How to Start and Run a B&B, 4th Edition

by Stewart Whyte

Overview

Owning a B&B is the dream of many ... More and more people are considering downshifting. Buying a property that can pay for its own upkeep and give you a comfortable lifestyle is a popular option. Not only has the interest grown in becoming a B&B proprietor, so has the interest by the public in the B&B as a viable short-break option. With this rise in popularity, however, come expectations, and this is where this book comes in.

- It will help you:
- Determine who your customers are
- Manage the necessary financial tools
- Ready your house for B&B service, or help you buy/build a new one
- Successfully market your property
- Ensure you make a profit from your enterprise.

In short, everything you need to know to make your B&B a truly special place to stay! This book has been written for would-be and current B&B owners. It can be used as a short course giving invaluable insights for the experienced and inexperienced alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472142443
Publisher:	Little, Brown Book Group
Publication date:	02/15/2018
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Stewart Whyte is a researcher, a lecturer and an author of nine how to books on getting into bed & breakfast. He is an international authority on this subject and has extensive experience in the development of local tourism strategies in many parts of the world.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements x

Preface xi

Introduction 1

Part 1 Preparing to Enter the B&B Business 3

1 It's Up to You 5

It's all about personality

The dream of working for yourself

The financial reality

Money in the bank

A look in the mirror

A family affair

Going it alone

It's time

2 Who Is Your Market? 14

Understanding the international market

The domestic market

Short-break holidays

3 Who is Your Customer? 17

Getting your facts straight

Fast facts

Capturing your target market

Niche markets

The corporate market

Single travellers

Women travellers

Alternative lifestyles

People with a disability

Dietary requirements

Family market

Dos and don'ts

Anti-discrimination laws and the B&B host

4 Preparing Your Property 30

Location

Local government and your bed & breakfast

To convert, buy or build?

An exercise in financial viability

Tips for buying an established B&B

Convert to what?

Signage

First impressions count

Your entrance

Living room

Dining room

Kitchen

Bathrooms and toilets

Bedrooms

Home office

Building and development applications

Approval and construction of B&B applications

Fire safety

Advice for the home renovator

Planning permission

5 Doing Your Homework 55

Your planning

Financing

Starting your own bed & breakfast

Buying an established B&B

Is it going to work?

Your planning

Writing your feasibility study

6 Doing Your Feasibility Study 68

Your target market

Your location

Your B&B premises

Your real-estate decisions

Your start-up capital costs

Your financial viability

Your decision

Part 2 How to Run Your B&B Efficiently and Successfully 87

7 Putting the People Back in Service 88

Communicating with prospective guests

Questions and answers

Written correspondence

Deposits and cancellations

Here at last

Staff

Entering a guest bedroom

Guest behaviour

Sexual harassment

Neighbours

Complaints

The importance of feedback

8 Housekeeping 105

Being prepared

A cleaning checklist

Taking care of your furniture

The outside

9 Occupational Health and Safety 108

Fire safety

A safe place to stay

A safe place to work

The future

First aid

10 Food and the B&B

The cooked breakfast

The continental breakfast

The breakfast basket

Lunch

Morning and afternoon tea

Dinner

Eating with guests

Knowing the restaurants in your area

Presentation

Liquor licences

Purchasing tips

Recipe ideas

11 Day-to-day Operations 127

Bookings

Guest registration

Insurance

Payment

Methods of payment

Financial records

Banking

12 The Hospitality Industry and You 142

The structure of tourism authorities

Local tourist organisations

Bed & breakfast associations

Reservation platforms

Destination marketing

B&B classification

Symbols

13 Marketing Your B&B 149

Marketing concept

Market research

Marketing strategy

Target marketing

The marketing mix

Products and services

Promotion and advertising

Marketing performance

Public relations

How much marketing do you need?

Bed & breakfast guides

Marketing plan

Social media

Brochures

Newsletters

Business stationery

14 The Fundamentals of Business 164

Financing

Choosing a legal structure

Business names

Setting your room rate

Taxation and the B&B

Computer literacy

The internet and your website

SWOT analysis

Your future

15 A Hypothetical Business Plan for B&B Operators 183

16 Glossary 199

Indext 202