move

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

to Harrogate, but the sale fell through. “It was then on looking again that I saw on a map where Torquay really was, so we came down to look at the area and explore and we just fell in love with it. “It ticked all the boxes. Because we were only offering bed and breakfast, it had to be in walking distance of lots of great places to eat, and Torquay is becoming a real foodie area with many superb restaurants. It is obviously a tourist area so there is plenty of business. At the time we moved here there was a lack of good quality fivestar accommodation. There was some to be found but there was still plenty of room in the market for more. There was nobody here doing a boutique product, so even though there was a lot of competition we felt there was a gap in the market.” When they first saw the property it just felt right, he says. At the time it featured 10 guest bedrooms, but the two of them could see how they could reallocate the space and create some suites and rooms with much larger bathrooms. “We ended up with six really nice rooms,” he says. They initially moved in during the middle of season, so they ran the rest of the season as it was before closing up that November and embarking on their initial renovations, replacing the plumbing systems, installing new electrics and creating the bedrooms. “The following year we closed for a further three months when we did all the public areas,” he says.

LESSONS TO B&BS Andy’s job before he entered hospitality was running customer services for high-end car manufacturers. He says: “That experience has helped me treat every guest as an individual and try to see things from their point of view: to think what would I want or expect? There are times when things do go wrong, or you don’t quite gel with a guest. We are quick to react and put things right and rather than treating everyone in a blanket way we try and treat everybody individually. Some people want lots of interaction and chats, while other people want to be left alone.” Not all guests will be on holidays and may be staying for another reason like a funeral, he says. “It’s about recognizing all people are GL΍HUHQW DQG NQRZLQJ KRZ WR DGDSW \RXU service so everyone leaves having had the very best experience possible,” he concludes. Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 15 - June 2018

- Feature / Refurbishment -

Effecting grand designs Renovation at a B&B takes a great deal of planning and liaising with numerous parties to come up with a workable plan, particularly with listed buildings. Bill Lumley learns about some of the challenges development projects need to overcome

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enovation of a luxury B&B is something many owners often dream DERXW EXW SXW RÎ? IRU DV ORQJ DV SRVVLble because of its complexity. Before even taking into account the issue of business interruption while the work is taking place, there is the small issue of hiring an architect, a building contractor and obtaining relevant planning permission, which can be particularly tiresome if you own a listed building. The architect and project manager behind the refurbishment of Cheltenham luxury B&B The Bradley is MPC Partnership director Michael Pilkington. He tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine that the main challenge is keeping an establishment open while the works are going on and trying not to have disturbance to guests. “That is quite often a problem when builders who start at 8 o’clock in the morning waking guests with the sound of hammers, drills and radios and so forth,â€? he says. “I always try to ensure in the contract con-

ditions that all of that is taken care of when doing up a guest house or hotel. The aim is to ensure that any noisy work is restricted until after 10am so B&B guests can have the lie in they have paid for.â€? This does not tend to lengthen the overall project, he stresses. “If it is stated in the tender FRQGLWLRQV WKHQ LW LV Č´QH *XHVW KRXVH RZQHUV and hoteliers are notorious for telling builders to stop work during the building process for DOO VRUWV RI UHDVRQV WKDW DÎ?HFW WKHLU EXVLQHVV and that usually entails additional time being charged by the builder for not being able to get on with his job while on site. That is the situation and you try to manage that as best you can.â€? There are two major concerns, he says, the Č´UVW EHLQJ ZLWK UHJDUG WR NHHSLQJ WKH SURSHUty’s business running. Pilkington says: “Managers of guest houses and hotels are always looking at their bottom line and would be more than happy to have

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 22 - June 2018

one bedroom at a time taken out of use and refurbished. However, if you have a dozen or more bedrooms to do then clearly you have to take a small number at a time. Often you have to spend a lot of time on the pre-planning to make sure, for example, that there is a separate entry and exit space for building works and guests.â€? He says that after hospitals and airports, hotels are the toughest projects to tackle and that the same principles apply to guest houses such as the Bradley, where the aim was to take D ČľRRU RXW DW D WLPH PDNH VXUH DOO WKH UXEELVK goes out through the outside of the building QRW WKURXJK WKH PDLQ *HRUJLDQ VWDLUFDVH DQG try to manage noise in the same way. ΖI \RX KDYH JXHVWV LQ WKH ČľRRU EHORZ D room you are renovating, especially if it is an ROG *HRUJLDQ KRXVH ZLWK WLPEHU ČľRRUV WKHQ QRLVH SUHYHQWLRQ LV SDUDPRXQW DQG GLÉ?FXOW WR achieve, he says. Crucially, he says: “When it comes to de-

- Feature / Refurbishment -

VLJQ WKH Č´UVW WKLQJ WR GR LV WR OLDLVH VWURQJO\ and early on in the process with the local OLVWHG EXLOGLQJV RÉ?FHU 7KHVH SURSHUWLHV WHQG to be listed grade II or grade II*, and from a designer’s point of view there is little point in me producing the most fantastic modern EDWKURRP GHVLJQV RQO\ WR Č´QG WKH ORFDO OLVWHG EXLOGLQJV RÉ?FHU IRU KLV RZQ SHFXOLDU UHDsons - doesn’t like that particular approach to a project. “There is thus a situation where I as the designer must not raise the client’s expectations to so high a level that we can’t achieve it due to SURFUDVWLQDWLRQ E\ D OLVWHG EXLOGLQJV RÉ?FHU Č‹ This tiresome exercise of, essentially, power without responsibility occurs a great deal, he suggests. “I work in areas all over the country and some are worse than others and some are particularly nit-picky often without reason. ΖWȇV SHUVRQDO ČľDYRXU WKDW OLVWHG EXLOGLQJV

