ISSUE #50
AUGUST 2021
£3.99
FOR OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF BNB’S, INNS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS & HOLIDAY LETS IBE TO PR I CR
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In this issue...
A warm welcome from Juliet Horner Our Editor
If you have any experiences you'd like to share, please email Juliet at editor@luxurybnbmag.com or connect with us on Instagram: @luxury_bnb Over the last few editions, you may have noticed some changes to the Luxury BnB Magazine. The LBNB team are working hard to provide a luxury publication that not only looks great, but is jam-packed with educational and inspiring content! We've spent a lot of time updating our layouts to provide that 'luxury' feel, and have even introduced another brand new section to the magazine! If you're interested in purchasing a new property to expand your business, or just fancy a change of scenery, then head over to our 'Properties For Sale' Section (page 46). We're also very proud to provide content directly from experts across all areas of the industry. This issue you can read all about using Facebook to increase direct bookings (page 12), alternative nautical themed interiors (page 35), using props to dress your property for a photoshoot (page 44) and more!. However, it's time to say goodbye to one of our regular contributors. Sadly, this will be the last issue containing a Q&A with Tina Boden, the B&B Keeper (page 6). Tina has been providng helpful Q&A columns to pass on all her hospitality related wisdom and advice, but now her business is taking her in a new direction. The LBNB team would like to say a massive thank you to Tina and wish her all the best in future.
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NEWS Industry news and analysis from around the UK
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TINA BODEN Tina's final Q&A discussion column for the LBNB Magazine
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HIGHLAND LASSIE What do you need to set up and run a boat B&B?
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FACEBOOK & DIRECT BOOKINGS Yvonne Halling, shares 3 ways FB can help increase direct bookings
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KILMARTIN CASTLE To B&B or not to B&B, that is the question.
23 KAREN'S COLUMN Read all about toilet paper origami and plumbing 26 PICKING THE BEST BED What to look for when buying new beds - advice from the NBF 34 BED BUYERS GUIDE 35 INTERIOR VIEW David considers alternative items for nautical themes 36 PRODUCT NEWS
Happy reading! EDITOR Juliet Horner editor@luxurybnbmag.com 07801 545 540 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dominic Johnson dominic@miramedia.co.uk 01892 711 144
CONTRIBUTORS Tina Boden tina@tinaboden.com Karen Thorne karenjthorne@yahoo.co.uk
MEDIA SALES Lisa Ebdy | Sales Manager 07799 886 115 lisaebdymedia@outlook.com Kirsty Farrow KirstyF@spacemarketing.co.uk
Yvonne Halling yvonne@yvonnehalling.com
DESIGN Juliet Horner | Editor editor@luxurybnbmag.com
Neil Fraser neil@neilfraserphotography. com
David Worthington david@worthington.co.uk
David Worthington david@worthington.co.uk
Carlos Gris carlos@carlosgris.studio
Abbey Warne abbeywarne07@gmail.com
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 BnB are not necessarily those of Miramedia. 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 Miramedia in good faith.
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33 ST JOHN’S GUEST HOUSE Discover renovations, interior design and social media 38 ORCHARD HUTS Working together as a family to run a hospitality business 44 PREPARING FOR A PHOTOSHOOT PT.2 How to dress your property for a photoshoot using props 46 PROPERTIES FOR SALE
Luxury BnB Magazine | Miramedia 29-31 Monson Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1LS www.luxurybnbmag.com All rights reserved © Miramedia 2020 Luxury BnB is published bi-monthly. Printed by Stephens and George www.stephensandgeorge.co.uk
48 LBNB EBOOK CHAPTER 4A Intro to T&Cs, rental periods and payments 50 DIRECTORY
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IN BRIEF || NEWS
FREE online learning platform launched by UK Tourism Online UK Tourism Online recently launched a FREE online learning hub, created to benefit the UK hospitality industry. The hub has been designed as a one-stop shop for owners and managers to upskill and drive more direct bookings to their businesses. Access to the site and all its resources is FREE, and it will also help venues reduce the commission they pay to other online travel agencies to promote their properties. No login is required to access the site. UKTO simply want people to use it and hopefully benefit from the increase in direct booking guest revenue. The hub will feature information, guides and webinars, as well as contributions from industry figures like award-winning B&B coach Yvonne Halling and chairman of the Bed and Breakfast Association, David Weston. UK Tourism Online’s Managing Director Louise Johnson-Collins
said: “We’re always asked how to attract new, direct bookings and we’re determined to provide access to all of the information free of charge. “This is why we’ve created a free information and learning hub for anyone who runs an accommodation-based business, so that they can learn new skills that will help them to increase direct bookings.” Welcoming the new free learning hub, David Weston, chair of the Bed & Breakfast Association,said: “Independent accommodation businesses increasingly need to
hone their online marketing skills - and will especially benefit from maximising the proportion of direct bookings they can generate. “So, we very much welcome initiatives like the UK Tourism Online ‘Hub’, which will be a useful (and free!) resource for business owners”. The new free learning hub, which will have a phased launch of all its features, can be found at: hub.uktourismonline.co.uk OR MoreDirectBookings.co.uk
B&B Association reports anxieties about ‘self-isolation’ and being “pinged” By David Weston, Chairman of the Bed and Breakfast Association By the time the much-heralded “freedom day” in England arrived (19 July), the Government’s messaging had changed radically towards caution. Far from the originally planned casting-off of masks and regulations, it was almost ‘business as usual’, with many continuing to wear masks voluntarily. As B&Bs and guesthouses were already open, there was relatively little change compared with sectors which emerged from closure, but a new anxiety emerged last month: the “pingdemic” as some media had labelled it. 4 || Luxury BnB | August 2021
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The NHS Track & Trace app was ‘pinging’ exponentially higher numbers of people with requests to self-isolate – at the time we went to press, national retailers were having to close stores because of lack of staff. David Weston, Chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association, says the anxiety about being ‘pinged’ was particularly acute amongst B&B owners. He said: "We have been getting so many calls and emails from members worried about being asked to ‘self-isolate’, which would in effect mean having their businesses closed down at the
height of the peak season. “We have a meeting with Government officials next week and will be pressing for much more clarity, and for the exemptions just given to NHS workers (no self-isolation if double-jabbed) to be applied to all – or at least to owners of small businesses like B&Bs. "The alternative would be full compensation for loss of earnings for those forced to close.” For updates, go to the Bed and Breakfast Association website at: www.bandbassociation.org
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IN BRIEF || NEWS Tina Boden is certainly no stranger to The hospitality industry. As The Tiny Troubleshooter, Tina works oneon-one with business owners, providing virtual assistance and marketing support. As one of the Bs in the B and B Keeper, Tina will step in to run your BnB, Guest House, small Hotel or Inn while the owner is on holiday. And then as Co-founder of #MicroBizMatters Day Tina is one of the leading voices for micro business in the UK. Tina is also founded the 'Your Business and You' website which provides features to help the wellbeing of a business owner and their business. FB: The BandB Keeper TW: @MicroBizGirl IN: @_tinaboden_ IN: @your_business_ and_you URL: www. yourbusinessandyou.net
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >> luxurybnbmag.com/ tina_aug21
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Talk It Over With The Tiny Troubleshooter
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We recently added photos to our website that we took ourselves. When we first looked at them, they seemed good quality, but after adding them to the website, they don't reflect the standard of what we offer. Employing a professional photographer is a huge expense but our competitors did this and their websites look so much better. Is the financial commitment worth it?
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- As the saying goes ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression’ and in today's image focused world, getting those first images right is important. When we were judging this year’s Luxury BnB Magazine awards there were regular comments made about the photographs that weren't high resolution and obviously hadn't been taken by a professional photographer. I honestly believe that the price you pay will bring you a great return on investment. But remember when choosing a photographer to ensure they have experience in this area. Different photographers specialise in different areas of work, not all are good at taking pictures of everything. You need someone with an eye for detail to make sure that a cushion has been positioned correctly or the picture is not a little bit lopsided. Do your research before making the investment and you won't regret it. I would suggest taking a look at the articles written for Luxury BnB by professional photographer, Neil Fraser.
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Though restrictions have been lifted I have still kept some of the changes I have made over the past 12 months in place, especially choosing a set time for breakfast and preordering. Do you think keeping this will be off putting for guests going forward?
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- Everybody runs their B & B in a different way and how you choose to run yours is your choice. Some guests that were regular visitors pre-Covid may take a little time to get used to the changes but new guests won't know what you did in an alternative way before, so for them it will just be how you choose to serve your breakfast. We need to remember that though things are starting to return to some sort of normal, not everyone will feel very comfortable with all the restrictions being lifted at once. They might be pleased that you have put plans in place at your B & B to reduce contact with other guests. Sending a Newsletter to your guests advising them of the restrictions you will be keeping in place, the Covid-19 policy that you have in place now restrictions have been lifted and any other ‘opening up’ news you want to share, might be a good way of stimulating a few more bookings. People interpret regulations and restrictions differently so being clear about how things are running at your B & B is important so guests know what to expect when they arrive.
This is the last Talk It Over With The Tiny Troubleshooter feature I will be doing for the LBnB Magazine. I've been doing far more Business Mentoring over the past 6 months to support the wellbeing of micro businesses and their owners. Therefore I've made the difficult decision to give up B&B Keeping. My support is being requested from all over the world, and I've spent 7 years trying to persuade people to reduce time spent travelling to meetings and chat online, and Covid-19 has been the converter! We need to count the positives don’t we, as there has been so much negativity. I want to say a huge thank you to Team Luxury BnB, namely Dom and Juliet, for having me and wish them and you well for the future. If I can be of help with your wellbeing or the wellbeing of your business, drop an email to tina@tinaboden.com - It would be good to chat. Best wishes, Tina B
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by Tina Boden from thebandbkeeper.com
www.luxurybbmag.co.uk
www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IGHLAND LASSIE
Looking at setting up a Bed & Breakfast that’s a little different? Take some inspiration from Highland Lassie, a well-known floating B&B close to Inverness By
Abbey Warne
WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A BOAT B&B?
