How to Triple Your Boutique Inn’s Recommendations, Saw Off Your Footboards

5 Reasons Belinda Sawed Off Her Footboards 

I’ve often thought about how limiting it is to have a footboard – perhaps because we have a lot of 6’2″ people in my family. (My kids are glad I married tall.)  Jumping Rocks photographers made these recommendations:

“Remove footboards from the beds in small or medium-sized rooms. Belinda (of Casa Escondida) really opened up this modest-sized room (above) by removing the footboard–as in SAWING IT OFF!”

  1. Gives guests an additional place to sit
  2. Accommodating to taller guests
  3. Makes housekeepers happy (easier bed-making)
  4. Saves square footage
  5. Makes the room far more photogenic. Again, photogenic rooms SELL better! Belinda at Casa Escondida got right on it–in fact, she’s working that saw on all of her beds as I write this post!”

Can’t stand the idea of “ruining” a beautiful bed? Repurpose it.

 30 ideas for your sawed off footboards.  Check out the beautiful gate and porch swing.

Search pinterest for more ideas

 

Emotionally Connected Guests Spend More Money and Won’t “Defect”

A survey by Forrester Research asserts that companies that aim for emotional connection beat their competitors by 26% in gross margin and 85% in sales growth, because customers feel more engaged and appreciated.

Disney and Gallup also studied emotional engagement. Their findings say customers are:

  • 3 times more likely to recommend and repurchase
  • Less price sensitive
  • Less likely to buy from a competitor.

How to Connect More to Your Guests Emotionally

A favorite innkeeper achieved 100% 5-star Trip Advisor ratings partly by carefully and purposefully connecting with each one of her guests during their stay. It’s hard to quantify the gift of hospitality, but here’s what I learned:

  1. Make a point to speak personally to each and every guest and be present to them
  2. Hire emotionally available happy employees so they can connect as well
  3. Connect at breakfast – people are already emotionally attached to food so double the impact by your presence
  4. Take time to enjoy the connection and don’t try and rush ahead.
  5. Next Step? Build on that connection for deeper long-term customer relationships by sending email newsletters – contact Jamee@iLoveinns.com or Diane@iLoveInns.com.

The British innkeepers featured above report, “We offer a very warm welcome, … an excellent breakfast and best wishes for the onward journey upon departure.”

 

Special Liquor License Created for B&Bs

Until recently Colorado state law prohibited B&Bs from obtaining liquor licenses. Jackson County recently created an amendment. – CARBONDALE — “Mimosas and bloody marys can now be included in the bed-and-breakfast experience in Jackson County. On Tuesday night, the Jackson County Board approved an amendment to its B&B ordinance allowing the establishments to sell alcohol at certain times to its guests and their invitees. The board also amended its liquor code by creating a new class of liquor license for the operators of the businesses.

 

A Website to Love

Napa’s former Blue Violet Inn, now part of the Lark Hotel chain is renamed the White House Inn. Copy their home title tag for getting your property higher in the search returns. https://www.whitehouseinnnapa.com/rooms/ they’ve got it right on the opening page and the rooms, but not the breakfast.

 

Make News & $$ – Build a Treehouse or Yurt

Do something different with your next property addition and you could make news around the world – especially if you build a treehouse like this inn in South Africa. Yurts are also gaining in popularity – even the California Park System has them copying the success of Big Sur’s Treebones below Here’s the yurt story. http://www.treebonesresort.com/treebones-story/

Read more

 

2 Ways to Make Fall More Fun

  1. Grape Stomping Time – September and October are prime grape stomping times. Build a package around local winery activities – Guests love imagining the adventure.
  2. Dune Ride – Provincetown Hotel at Gabriels
    “Leave the planning to us and experience one of Provincetown’s hidden gems! Stay 3 nights and enjoy an exhilarating dune ride with Art’s Dune Tours! Now through Oct 31.”