Bed and Breakfast Backlash?
Where To Go From Here
| Navigate this article: B&B Backlash? (Introduction) Why Christopher Elliott is Wrong Why Christopher Elliott is Right Where To Go From Here Interviews with Elliott and Hardy |
For seasoned B&B travelers, the column didn't reveal anything we don't already know.
The term "bed and breakfast" is used to cover a wide variety of lodging alternatives, from homes easily converted into one- or two-room inns to mansions lovingly and painstakingly renovated into 10-room inns. As such, there will never be a "typical" bed and breakfast. If you want typical, hotel chains like Holiday Inn and Best Western probably are the better option for you.
If, however, the unique atmosphere and personal attention for which bed and breakfasts are known appeals to you, then you'll want to ask some questions before making a reservation -- especially for an extended stay. Such questions could include when breakfast is served, whether your room has a phone line for your computer, how private the rooms are, and whether the innkeeper has any pets.
It's an unfortunate fact of life that some B&B stays will only be memorable for being so bad. But the same can be said for hotel stays, restaurant visits, and many other recreational pursuits.
Is there a bed and breakfast backlash? Tell us what you think on the Bed and Breakfast Forum. Read Christopher Elliott's "Bothered & Badgered at B&Bs" at CNN.com. Elliott also wrote a pro-B&B column for ABCNews.com two years ago. |
How much is your inn a business, and how much is it a hobby? Do you really want to cater to the business traveler, or is your inn better suited for leisure travelers? Does your Web site provide all the information potential guests are seeking?
The reaction Elliott received from innkeepers, some of whom attacked him on a personal level, is telling. As professionals, innkeepers should be courteous to a fault. Especially when dealing with someone -- anyone, but perhaps especially a member of the media -- who had a negative experience, it's important to bend over backwards to change that perception. Calling someone names won't do that.
Guests need to be ready for a wide variety of innkeeper personalities, but innkeepers need to be ready for an even wider variety of guests. Every guest is different, and innkeepers must know when to leave someone alone.
In his column, Elliott relies heavily on anecdotal evidence to bolster his claim that there is a backlash against bed and breakfasts. Whether or not that's the case, some of the responses he received reveal that more than a few innkeepers should brush up on tact and interpersonal skills.
Navigate this article:
B&B Backlash? (Introduction)
Why Christopher Elliott is Wrong
Why Christopher Elliott is Right
Where To Go From Here
Interviews with Christopher Elliott and Pat Hardy
Have an opinion about Elliott's column? Share it in the Bed and Breakfasts Forum.
Article Archive
Links to the complete library of bed and breakfast features.
Special Offers and Discounts
Discounts offered by innkeepers around the world.