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >> luxurybnbmag.com/highland_lassie
www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || HIGHLAND LASSIE
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f you want to set up a more unique B&B, then why not consider a floating B&B? We spoke to Gabrielle Glue, who co-owns Highland Lassie Cruises with her husband, Gus. She told us how it’s both similar and different to running a B&B on land. Highland Lassie is listed on QuirkyAccom.com as well as their own website. This unique hospitality venue was converted to cruise the West Coast of Scotland. When the pandemic hit, Highland Lassie instead opened its doors as a luxury B&B, as well as offering an onboard dining experience until she could cruise again. “We’re quite unique. In the winter we’re a bed and breakfast and in the summer, we take guests on six-night, all-inclusive cruises up and down the West Coast of Scotland,” said Gabrielle.
General Info for Running a Boat B&B 1. Have the necessary safety equipment installed and ready to go e.g. life jackets, a lifebuoy, etc. 2. If you are planning on opening a boat B&B, do plenty of research beforehand e.g. learn about boat maintenance. 3. If you can’t go out to sea then you need to think creatively to earn money. 4. Read up on the requirements of owning a boat. 5. Read through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website thoroughly so you understand what you’re being graded on.
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IN PROFILE || HIGHLAND LASSIE
Breakfast at the Captain's Table
Maintenance
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s you can imagine, running a floating hotel is, in some ways, quite different to owning a land based B&B. “This has been 10 years in the making,” said Gaby. One downside of owning a wooden boat is the cost of the maintenance, as Gaby explained. “The thing with floating hotels is that it is costly to maintain. “House maintenance isn't quite as fierce and you don't have as many regulations, but when you're on a boat the most important thing is to ensure you’re MCA* graded so that you have all the safety measures in place.” MCA* is short for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who grade boats to make sure they meet certain standards. “So if you're building a house, you have the building inspectors come in to make sure it's all up to standard, but for a boat it's the MCA,” said Gabrielle. “You have to get your MCA certificates to be able to take people on board if you are cruising, but not necessarily if you're stationary.” The Luxury BnB team suggests you take a look at the MCA website to check what you need.
www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Visitor Experience
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abrielle and her husband share out the roles to make sure that the needs of visitors are catered to. “I’m a restaurateur by trade, almost by birth,” she explained, “my mother had a hotel, so I’ve always been in and about the trade which is why I’m the chef and my husband, Gus, ensures guests are served and well entertained.” The scenery is something to consider for an excellent visitor experience, believes Gabrielle. “We've had people from Inverness stay and when they leave in the morning, they say they could have stayed another week, it’s like being somewhere completely different and these are people that are just 15 minutes away in a car,” she said. Gabrielle and her husband aim to appeal to a different audience in the summer when they operate as a cruise, compared to in the winter when they operate as a B&B. “So, during a cruise, guests enjoy an all inclusive experience which includes food, drinks and excursions, but this tends to be an American market. “During the winter, whilst moored on the Caledonian Canal, it's very much a home market.” So how do you ensure you provide a luxury experience on a boat?
“The customer may have a different expectation of a floating hotel on the water, but what they do want is comfort and good service,” said Gaby. Highland Lassie Cruises are six nights long and they host a number of excursions in and around the West Coast of Scotland, to ensure their guests have the ultimate experience. Gaby said: “The guests are always accompanied on their excursions by Gus, my husband, ensuring he is on hand if needed." “They could go off to a distillery, a castle, gardens, Fingal’s Caves. There are different itineraries available with different excursions for our cruises.” If you are not sure where to start, think about how to structure an itinerary that will help guests understand what they will be doing during their trip. Down the Hatch, a boatel based on the River Thames in London, has a brief itinerary on their homepage, which includes mealtimes, suggestions for site-seeing, and evening plans. Alternatively, Fingal, a boatel in Edinburgh, offers an ‘abroad package,’ where guests are given tickets to the Royal Yacht Britannia, provided with a full cooked breakfast, and more. August 2021 || Luxury BnB || 9
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IN PROFILE || HIGHLAND LASSIE
The Set Up
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uite the opposite to what you may be thinking, Gabrielle says they don’t have anything ‘boaty’ within the boat’s interiors, having instead placed emphasis on luxury and comfort. She expressed her belief that the boat should speak for itself; you shouldn’t splurge on nautical, blue and white, beach themed interiors to make the guests feel like they are on a boat. “It is very much a ‘gentleman's yacht’ type of environment, so it’s leather chairs with tweed backing, and the whole boat was built for the customers’ comfort,” she said. “So, for example, the cabins are very modern, with power showers, and comfortable beds.” Gaby feels that having enough space for guests to stretch their legs out is incredibly important. “Where most boats would have maybe six cabins, we just have the four because space is important,” she said. “Space is a really important issue on a boat because it’s very limited and if people feel claustrophobic, they are not going to be relaxed.” She admits that comfort was always considered when the boat was designed and built. “It is beautiful I have to say. Everything about the boat is comfort, and when we designed and built it, that’s what we had in mind for the customers, absolute comfort.”
MCA = MARTIME & COASTGUARD AGENCY MCA* is short for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who grade boats to make sure they meet certain standards. The MCA guidance for working at sea covers: 1. Health & Safety 2. Maritime Safety 3. Medical Certification & Advice 4. Training & Certification
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Customer Service
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abrielle believes that customer service is a priority when owning a Bed and Breakfast. “The most important thing in hospitality is service,” she said. “The customer is king, and you have to make sure that when they come on to the boat, they feel special. To be honest, it doesn't matter whether you've got a bed and breakfast on the ground or on the water. “When customers come here, they want to be special and they should be special.” Gabrielle feels that a major benefit of running a floating hotel is that people are much calmer on the water, providing a more relaxed atmosphere. “You're floating, so you have an advantage straight away, and water calms people, so you're already on a good footing.” Besides this, she believes that, MCA regulations aside, having a boat B&B is not too different from being on land, although customers might have different expectations. “The customer will have a different expectation of being on the water but what they do want is comfort and good service,” said Gaby.
Top Tips Operating a boat B&B to perfection. 1. Make sure you are MCA graded. 2. Less is more e.g. it’s better to have four comfortable cabins rather than six uncomfortable ones 3. Think outside of the box (especially during difficult times such as the pandemic) 4. Make sure that you enjoy what you do (whether that’s running a floating B&B or one on land!) 5. Service is the most important thing when it comes to hospitality. Treat the customer well and they will want to come back.
Marketing
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aby and Gus hired someone to promote Highland Lassie on social media, but the pandemic meant they had to target a new, local audience for 2021. “We have Facebook and Instagram but we’re a bit old fashioned so we hired a young lady called Claire, who manages that for us and that’s invaluable,” said Gaby. “All of our marketing used to go to the US but the pandemic presented the challenge of having to remarket Highland Lassie from an international market, to a domestic market.” She further explained the hardship faced by floating businesses across the UK during the pandemic: “A lot of floating businesses didn’t come in for any funding at all throughout the
pandemic, so money has been a considerable issue.” Despite the difficulties they encountered over the last year, Gaby and her husband, Gus found a way to survive. “As a boat business being along the Caledonian Canal where people walk, we’ve had to think outside the box. “We started doing takeaways and breakfast rolls for people who were walking along the Caledonian Canal and we placed tables outside on the decking and along the jetty to encourage people to dine,” she said, “we had to think outside the box and just try and stay afloat." Lastly, she advised that when it comes to running your own B&B, enjoy what you do. “Just enjoy what you do. When you enjoy what you do, it shows.” www.luxurybnbmag.com
20/07/2021 10:15
Sunart cabin with access to the deck
URLs highlandlassiecruises.com quirkyaccom.com/highland-lassie gov.uk/government/organisations/ maritime-and-coastguard-agency gov.uk/owning-a-boat thamesboathotel.co.uk fingal.co.uk SOCIAL FB: facebook.com/ TheHighlandLassie IN: @highlandlassieicl
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IN PROFILE || HOSTING A COSY CHRISTMAS
Attracting Direct bookings from Facebook with Yvonne Halling 3 steps to using Facebook for increasing your direct bookings online Yvonne Halling is the awardwinning founder of Bed and Breakfast Coach. com and creator of the B&B Money Maker Business Transformation program. In 2001, Yvonne opened her B&B in the Champagne region of France, running her B&B for 17 years. She now offers owners and managers in the B&B industry helpful training and masterclasses. Join Yvonne's Facebook group at: http://bit.ly/ BandBgroup
FB: Yvonne Halling TW: @yvonne3030 IN: @bedandbreakfastcoach bedandbreakfastcoach.com
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >> luxurybnbmag. co.uk/yvonne_aug21
Facebook is the biggest “networking event” on the planet. Did you ever think of it like that? It operates 24/7, 365 days of the year and if you use it as a business tool, as opposed to using it as a consumer, you’ll do well on the platform. Let’s explain first what I mean by “business” v “consumer”. Most people will open Facebook to see what’s going on with their friends and connections. As a smart and savvy business person, you’ll already know that surfing the cute cat pictures is never going to bring you any bookings, so we have to look at an alternative. Business-minded people use Facebook to educate, connect and engage with potential guests. So how can you start to attract direct bookings using Facebook?
Step #1 Start with your profile. What does it say about you personally? Is your business truly reflected in it, or are you keeping your profile “separate” from your business? I encourage you not to do that. YOU are your business, and your profile is your “calling card”, like the one you’d take to a live networking event. Take an objective look at it now, and ask yourself.. is this the image I want to portray online?
