Bed & Breakfast Finance Going Forward

2020 is definitely going to be a year to remember. Life went from normal to “lockdown” overnight and hospitality businesses were closed down by the government. So does this mean that you won’t be able to buy a bed and breakfast or guest house in the future?

Of course not, what it does mean is that lenders will see the sector as a higher risk post Covid 19 and as a result loan to value ratios may change. Up until now the maximum loan a new to trade operator would have been able to secure on a bed and breakfast or guest house was 65% of the purchase price meaning you needed at least a 35% deposit plus funds to cover fees such as stamp duty, valuation etc. to be able to buy your dream property.

Going forward we are still to see how lending criteria will change but, having said that, Stewart Hindley & Partners have mainstream and specialist lenders who are still willing to lend on hospitality properties. We don’t know what society will look like after the Covid-19 pandemic has gone but one thing we do know is that many people will be looking to take more short breaks and staycations in the UK rather than travelling abroad.

Post Covid-19 could mean a boom period for bed and breakfast owners which would help them to recover from the sudden loss of their incomes and hopefully inject some confidence back into the sector.

If you are thinking about buying a bed and breakfast or guest house and need the best finance deal available to meet your circumstances speak to us here at Stewart Hindley & Partners as we are specialists in the hospitality sector and if we can’t help no one can!

Contact us today and you could have your own bed and breakfast.

7 Ways to impress your B&B guests

These days finding a B&B is much easier than it ever used to be. Trip Advisor, Airbnb and HomeAway make finding a bed for the night a breeze.

Whilst this is great news for many B&B owners, it’s most definitely a double-edged sword as it also means that for potential guests looking for a room for the weekend, or even just a night, there’s lots more easily accessible options out there.

This means that standing out from the crowd and adding that extra warmth to your service is more important than ever. I’m not talking about an extra blanked at the back of the closet in their room I’m talking about that added personal touch that says ‘we’re really pleased you chose us’.

Here are 7 ways to deliver a personalised B & B experience

  1. Send a text

Isn’t it great not to have to scribble the address of where you are going on a piece of paper before keying it into the sat nav? Text your guests either on booking or the day before they are due to check in. Point out how you are looking forward to welcoming them to your B&B and send them your postcode or directions. It’ll also help them avoid any ‘lost in translation’ issues from addresses copied down incorrectly.

Using texts doesn’t have to stop there. Text them the address of any restaurants or takeaways they ask you for, and even invite them to check in or out by text too for some ultra-flexible checking in options.

  1. Make your photographs stand out

Invest in getting professional photographs taken. Most B&B guests put a large focus on the way that a property looks. A professional photographer will be able to use the right lenses and get the best angles to show your property in its best light, making it look oh so much better than all those amateur photos you’re competing with.

  1. Encourage reviews

Before visitors make their mind up on where they’ll stay, they almost always look at reviews.

Whether they look at the individual reviews or the overall rating given out of 5 stars, encouraging your visitors to leave positive reviews on your chosen site or sites, will mean you’ll be streets ahead when it comes to return bookings and new bookings. Many algorithms will prioritise those properties with positive reviews in searches too.

To encourage reviews you can incentivise your visitors with a free gift, entry into a draw to win a prize, or a discount on their next booking.

  1. Make their experience a personal one

Get to know your guests names and use them. Chat to them and find out about what they’ve been doing whilst in the area. Not only might you be able to offer useful information or additional suggestions, you’ll also pick up tips and advice that you can pass on to other guests to help make their stay memorable.

  1. Something to remember you by

Consider what brings your guests to the area and make it easy for them to take back a little souvenir. Partner with some local businesses to offer them some cheese from the region, maybe some biscuits or cakes that are typical of the area, or perhaps a book inspired by, or written about where you are based.  One of the best B&Bs I ever stayed in gave me a couple of biscuits and a bottle of water for my return journey – perfect.

  1. Make sightseeing life easy

Make picnic lunch options available – not only is it another way to upsell your guests, you’ll also be doing them a favour, saving them from having to hunt out overpriced (and often overcooked) tourist food, so they can spend more time making the most of the sites they’ve come to see.

  1. Nothing says welcome like a fresh pot of coffee

After a long journey, there’s nothing quite like a fresh coffee, so offer your guests a complimentary coffee and snack on arrival and help them to start unwinding right away.

Stewart Hindley are Finance brokers specialising in B&B finance and hospitality finance. With a comprehensive network of affiliates and partners, Stewart Hindley help provide the B&B Finance that owners are looking for to transform their B&B into something really special.

If you have high hopes for your B&B and need B&B finance to make it a reality, give us a call today and speak to one of our specialists in hospitality finance.

Ideas on how to encourage repeat business for your B&B

It is tempting to focus on attracting new guests to your B&B, but don’t forget the people who have already stayed with you.

