Simple Ways To Impress Your Guests

A shared trait among innkeepers is the common thread of caring. Few people would opt to open an inn if they weren’t interested in providing quality services and ensuring that their guests enjoy their visit. But even the most dedicated innkeepers can lose sight of service. I recall breakfast at an inn when I innocently asked the owner how he got into the business. His answer surprised me.

”I get so tired of that question,” he replied. “I should just sit in front of a camera and record my answer and plug it in and play for everyone who asks.”

I’ve never forgotten this unusual Q&A, It reminds me that what's routine for we innkeepers is novel for our guests. If you’re an experienced innkeeper some – or all – of these suggestions may seem obvious but if you’re just starting out, these hints may help make a good impression on your guests.

Be Interested

Nearly every innkeeper will tell you the best part of the job is the people (cleaning toilets and making beds come in dead last.) When it comes to connecting with guests, remember that what a person does is not what a person is.

That said, try not to ask what your guests do for a living. Because your inn is a break from routine, instead guide conversations to the shared experiences of life. Express genuine curiosity and ask questions about where your guests have traveled, how they met, their favorite travel experience, their hobbies, growing up. Then…

Let Them Talk

It may be tempting to take the stage and share how you started the inn (don’t even think about showing them a video), but take a lesson from Johnny Carson: Put your guests in the spotlight. People like to talk about themselves and because you own the inn you have the ability to make that happen. Plus you’ll be amazed at the incredible variety of stories your guests will share.

Details, Details, Details

While there’s a fine line between decorating and over-decorating you can enhance the guest experience by adding special touches to go along with your décor. To create the Coconut Cottage Inn, our British Colonial-themed bed and breakfast, we visited thrift stores, flea markets, and antiques shops to find intriguing accent pieces that are designed to pique interest. There’s a British passport from the 1920s, a giant map of Africa, Moroccan fezzes, Chinese drums, an Australian diggeridoo, pith helmets – all simple (and decorative) curiosities that keep guests entertained.

What’s So Special?

Experienced innkeepers will advise you never to offer a service you don’t intend to maintain. While enthusiasm can lead new innkeepers to announce high teas or airport pick ups, the realities of time and expense usually lead them to scale back which leads returning guests to wonder why that special service is no longer offered. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do something special, just make it simple.

At one inn, owners would print out their guests’ names on large placards to give them each their own reserved parking space. And a substitute for high tea and scones may be baking cookies and serving a cold pitcher of milk. An inspirational note left on a pillow may be long remembered. Special gestures don’t have to be elaborate as long as they express your appreciation for your guests.

Ask And Ye Shall Receive

Sometimes the secret to quality service can be found in a simple question: Ask your guests if there’s anything you can do to make your visit special.

Your main concern should be their satisfaction, and even if they tell you everything’s perfect – extend offers anyway. Ask if you can make dinner reservations, provide them with an ice bucket and corkscrew, direct them to your library of books and music. They may be not accept anything you offer, but they’ll never forget the fact that that you offered.

Related Features

• To see how two innkeepers have built a B&B business that’s enjoyed more than twenty years of success, visit The 1898 Waverly Inn.

• For a few cost-effective ways to stand out in the crowd, visit Stand Out: Bring Attention To Your B&B.

• It all starts with a plan. For advice on how to create a business plan, visit The Seven Steps of Writing a Business Plan.