Step #2 Now that you’ve spruced up your profile to reflect you as a business owner, it’s time to start virtual “networking”. This means identifying the groups where your ideal guests hang out and making friends with people you might like. Adding friends and building your personal network on Facebook is essential for attracting direct bookings. The bigger your
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personal network, filled with ideal guests, the more success you’ll have on the next step. And in case you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned your business page, and why I’m not advocating using it to attract direct bookings, there’s one simple reason for that. Exposure for your posts on your business page is now a pay-to-play game, so unless you’ve got deep pockets for advertising fees, don’t waste your time. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a business page!
Step #3 Now that your profile looks good and you have a reasonable network of ideal guests, it’s time to engage with them by posting entertaining content. In order to sell successfully on Facebook, you’ll need to warm people up and build a relationship with them. You need to get them excited and interested. So when you have last minute availability and are desperate for guests next weekend, instead of posting availability with an image and hoping for the best, create a series of strategic video clips which position you as both the “expert” in your area, and as someone interesting. Video marketing is hands down my favourite way to market a B&B business because a) hardly anyone does it b) video gets way more eyeballs on you and your property which leads to more direct bookings
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Remember, it won’t happen overnight, so now is always the best time to start! And now, when you next need some bookings, you’ll have a strategy to implement. www.luxurybbmag.co.uk www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Since 1924, Sleepeezee continues to work in partnership with world-class hotels to provide the perfect sleep experience for their guests. www.sleepeezee.com/hospitality
Leave The Rest To Us 20/07/2021 10:21
Advertorial
Selling More Offers and Experiences by Reaching New Audiences Online Robert Parker Collection Hotel Group see a 20% increase in Direct Bookings across the group in just 4 weeks. Read on to find out more about their immediate success.
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tep back in time and soak up the grandeur of Scotland’s oldest inhabited castle at Dalhousie Castle Hotel & Aqueous Spa or treat yourself to a romantic break on the at Eshott Hall. All of the group's five historic hotels stand in some of the most beautiful landscapes. Each has been individually designed to enhance its period charm. The collection has evolved and their marketing strategy has a renewed focus on generating more direct bookings and quality guest data.
The Challenge
The collection had been trying to move away from the traditional room only bookings to sell more offers and experiences to increase their direct booking revenues. This proved difficult for the group and progress was slow. Uptake of the offers and experiences was low, with room only sales still dominating. Their existing booking engine did not provide an enhanced and appealing guest journey to increase the number of offers and experiences sold.
The Solution
In April 2021 the Robert Parker Hotel collection put their trust in Profitroom to help achieve their 14 || Luxury BnB || August 2021
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commercial business objectives, specifically focusing on direct bookings. Working collaboratively to optimise the online guest booking journey, Profitroom ensured they showcased their offers and experiences for the highest conversions. Profitroom also ensured that the right personalised and automated messages were in place for all pre and post stay booking touchpoints to enhance the guest experience and increase the loyalty of guests.
Group Approach
Within the Profitroom Suite, the team at Robert Parker Collection could access live reporting for the entire group and view properties individually. This helped to assess demand analysis and will inform future marketing decisions and offer and experience creation for each property. The Group also generated a further 2,200 prospective guest emails, gathered with GDPR consent via the booking engine.
Exceeding All Expectations
In just four weeks Profitroom were able to exceed expectations and demonstrated strong results. Adam Reeves, CEO of The Robert
Parker Hotel Collection said: "In just four weeks we have seen the highest sales of our packages/ experiences and a long planned focus on reducing the level of BB's has been achieved. This is leading to a positive impact across the group. Our direct business in this short space of time has already risen by over 20% to 60%." The Profitroom Suite helped to achieve the commercial goals within just four weeks. It will be extremely exciting to see how far the direct business and uptake of packages and experiences will continue to grow. To understand how Profitroom can help you achieve your own goals, visit www.profitroom.com or email contact@profitroom.com. www.luxurybnbmag.com
20/07/2021 10:23
Profitroom - your new hospitality technology partner Listening to the needs of the hospitality industry, we have developed an entire ecosystem that is easy to use, reliable and hassle free.
BOOKING ENGINE
CRM
MARKETING SERVICES
WEBSITES
Find out more: contact@profitroom.com profitroom.com
C H A N N E L M A N AG E R
Bed and Breakfast Insurance
Adrian Flux is one of the leading specialist home insurance brokers in the UK and one of only a few offering a full range of bed & breakfast insurance cover for B&B's. Our policies are tailored to your specific requirements.
Ask our experienced staff about: • Full cover for bed & breakfasts
• Insurance for short term & AirBnB rentals • Discount when you take buildings & contents cover
adrianflux.co.uk | 0800 085 5000 Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Trustpilot rating checked on October 21st 2020
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IL MARTIN CASTLE
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >>
luxurybnbmag.com/kilmartin_august21
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20/07/2021 10:27
Can’t decide whether to operate as a B&B or an exclusive, selfcatering holiday-let? Discover how Stef and Simon combined both of these to cater to a wider audience at Kilmartin Castle. By
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IN PROFILE || KILMARTIN CASTLE
To b&b or not to b&b. That is the question?
Juliet Horner
20/07/2021 10:27
URLs kilmartincastle.com SOCIAL MEDIA FB: @kilmartincastle TW: @KilmartinCastle IN: @kilmartincastle
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t’s not every day that you fly over from Dubai for a Scottish road trip and wind up the King and Queen of your very own castle, but that’s exactly what happened to travel radio presenter, Stef Burgon and her husband, Simon Hunt. When they stumbled across Kilmartin Castle, originally built in 1550 during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots, there was no turning back. But the castle’s heritage is not the only unique thing about this hospitality business. “The castle has five rooms and when we run it as a B&B, we live in the biggest room that’s above the kitchen and has a separate staircase,” explained Simon, “and that becomes our sort of miniature apartment within the castle. So our maximum occupancy for the B&B is eight guests across four rooms.” But what happens when they aren’t operating as a B&B? Surprisingly, Stef and Simon move out, allowing their guests to enjoy all five rooms and the entire property as an exclusive rental. “It’s probably the best thing that we have ever accidentally done,” said Stef. When operating as an exclusive holiday rental, the castle can fit ten people across all five rooms. But how do they make this mashup of B&B and exclusive holiday-let work? “For the B&B bookings, we have a minimum stay of two nights, but we sometimes do single nights when we’ve got gaps,” explained Simon. “But for our exclusive rentals we have a minimum stay of four nights, and that’s not really for the money, but more to make it worthwhile for us to actually go somewhere.”
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Whilst the castle is booked out for an exclusive, Stef and Simon use the time to go on their own holidays and road trips. “When you’re running a B&B it’s very easy to just work every single day,” said Simon, “so it’s nice to actually get some real time off where you’re completely disengaged from the business.” Stef said: “It’s like dipping in and dipping out. It just keeps it new, fresh and exciting. “There’s no, ‘Oh here we go again’, and I imagine it can get like that quite easily if you’re running a B&B every month of the year nonstop. When it comes to organising the calendar in conjunction with bookings, they said that luckily, it sorts itself out. “We normally get exclusive inquiries at least six months, if not a year, in advance,” said Stef, “so when we get an exclusive booking, we block out the B&B for those dates, and when we get a B&B booking, we will block out the exclusive. So it’s first come, first served.” Simon then explained that if they get two, four night exclusive bookings, with a four night gap in between, they may decide to block that gap out and force those dates to be used as an exclusive rental so that they can take nearly three weeks off. “Generally when we do that, it works out. It’s like getting a paid holiday!” said Simon. Previously, when they’ve had trips booked, Simon explained they would block out the dates of their holiday and only take exclusive bookings for that period. “We had a week-long boat trip once,” said Simon, “so we blocked it out as an exclusive and then it got booked as an exclusive. “We also booked concert tickets once and we blocked out all of the B&B days and left it open as an exclusive booking.” He added: “It could be a B&B all the time, or it could be an exclusive rental all the time, but people always want it for both and it’s up to us what we do.” But if they’re away, how do they deal with changeovers?
IN PROFILE || KILMARTIN CASTLE
Bedroom
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Dining Room
"It's nice to get some real time off where you're completely disengaged from the business." “We’ve got local people who we really trust and they will do the changeovers for us,” said Stef, "we’ve also started letting people check themselves in to a certain degree.” She added: “Then they can give our chef a call, who we’ve known for years and she will pop down and tell them what they need to know and show them little quirks and how to work things. “We’ve found that people like exploring it on their own initially, so it’s the best of both worlds because they get that interaction, but when they want it. “I think there’s nothing worse than the owner walking you round, talking to you forever when you’re just thinking ‘Please leave me alone, I’m sure I can work out where the light switch is’.” But what about the practicalities of this arrangement? What do they 20 || Luxury BnB || August 2021
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do with all of their belongings? “We’ve become pretty good at living a minimal life and we both have a summer and winter wardrobe that we get out of storage when we need it,” said Simon. Stef added: “I actually have a go-bag now, so when I’m only at Kilmartin for a little while, I dress out of my bag. All my work wear for when I cook breakfasts and stuff is in my locked chest.” Simon said: “We’ve got our room set up so it’s really useful with lots of hidden storage and all of our stuff gets hidden away in lockable hiding spots. The people staying there wouldn’t even know it’s there.” He added: “Someone asked me once if it was weird having other people sleep in our bed, but I thought, is it weird going to a hotel where other people have slept in the bed beforehand? Because it’s
just the same as that.” Stef and Simon have a team of cleaners who turn the place upside down both after every B&B and after every exclusive. “It’s quite amazing actually,” said Stef, “because when we get home it’s like we’re checking in, because it’s all tidy and there’s new bedding and it’s actually really nice.” Simon laughed and added: “Yeah, it’s super nice getting home from holiday and the toilet paper is folded into little triangles for you.” The pair stressed the fact that they are still fairly new to this and are still figuring it out, but it has been getting easier. “Don’t go into this thinking it’s an easy way to make money,” said Stef, “if you don’t have a passion for it, it won’t work.” Simon said: “We’re so new to this, so it’s not like we’re professionals by any stretch.” www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Operating as a B&B and also an exclusive rental property. 1. Be prepared to live a minimal lifestyle. 2. Invest in a storage facility away from your property. 3. Make the most of lockable hiding spots and storage spaces within the property itself. 4. Invest in a good channel manager so you can stay organised and easily differentiate between shorter B&B bookings and the longer exclusive rentals.