RÉ?FHUV KDYH 9HU\ RIWHQ \RX FDQ FKDOOHQJH it, but in doing so you run the risk of them taking umbrage and being uncooperative. Sometimes if you want a job to proceed to a client’s timetable you just must give in and let WKH OLVWHG EXLOGLQJ RÉ?FHU JHW WKHLU ZD\ Č‹ One of the more challenging issues with ROGHU SURSHUWLHV LV WR WU\ WR LPSOHPHQW WKH Č´UH regulation side of things and to ensure they are dealt with in a practical manner, he adds. ČŠ9HU\ RIWHQ LW LV GLÉ?FXOW WR XSJUDGH EHGURRP GRRUV LI IRU H[DPSOH WKH\ DUH *HRUJLDQ VL[ RU eight panel doors. You need to be in touch ZLWK WKH Č´UH RÉ?FHU DW DQ HDUO\ VWDJH LQ WKH process to agree an aesthetic and sensitive upgrade solution. We can usually do it with intermittent pain and door stirps. Old buildings are like old cars: they need lots of maintenance and B&B owners tend to give them that,â€? he concludes. Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 23 - June 2018

A STUNNING RESULT The Bradley is an AA Five-star listed Regency townhouse luxury B&B in the heart of Cheltenham’s central Montpelier district. It has recently completed a sympathetic refurbishment and the creation of two FRQWHPSRUDU\ *DUGHQ 5RRPV Set in the serene courtyard garden of the traditional townhouse, the dog-friendO\ *DUGHQ 5RRPV KDYH EHHQ EHDXWLIXOO\ designed to offer alternative modern accommodation to compliment the traditional rooms within the Regency townhouse. Bright and airy, the striking new rooms are decorated in either red or blue tones are adorned with art deco artwork on the walls. With generous ensuite showers, quintessentially English Penhaligon’s products and large private terraces adjacent to the established rose beds, this is town

- Feature / Refurbishment accommodation at its most harmonious. Privately owned by the de Savary family, who bought and restored it in 2015, the %UDGOH\ LV DQ HOHJDQW % % RÎ?HULQJ individual ensuite bedrooms tastefully decorated in keeping with the Regency period

EXLOGLQJ *XHVW DUHDV LQFOXGH DQ LPSUHVVLYH RSHQ GUDZLQJ URRP ZLWK ZRUNLQJ Č´UHSODFH honesty bar and study spanning the length of the house, with generous sash windows overlooking the Royal Parade to the front and the charming garden to the rear,

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 24 - June 2018

complete with a wonderful collection of antiques and artwork from the de Savary private collection. Downstairs, an attractive breakfast room with lofty conservatory opening on to the garden is the setting for the Bradley’s exceptional breakfasts. 6HUYLFH LV IULHQGO\ DQG HÉ?FLHQW DQG JXHVWV are welcomed into The Bradley by general manager Bea Seidler and her team to enjoy as their home throughout their stay. Steeped in history, The Bradley has been accommodating guests since 1912. It remains one of Cheltenham’s most important complete historical houses, due to the care taken throughout its restoration VWDJHV DQG RÎ?HUV D WUXO\ VSHFLDO SODFH WR VWD\ Located on the leafy Royal Parade in the town’s Montpellier district and just a stone’s throw away from the numerous upmarket bars, restaurants and boutiques for which is known, The Bradley is perfectly positioned for guests to enjoy the best that Cheltenham and its VXUURXQGLQJ 1RUWK *ORXFHVWHUVKLUH FRXQWU\VLGH KDV WR RÎ?HU DOO \HDU URXQG Seasonal highlights bringing guests to the famous Spa town include the Cheltenham Literary Festival, the Cheltenham Music Festival and the Cheltenham Races.

- Feature / Refurbishment -

LUXURY DESIGN Besides the practical issues of timing and liaison with authorities there are design considerations to bear in mind. Specialist luxury interior design agency Jordan Design owner Ben Jordan says authenticity is paramount to any luxury B&B renovation design. You don’t want a Star Wars-themed Tudor house, for example. “When people go and visit places to stay or to shop they know intuitively whether something is authentic,â€? he says. There are two ways you can go in this regard, he says. “Either you can manufacture a look, so you deliberately go out of your way to create a VSHFLČ´F ORRN IRU D SODFH WKDW GRHVQȇW QHFHVVDULO\ have any bearing on its history, but it is something that you think will attract people. You then need to be very careful to ensure you get all the details absolutely spot on. “The other way applies if you have a period property, which is to celebrate that and make it as authentic to its period as you possibly can. Consumers demand honesty and authenticity.â€? In addition to work for country houses and luxury B&Bs Jordan Design has worked over the \HDUV RQ GHVLJQV IRU OX[XU\ VWRUHV Č´UVW FODVV DLUSRUW ORXQJHV DQG 9Ζ3 YLVLWRU VXLWHV IRU JOREDO high-end brands. “In the case of the visitor suites we communicate the brand the ultra-high net worth public in their private client area to give them a luxurious experience. We are creating an area in the building to make it look as if it has always been there.â€? If you have an international guest audience, one thing he says he has found is that wealthy Asians and rich Americans, while they quite like the old English country house type themes, HTXDOO\ GRQȇW ZDQW DQ\ RI WKH ČľLS VLGH WR DXWKHQWLFLW\ VXFK DV FXPEHUVRPH 9LFWRULDQ SOXPELQJ “If you have a period property and you want it to be renovated to luxurious standards to attract wealthy clients, you need to rein in your authenticity side of it when it comes to utilities like bathrooms. No guest is going to thank you for providing them with a bath that works as it would have done in the 19th century. The things people interact with such as a bathroom need to be ultra-modern in terms of their functionality.â€? Referring again to wealthy Asian and North American guests, he says: “When they visit, say, Scotland, they don’t go to stay in the big traditional country house type hotels but instead they go to boutique hotels where there is a modern twist to the property. Although they all want the authentic experience they don’t want it to the extent that English or Europeans would.â€? He cites a recent experience he had at the huge Milan furniture fair. “There were a num-

ber of designers behind things like ChesterČ´HOG VRIDV WKDW ORRN DXWKHQWLF EXW KDYH WKDW slightly modern twist. “If you are trying to create a B&B where you want it to portray a sense of period and where you are dealing with generally very rich visitors, I think you do need to go for the designers like Baxter or Poltrona Frau, who do super-traditional leather furniture but with