Our team at UK hospitality finance experts, Stewart Hindley, spotted an article on www.bedandbreakfast.eu and have taken some of the points from the article which is full of practical tips for how B&B owners can encourage guests to return and, in turn, spread the word to others: (however we do understand that not all B&Bs can afford the upkeep of such marketing activities)

Exceed expectations

Exceed expectations by going that extra mile to demonstrate how you appreciate their custom, by offering delicious extensive breakfasts, small welcome gifts, and ensuring guests receive excellent service.

 Make their stay with you memorable by showing an interest in them

It’s worth spending a bit of time getting to know them, so when they re-book with you, it’s like ‘coming home’.  You could explain the personal touches around the place and perhaps a bit of its history.

Let guests know you are looking forward to their arrival

You can start building a relationship with your guests, for example, by sending an email a few days before their arrival for example. With a picture of your B&B, or a tip about what they can do in the area and that you are looking forward to their arrival.

Your B&B will then start to become real to your guests in advance.

Maintain contact with guests after their stay

Customer loyalty can be encouraged with regular, personal communication Keeping them posted with any events coming up in your area which could tempt them to return and any special offers you may be running.

 Let yourself be heard through social media

Social media platforms are the perfect way to retain close ties with your guests in a casual way. You could post new images and videos of your B&B on Facebook for example – The first al fresco breakfast after winter, your cat/dog, a cup of lovely coffee to start the day with, your B&B in the snow.

Personal messages – as well as ‘corporate’ ones are good. Every now and then you can post a promotion, such as an offer, but don’t let this be the majority of posts on social media.  In this way, guests will keep seeing nice messages about your B&B popping up on their timeline and ‘front of mind’ next time they look for a place to stay., you stay in the back of their minds, and they keep getting to know you better.  You can send your regular clients exclusive news and discounts through Facebook.  Don’t forget to ask your guests to ‘like’ your Facebook or Instagram pages.

Treat your regular guests as VIPs.

Your past customers like to feel appreciated and what better way than giving them a special or discount offer which is just for them.

Give your regulars extra attention on social media as well, for example by starting a conversation with them, or after a renovation or when you’ve expanded your service. You could send them an invitation to come and see the results and sleep in a new room. Your guests will feel special and highly appreciated and will want to revisit your B&B.

Need a helping hand?

If you are looking to start or grow your bed and breakfast or hotel business, the chances are that, at some point, you will be seeking out B&B finance.

At Stewart Hindley and Partners, we are in an ideal position to help you as we understand the hospitality business through and through.  We are long-established specialists in securing hospitality finance. Our experienced team will be able to offer you friendly and informative advice to help you build and improve your business.

Browse our site for case histories and more information about the process involved, or call us now to speak to our team of experts.

The UK’s Top 5 filmset location places to stay

Is your guesthouse, hotel or self catering accommodation located in a region famous for being the scene of films or television dramas?

Many UK holidaymakers love to see these places in the flesh and it’s even more of a bonus if they can stay in a property which featured on the film sets. Here is The National Trust’s Top 5 filmset cottages:

  1. POLDARK

Lacombe Cottage, Port Isaac

A former fisherman’s cottage with bags of Cornish charm and just a few paces to Port Quin’s beach, Lacombe was used as Captain Blamey’s house in the most recent TV series of Poldark.  Its low ceilings, original open beams and a solid-fuel stove all add to the charm and character of this exceptionally pretty former fisherman’s cottage.

  1. HARRY POTTER

The High Street, Lacock

A number of magical scenes from the Harry Potter series were filmed in Lacock Abbey and Village in Wiltshire, including parts of The Philosopher’s Stone (2001), The Chamber of Secrets (2002) and The Half Blood Prince (2009).  National Trust holiday guests can stay in their Lacock timber-frame cottage, 2 High Street, which was also used to house Judi Dench and Imelda Staunton for the filming of costume drama Cranford.

  1. SWALLOWS & AMAZONS

Rose Castle Cottage, Coniston

This cute stone cottage initially inspired Arthur Ransome when writing Swallows and Amazons and provided the backdrop for the lake scenes. It’s a two-bedroom cottage which will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside with its pretty 19th-century charm and cosy interiors. The two-bedroom stone cottage sits alone in the landscape just above beauty spot Tarn Hows, with no neighbours in sight.

Free of modern technology and carefully restored to retain its original character, it’s the perfect retreat to escape the trappings of modern day life. It’s the simplest things, like warming against the log-burner after a long day hiking, or waking up to views of green fields and mountains that make this cottage so special.

  1. GAME OF THRONES

The Potters Cottage, Strangford, Downpatrick, County Down

Go behind the scenes of Game of Thrones and step into a medieval fantasy when you stay in this two-bedroom stone cottage. It sits on the historic farmyard of Castle Ward, which provided the backdrop for Winterfell in the first series.