C R OW L E AS OW
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nother property operating in a similar way is Crow Leasow B&B. Sally and Robin’s English country home can be found in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sally markets her B&B as something in between a B&B and an exclusive holiday rental. She said: “We can’t change entirely because there are too many animals here to let out the whole house! We’ve just been away for three nights and had to get house sitters in because of all of our livestock. “But we are considering letting the whole house out to guests that we know and guests that have stayed with us before.
IN PROFILE || KILMARTIN CASTLE
Top Tips -
B &B
URLs crowleasow.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA FB: Crow Leasow - Ludlow IN: @crow_leasow
“We recently had some guests stay with us for the second time, who brought their daughter and son-in-law, and now they want to bring the rest of the family.” She added: “I think they will want me to cook though so I can’t do a runner! But they have hens and dogs etc. so we’d have no issue moving out for them if they decided they’d like to rent the whole house.”
"We're good at living a minimal life, with summer and winter wardrobes."
5. Make sure there are local people you can trust to help your guests if they need assistance and you are too far away to help. 6. Never treat someone like they are not you. Guests don’t deserve less. If you wouldn’t like something, don’t do it for them because the odds are they won’t like it either. Stef preparing breakfast in the kitchen
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August 2021 || Luxury BnB || 19
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20/07/2021 10:29
Karen Thorne has ran Hopton House B&B in Shropshire for over 16 years and the Bed and Breakfast Academy for over 14 years. Through the B&B Academy, Karen trains aspiring B&B owners in how to set up, buy, run and market their own B&Bs. Karen runs monthly online courses and has recently launched a B&B Marketing membership for existing B&B owners, so she can help them to organically and authentically market their own B&Bs.
Read Karen's blog to discover more about toilet paper origami, how marrying a plumber has been very handy, and more about life as a B&B owner: bandbacademy. co.uk/blog
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >> luxurybnbmag. com/karen_aug21_ origami OR luxurybnbmag. com/karen_aug21_ plumber www.luxurybnbmag.com www.luxurybbmag.co.uk
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Toilet Paper Origami
I’m staying on the toilet theme this week. I appreciate it’s not considered polite conversation but, like it or not, toilets do feature quite heavily in a B&B owner’s life. On a holiday to the states a few years ago, we arrived at our B&B and I headed for the bathroom - it had been a long drive - and there was an origami boat on the toilet roll! I messaged my cleaner a photo and a jokey comment, saying I expected her to be proficient in origami by my return. I immediately regretted the message. Getting 3 rooms cleaned properly in the allotted time was challenging enough. There was no time for toilet paper origami! And that turned out to be the problem at this B&B. On closer
IN PROFILE || WIGTOWN'S LITERRALY B&B CONTRIBUTOR || KAREN THORNE
Karen's
WWW.BANDBACADEMY.CO.UK
inspection the bathroom really wasn’t as clean as it could be. Maybe they should have spent more cleaning and less time on origami... It can be a race against time to get a B&B room ready, so it’s important to prioritise getting the basics right first, BEFORE the frills. Whenever I was in charge of the cleaning, it always took me longer as I’d be doing all of the little things that didn’t get done in a standard clean. My mantra became “To get my 5 star review and ensure the guests have the perfect stay - Is it absolutely necessary to do this task right now?” Of course, if you do have spare time and fancy learning toilet paper origami - take to Google to learn how and please send me a photo!
Marry a Plumber My imaginary book - which I’m never going to write by the way - has the subtitle “Want to run a B&B? Marry a plumber!” Disclaimer: I’m not married to a plumber! - single plumbers are in short supply - and, besides, I already have a very nice husband. He works for BA, and pre-lockdown, worked away all week. But luckily for me, Rob loves all DIY, except plumbing. He is very proficient at it - he completely gutted and re-did our bathroom - but it’s guaranteed to result in him using words that I personally reserve for when I drop breakfast on the floor. I’d need a 4 page spread to cover all of the plumbing disasters at my B&B. But my favourite may have been the time when the mechanism in the toilet
cistern broke. Rob drove round every plumber’s merchant in Shropshire to be told that that model was no longer made , just 18 months after installation. I could do nothing but apologise to the arriving guests, explain the toilet wasn’t working, hand them a bucket and offer them a hefty discount. The look of horror on the guest’s face! I quickly clarified that the bucket was to flush the toilet with, not to use as a modern day chamber pot. If you’re setting up a B&B, my advice would be - buy as many buckets as you can and find yourself a nice plumber. Or if they’re already married, get an obliging one on speed dial and keep them very sweet!
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20/07/2021 10:29
Independent Hotel Show London is back! This October, Independent Hotel Show presented by James Hallam, will once again bring together the who’s who of the boutique and luxury hotel industry along with over 300 unique suppliers for its highly anticipated 9th edition, taking place 4-5 October at Olympia London. Along with many of the show’s popular returning features, including the Innovation Stage, in partnership with eviivo and dressed by sofa.com, and the Social Business Space, the 2021 edition of Independent Hotel Show will also be introducing the all-new Tech Solutions Bar, in partnership with HOSPA, the hospitality professionals’ association. The Tech Solutions Bar will provide
hoteliers with objective, insightful and confidential advice on the changing hospitality tech landscape and offer practical suggestions for solving tech-related business pain points. The Innovation Stage will once again take a deep dive into some of the most pressing issues and opportunities facing the independent hotel market, with sessions on sustaining the domestic tourism boom, becoming a gastronomy destination, revitalising the city break, how to gain key insights from customer data and a whole lot more. Frequent visitor to the show Serena von der Heyde, Partner at Georgian House Hotel and Director at
Victorian House Hotel, commented: “The Independent Hotel Show is the best show for me by far because out of all the stands and the different sessions on the stage, I would say that 95% of it is relevant to me, compared to larger shows. I’m also much more likely to bump into colleagues of mine and likeminded people, so for me it’s the best show that I attend.” Join the boutique hotel industry at Olympia London on 4-5 October and discover some of the most exciting products and businesses on the market, visit independenthotelshow.co.uk to register for your complimentary pass.
Exhibitor Highlights: BC Softwear
BC Softwear are the UK’s leading independent textile supplier for bathrobes, towels and spa linen for hotels and spas. Supplying direct to laundries in the UK and to 34 countries worldwide. Providing eco-friendly towelling solutions to substantially reduce energy consumption, supreme quality towels, robes and footwear, reliable supply and exceptional customer service.
Vispring
Founded in 1901, Vispring is the ultimate destination for luxury beds and mattresses. Valuing excellence and craftsmanship, the company brings together the finest in British design and natural materials to create the ultimate sleep experience.
ATADesigns
Annette Taylor-Anderson is the award-winning Founder and Creative Director/Designer behind the brand ATADesigns. With over 10 years’ experience designing wallcoverings, ATADesigns have a unique range of exciting collections that will inspire any project. Their speciality is creating wallcoverings, murals and fabric designs and they also work closely with clients to create bespoke designs.
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20/07/2021 10:31Hospitality Ad
INTRODUCING SPRINT A collection of rolled hospitality mattresses featuring 100% recyclable Cortec™ Quad pocket springs and a 100% FR chemical treatment free cover. Zero to landfill. The ultimate in comfort and an environmental sound night’s sleep.
www.harrisonspinks.co.uk/hospitality Steve Truswell | Hospitality Sales Director | 07741312608 | struswell@harrisonspinks.co.uk
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20/07/2021 10:31 11:46 14/07/2021
Picking the best bed with The National Bed Federation w READ ONLINE & SHARE >>
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20/07/2021 10:33
AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
Important things to consider when buying new mattresses and how to pick the best bed for your business By Juliet Horner
T
hinking it’s time to buy new mattresses? It’s so hard to choose the right bed, especially when it’s for your business and not your own, personal use. We all have different tastes when it comes to design, firmness and size, so how do you choose the best bed for your business? We spoke to industry expert, Simon Williams, to find out what you should look for in particular when shopping for new beds. Simon is the Marketing and Membership Manager for the National Bed Federation (NBF), the recognised trade association representing bed manufacturers and suppliers in the UK. The NBF provides professional and unbiased advice on everything you need to know about beds. Read on to find out how to pick the best bed.