*HRUJLDQ HUD \RX VHW RXW \RXU EUDQG ZRUOG You need to be crystal clear that when a guest goes into a room, whether it be a lounge or a EHGURRP \RX ZHDQ WR GHČ´QH IRU \RXUVHOI DV a designer the two or three words or phrases or themes that you want those guests to leave with. If you are developing a high-class hotel or luxury B&B how do you distil that theme? When the visitors go and tell their friends

a very subtle modern twist. The workmanship is second to none,â€? he adds. Jordan says many of the same design SULQFLSOHV WKDW DSSO\ LQ OX[XU\ RÉ?FH VSDFH DSSO\ ZLWK OX[XU\ % %V ȊΖWȇV RÉ?FH VSDFH EXW it’s environmental design to communicate and give people an emotional feeling. There is QR EUDQGHG GHVLJQ WKHUH EXW \RX GHČ´QH WKH brand world, and in the case of a B&B you do this in terms of where you want to take people – to the 19th century, 18th century or the

about the experience in one sentence what do you want them to say? You want to be single minded in support of that one single sentence such as ‘we just had an amazing time at this *HRUJLDQ % %ȇ Č‚ LI \RX VWDUW RXW ZLWK WKDW WKHQ everything you do in terms of design should be in support of that – whether that chair is right, or whether that picture is right. It has to support that original objective of people walking out of there brimming with one powerful sentimental sentence,â€? he concludes.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 25 - June 2018

- Feature / Lighting -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 16 - June 2018

- Feature / Lighting -

Looking into the light Light technology is evolving fast, led by increasingly sophisticated LED lighting, but the principles behind lighting and of achieving the most effective way to showcase your B&B remain the same,

P

according to the owner of Peter Reid Lighting

eter Reid developed a fascination for lighting techniques when he began his career in the 1980s as a writer for glossy interior design magazine The World of Interiors. In 2008 he launched his own online shop for beautifully engineered outdoor and garden lighting. Business went so well that in 2013 he set up a second online shop to showcase a rapidly growing portfolio of luxury and designer indoor lights. Then, in March 2016, the two shops together were combined to form Peter Reid Lighting. He says: “Our business model is simple. ΖWȇV WR RÎ?HU KLJK TXDOLW\ OX[XU\ LQWHULRU DQG outdoor lighting with enduring appeal, from brands you can trust, all backed by attentive personal service.â€? 2QH GHČ´QLQJ FKDUDFWHULVWLF KH VD\V ČŠLV RXU enthusiasm for all design styles: contemporary, traditional, classic, retro. Every interior and exterior space makes its own demands, and we try to satisfy those demands as best we can.â€? Interior lighting at high-class guest houses and boutique hotels, while clearly functional, is also much more than that, he says. “It’s about trying to create mood, and to achieve WKDW HÎ?HFWLYHO\ LQYROYHV SDLQWLQJ D VSDFH ZLWK both light and shade to create areas of high lights and low lights.â€?

RECESSED DOWN LIGHTS A mainstay of many luxury B&B interior lighting schemes is recessed ceiling down-lights. Reid says: “There’s nothing wrong with that, but people do like to have a sense of where the light is coming from, so it’s helpful if it can EH VXSSOHPHQWHG E\ OLJKW IURP D Č´WWLQJ LQ \RXU

Č´HOG RI YLVLRQ OLNH D FHLOLQJ SHQGDQW RU WDEOH lamp. That way, visitors can subconsciously tick that particular reference point and know where the light is coming from.â€? One tip when using recessed d ceiling down lights is to place them close to the walls rather than scattering them around ound in the ceiling. When they’re by the wall alll they create a highlight down the wall, but w when hen they’re scattered around the ceiling you’re ou u basically u’re OLJKWLQJ WKH ČľRRU XQOHVV WKHUHȇV VRPHWKLQJ V VRPHWKLQJ V like a dining table directly underneath errneath r them. “You don’t generally want ntt to VSRW OLJKW WKH ČľRRU XQOHVV LV LW D D SDUWLFXODUO\ EHDXWLIXO ČľRRU Č‹ he suggests. Recessed down lights are certainly rttainly t a good way to spread light around a room. oom. o “But

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 17 - June 2018

installing them is a major job unless you’re planning a big refurbishment. It involves far more work, time and expense than simply getting an electrician in for half an hour,â€? he says. Another drawback with recessed downlights is they’re not particularly interesting to look at. One idea to make them more attractive, he suggests, is to consider Original BTC’s new Sopra recessed down lights. These FRPH ZLWK D Č´QH ERQH FKLQD VXUURXQG LQ D choice of smooth, ridged or quilted textures. “When they’re lit, the bone china glows and, because the light source is largely obscured, they create less glare. Basically they turn the humble, recessed down-light into a little bit of luxury, rather than just a hole in the ceiling VXUURXQGHG E\ D FKURPH RU ZKLWH ČľDQJH Č‹ says Reid. These downlights aren’t cheap, but if you’re charging ÂŁ200 a night for a room, then something like this is potentially a worthwhile investment. Another alternative solution Reid suggests gg LV D Č´WWLQJ OLNH WKH 0DOH 5HFHVVHG VWDEOH Decorative Spotlight. This is a down light ZLWK DQ RUQDWH FDVW EUDVV ČľDQJH WKDW JLYHV LW

- Feature / Lighting -

a period look, Reid says, it would blend well into a Georgian or Victorian interior. It’s also adjustable, ideal for spot lighting paintings or other art works.

DECORATIVE LIGHT FITTINGS Although the beauty of recessed downlights is that they’re unobtrusively out of the way, functional and do their job well, they’re not particularly decorative. Reid says: “All other lights, be they ceiling pendants or chandeliers, wall lights or table lights, should be thought of as decorative as well as functional features. They add to the interior’s visual richness just like a painting on the wall, a beautiful piece of furniture or a choice vase on a mantelpiece. They’re literally part of the furniture and so deserve careful thought.â€? Another rule of thumb when it comes WR VHOHFWLQJ \RXU OLJKW Č´WWLQJV LV WKH PRUH the merrier, within reason. Using a single ceiling light to illuminate a space can make LW ORRN ČľDW DQG XQLQWHUHVWLQJ ZKHUHDV deploying a mix of ceiling, wall and table lights allows you to create varying levels of illumination throughout the space, putting light where it’s needed, using it to highlight decorative or architectural features, and generally creating a sense of depth, richness and even drama, he says.

