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How much do you know about bed and breakfast business? That lodging that feels more like home where everyone wants to try out is a B&B. With as little as $90 a night, anyone can have a comfy bed, free Wi-Fi, and wake up to the smell of fresh home-cooked meal. This type of business could fetch between $36,000 and $65,000 on the average, so if you’ve got a nice home with more than enough room for you in it, you could be earning just about that much.

Starting a bed and breakfast business is a good way to make money full-time or as a side hustle without too much to fuss about and this article will let you in on what to consider before starting a bed and breakfast business, what qualities you should have that’ll make your job easier, some realities of running this business and how exactly you should go about starting this business.

The right man (or woman) for the job

It takes more than just knowing how business works to run a bed and breakfast, every host needs to have some of these qualities if they wish to have some progress in this business.

A good knowledge of the area

One of the reasons why some of the highly rated bed and breakfast businesses are so sought after is the scenery. Some bed and breakfast abodes are located in some the most touristic environments in their regions and someone who knows the vicinity well will be a successful host. A host who acts as a tour guide will have more to offer guests and that will enhance their chances of getting positive reviews and more recommendations after each visit.

Hospitability

This is a no-brainer, right? Yet, there have been instances where the host was the problem. Being hospitable is what makes the business more bearable and more enjoyable. If you are a warm person who is patient and good with people, this business will suit you perfectly. How you receive your guests, the way you address them, how you serve them their breakfast and make sure they’re comfortable could win over even the meanest guest. Your guests will not be there forever, and while they’re there, let them feel very much at home.

Resourcefulness

Anything can happen when you least expect it in this business and you must be able to deal with it. As the host, your guests will run to you for the slightest issue that needs resolving in your establishment. It doesn’t matter whether it is 2 o’clock in the morning, a guest who’s having issues with tap water or a clog somewhere in the bathroom will call you.  Sometimes there might be a mix up or misunderstanding in terms of the arrangement you had with your guest before they arrived, your ability to solve problems will come in handy.

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Factors to consider

When you’re planning a bed and breakfast business, some factors must be considered which in time could form the basis for the establishment of the business.

The type of host you wish to be

A typical bed and breakfast business is run by one of these three types of hosts. The first type of host is someone who owns the property- most likely lives on the property- and runs the business. This individual or group of individuals will be responsible for everything regarding the establishment from paying the mortgage, recruiting and paying staff, making the rules and they’ll be getting all the returns.

The second is someone who rents or leases a property for the sole purpose of establishing a bed and breakfast business. This person will not be paying the mortgage but will pay rent and probably be responsible for the maintenance of the dwelling. However, such a person is powerless if the landlord decides to lawfully terminate their agreement when they’re not ready to move on.

The third type of host is one who gets hired by the owner of the business to see to the day-to-day activities of the business. They are like the managers of the business; they have very limited authority, they will not be responsible for the maintenance of the place and neither will they be paying rent nor mortgages to anyone.

Theme

Another important factor to consider is the theme of the lodging. What kind of appeal do you want it to have? Would you prefer to decorate the home like a classy modern abode or you want to welcome your guests to a vintage setting? These little details matter because whichever style you choose will determine the type of decoration, room, facilities, food, and even the pricing of your bed and breakfast lodging. Many people like to be in an environment that’s a bit different compared to what they’re used to which is why they opt for the vintage style bed and breakfast homes- in a way, it feels more like home. A modern setting also appeals to certain kinds of people but you have to make a choice. The top rated bed and breakfast businesses have a distinctive theme.

Seasonal or full-time services

Having a bed and breakfast business does not mean you have to run it like a hotel- you can be as flexible as you see fit. Due to the nature of the business, there are periods when there’s an influx of people trying to book a room in your home and on other days it’s different. In most cases, weather conditions and holiday periods influence this. While some choose to go on trips around the world, some choose a getaway at a cozy bed and breakfast abode. Some even travel to experience bed and breakfast homes abroad. At such peak periods, you make sales easily so you should consider whether or not you want to run it full-time or not. Full-time generates more money, while part-time gives you more time to yourself. You should also consider whether a residential bed and breakfast business will suit you better or a commercial type.