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AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
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hether you're a B&B, hotel, holiday let, or glamping business, one of your ultimate goals is that your guests enjoy a good night's sleep. Simon Williams from the NBF suggested starting with what you would choose for yourself. “Many people would use their existing product that they sleep on as a benchmark,” he said. “The average, recommended replacement cycle is every seven years, but a hospitality venue may look to change their mattresses more often. So if you bought a bed four, five, or even six years ago, now might be a good time to replace it. “Start by thinking about what you liked about your current bed when you bought it and whether you want to buy direct replacements or something new.” Simon explained that most people would look to buy from retailers and manufacturers that they know so that they have quality assurance, but whoever you buy from, he strongly recommends trying a bed before you buy it. “Go into a bed shop or furniture store and discuss your particular needs and budgets with the sales assistants,” he said. “Don’t just buy something off the internet. How do you know how comfortable it is? Or what the quality will be like until you try it and see it in real life? “So discuss your budgets and needs and try to hone in on a handful of products that suit those requirements. Then from that ‘shortlist’, lie down on them. Try them out.” Laughing he said: “This might sound a bit weird, but lie on the bed for at least five minutes. You need to lie there for at least five minutes because it’s not your bedroom, you’re not in your night-time clothes, and it will feel different. “The store may also be cold and mattresses have a tendency to feel firmer and slightly more uncomfortable in cold environments, so you have to take that into consideration too.” He also recommends that you move around on them to try and get a good feel for the product to see if they meet your requirements. But what requirements should you have on your list? Here’s some elements of bed-buying that you should consider and Simon’s advice for them.
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lthough it’s not always the first thing on your mind when buying a bed for yourself, you must make sure your mattresses meet certain standards if they are used commercially. “You need to make sure the products you buy meet the UK flammability standards,” said Simon, “especially for B&Bs, guest
houses and hotels.” Simon explained that any mattress you buy should be classed as a ‘Medium Hazard’. He said: “You need to make sure the mattress meets the standards for medium hazard and flame retardancy. “There’s a British standard which is BS7177 and there should be a small label on the mattress with
that BS7177 code on it. But it should also say ‘Medium Hazard’.” If the label says ‘Low Hazard’, that particular product is for domestic use in someone’s home. “The vast majority of bed manufacturers in the UK will make products to the medium hazard standard for the contract market,” said Simon.
AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
Flammability?
"The average, recommended replacement cycle for a mattress is every seven years."
Making a mattress Photo from Sleepeezee
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AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED Pocket Gel Poise Photo from Sleepeezee
"In a standard UK double, based on two adults sharing, each person has less space than a baby does in a cot."
... Size?
D
epending on your hospitality business, the size of your beds may be restricted by the space you have available, but there’s more to it than just choosing between a single or a double. “We know from research that about 40 to 45% of all of the beds sold in the UK are the standard UK double size,” said Simon, “which is interesting because a standard UK double is only 1.35 metres wides and actually, if you have two people in that bed, each person actually has less space than a baby does in a cot, believe it or not!” So unless you want your guests playing sardines, the NBF recommends choosing slightly bigger beds for your business,
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... Firmness? if you can. Simon added: “For example, if you can fit a king-size bed in your bedroom, then do it,” said Simon. “A king-size bed is 1.5 metres wide, which doesn’t sound a lot more than the standard double, but that extra 15cm does make a big difference because there’s less disturbance between the two people sharing the bed.” Simply put, the larger the bed, the less disturbance, which means a better night’s sleep for your guests. “Think of the biggest bed you could put in the room, that doesn’t overwhelm the space, to give your guests a better night’s sleep if there’s two people sharing a bed,” said Simon.
C
omfort is so subjective, so how do you go about choosing the right level of firmness for your mattresses? “A bed that I find extremely comfortable, you might find impossible to sleep in,” said Simon. “Comfort is so subjective, so for commercial establishments, they’re probably better off choosing products that are middle ground. “You certainly don’t want a mattress that’s too firm or too soft, so look for something that would be classed as medium support.” By choosing something that’s in the middle, you’re more likely to please the majority of your guests.
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very business has a different budget, so it’s hard to pinpoint an exact amount that you should spend on a new bed. But whatever you budget, Simon said you shouldn’t be put off by higher prices. “For example, if we recommend spending £1,000 on a bed, you might think that’s a lot for one mattress,” said Simon, “but actually, when you work it out, it’s not as bad as you think.” He said: “So if you spread that cost over seven years, (the average replacement cycle), and you had someone sleeping in that bed every night, it works out at 40p per night and 20p if there are two people.” He went on to explain that spending more money on a mattress isn’t as bad as it sounds, using another example.
“Let’s say you have an occupancy rate of 75%, which is 274 nights in a year, and you spend £1,000 on a bed that will last you seven years," said Simon, "it then works out at 52p a night." Research by the NBF found that the average price paid by consumers for a bed is between £500 and £600. “We’ve also found that amongst the younger consumers, they’re quite happy to buy a cheaper mattress on the basis it will last them two or three years and then get rid of it and buy a new one,” said Simon. “But we found the older groups tend to be happier spending a bit more on a bed and expecting it to last longer, so they’ll buy a better quality product. “You just have to remember that you get what you pay for and there’s
not much point in spending as little as possible on a bed because you’re essentially selling a good night’s sleep for your guests.” Instead of starting with the carpets, curtains, decor, and different fixtures when working on your budget, Simon suggests starting with the bed. “Start off with the bed because you’re selling a good night’s sleep,” said Simon. “Then use the rest of your budget on the other elements of the room to create a perfect sleeping environment and a nice place for your guests to be.” He added: “I would spend as much as you can on the bed because it’s the most important part.” Remember, your guests won’t be sleeping on the really expensive carpets.
AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
... Pricing?
Making a mattress Photo from Sleepeezee
www.luxurybnbmag.com
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AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
Top Tips Things to remember when purchasing a new bed for your business 1. Try before you buy. Go to a store in person and lie on the beds for at least five minutes 2. Buy beds that are bigger than the standard UK double 3. Flammability: Buy mattresses that meet the standards for medium hazard (BS7177) 4. Medium firmness to please everyone 5. Consider the sleeping environment - how can you increase the chances of a good night's sleep? (E.g. lighting, noise reduction, colour choices etc.) 6. Be prepared to spend more on a mattress that is better quality and will last longer
... Protections?
O
nce you’ve bought your bed, you want to make sure it lasts, providing a good night’s sleep for your guests for years to come. “It’s very important that you use a mattress protector on top of the mattress,” said Simon. “And we would also recommend a mattress topper, too.” A mattress topper is slightly thicker and you can have different covering materials on it to provide different levels of protection. “They offer protection against, not just spillages, but also against bed bugs, house dust mites, and bacteria,” said Simon. “So you can purchase those and
place them over the mattress before you put the bedsheets on over the top. “It will also help with the longevity of the product which is extremely useful in the hospitality industry.” You can also buy normal mattress protectors to go on the mattress, and then a topper to go with it. “Some of the toppers available now, also have, or act as, a mattress protector and also have the covering fabrics with the additional elements of protection,” said Simon.
"Spend as much as you can on the bed."
7. But from reputable retailers such as companies who are NBF members. These companies have all been investigated and audited so you can guarantee they follow all the correct legislation 8. Avoid buying mattresses from online retailers 9. Recommended replacement cycle is every 7 years 10. Invest in mattress toppers and mattress protectors
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Cooler Supreme Photo from Sleepeezee
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here are a couple of other regulations you should be aware of when choosing which beds to buy. With such a wide variety of products and manufacturers to choose from, how do you know if they are correctly regulated and meet all the requirements? “This is where I put my company hat on, so to speak,” said Simon. “I’d suggest looking for brands that are made by members of the National Bed Federation because all of the NBF members are independently audited to make sure that their products meet all of the relevant UK legislation. “And that’s not just for safety, but
for the cleanliness of the fillings and also the trade descriptions.” For example, if a manufacturer has been audited and it says their product meets the flammability standards, then you can pretty much guarantee that's the case. As much as we all enjoy online shopping and finding the best deals, it’s strongly suggested that you avoid buying mattresses from websites such as Amazon, Facebook or any other online trading platforms. Simon said: “There’s always that chance that the products you’re buying may not meet all the UK regulations because the businesses selling on these platforms may not be
investigated or audited properly, if at all. “We always suggest buying from reputable sources and the beauty of that is, if you have any problems after making the purchase, you know it'll get resolved. “Too often do we hear from people who bought products from traders online and when they try to lodge a complaint, lo and behold, the people who sold the product have disappeared.” He added: “Make sure you look for guarantees too, because they are usually a good indicator not just of the quality of the product, but the quality of the business you’re dealing with as well. “Rather than a standard one year guarantee, look for maybe a three or five year guarantee instead. It’s a good indicator because it shows the trust that the business is utting in their products and themselves.” So to ensure you're purchasing quality guaranteed products, and for your own peace of mind, make sure that you buy from reputable manufacturers or retailers. Visit the National Bed Federation website, bedfed.org for the complete list of NBF members, where you can also find the contact details for the different manufacturers and retailers.
AREA || PICKING THE BEST BED
... Regulations?
For more information on how to create the perfect sleeping environment, check out our April 2021 magazine or head to: luxurybnbmag.com/perfect_sleeping_ environment URLs bedfed.org.uk sleepeezee.com luxurybnbmag.com/perfect_ sleeping_environment NBF SOCIAL MEDIA: TW: @thebedfed IN: @bedadviceuk SLEEPEEZEE SOCIAL MEDIA FB: @Sleepeezee TW: @Sleepeezee IN: @Sleepeezee www.luxurybnbmag.com
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BED BUYERS GUIDE In need of some new beds? Well look no further. Here are a handful of the leading companies in the bed and mattress industry. If you're not sure what to look for when choosing the right beds for your business, then check out our feature 'Picking the Best Bed' on page 26 if you haven't already.
Elite Contract Furniture
MattressMan
Elite specialise in the manufacture of handcrafted luxurious beds, headboards and soft furnishings allowing us to offer complete turnkey refurbishments adding a breath of new life into your business.