GLASS, METAL OR FABRIC One important decision to make particularly with ceiling lights concerns is whether you ZDQW DQ DOO URXQG GHJUHH OLJKW HÎ?HFW 2U perhaps you want to direct the light downwards onto a dining table, serving counter or reception desk? Reid says: “That will dictate the choice of shade. If you use clear or white opal glass you’re going to get an even 360 degree spread of light.â€?

thinking of using metal shades, don’t dismiss brass out of hand as old-fashion because we think it’s staging a comeback.�

MODERN, TRAD, CLASSIC OR RETRO? 7KH FKRLFH RI OLJKW Č´WWLQJV DYDLODEOH LQ WKH 8. is truly astonishing. There are thousands of options on the market. If that sounds bewildering, Reid suggests: “Most lights can be FODVVLČ´HG DV HLWKHU FRQWHPSRUDU\ WUDGLWLRQDO classic or retro. The questions to ask yourself are what kind of interior are you lighting, and what style would be most sympathetic to the architecture? Are you looking to create a thoroughly modern look, or something classic that should last longer before you feel compelled to refresh it? And bear in mind that while a highly contemporary table light might stick out like a sore thumb in a totally traditional interior, mixing and matching design styles can be EHDXWLIXOO\ HÎ?HFWLYH :KR VD\V \RX FDQȇW PL[ DQ over-the-top traditional crystal chandelier with vintage industrial retro wall lights?â€?

LEDS. THE WAY TO GO? Clear glass shades are extremely fashionable at the moment, he says. “But bear in mind you’ll want to select an attractive light bulb, which could limit your choice if you’re using LED bulbs. With white opal glass you can’t see the bulb, and it also softens the light.â€? Another fashionable alternative is smoked or tinted glass, which can create a mood all its own. Original BTC, for example, make a Globe Large Pendant with what they call an anthracite glass shade for about ÂŁ700, which looks great with a vintage Edison style LED light bulb. “It’s not going to throw out a vast amount of light, but it’s a highly decorative object and can make a dramatic centerpiece to a room, especially if grouped into a cluster of two or three.â€? Another option is to choose a fabric lampshade to soften the light, but the downside with fabric, particularly in areas where food is being served, is that you can’t really clean them, and they are also going to fade over time. Metals such as steel, aluminium, copper RU EUDVV VXÎ?HU QHLWKHU RI WKHVH GLVDGYDQWDJHV However, light doesn’t pass through them so WKH\ȇUH JHQHUDOO\ XVHG WR UHČľHFW OLJKW GRZQwards onto tables, bars or serving counters. They don’t throw light onto the ceiling, but do you really want to light your ceiling? Not doing so will typically make your lighting look more dramatic. Incidentally, Reid says: “If you’re Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 18 - June 2018

LEDs have two great advantages. They are YHU\ HQHUJ\ HÉ?FLHQW FDSDEOH RI FXWWLQJ \RXU lighting electricity bill by about 80% compared with old-style incandescent bulbs. And second, good quality LEDs will last for a very long

- Feature / Lighting -

time, with something so like a 20-year life not out of the question de depending on usage. That means more time to spend looking after guests rather than changing light bulbs. When choosi choosing your LED bulbs, there are three things to look out for. First is what wattage you need to replac replace an existing incandescent bulb. A handy rule of WKXPE LV WR GLYLGH E\ Č´YH WKH ZDWWDJH RI the old bulb you’re replacing. So a 12 watt LED will create approximately the same light output as a 60 watt incandescent bulb. Then check whether the LED bulb is dimmable. Some are, but many aren’t. The second thing to look for when buying /(' EXOEV LV WKH OLJKW FRORXU /('V RÎ?HU D wide choice of light colours which are usually grouped into ‘warm white’, ‘neutral white’ and ‘cool white’. Reid says: “We’d always recommend warm white for B&Bs and hotels because it’s softer and more inviting, compared with neutral or cool whites which can look UDWKHU FOLQLFDO /RRN IRU . RU . RQ WKH ODEHO IRU ZDUP ZKLWH +LJKHU . QXPEHUV OLNH

. RU . DUH QHXWUDO DQG FRRO Č‹ 6RPH YLQWDJH VW\OH /(' (GLVRQ Č´ODPHQW /(' EXOEV RÎ?HU HYHQ ZDUPHU FRORXU RSWLRQ OLNH . RU KDYH DQ DPEHU WLQW WR WKH JODVV ZKLFK FUHDWHV D VLPLODU HÎ?HFW ČŠ:H WKLQN WKHVH warmer bulbs are lovely for accent lighting like wall and table lights, but we’d hesitate to suggest using them across an entire room’s lighting,â€? says Reid. 7KH Č´QDO WKLQJ WR ORRN RXW IRU LV WKH /(' bulb’s CRI (or Ra). CRI stands for Colour Rendition Index, which is a measure of how closely the light created resembles daylight. A CRI of 100 means it renders all the colours of the spectrum as perfectly as daylight. Both halogen and incandescent light bulbs achieve a CRI of 100, but LEDs currently don’t. Most have a CRI of 80 or 85 because they have too much blue in their spectrum and not enough red. Reid says: “What this means is all the reds and EURZQV LQ \RXU VSDFHV Č‚ \RXU WLPEHU ČľRRUV mahogany furniture, brown leather upholstery, even that red grilled tomato in your English EUHDNIDVW Č‚ ZLOO ORRN ČľDW DQG ODFN YLEUDQF\ <RXU guests won’t look their best, either, because their skin tones will appear washed out. However, if you shop around there are higher CRI LEDs available. For example, our Soraa GU10

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 20 - June 2018

LED spot lamps for recessed ceiling downlights are CRI 95 rated, making their colour rendition all-but indistinguishable from halogen.â€? 5HLG RÎ?HUV RQH ODVW SLHFH RI DGYLFH RQ /('V ČŠ$Q LQFUHDVLQJ QXPEHU RI OLJKW Č´WWLQJV DUH now being designed with integral LEDs. If an integral LED fails, it can’t simply be replaced by popping out to your local supermarket to EX\ D QHZ RQH 7KH ZKROH OLJKW Č´WWLQJ XVXDOO\ has to be returned to the manufacturer to be repaired. We think that’s going to make a lot of customers awfully annoyed, which is why we don’t sell lights with integral LEDs unless they can be replaced on site. You also can’t upgrade the LED as LED technology improves. Whereas if you feel your LED light bulbs have been superseded you can simply change the bulb.â€?