Key scenes from the drama will unfold right from your doorstep; from the Whispering Wood to the clock tower just next to the cottage. There’s even a replica of the Winterfell Archery Range in the courtyard.

Escape the world of dragons and battling kingdoms when you close the front door of this cosy little nook

  1. JANE EYRE

White Edge Lodge, Near Sheffield

White Edge Lodge in Derbyshire made a star turn in the 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre with Michael Fassbender and Jamie Bell. The lodge featured as the home of the Rivers family who take in a troubled Jane after she flees from Mr Rochester.

Standing alone on a vast expanse of heather moorland with all-encompassing views of the Peak District, White Edge Lodge is sure to excite. Formerly a gamekeeper’s cottage, much of its original features remain inside, such as exposed brick walls, wooden beams and most intriguing of all, the former game cellar, which now hosts the kitchen. Its highlight though, is most definitely the upstairs roll-top bath which looks out over 20-miles of stunning views.

What is your ideal hotel location?

If you are considering starting up self catering cottages, a bed and breakfast or a hotel you will no doubt be comparing a number of possible property locations and identifying their unique attractions, as part of a business plan.

Our experienced team can offer you friendly and informative advice to help you start up or build and improve your business.

Stewart Hindley Partners have many years of experience in the hospitality sector and can offer specialist finance including bed and breakfast funding and hotel mortgages.

Browse our site for case histories and more information about the process involved in securing hospitality finance or call us now to speak to our team of experts.

Source: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/film-set-cottages

How To Deal With Complaints – Dos And Don’ts

Guest house and hotel owners will inevitably be required to respond to the occasional case when guests feel they have had a slightly less-than-perfect stay.  So, what is the best way to handle complaints?

Leading hospitality finance experts Stewart Hindley & Partners have put together a few handy list of ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts in these situations:

DO

  • Focus on providing a great customer experience with attention to detail and set realistic expectations before guests arrive. That way, you can ensure that you don’t give customers a reason to complain in the first place.
  • Be ready for those few complaints that you might get. This means being sure you know your establishment inside out. You want to be ready for almost any question, or tackle any issue, that your guests could possibly think up.  You should also decide what your stance will be when a customer confronts you, what your policy is on compensation and how you will validate a complaint.
  • Anticipate – have an outcome ready for as many complaints as you could think of, so try to bring the topic on to this, so as not to draw out the length of the discussion.
  • Stay calm, even if the guests are worked up themselves. When a guest does decide to make a complaint, it’s important to think about your tone of voice, staying polite at all times and choosing your words carefully – especially if the complaining guest is quite animated.
  • Be sure to also take the nature of the complaint on board, and look to improve whatever it is that went wrong for the guest. For example, look into upgrading a bed if guests complain it is uncomfortable.
  • Endeavour to bring about a speedy conclusion to all complaints. Delaying will only escalate the issue.

DON’T

  • Misrepresent or over-promise clients with your promotion. For example, make sure that any promotional images you use are a realistic representation of your establishment. Use a good photographer to capture all of your ‘best sides’, but don’t mislead with images of views which do not apply to your rooms.
  • Don’t feel you necessarily have to agree with everything that the complaining customer is saying – especially if you feel that some or all of what they’re saying is unfair. A better way to ‘diffuse the bomb’ is to acknowledge what the customer is complaining about, and try to shift the conversation on to the resolution.
  • Don’t dwell on the complaint because, more often than not, a negative can be turned on its head to become a positive. Look upon it as an opportunity to impress with how responsive you are to complaints and to ‘practise’ your customer service skills.
  • Don’t forget to treat the experience as a learning curve – to get even better at handling these situations in the future. Use it to hone your customer service skills, taking on board the criticism and using it to give your guests better experiences every time they come and stay with you.

Need a helping hand?

If you are looking to start or grow a  bed and breakfast or hotel business, the chances are that, at some point, you will be seeking out bed and breakfast funding or hotel mortgages.

At Stewart Hindley and Partners, we are in an ideal position to help you as we understand the hospitality business through and through. We are long-established specialists in securing hospitality finance. Our experienced team will be able to offer you friendly and informative advice to help you build and improve your business. Browse our site for case histories and more information about the process involved, or call us now to speak to our team of experts.

Source:
https://eviivo.com/trade-secrets/customer-service/customer-always-right-deal-difficult-guests/

English B&Bs dominate TripAdvisor 2017 awards list

The humble English guest house has triumphed over its international counterparts to claim five of the world’s top 10 best B&B slots, according to travel giant TripAdvisor.

Bindon Bottom B&B, in West Lulworth, Dorset received the top award, beating competitors in Florida, Prague and Belgium.
Continue reading “English B&Bs dominate TripAdvisor 2017 awards list”