A bed and breakfast is a place of stay, which offers accommodation and breakfast, but will not offer any other meals of the day. Bed and breakfast is like a private home, which will have ten or less than ten bedrooms for commercial use. All the guests will be accommodated in a private bedroom; some places have suites as well, which includes a bathroom. Some homes will have bedrooms and bathroom, which is shared by other guests as well. Breakfast will be sent to the bedroom or they will serve it in the dining room or kitchen. Knowing how to run a bed and breakfast can result in good business.
B&Bs and guest houses are operated either on the secondary source of their income or as a primary occupation. In most of the B&Bs the owners will prepare the breakfast and clean the rooms, but some the bed and breakfasts will hire staff for cooking and cleaning. Although, some of the B&Bs have started hiring professional staff, and a property that hires professionals is no longer a B&B, but it enters the category of hotel or inn. Some of the bed and breakfasts are known as operating in the niche market. For instance, there are floating bed and breakfasts, which is a concept that originated in Seattle, wherein the houseboat or boats offer B&B accommodation.
There are some regulations that every B&B must follow for the safety of the guests. There should be a national of local fire ordinance for having power resistance, a good fire escape plan and smoke detectors in every room. All the kitchen equipments should be monitored for the purpose of hygiene, but all these rules can differ nationally or locally. Here are some simple steps on how to run bed and breakfast.
Steps:
Breakfast Time
- The first thing that you will have in your B&B is setting up breakfast. You have to make sure that you are up before your guests wake up. Prepare some of the things in the night as well. Start organizing napkins, tablecloths, bowls, dishes, silverware and tablecloth.
- You must start the breakfast with hot and fresh tea and coffee. In the meanwhile, when the coffee is perking, start preparing and plate the fruit, so that it stays at room temperature when you are serving. Take some bagels, muffins, croissants slice them up and set it on the table. Place butter, jam on the table, and keep chilled juice on the table, which you must refrigerate a night before.
- Check the buffet to make sure that everything is there and if something is missing then replenish whatever required. Make some more tea and coffee and sit down with your guests, so that they get a homely feel at your bed and breakfast. A good host is someone who takes care of all the guests, so pay attention to every guest in your B&B.
After Breakfast
- Once everyone is done with breakfast, then you will have to refrigerate the leftovers and start cleaning the dishes from the table.
- Clean the entire breakfast area properly, so that the area looks clean when your guests come down for checkout. At this time, you must not worry about doing the dishes when your guests are leaving. Check them out first and later you can go and do the dishes.
- Give check out to the guests; take some time out to chat with them. Make sure that you hand your guests the visiting card of your bed and breakfast, so that they can visit in the future. Ask them to sign the guest book and leave comments about your B&B.
Get set for new Guests
- Go to every room and make up the beds with some fresh and clean linen. It is always advised to have some extra clean sheets of linen, so that you can make the bed quickly without worrying about the laundry.
- Start getting the bedrooms ready for the next guest and clean the interior of the room thoroughly. Wipe all the doorknobs, windowsills, footboards and headboards. Dust all the furniture and vacuum the carpets as well. On the decorative bowls, place some fresh mints.
- Remember that you will have to clean the bathrooms as well. Set the sofas, pillows, vacuum carpets and clean the candy dishes. Now you are done and ready to welcome the new guest.
- Now you know all the steps on how to run bed and breakfast, so go ahead and run your own B&B.
Tips and Warnings:
- Wash the linens and the clean the breakfast area and keep your home always ready for welcoming the new guests.
- At the reception, keep business cards and brochures for your guests.
- Try to advertise your B&B so that you have more guests coming in and you will never go out of business.
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