- Feature / Lighting -

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www.facebook.com/luxurybbmag Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 21 - June 2018

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 26 - June 2018

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

Guest communication The art of communication, the core of a B&B owner’s skillset, has been muddied by the onslaught of media technology in the past decade or two. Co-owner Peter Friend of La Villa de Mazamet

W

in France provides an insight into how to develop a strong rapport with your guests

e run our luxury B&B in SW France from Easter until the end of October, and travel is a large part of our winter break. You learn so much by the people you meet, the places you stay, the food you eat, the wines you taste and a complete change of scenery – it not only re-charges your batteries; it also gives you inspiration for ways to improve your own business too. Next winter, we are planning a trip around Iberia (Spain & Portugal) completely circumnavigating the two countries and their various regions, staying in eight GL΍HUHQW % %V DORQJ RXU SODQQHG URXWH ΖQ starting to look at potential places to stay, it has reminded me of the importance of good and timely communication - something we strive to achieve here at La Villa. It never ceases to amaze me the time it takes from sending an initial enquiry for some fellow B&B owners to respond. At the time of writing this article, I am still awaiting a response from two properties I emailed over a week ago via both their online contact form and by direct email. In such a competitive environment, making one of your marketing aims to respond to quest enquiries and emails should be second nature. Whilst 90% of our reservations are made automatically via our website, the 10% who contact us in advance of making a reservation do so as they need further information: WR FRQȴUP RXU ORFDWLRQ DQG KRZ EHVW WR reach us; to ask for further information about what there is to see and do in the area before committing to a stay; or just a simple question regarding our facilities. Responding in a timely, friendly and informative manner can not only help secure the reservation, but it will also often extend the period of stay the guest had initially planned. It also helps to engage them in a more personable way with you and your EXVLQHVV IURP WKH R΍VHW

It is important to appreciate that guests will often have several channels through which to make a reservation for your property. A key aim for any independent B&B, guest house or hotel must be to make sure the booking, and any subsequent guest relationship, is directly with you, without the guest having to pay huge commissions to third party online travel agents such as Booking.com and Expedia. In our own experience, now in our tenth year of running our B&B, we have managed to reduce the amount of OTA bookings to just 5% of our overall reservations, in part down to the way in which we communicate through all stages of the guest’s interaction with us. So here are my top tips for good commuQLFDWLRQ WR KHOS GHYHORS D SRVLWLYH ȴUVW and lasting impression:

1. MAKE YOUR WEBSITE AS CLEAR & INFORMATIVE AS POSSIBLE. A well-written, easy-to-navigate website is your single most important marketing and communications tool. A potential guest will have found you via an online search or clicked through from another website on which you advertise – therefore the way in which your site ‘speaks’ Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 27 - June 2018

to the guest will play a major part in their decision whether to make a reservation. Be clear about key elements from what \RX R΍HU LQ WHUPV RI IDFLOLWLHV VHUYLFHV your location & access and what the guests can see & do in your area. Also make it easy for guests to both book online and contact you via an online form, telephone and email. Your website’s text also helps to play a clear role in selecting guests that are a right match for your property – it must be every B&B owner’s aim to have happy guests that go on to become regulars and to recommend others. Being clear on such things as arrival/ departure time; when you serve breakfast; your booking T&Cs will all help to that end – and include a FAQ section too which can be easily updated as your business develops. Finally, invest in great photography – don’t spend thousands on your website design and neglect to spend a few hundred on a professional photographer. Not only will in vastly enhance your website, you will also have a bank of high resolution images if needed for press articles and other publicity. Make sure your photos are a true representation of your property, do not try to over embellish them; guests will be disappointed on arrival if the picture does not PDWFK UHDOLW\ RI ZKDWȇV RQ R΍HU

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

2. RESPOND QUICKLY!

WKH\ PD\ Č´QG KHOSIXO DQG DGG WKDW LQWR \RXU response too. For example, they may have PHQWLRQHG EULHČľ\ DERXW ZLQH WDVWLQJ SXW LQ some links to vineyards or local wineries to whet their appetite.

will often remember this gesture and comment on it when they arrive and in online reviews too.

6. KEEP IN TOUCH.

4. MAKE IT PERSONAL.

You must appreciate that the guest has chosen your property, above others, as a potential place to stay and, asides from WLPH ]RQH GLÎ?HUHQFHV LWȇV FUXFLDO WKDW \RX respond as quickly as possible to enquiries via email or your website’s contact form. It's also important to appreciate that the potential guest may also be looking to book a series of accommodations as part wider trip and having a delayed response from even one property can be hugely frustrating. At La Villa, we aim to respond to every email within 30 mins. I know some properties have pop-up messaging service. HowHYHU XQOHVV \RX RU D PHPEHU RI VWDÎ? LV glued to your PC, it can be equally frustrating as a guest to await a response through these channels.‌ and make sure that the WRQH RI \RXU HPDLO UHČľHFWV KRZ \RXU ZHEsite it written too.

Ensure that, if the original email was signed RÎ? E\ D SHUVRQ V QDPH \RX UHVSRQG WR them personally - how many times have \RXU VLJQHG RÎ? \RXU HPDLO ZLWK \RXU QDPH only to receive an email address "Hi there" or "Hello" without any reference to your name. And be consistent too - if your style is to start your email Dear Peter... on each reply start with the same - it just looks better and more professional.

5. PICK UP THE PHONE.

3. ANSWER EVERYTHING ASKED AND MORE.

Guest will often book many months, even a year, in advance of their stay. A timely email from you a few weeks prior to their stay will help maintain that good relationship ahead of their arrival with you. We email each guest two weeks ahead of the reservation to ask (if we don't know already) if they need help with directions, roughly what time they will arrive and if they would like to dine with us or need a local restaurant reservation made for them. We create email templates which we SHUVRQDOLVH IRU GLÎ?HUHQW VWHSV RI RXU FRPmunication with them - including post stay emails to thank them for choosing us, asking if they would like to receive our monthly E-Newsletter and if they would post a Trip Advisor review.

7. CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE AFTER GUESTS ARRIVE.

Read and re-read the guest's email and their questions to you‌.and make sure your response covers everything they have asked. Going even further, anticipate from their questions what further information

We will often pick up the phone and call the guest directly, be they in the UK or USA, or just up the road in a neighbouring town in France. Sometimes their initial email will alert you to the fact that the potential guest is not a frequent traveller or maybe it's their Č´UVW WLPH LQ \RXU SDUWLFXODU DUHD 6SHDNLQJ in person can give the potential guest reassurance that they have found the right place to stay as you are caring as a host - guests Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 28 - June 2018

Of course, your face-to-face interaction will be key when the guests arrive and during their stay. We place a personalised welcome letter in every guest’s room ahead of their arrival with pertinent points about breakfast time, if they have reserved a massage or cycle

- Feature / Running a Luxury B&B -

hire and drawing their attention to the guest directory for further information.‌. And talking of the guest directory; this is a further key element in how you communicate with your guests and will help (yes, not every guest will read it!) to both give the guests more information about the property, facilities and the surrounding area – it also acts to set out your ‘house rules’ in a positive & thoughtful manner.

8. KEEP COMMUNICATING AFTER THE GUEST HAS LEFT YOU

Once a guest has departed, we wait 24 hours and send a personalised email to ask them if they had a safe onward journey or journey home; ask them to give any direct feedback of ways we can improve both facilities and services; and include a link to both our Trip Advisor page and a direct sign up compliant with the new GDPR legislation for our monthly E-Newsletter. If, during their YLVLW WKH\ PHQWLRQHG D VSHFLČ´F SODFH WKH\ are travelling to when they depart, ask them how they enjoyed the attraction, restaurant etc. they were due to visit after they left. It demonstrates that you listened to them and that you take an interest beyond their stay. As a small independent property, we are fully aware that guests have a plethora of places where they can stay. In our region of France, there are more than 2,000 B&Bs. 7KH JXHVW KDV GRQH WKH KDUG SDUW RI Č´QGLQJ you among the crowd. Being timely, professional and informative in your communications from the outset is key to converting an enquiry into a reservation. The way in which you communicate thereafter, leading up to and during their stay, can help build a lasting relationship with that guest, encourage positive online reviews, their own repeat stays and recommendations to others too. Peter Friend is co-owner of the award-winning La Villa de Mazamet luxury B&B in SW France www.villademazamet.com Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 29 - June 2018

- In Depth / Personal touch -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 30 - June 2018

- In Depth / Personal touch -

Brighten Up! For the summer season ahead After a booming spring season filled with half-term staycations and Easter celebrations, we’re now heading for an even busier summer period. So, it’s time to ask, how are you preparing for the peak season?

s

ometimes preparation isn’t just about a spring clean, a fresh lick of paint and a replenishment of stock. In fact, to really ensure your luxury bed and breakfast is looking its best, updating each bedroom with a new look and a splash RI FRORXU WR ȴW WKH KRSHIXOO\ IDVW DSSURDFKing summer season is a great way to keep your dÊcor looking fresh and on-trend. This month we’ve picked out some easy ways to add a dash of colour into your rooms, without too much strain on your bank account.

POWERFUL PRINTS Typically, in a muted colour scheme of whites, greys, and neutral tones, crisp white bed linen is usually the most favourable option in the hospitality industry, while patterned or coloured bed linen is often an unconventional and uncommon choice. Used in the right way, though, co-ordinated

asks Holly Alderson, Out Of Eden. bed linen, soft furnishings and a few extra trinkets here and there can really bring the whole look of a room together. Take the Botanique range for example. With its matching linens, soft furnishings and curtains, it’s the perfect set to not only contrast a subtle interior with something a bit more colourful, but it also ties in with the upcoming summer season with its botanical illustrations and a natural colour scheme. Bear in mind, though, that less is usually more when it comes bedroom dÊcor to ensure you appeal to everyone’s tastes. So, when you’re incorporating prints and pattern throughout your rooms, try to keep your guests’ idea of style in mind as well as your own.

your guest beds is a perfect way to brighten up your rooms while still keeping things minimal. Contrasted against crisp, white bed linen, the Crompton runners and cushions are great for bringing elements of colour, texture and comfort all in one. If even that’s a little too well-matched for your taste, scatter cushions are ideal for HÎ?RUWOHVVO\ EULQJLQJ VRPH LQWHUHVW WR D URRP To really tie into a chic, cosy farmhouse feel, add some neutral-toned, check cushions for a blend of subtlety and depth. For rooms lacking a statement piece, throw in some bold and bright cushions to draw your guest’s eye and showcase your attention to detail.

COLOURFUL CUSHIONS & RUNNERS

As bathrooms are naturally muted in colour ZLWK WUDGLWLRQDOO\ ZKLWH EDWKURRP Č´WWLQJV incorporating some colour with toiletries can EH D UHDOO\ HÎ?HFWLYH ZD\ RI EULJKWHQLQJ XS

TASTEFUL TOILETRIES If you just want a subtle splash of colour rather than a completely coordinated interior, adding matching cushions and runners to

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 31 - June 2018

- In Depth / Personal touch -

a room while keeping things practical, too. Cole & Lewis toiletries are perfect for both muted decors given the regal yet minimal style of the bottles, while the pops of green, yellow, blue or pink match well with fresh ČľRZHUV FRORXUHG WRZHOV RU DQ\ RWKHU DPHQities you might incorporate to bring some colour into your bathrooms. Of course, updating your bed linen, soft furnishings and toiletries with something bright and summery are not the only ways you can transform your guest rooms and sometimes it’s the tiniest extra touches that PDNH DOO WKH GLÎ?HUHQFH WR \RXU JXHVWȇV H[SHrience and overall impression of your B&B’s style. Consider your own personal style when brightening up your rooms and try and keep things consistent with the overall ‘feel’ of your B&B. Most of all, remember to enjoy the redecoration process, and the booming summer season ahead! www.outofeden.co.uk | T: 01768 372 939 | E: sales@outofeden.co.uk