The Mattressman Trade team can help you find the ideal mattresses and bed frames for your business. Offering fantastic deals, bulk discounts and free next working day delivery, Mattressman has solutions for all bedroom requirements.
www.elitecontractfurniture.co.uk
www.mattressman.co.uk/contract
Harrison Spinks
Designed and manufactured in the heart of Yorkshire, Harrison Spinks’ Hospitality collection of luxury pocket sprung beds use the finest natural and sustainable fillings, plus award-winning springs to create a sleeping experience for your guests which cannot be equalled. www.harrisonspinks.co.uk
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Vispring
Vispring is the ultimate destination for luxury mattresses. Valuing excellence and craftsmanship, the company brings together the finest in British design and natural materials to give your guests the world’s finest sleep. info@vispring.com www.vispring.com
www.luxurybnbmag.com
20/07/2021 10:37
CONTRIBUTOR || DAVID WORTHINGTON
INTERIOR VIEW
with David Worthington
David is a life-long designer, chairman of an international brand consultancy and trustee of various cultural organisations. Outside of design his main interest is boats – an theme you may see creeping into future columns!
IN: @themotorboatgallery Email: david@worthington.co.uk URL: themotorboatgallery.co.uk
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This month, David considers how you can make a nautical themed room without clichéd anchors and dusty lamps. Creating a theme for an individual room or an entire venue is a welltrodden path and arguably one of the most common is a nautical theme. But where do you find things a little more unusual than dusty navigation lamps and anchors hiding in the undergrowth? Well the answer is at a Boat Jumble – think of it as a small car boot sale, but for boat stuff. Like all public events the calendar is currently much reduced - 16 scheduled jumbles in 2020 became two and 2021 has a mere seven on the list. The calendar is here: www.boatjumbleassociation.co.uk In addition there are specialist events, such as the Thames Traditional Boat Festival, scheduled for this coming August Bank Holiday. The Festival is a fantastic celebration of all things old and nautical, with several large stalls selling antiques and decorative items: www. tradboatfestival.com
Verdigris Brushed Bronze Dealers will help you source what you need. Check out dealer Mariner’s Lament for example. That wonderful verdigris blush is from admiraltyquality bronze. Think hooks, vents, repurposed bulkhead lights and more: www.instagram.com/ amarinerslament/
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Water Skis It’s not all traditional gear. Marine can mean unusual retro items, such as these water skis from the 1950s, 60s and 80s - on my very own website: www.themotorboat.co.uk
Imagery Nautical imagery can surprise too; these original French and American film posters set a very different aesthetic from that expected. Mix them with traditional bronze and the result can be spectacular! They also happen to be a good investement too, but more on that subject in a later issue...
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PRODUCT NEWS
ISEKI Mowers The SXG Range from ISEKI is the unmistakable, high quality, ride on cut and collection mowers, with the ability to perform even in wet conditions. This is all thanks to the perfectly designed 40” to 54” centre discharge mower decks with straight through chutes to avoid blockages, allowing you to work without the weather restricting you. Ranging from 13.5hp up to 21hp these powerful diesel engine mowers are perfect for mowing anything from a large lawn right up to estates and gardens, leaving a superior finish every time. With a choice of high or low tip collectors the grass clippings can be disposed of easily and tidily, whilst the large collectors hold up to 600 litres to avoid countless trips to empty. Designed, engineered and built in Japan to offer the most comfortable, reliable, high quality diesel mower on the market for the most demanding of users. Visit www.iseki.co.uk to watch a demonstration.
K Fee UK Introduces New Nespresso* Compatible Capsules – The Very Best Tastes Of Mr & Mrs Mill In Nespresso Format K Fee UK announces a new range of aluminium coffee capsules under the Mr & Mrs Mill brand to be available to all Nespresso coffee machine users. The new range consists of three classic styles, Ristretto, Lungo and Espresso which are complimentary to the exceptional range of coffee by Mr & Mrs Mill. For Mr & Mrs Mill coffee capsules, hand-picked coffee beans from the world’s best growing areas are used, gently roasted and ground. As soon as the capsules have been filled, they are given a seal to preserve their freshness and full aroma. K Fee UK are pleased to be able to provide their premium high-quality coffee to customers who enjoy a delicious cup every time. Why not try before you buy? Call or e-mail us for your free samples. Contact: K-Fee-enquiries@Kruger-uk.com | Tel: 0161 527 7359 | Website: www.k-fee.co.uk *Trademark of a third party with which we have no association
Boosting hotel direct bookings with Profitroom Booking Engine 360: it’s in our DNA This industry-leading, highly converting and customisable booking solution provides a seamless user experience for your hotel website visitors. It simply converts more guests with unique advanced features such as personalised quoting, package selling and recapturing abandoned bookings. Profitroom BE360 surpasses any regular booking engine. It has been developed to succeed - exclusively for hoteliers of leisure hotels and resorts. Powerful data-driven insights enable you to know your guests better and to provide the best possible online guest journey, increasing both guest satisfaction and revenues. To increase your direct bookings by up to 20% in the first year, email contact@profitroom.com or visit our website www.profitroom.com
Love Maps On Create the Wow Factor with a stunning wallmap of your area. Presentday and Vintage Ordnance Survey Maps of any area on made-to-measure wallpapers, canvases, ceramic tiles, glass splash-backs and much more. Allow your guests to truly discover the local landscape. An amazing addition to any Guest House or Hotel. Our products are designed to bring colour and flair to bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, foyers and function rooms. Whatever the colour scheme or style, you'll find a contemporary, historical or art map to complement it. Our maps range from World Maps, Designer Maps, Antique Maps, Art Maps, Globes and Text Art Maps to Personalised Maps from Ordnance Survey and Personalised Vintage maps. Our online map store gives you fast and easy access to a whole world of wonderful maps at affordable prices. Visit lovemapson.com 36 || Luxury BnB || August 2021
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INDUSTRY || PRODUCT NEWS
Sizzle Designs Sizzle Design London is an independent creative design studio, who designed and implemented bespoke installations in the windows of numerous Specsavers stores across London. Owner Zahra Falasiri said: “We like working sustainably and use recycled materials wherever possible, so I was delighted to find several boxes of dummy lenses that were about to be thrown out. “We created various design pieces using those dummy lenses for Specsavers, who were thrilled with the result.” In another project, for an independent optician in St John’s Wood, Sizzle used the same material and turned over 2,000 unwanted lenses into a transparent curtain. Sizzle Design London, based in Potters Bar, was launched by Iranian-born Falasiri in 2017. It has also provided its window display and interior design services for a variety of other businesses, including hotels, shops, restaurants, cafés and office spaces. “We’re a passionate, small and caring company, where everything is bespoke and mostly handmade.” For more information, visit www.sizzledesigns.co.uk
Tishoo
Wake Up to the Smell of Melitta® Filter Coffee and its Aromaboy® Small in size but big at preparing delicious coffee for two-cup pleasure, the Melitta®Aromaboy® champions a classic compact design with its period retro appearance. Ideal for holiday home lettings, this iconic filter coffee maker is very much an energy saving appliance. Complete with a practical and illuminated auto-off function which turns the machine off when not in use, the Aromaboy® runs on an energysaving 500 watts making it economical in electricity consumption. The space saving machine also comes with a transparent water container and a dishwasher proof glass jug with filter. Melitta® Aromaboy® is available in black, white and beige/brown priced £34.99. For trade enquires please contact us on: 0844 800 8055 | epeinternational.com | sally@epeinternational. com
Make your guests feel special with luxury tissues from London-based Tishoo. These ultra-soft 4-ply tissues made with moisturiser are perfect for bedside tables, bathrooms and breakfast tables with their stylish and compact designs. They can brighten up any space and come in 100% recyclable, plastic-free packaging. Each space-saving tube has 40x 4-ply sheets and you can choose from a variety of styles to suit any decor. 10% of all profits made by Tishoo go to charities tackling poverty in the UK and if that’s not enough to convince you, Tishoo also offer FREE delivery! To place your order, head to tishoo.co.uk or email hello@ tishoo.co.uk for bulk pricing.
Dip-San - The Hygienic Toilet Brush The Dip-San® patented Self Cleaning Brush System has been developed to provide a totally hygienic alternative to the traditional germ-ridden toilet brush. Our product platform has been designed for both 'at home' and a diverse range of 'away from home' toilet environments. Dip-San® is manufactured to the highest standard with Biomaster Antimicrobial Technology built in, providing many years of hygienic service in the most sustainable way possible and backed by our no quibble Lifetime Guarantee. We have manufactured Dip-San® “The Hygienic Toilet Brush” in the UK since 2009 and are proud members of the Make it British and Made in Britain organisations. Visit www.dipsan.co.uk to view our “How Dip-San Works” video and place an order today ! www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || ORCHARD HUTS
Orchard Huts Meet Graham, Lindsay and Emily Morrison - working together to run a family business. By Juliet Horner
L
iving with your family is one thing, but going into business with them is a whole different ball game. We all know what it’s like to have the occasional family tiff, especially after spending the majority of the last year locked up in the same house. But there’s one family who made the most of the lockdown to set up their own hospitality business. Orchard Huts is a luxury shepherd hut business located in the Cotswolds, run by the Morrison family. Currently, they have two, self-contained shepherd huts in their orchard that each sleep 2 people, with plans for an additional hut in future. Lindsay said her husband, Graham, is very handy which has been a huge help. “He does all the groundwork and he put in all of the electrics and the plumbing and connected the water,” she said.