Security

The average user of a bed and breakfast facility does a bit of background check on the location and the dwelling itself- expect every potential guest to know up to half of your location’s history. If a particular location has got a bad reputation regarding safety and security, it is doomed to fail. This is why you must consider the location of your business before you start doing any renovation or even think of listing it on a bed and breakfast website like Airbnb. If your neighborhood is known to be notorious or there have been repeated cases of theft or kidnapping, then you have to consider looking at someplace else to start your business.

Expansion potential

No one knows how fast or how well their small business will grow and it will be a shame if you programmed your booming bed and breakfast business to only cater to a few number of guests without an option to expand because you never thought it would be so successful in a short time. Consider the house’s capacity for expansion and make room for it just in case a time comes when the business grows bigger sooner than you think. If you find out that there’s absolutely no way to expand your business to meet with needs of a fast growing industry, then you should assess the situation, see how it would affect you in the long run. If the effect will not be too much to bear, you can go ahead with the plan. 

The realities of running a bed and breakfast business

A bed and breakfast business has its perks like the feeling of fulfillment and the companionship that drives away loneliness, as well as its downsides. This is not to discourage you; it should serve as one of those things you have to prepare for before you go on with your plans.

Some guests can be difficult

This is every bed and breakfast business owner’s worst nightmare as you can entertain “guests from hell”. There are customers who have a lot going on; some of them might be running away from something, some might be trying to hide, some may not have a criminal record but you can’t stand them. This rarely happens but there is every chance that it could. In fact an Airbnb host was said to have paid some horrible guests to leave the house after causing so much chaos. People lie, and agreeing to certain rules does not necessarily mean that they won’t break them. So, hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

Your schedule will revolve around the business

If you’re thinking of running a type of business where you’ll be able to work elsewhere or do other things while you see to the daily activities, think again because chances are that you won’t be able to live a double life once you get involved in a bed and breakfast business. Most bed and breakfast business owners or innkeepers barely have enough time to spend meeting friends or getting involved in activities that last for hours especially at peak periods. This sort of hospitality business is the type where you let strangers into your home and give them license to many parts of the house and you won’t be comfortable leaving them in your dwelling for too long without supervision. It would also be difficult to leave the building for long hours because your guests will need help with a few things and you have to be there to help them out.

Maintenance can be expensive

The worst thing you can do to your bed and breakfast business is to pay little attention to upgrading your house; you will have killed your business before it even started. Some B&B owners do this but they had to learn the hard way that you have to spend money to get patronage. There will be cause for maintenance before you start and it won’t be very cheap. For example, these days B&B’s provide every guest with their own bathroom, therefore, if you happen to have a house where two or more rooms share a bathroom, you need to upgrade. It doesn’t end there as there will be more things to fix and maintain in the house every now and then. Maintaining a great Bed and Breakfast lodge will increase your ratings but it costs money.

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Steps to starting a bed and breakfast business

Define your business

Make well thought-through plans on how to run your bed and breakfast business. The way every other thriving business makes a proper business plan is how you should make yours. Clearly state how much it would cost to start and maintain the business, where and what sort of bed and breakfast facility you will be running, what you expect the business to achieve in the near future amongst others. A business plan might be needed when you go about obtaining license or a loan for your business.

Obtaining a license is important

People, government officials, and concerned neighbors have all started paying more attention to bed and breakfast lodgings in the vicinity. Some bed and breakfast businesses are situated in residential areas where everybody knows almost everybody and seeing many strange faces could irk the inhabitants of the neighborhood. To assure safety and to maintain the peace of the area, local governmental establishments would have to grant you license to run your business. Pay a visit to the designated offices and request for permission to operate, they’ll fill you in on all the requirements.

Have help on standby

Part of your responsibility as owner of the business is to ensure the safety of your guests; you must see to it that you are ready in case of an emergency.  Security agencies, medical facilities and every other rescue department should be on speed dial. It would be even better if your lodging was situated close to other dwellings so that you could easily get help if the need arises. Also, in case of a power surge or fire accident, you should be able to get across to the fire station or electrical technicians in no time. Being able to administer first aid or knowing how to fix a few things around the house will be helpful.