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 32 - June 2018

Hotel Complimentary Products Ltd is a family-run EXVLQHVV EDVHG LQ WKH 8. :H SULGH RXUVHOYHV RQ R΍HULQJ OX[XU\ DQG KLJK TXDOLW\ SURGXFWV WKDW DUH D΍RUGDEOH WR DOO DQG VXSSRUWHG E\ RXU IDVW UHOLDEOH DQG HɝFLHQW VHUYLFH :LWK RXU \HDUVȇ H[SHULHQFH ZKHWKHU \RX DUH DQ LQGHSHQGHQW KRWHOLHU RU JOREDO FKDLQ ZH NQRZ \RXU JXHVWV ZDQW WR HQMR\ WKHLU VWD\ ZLWK PD[LPXP convenience and satisfaction. We are also proudly in SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK (0%(5721Ƞ 2XU IULHQGO\ DQG HɝFLHQW VDOHV WHDP DUH ZDLWLQJ WR KHOS LQ DQ\ ZD\ \RX PD\ UHTXLUH 6XFK DV DGYLFH RQ RXU SURGXFWV RU WR UHTXHVW VDPSOHV IRU WULDO EHIRUH SXUFKDVH 6KRXOG \RX SUHIHU WR GLVFXVV DQ\ RI RXU SURGXFWV LQ SHUVRQ ZH FDQ DUUDQJH IRU D 6DOHV 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH WR YLVLW \RX DW \RXU FRQYHQLHQFH RU \RX DUH ZHOFRPH WR YLVLW RXU VKRZURRP ZKHUH \RX ZLOO ȴQG DOO LWHPV RQ VDOH WR WDNH DZD\ ZLWK \RX IURP 7RLOHWULHV WR %HGURRP %DWKURRP $FFHVVRULHV DQG (OHFWULFDOV :LWK 7RLOHWU\ UDQJHV LQ ZH KDYH VRPHWKLQJ IRU HYHU\RQH VR FDOO XV QRZ WR UHTXHVW RQH RI RXU %URFKXUHV

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 34 - June 2018

- Feature / Recruitment -

Finding the right staff

Online recruitment platforms automate the process of finding, appointing and paying temporary staff at peak season. Bill Lumley talks to Buzzhire founder and CEO Nick Miller.

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 36 - June 2018

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WUDGLWLRQDOO\ DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK VHQGLQJ RXW LQYRLFHV VDQG WLPH VKHHWV FXWWLQJ GRZQ RQ FRVWV RQ WKH SD\PHQW VLGH DQG FXWWLQJ GRZQ RQ WKH FRVW RI PDWFKLQJ DQG ILQGLQJ WKH ULJKW ZRUNHUV Ȋ:H DUH IDU PRUH RSWLPLVHG RQ VRXUFLQJ DV LW LV DOO GRQH GLJLWDOO\ WKURXJK DSSV DQG ZH DUH XVLQJ VRFLDO QHWZRUNV DQG ZH SDVV some of that cost efficiency on to the emSOR\HU WKH % % RZQHU ȋ KH FRQFOXGHV

- Feature / Alcohol -

Honesty Bar B&Bs that do not offer a bar do not have to avoid the rich pickings from the sale of alcohol to your guests. With manual overheads slashed, an honesty bar can generate an even higher return on investment.

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f for whatever reason your B&B is not equipped with a bar, you can still perfectly well meet the needs of your guests who fancy a lunchtime beverage or an evening drink through the provision of an honesty bar. The risk of shrinkage seems theoretically higher than a bar, and obviously so, but evidence suggests it is a risk worth taking. Despite the very idea conjured up by an honesty bar of being left out-of-pocket by unscrupulous guests who may help themselves to your booze without signing for it, the luxury end of the hospitality market is much less subject to petty theft than the mainstream

Bill Lumley reports.

portion of the market. As if to prove a point, Andy Banner-Price, co-owner of The 25, the global award-winning % % LQ 7RUTXD\ SURČ´OHG SDJH VXJJHVWV WKDW WKH SURČ´OH RI D OX[XU\ % % JXHVW LV RQH that is far less prone to taking what is not rightfully theirs. The lower the price of the room, he suggests, the more likely it is that guests will take what is not technically theirs, such as the entire contents of a complimentary toiletries supply or worse still the towels. The idea of trusting guests to pay at the equivalent of an unattended bar is not immediately appealing, but the evidence such as

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 38 - June 2018

that garnered by The 25 really does suggest it is approach that works. Indeed, psychologists such as Dr Diogo Gonçalves of the Tilburg Institute for Behavioral Economics Research at Tilburg University have been left bewildered by the lack of abuse of the honesty bar worldwide, perplexed for example by the wealth of evidence that cash put into the till or box is not stolen by others. Guests who make use of the honesty bar may well then make their way to their respective rooms which, if they are equipped with a minibar, crack it open to continue the evening’s festivities.

- Feature / Alcohol -

level, providing good sun exposure and a mild, temperate climate. The soil composition is a balanced combination of silt, clay and sand,â€? he says. “The Emissary is a brilliant straw yellow with Č´QH SHUVLVWHQW SHUODJH IRUPLQJ D KHDUWK\ white froth. Floral and mineral nose with a WRXFK RI FLWUXV GLVSOD\V QRWHV RI ZKLWH ČľRZHUV On the palate it is lively yet elegant and very UHIUHVKLQJ ZLWK D GU\ Č´QLVK )RRG 3DLULQJ *UHDW as an aperitif or as an all-round wine.â€?

BEERS SPARKLING SPARK KLING WINE

A YouGov survey compiled by the female beer group Dea Latis published last month revealed that almost one third of women are choosing to drink beer at home, compared ZLWK MXVW RI ZRPHQ LQ 7KLV VWDJJHULQJ JURZWK RI PRUH WKDQ VKRXOG QRW be overlooked. The survey report authors attribute some of that change to the emergence of more accessible craft beers, but the UK still has one of the lowest percentages of women beer drinkers in the world. That percentage is likely to grow as the traditional older female drinker is replaced by the young generation with their modern tastes. Timely stepping up to the mark in terms of this major growth in women beer drinkers is the team behind the creation of New Yorker Fine Lager Beer, freshly bottled for shipment to the UK for its unveiling at the London Wine Fair last month. Ross Humphries from New Yorker Beer tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast: “A new entrant into the premium packaged lager market, we want to be premium in price. We believe we are premium in quality, and as a new entrant we have the advantage of being able to tailor the taste to a global market, and also to make it easy drinking and female-friendly.â€? This should appeal to many B&Bs. Often if a single woman is staying alone at a B&B on a business trip she might typically sit down in her room with some work and open a drink IURP ZKDWHYHU VRXUFH WKH YHQXH RÎ?HUV EH LW an honesty bar or a mini bar in the bedroom, rather than risk being interrupted and perhaps drawn into a distracting conversation at the bar. Another advantage to the beer being premium in both price and quality is that the supplier can set its own price. “People have preconceptions of the value of mainstream global brands, so there is a premium to be FKDUJHG VLQFH ZH DUH QRW FXUUHQWO\ LQ WKH RÎ?