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Their daughter, Emily, finished university last year, where she studied on a textile design course. “Emily does all the social media side of it and takes all of her own photos,” said Lindsay. Emily said: “I learned about Photoshop and design, so my degree helps a lot with branding and marketing.” The Morrisons explained that they run all aspects of the business themselves. “We don’t employ anybody,” said Lindsay, “we just do it ourselves and we love it.” But how do they work out who does what? What stops them from getting under each other's feet? “We all have our own little roles,” explained Lindsay. “I stay away from any social media stuff and if anybody messages us, I know not to reply to them because Emily does all of that. “I do all the washing and ironing and then we get Graham involved
if we have a bigger job that needs doing, like if there’s a leak or something breaks.” Emily said: “We just know our own roles and if one of us can’t do something, like a changeover, then the other one will step in and do it.” She added: “It works really well at the moment. Our running of the place seems pretty smooth as we all enjoy it so much.” When it comes to figuring out who should do what and assigning roles within your family business, Lindsay’s motherly advice was to ‘stick to what you’re good at’. She said: “I think people generally know what they’re good at, so if you’re good at design, then put yourself in charge of shopping for all the interior stuff. “Know your area of expertise and stick to what you’re good at.” If you’re not sure where your skills lie, Emily’s advice was to start by trying a bit of everything.
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IN PROFILE || ORCHARD HUTS
“You might think you’re not very good at something,” said Emily, “but you don’t know until you try it.” She added: “It’s just trial and error until you find your role.”
Laughing, Lindsay added that it can also be wise to learn when to keep your mouth shut. “Sometimes I don’t agree with Em, and sometimes she doesn’t agree with me, but I won’t say anything because we’ve all got our own opinions,” she said. “I do have to remind myself that she knows what she’s doing with the social stuff, and then in the end, I’ll think ‘Oh, well maybe she was right’!” Despite the fact that starting a business can cost you, Lindsay said you “don’t have to have a bottomless pit” of money. “Some people might say ‘Oh it’s okay for them, they must have a lot of money’, but that’s not always the case,” she said. “If you’ve got a dream of doing something, whatever obstacles you come across, just stick with it and make it work. “You don’t necessarily have to sell the family heirlooms or have a bottomless pit of money either.” Emily explained some of the things they’ve done to keep costs down.
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“We’ve made our own hooks and our own shelving,” explained Emily. “There’s also been a few marketplace purchases that have worked well.” She added: “Some of my favourite things here are actually second hand buys or homemade stuff!” Little homemade elements within their shepherd huts also help to express that this is a family run business. “Little touches make all the difference,” said Lindsay. “For example, we make our own gin from the damsons that are grown in the orchard here, and we give every guest a small bottle of gin and we write them all little notes just to make them feel special.” Emily added: “And if they come for an anniversary or a birthday or something, we’ll give them a bottle of fizz.” One of the advantages of the business being family run, is that
"We all have our own little roles and if one of us can't do something, then the other will step in and do it." their family home isn’t far away from the orchard where the huts are. “It’s about a mile down the road,” said Emily, “so if there’s any issues, we can just pop back.” “But that’s only happened a handful of times,” said Lindsay, “I mean, some people ask for the silliest things and we still seem to accommodate them!” Emily added: “We do try to go above and beyond. We hate to say no, especially because we haven’t been open for that long.” Another advantage of having the whole family involved, is that if something goes wrong and you have someone with the right skillset, you don’t need to wait for an external tradesman. “The pipes burst over our first winter of being open, and I think it was the coldest in nearly 25 years,”
URL: www.airbnb.com/h/orchardhuts1 Social Media: IN: @orchardhuts FB: Orchard Huts
said Emily. Lindsay added: “We had guests staying and it was a nightmare! “We just told them to go for a very long walk and we’d sort it out for them, and we did. Graham, my husband, did it. “We got new pipes in, cleaned up the mess, put in fresh towels and mopped up ready for when they got back.” Laughing, Emily said: “It was pretty horrific!” Lindsay added: “But we sort it out and that wouldn’t have been possible without Graham.” If you’re interested in starting your own family business, Lindsay and Emily had some final advice. “We had so many teething problems to start with,” said Emily, “and you have to just learn as you go along.” Lindsay added: “We would ask our guests to please tell us if there was anything we could do to improve.” Emily also suggested visiting other businesses. “Go and stay in some other shepherd huts or other B&Bs,” she said, “so that you can get an idea of how they run their businesses, and definitely stay in your own.” Lindsay said: “Yes, stay in your own shepherd hut or B&B or whatever you have so that you can see if there’s anything you missed.” www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Top Tips Operating a B&B as a family business 1. Know your area of expertise 2. Give everyone a role that relates to their skillset 3. Be prepared to help each other if someone can’t do something 4. Learn to trust each others decision making in their own roles 5. Stay in your own hospitality venue so you can see if you’ve missed anything 6. Personal touches, like handwritten notes, make all the difference 7. Ask your guests for feedback
Guests can enjoy the evening sunshine on the patio
The huts can be be kept cosy even on colder nights with the little log fire
8. Don’t be afraid of using second hand or homemade products 9. You don’t need buckets of money 10. Enjoy yourselves
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IN PROFILE || ORCHARD HUTS
"Using an OTA like AirBnB is 100% worth it, because it helped us to get started."
The huts sit in a peaceful orchard
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CABIN KITCHEN
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IN PROFILE || ORCHARD HUTS
E
ncouraging your guests to book directly from your own website is becoming increasingly popular and important. But as a new business, the Morrisons decided to use AirBnB to help them build an audience. “We did think about setting up a website,” explained Emily, “but we stuck the huts on AirBnB whilst I started putting it together and we’ve actually been so full from AirBnB bookings, that the website got put on the back burner. “The two huts we’ve got are doing so well that we’re already talking about getting another one, so ideally we’d have our own website.” Lindsay added: “AirBnB has just made it really easy for us. They take a low commission from us, the way their diaries work, and how they hold a deposit then send us the money… It just makes the whole system very easy.” “You also get your own insurance policy if you list with AirBnB, which is quite handy” said Emily. If you’re a new business, Emily and her mum strongly suggest listing with an OTA (Online travel Agent) such as AirBnB to help you find your footing. Lindsay said: “Using an OTA like AirBnB is 100% worth it because it helped us to get started.” Emily said: “It’s all about building that client base. "I think that once we’ve had maybe a year of people staying with us and being fully booked, then your name gets recognised more and people are more likely to search for your website.” Using an OTA such as AirBnB is a great way to lay the foundations for your business. Should you choose to list on an OTA to help with those initial bookings, use the platform to start building a loyal client base, just like Orchard Huts. Should you later decide to stop listing with the OTA and only take direct bookings from your own website, you can use the audience and client base you built up during your time with the OTA to your advantage. The LBNB Team suggests you spend some time online, researching the different OTAs available to you. Remember to look into listing rates and how much commission they take from each booking. “I never imagined the business would do this well,” said Lindsay. Emily said: “It’s a little haven and we love that we’re able to share it with others and maybe inspire them to open up their own similarly loved spaces!" August 2021 || Luxury BnB || 43
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Dressing your property for a photoshoot with Neil Fraser
Neil Fraser is a professional photographer of interiors, architecture and design. His passion for high quality imagery has taken him all over the world. His work has featured in a number of magazines, reports, brochures and various marketing materials.
Following his previous column, where he consider what should be removed before a photoshoot, Neil considers how you can dress your property using props to really make your photos pop. It’s good to create a lived-in look, like someone has just left the room. Try to approach each photo as a story. Think about what the person or people have been doing before they left and dress the scene appropriately. When I turn up on a shoot, I always take plenty of interesting props but it’s not always easy to ensure they are the right fit for the property. If you have decorated and been responsible for the interior design of your property, you can choose exactly what will work best. Items that I always pack include: 1. Candles. Useful in Dining rooms, Living rooms, Bathrooms and also outside. 2. Fairy lights. They add atmosphere to outdoor shots. 3. Interesting fruit and veg which add colour. 4. Pastries for breakfast scenes. 5. Flowers.
Can't afford a professional photographer? Neil has a wealth of knowledge concerning holiday home photography. Neil will be contributing to the next few magazines to provide insight and experience to help you with your own holiday home photography skills.
Living Room
This is the room for relaxing in so, again, try to make it look as though someone has just left the frame and that they have been enjoying a relaxed evening. What is the story you’re trying to tell? Has there been a group of friends in here, maybe they’ve been playing cards or chatting over cheese and wine. If so, you’ll need some cards laid out on the table, or some cheese on a board next to a bottle of wine and a few glasses. Has there just been one person sitting on the sofa reading a book with a cup of tea? If so, place an interesting book, a pair of glasses, a tea cup, maybe a plate of biscuits. A couple of other things to include:
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1. Throws and blankets - you’ll often see them draped over sofas or on the back of chairs in professional photos. They break up the image and add interest but don’t overdo it. 2. If you have an open fire or wood burner, light it. They are a major feature and always make the place feel warm and inviting. 3. TVs - I know that many of your guests will actually be watching TV in the evening, but don’t ever take photos with it switched on and, even if it’s the most expensive TV on the market, don’t make it the main focus of your photos. Prospective guests are looking for an aspirational lifestyle and watching TV like they do at home is not something most people will get excited about.
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Dining Room Dining rooms can be difficult. I sometimes lay the table with a full set of plates and glasses etc., but without food, it can look a bit odd. Much better to pick and choose a few choice props to display. A vase of flowers is always a good start. Add some bowls, glasses, jugs and maybe a chopping board with bread and cheese on. Make it look like the table is about to be set for dinner to give it an informal feel. Think about the kind of food you like to eat on holiday. It’s not generally a 3-course meal. Bread, cheese and salad, cream tea, tea and cake or biscuits; these are good choices that bring to mind pleasurable holiday dining experiences for your potential guests.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are generally the trickiest. They're often small and don’t have much light. Don’t panic if space is tight; try taking details of certain areas. Clean, full bottles of expensive looking toiletries (no cheap shampoo bottles or half used soaps) add a touch of class. Clean, folded towels on shelves soften things up, as can a small vase of flowers. However, sometimes you don’t need to dress the bathroom at all.
