open and close? When are they full? This is a difficult one to find out, but look for“ no vacancies” signs, call with enquiries about availability, and try to chat with the owners about business. Think about the particular location you have in mind. What will most visitors who stay there in B & Bs be coming for? If it is a popular coastal resort, that may bring a ready market and a good long average stay, but the downside may be a short season, with no other sources of business outside the school Summer holidays. Cities will usually give the opposite profile: a much more year-round business, possibly even dipping in high Summer, and much shorter average stay( business people often stay only one night, and usually on a single occupancy basis). At the coastal resort, your clientele will probably be families, or retired couples perhaps, and they will be what the travel industry calls“ leisure travellers” – visiting your area for pleasure, on a holiday or short break. In a city, though, you will also get people staying on business. The proportion of business people will depend on your location and the city. If your B & B is in a picturesque part of Bath, for instance, you will probably attract mainly leisure travellers, but if it is in the business district of Birmingham, you will probably get more business travellers. This is as much an art as a science, but we can’ t stress enough how important it is to think through what type of business you want to run, and buy your property accordingly – or, if you already own the property you want to run as a B & B, to be realistic as to the type of business it is suited for.
If you already own the property: This makes life simpler, as your choices are much narrower! Think through the type of property you have( art deco bungalow, thatched cottage or Georgian townhouse?), the size of the rooms, the facilities you have or can create( en suite bathrooms? Swimming pool?), and the style and quality of décor( traditional with antiques? Laura Ashley country chintz? Modern and minimalist? Clean but basic?). Next, think about your location: what is the mix of visitors? What is the balance of families, couples, and singles? Are visitors typically older or younger? Will they be mainly staying on business, or for a holiday or break?
Your answers to all these questions need to be weighed up, and will guide or dictate several key Business Plan decisions, for example:
➢ Room décor and facilities: business people want functional comfort, so a desk and internet access, for instance, may be important, and the décor should be restrained and conservative rather than twee or chintzy. The infamous trouser press may even actually be used! Family holidaymakers will want multi-bedded family rooms, and will appreciate things like games consoles and children’ s videos. A very upmarket clientele will dictate a high spend on furniture, fittings and fabrics, whereas is you will be working at the budget end of the market, you cannot justify this and must limit your spend accordingly. Plan the layout and décor of your rooms with your expected mix of guests in mind.
➢ The mix of room types: here you are of course limited by the number and size of rooms in the building( unless you plan to build an extension). Within these constraints, however, you need to decide which rooms will have an en-suite bathroom( if space allows), and which will become singles, twins, triples or family rooms. Again, plan this with your clientele in mind. Whatever your