Champa Champagne, agne, English sparkling wine and prosecco prosecc co are likely to sell well in virtually any honesty bar, but particularly if the high-end B&B is used by wedding guests or group parties. Guests are just as likely to open and buy a standard 75cl bottle to share among themselves, as they might a miniature or indeed a jeroboam. But in the minibar, individual bottles of sparkling wine should appeal to thirsty guests in celebratory mood. Miniatures of mainstream premium brands such as Moet & Chandon and Bottega compete for space in commercial highend hospitality businesses, but as with whiskies that yield high sales levels due to their intriguing back stories, there is also great VFRSH IRU D VLPLODU HÎ?HFW ZLWK QRQ PDLQstream prosecco or champagne brands. One example is high-end prosecco brand The Emissary, which launched last month at the London Wine Fair. It is currently only available in standard-sized bottles, but Luxury Bed & Breakfast tried it and gave it a strong thumbs-up on tasting it at the show. In developing the drink, founder Ed Smith says he embarked on a journey to produce a prosecco of the highest quality. “The Glera grapes for our Prosecco DOC Treviso Spumante Brut are harvested from the foothills of Colli Asolani, in the province of Treviso, Veneto. The family owned vineyards are P DERYH VHD Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 39 - June 2018

- Feature / Alcohol -

introduced to the drinks industry,â€? Lilly says. An ice-cold fridge would clearly be a reTXLUHPHQW LI VXFK D GULQN ZHUH WR EH RÎ?HUHG by the B&B’s honesty bar, of course.

trade, and we have no point of reference in the supermarkets,� he says. If a beer is designed for a male drinker with a preconception of what he wants to buy, for example something heavily malted at 5.5%, then that’s half the potential audience gone. By contrast, in the case of a beer with a clearer bottle such as The New Yorker Fine Lager Beer, the tone and colour should indicate that it is not heavy in taste while the bottle GHFODUHV WKH DOFRKRO DW D PRUH PRGHVW which too should indicate it is female-friendly, while being male-accessible as well. Many mini bars and by association honesty bars will attempt to cover all bases encompassing mainstream global brands, a stronger male-focused beer and a Corona or Peroni. “It is the intention of The New Yorker to break down these barriers,� he says. New Yorker Fine Lager Beer, whose importer is Norlin Distribution within the UK, is in the process of building up its wholesale network, but can get stock to any B&B, according to Humphries.

EVOLVING HABITS $V ZH PDNH SURJUHVV ZLWK JURZLQJ FRQČ´dence towards a cashless society, Luxury Bed & Breakfast FRQČ´GHQWO\ H[SHFWV D JURZWK LQ the emergence of honesty bars whose transactions are exclusively card-only. And with evolving habits such as the sharp rise in the number of women drinking beer, what is currently seen as a quirkier style to these bars could become commonplace in higher-end B&Bs in the not-too-distant future.

SPIRITS Veering from the path of stocking ubiquitous global brands such as Bombay Sapphire or 6PLUQRÎ? LV DQRWKHU ZD\ RI GUDZLQJ LQ H[SHUimental drinkers. In their local bar they may stick to what they know and be less likely to veer into new territory, but the surrounding of a luxurious B&B provides the perfect setting for adventure when it comes to experiencing new brands. One such vodka brand is Thunder, geared to the tastes of skiers notably those of the French ski resort of Val d'Isère. The company behind the innovation, was created and founded by managing director, Jon Lilly, veteran and one-time bar manager of the famous G-Jays bar in Val d'Isère. He says he wanted to create a premium brand that will stand the test of time and what a triumph it has been. Thunder is now widely available throughout the UK, and is listed with many of the biggest drinks distributors. 7RÎ?HH ČľDYRXUHG YRGND PL[HV KDYH IRU D long time been rife in their experimentation in the bars and restaurants, according to Lilly. The vodka is based on a recipe that comELQHV ERWK YRGND VWUHQJWK DQG WRÎ?HH V\UXS delicacy. “It is the culmination of many years RI PL[LQJ DQG PHWLFXORXV SUHSDUDWLRQ WR Č´QG WKH SHUIHFW FRQVLVWHQW WRÎ?HH SOXV YRGND VSLULW drink, which could be bottled, branded and

ALCOHOL SALES RISING SHARPLY Total yearly alcohol sales increased by £580m in 2017 compared with 2016, including an extra £120m on dYkl q]Yj k imYjl]jdq kYd]k lg l`] ]f\ g^ <][]eZ]j& • Volume sales continue to decrease whilst value kYd]k af[j]Yk] af Zgl` q]Yjdq Yf\ imYjl]jdq kYd]k$ leading to increasingly higher average prices Y^^][l]\ Zq `a_` afÛYlagf& KhYjcdaf_ oaf] k _jgol` kdgo]\ kda_`ldq af l`] dYkl imYjl]j g^ *()/ Zml j]eYafk Y d]Y\af_ [Yl]_gjq ^gj _jgol`$ hYjla[mdYjdq Zq nYdm]& L`]j] ak Ydkg fgo a noticeable increase in average prices, something o`a[` `Ykf l YdoYqk Z]]f hj]k]fl af khYjcdaf_ oaf]$ Yk nYdm] kYd]k klYjl lg gmlhY[] ngdme] kYd]k& G^^ ljY\] khajal ngdme] kYd]k af[j]Yk]\ Zq bmkl gn]j l`] ]imanYd]fl g^ -e /([d Zglld]k af *()/$ worth another £199m to the trade, including anoth]j z.+e af l`] dYkl imYjl]j g^ *()/& Source: WSTA Market Report

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 40 - June 2018

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