Create a website

It is one thing to be available on social media and it’s another thing to have a functioning website for your bed and breakfast business. Having both will do your business a lot good as it will make it easier for you to interact with potential guests and also advertise effortlessly. Your website will be the virtual home of your business where you get to showcase the different fascinating sides of your bed and breakfast abode. Hire good photographers to help you capture catchy images of your business’s features and make sure the graphics and web designers make an appealing website for you.

Read Also: 8 Reasons Why Small Business Need a Website for Your Business

Get listed on a platform

The fastest way to get your business known and attract guests is by having your bed and breakfast business listed on platforms such as Airbnb or Craigslist. These platforms are where almost every person who’s looking for a nice and affordable bed and breakfast lodging goes to search for them. Listing platforms like Airbnb charge hosts a fee of at least 3% whenever they get a guest and then charge the guest between 5% and 15% each time they use their service. Platforms like these have standards they want every B&B to meet before agreeing to list them.

Hire help

You will need help in running a bed and breakfast facility. When consider the number of rooms you have and the number of guests in them, you will realize that it would be too stressful to cater to all their needs especially when you have a full house. There will be cleaning to be done, changing of bed sheets, fixing or replacement of appliances to be done and freshly cooked breakfast to be made- get help. The most successful bed and breakfast businesses have at least one cleaner, a cook, and one or two other staff on ground.

Start your business

Once all the necessary conditions have been met and the licenses have been gotten, you can move on to opening your business to guests. Start your business by branding it properly and then making it seen. The moment people find out about you, they will start making calls and enquiries. Follow successful trends online and read magazines to get more ideas on how to keep the business moving. Compare industry price lists and make yours based on the quality and how much you’ve invested in your B&B. State the type of bed and breakfast business you are running so that there won’t be a misunderstanding when your guests arrive. How to contact you, book a room and pay should be made easy.

Succeeding in the business

If you wish to succeed in this business from the very beginning, you’ll have to make a few moves that will make your life easier. The easier it looks from the start, the better your chances of running a successful bed and breakfast business.

Set house rules

If there are no rules, then everyone would do as they see fit. Remember that you will be playing host to complete strangers from different walks of life and they would most likely be lodging in the same house as you. This would bring them closer to some of your personal collections and possessions of sentimental value, therefore, you have to put some laws in place to keep the peace of the vicinity and leave things in the condition they were before they stayed in. Tell them what to touch and what not to touch, let them know where they are permitted to enter and where is out of bounds, make them aware of how many people they are permitted to invite into the house and even let them know what they should expect for breakfast (if you must) and what time they should be expecting it.

Encourage positive reviews

There is no harm in telling them to say something nice about you or refer you to other people as you give them a little snack on their way out. This is the easiest and cheapest way you would ever have to advertise your business. However, the chances of getting positive reviews rests hugely on how good of a host you were to your guests and the quality of service in general. Keep this in mind even before you welcome your first set of guests as this thought will help you put more effort into making sure your service is top quality. The quality of their rooms, the breakfast and the extra things you do to make your guests comfortable counts.

Don’t stop learning

Everything we do is all about getting and receiving information and that cycle never stops. Succeeding in this business requires that you gather as much information as possible and learn on the job on a daily basis. There is a lot to learn; customer relationship skills, new developments in the hospitality industry, government policies and how they might affect your business and many more. You could also learn how to get a few jobs done around the house as it will save you money.

Use online platforms

We are in the modern age where every business in the hospitality industry gets most of their customers online. Potential customers read reviews before attempting to purchase a product or sign up for a service and if you can’t be found anywhere, it would seem a bit creepy in today’s world. You have to use online platforms, not just social media, to make your business seen, get customers, list your bed and breakfast business, and get feedback.

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Conclusion

Your house… Your rules! You cannot be intimidated because you’ve got something amazing to share with others, so start hosting guests already. As long as you gotten your license and your house is in great shape, register with the local authority or list your business and start literally earning in the comfort of your home.

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