Maybe you are retired and looking for a side project to keep you busy. Perhaps you want to be in control of your own business. Whichever the case, opening up a B&B can be a fun way to make a living, meet people from around the world and provide a meaningful service to others. If you are getting ready to take your B&B business from an idea to reality, here are a couple tips for making it as successful as possible.
Be Strategic About Location
Everyone knows that location is key to having a successful B&B but not everyone is prone to thinking outside the box. There are quite a few things to think about when deciding where to open up and some of them can even be contradicting. While opening up accommodation in a busy city or tourist area can be ideal, it can also be a hindrance due to over saturation. Sometimes, it may be more beneficial to open up somewhere that is in close proximity to a smaller tourist destination or town because visitors there won't have as many options. In that case though, do be sure to place yourselves somewhere that is of interest, even if it is a small town or natural area that would bring in visitors.
Don't Skimp on The Important Things
It can be expensive to open up a new business and being thrifty can often times save you money and make your operation more interesting. However, don't skimp on the most important aspects of your B&B. While finding cheap tables in thrift stores and re purposing them for your new business can be valuable, getting your hands on used bedding or cheap bathroom appliances can be detrimental. Items like quality mattresses and new toilets will make a huge difference in whether or not your guests have a positive experience. Plus, investing in these new and important items will save you money in the long run because you won't have to replace them as quickly.
Be Unique
Uniqueness is hard to come by these days but can be a huge benefit to your business if you can pull it off. Not only will people be looking for accommodation in your area of choice but they are often looking for something that sets itself apart from the rest. Anyone can book a cookie cutter hotel but many people out there are hoping for more of an experience from their stay. Think about the things that you love and direct them towards a theme. Are you an avid tea pot collector? Use them to decorate the entire property and offer High Tea to your guests. Is literature more your thing? Fill the B&B with books, install a library, offer book reading activities or literature themed tours of your area. With a little creativity, you can come up with a theme that you will love and that also makes you more interesting to potential customers.