Bedrooms
I like dressing the kitchen as though a meal is being prepared: • For breakfast, try including plates of pastries, coffee cups, a cafetiere and maybe some juice in glasses (not cartons). • For dinner preparation, get some fresh and colourful vegetables, vine tomatoes, peppers. Place them on a chopping board and possibly cut one in half to add interest. If your kitchen has unusual surfaces or features, take close-ups of that area. Not all your photos need to show the whole room.
CONTRIBUTOR || NEIL FRASER
Kitchen
Exteriors
Focus on the outdoor seating. Outdoor seating can look a bit stark, so think about using throws over the backs of chairs and using cushions. Think about the story. Has a couple just been having a glass of wine at sunset? Add a bottle of wine and two glasses, maybe a small vase of flowers or a bowl of nibbles. Is there going to be a family meal or BBQ? Add some plates, glasses, maybe a bowl of salad. Think about moving any attractive potted plants into shot and, if photographing at dusk, put some candles and fairy lights out. As a rule of thumb, less is more. I sometimes have the bed neatly made up and other times it's nice to make it look lived in (but never messy)! Throws and extra pillows or cushions are a must. Drape the throw over the bed or fold it neatly. The area in the bedroom that needs dressing is the bedside table. A book and a pair of glasses or a cup of tea is usually sufficient. In kids’ bedrooms you can add a cuddly toy or a children’s book. If you have a tray with a kettle and tea/coffee making equipment, remove it. I know they are useful, but it just reminds people of cheap hotel rooms.
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PROPERTIES FOR SALE THE OLD SCHOOL A striking 6-bedroom, 6-bathroom property on the edge of a village location with versatile accommodation and earning potential. Please contact: elizabeth@butlersherborn.co.uk Tel: 01451 830731
WOODLANDS COUNTRY HOUSE Padstow, Cornwall | 7,178 sq ft | £1,450,000 A country house with a detached 2-bedroom bungalow with further holiday let potential. Level gardens and grounds with far-reaching views to Trevone & out to sea. Plenty of off-road parking. Call Savills on: +44 (0) 1872 243 200
FLORIDA CALLS We can help British citizens to buy property in Florida for holiday lets, retirement property and those who wish to relocate. We can help you with the entire buying process and can help you manage your Florida Property after you buy'. Please contact Frank Emelle via this link: www.homesbyfrank1.com Or call the offices on: 863-398-5848
THINKING OF SELLING? THINK CCL. • Free, no obligation business market appraisals • Expert Advice on business exit strategies • Innovative Marketing solutions • Competitive Fees Contact us today for your free business valuations Email: info@cclproperty.com URL: www.cclproperty.com 46 || Luxury BnB || August 2021
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OFFICES:
Elgin Office 62 High Street Elgin Moray IV30 1BU 01343 610520
Hudson House 8 Albany Street Edinburgh EH1 3QB 0131 473 1192
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INDUSTRY || PROPERITES FOR SALE
THE SALEN HOTEL A traditional highland hotel with multiple income streams Acharacle, Argyll and Bute £850,000 • Self-Catering Cottage • 2 Glamping Pods | 26 Cover Restaurant • 34 Cover Bar / Conservatory • Planning Permission for 3 Bed Holiday Cottage • Fully Licensed Call: 01343 610520 | Ref No: 20721505 www.cclproperty.com
BEINN BHRACAIGH GUEST HOUSE Set in secure private walled gardens its elevated position enjoys panoramic views of Pitlochry. Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross £875,000 • 13 En-suite Letting Rooms • 3 Bed Owner’s Accommodation • Call: 01343 610520 | Ref No: 20652813 www.cclproperty.com
KILLORAN GUEST HOUSE A 4-Star Gold family run Guest House overlooking the picturesque village of Dervaig on the northwest coast of the Isle of Mull. Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute | Offers Over £800,000 • 5 Letting Rooms & 3 Bed Owners Accommodation Call: 01343 610520 | Ref No: 18304403 www.cclproperty.com
THE DRURY Victorian Villa in an elevated position with stunning panoramic sea views Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland £1,950,000 • 11 Bedrooms and 3 Reception Rooms • Situated in a prime tourist location • Secure parking for 7 Vehicles Call: 01343 610520 | Ref No: 20660646 www.cclproperty.com
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LBNB E-BOOK || CHAPTER 3
GETTING STARTED IN HOLIDAY RENTALS
Chapter 4A
T&CS Discover how a Terms and Conditions document should be set up, and what should be included. Here’s an example of how you might set up the document: https://docs.google.com/document/ d/132lKJldnlDUBJBVRjV-ijNZ2ZrNIhCl7qYx4BPaJM8/ You should include the following sections within your terms and conditions document:
For each issue in 2021, we will be serialising a section of our Luxury BnB E-Book for those looking to set up their own hospitality business. By Abbey Warne and Dominic Johnson
Welcome to Chapter 4A which will introduce you to the rental periods, terms and conditions and payment processes which are involved in setting up a Bed and Breakfast. This chapter takes you step-by-step through deciding on rental periods, putting together terms and conditions, and the payment process, such as deposits.
Contents: 1A: Intro to holiday rentals 1B: Intro to financial considerations 2A: Business Plans & Legal Entity 2B: Further Financial Considerations 3A: Operations - Provisions, Access and Storage 3B: Interiors - Furnishings and Tech >> 4A: Booking operations 4B: Management - staff & planning 5: Checklists
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1. Disclaimer • This is a statement that denies something, such as responsibility. 2. Cancellation Policy • Outlines the cancellation terms. • Outlines the amount of money the booker will or will not be refunded if the booking is cancelled up to a certain time. 3. Responsibilities of the tenant • This will include what the tenant is responsible for during their stay 4. Liability of manager / owner • This should mention what they are legally responsible for. 5. Payment terms and deposits • Outlines payment schedules and how much deposit is needed when. 6. Complaint process • Outlines the process through which a tenant may make a complaint. 7. Pet, child and any other policy • Outlines the policies on above (e.g. guidelines, requirements, bans) • Whether there will be any fines for breaking policies. 8. Your contact information • How the tenant should contact you if they run into issues or have any queries, for example. Other things to consider: • If you are planning to use OTAs (Outside Travel Agencies) to find bookings, consider how their T’s & C’s align with yours. • Some OTAs offer fantastic cancellation policies but that might leave you with little time to fill the cancellation. • Consider sending out a welcome email with each booking highlighting the key terms and conditions. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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PAYMENTS
RENTAL PERIODS This section will introduce rental periods and explain how to decide on the minimum lengths your guests should stay for, changeover days, the prices of each stay and which booking engine to use. You should consider the following questions: •
•
•
•
•
What type of property are you running and how likely are guests wanting to stay on average? - You might be a stop-over location on a famous walk, which means that one night stays could be essential - Alternatively, you might, ideally, prefer week-long guests but decide to off splitweeks. Which days can your changeover work? - The cost of the changeover needs to be factored in. - You might have a different set of rules for school holidays, or summer and winter Do you adopt one or more changeover days, e.g. Mondays and Fridays? - If you don’t allow people to book part weeks, you might find odd days are free and be unable to sell them. What should the price of each day be? - Weekend rates are generally more expensive than weekdays. - You might need to charge a discount of 7 x per-night rate for a whole week. Which booking engine should you use? - Some booking engines struggle with set changeover days. - This is not necessarily a consideration when setting the rules but it is important when you are choosing a suitable booking engine.
Discover payment processes, how you should handle deposits, why you should set up credit card booking systems and more. Consider a staged payment • The initial deposit needs to be small enough to not put people off booking but large enough so they complete the booking. Deposits and cancellations • An initial deposit of 30% - 40% refundable if they cancel within 60 days of the booking is typical, with the balance to pay within 60 days. Should you provide full refunds for cancellations? • Be fair and refund all money if you manage to resell those dates. This is fair to both parties Setting up credit card processing systems • It’s easy to set-up a credit card processing system like Stripe and PayPal. Consider the benefits and drawbacks of each processing system • Stripe charges 20p + 2.9%, so a £1,000 booking would incur a credit card processing fee of £29.20 • Advantages: people like to use their credit card for security, which will help with bookings Charging a damage deposit • Very common - set it at the same level as the excess on your insurance policy. £500 is typical but can be a problem for some, as a result, I would not charge more than £500. How will you send the money back to the guest? • Credit card processing systems make it easy to cancel and return the money. But some credit card processing companies will not refund the fees (e.g. Stripe), so you'll lose £7.60 on each deposit refund. Other options: • Ask guests to pay by Bacs but you will need the guests' bank details, (an extra admin step) What is going to trigger the deposit refund and how will you manage it? • Deposits can be a lot of cash and it belongs to your guest. Get their money back to them asap Consider selling extra services • Including late checkout or additional services. What accounts package will you use? • Plenty of online systems can be rented monthly. Alternatively, use a manual process of spreadsheets and word documents. What should you communicate and when? • Email confirmations can be templated to help automation. Clear communication is vital.
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4A That brings this chapter to an end, which introduced you to the rental periods, terms and conditions and payment processes involved with running a B&B. We hope you have found it useful. The next Chapter (4B) will take you through the jobs and responsibilities you should assign your staff with, whether you should go for an agency or selfmanagement, as well as what is involved with emergency planning. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY Bathroom Amenities & Products
A BUYERS GUIDE Bed & Breakfast Insurance
Furniture Supplies
Established in 2004, Let Us Furnish provides a wide range of furniture solutions for your property. We are a professional supplier and installer of furniture packages that include bedroom furniture, beds and mattresses, sofas and chairs, dining sets, living room furniture, electrical goods and homewares.
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Hotel Management Software
Luxury Towels Bathrobes & Footwear
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What excess do you have to pay in the event of a claim? All policies vary!! A burst pipe causes water damages to rooms which you can’t now rent for 6 months, will the policy compensate you for lost business??
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