Louise ’ s Thirty Tips
1 . Buy the widest ironing board available – it cuts down on ironing time – sheets have to be shuffled fewer times on a larger board .
2 . Buy duvet covers with poppers rather than buttons , as it saves time on bed changeovers .
3 . Standardise sheets and duvet covers so that linen is interchangeable and you never run out of linen on one day changeovers – this also applies to towels .
4 . Try to buy the best / tastiest sausages you can afford as these make a lasting impression on guests – it ’ s remarkable how many guests comment in our visitors ’ book on the quality of the sausages !
5 . When it comes to serving breakfast you should grill all bacon and cook eggs freshly to order , but a grilled sausage takes too long to cook so can be prepared slightly in advance and kept warm in a low oven .
6 . We offer a limited menu for breakfast but this does not stop most guests customising their breakfasts to suit – scrambled or poached or boiled eggs ; baked beans on toast ; even coca-cola and soy sauce ( separately !) – are all breakfast requests we ’ ve had in the last year . The tip is BE PREPARED – take a deep breath and prepare each dish to the best of your ability . A guest would rather you supplied what he wanted rather than a blank refusal to try . You will also need to stock the whole range of breakfast beverages – coffee normal and decaffeinated , tea normal , herbal and decaffeinated .
7 . We have discovered that a jug of iced water on the breakfast table is greatly appreciated , especially if the guest has had a heavy night of it the previous evening . This also saves you some costs as guests may drink less fruit juice , coffee or tea !
8 . Last minute bookings – these happen rarely but have to be dealt with when they occur – a ) if referred by a fellow hotelier / B & B owner the chances are it would be a genuine booker looking for accommodation . If this is the case make sure this guest gives you his full name and address and ensure they pay the full amount for their stay on arrival as a matter of policy – b ) if you get a late night phone call from someone who sounds vaguely dubious you should have no compunction to declare your rooms full .
9 . En-suite bathrooms should have bins with lids and be lined with plastic bin liners to maximise hygiene , minimise smells and make room cleaning easier .
10 . I always leave a new , wrapped large bar of soap in the bathrooms but also leave an opened , hardly-used bar of soap for guests ’ use as this is both economically and ecologically more sustainable ; the guest who is squeamish can open the new soap or the guest who doesn ’ t like waste will use the opened one .
11 . Always have available small thermos flasks for supplying fresh milk for guests to use in their rooms where they can have their own tea or coffee . I always check whether