Bed and breakfast guests are often searching for a unique and authentic experience.

They choose small accommodations because they prefer the intimate setting, the personalized service and the insight into the local culture that can be found only in these types of hotels.

So as a bed and breakfast owner, it’s important to keep your guests craving more from your location, and introducing exciting new amenities and features is one way to do that.

Here’s a few ways you can impress your guests time and time again:

Offer Text Message Services

Texting is easily the most popular, convenient and effective way to communicate today.

As a bed and breakfast owner, you can simplify the lives of your guests by implementing text message services.

Examples of ways to utilize this technology include

  • text message reminders
  • text concierge services
  • text check-out options.

This allows people to spend less time coordinating the logistics of their stay, and more time exploring the local area and enjoying your property.

Provide Professional Photos as a Glimpse Into Your Property

High-resolution photos are critical, as travelers rely heavily on these images while making decisions for their upcoming adventures – so don’t be afraid to spend some of your budget on a professional photographer.

Not only will you want to take beautiful photographs of your rooms, but you also will want to consider offering photo tours of other parts of the property.

If you have an idyllic garden complete with a fountain, showcase that area!

Or if your guests love to spend their evenings on the large, covered porch overlooking your waterfront views, then take photographs of actual guests utilizing this space.

Including people in your photos allows prospective travelers to visualize themselves in that same space.

Click here for photography techniques that are guaranteed to attract guests to your property.

Partner with Local Businesses to Offer Product Packs

Not only are these a great way to showcase the local area and promote tourism in your region, it’s also an easy way to up-sell products at your bed and breakfast.

Allow guests to select product packs that they are interested in at the time of their reservation, and those gift baskets can be waiting for them in their room when they check in.

Whether it’s local wines and microbrews, or it’s a set of snacks that are unique to your area, these product packs can enhance the experience and will surely impress your guests.

You can also partner with unconventional local businesses, like funeral homes, universities, and wedding planners.

Incentivize Your Guests to Leave Reviews

Go the extra mile for your guests to spread good word-of-mouth. It doesn’t have to be too expensive.

Offer a small gift card to a local business or a tray of fruits, crackers and cheese to guests who leave positive feedback on your website.

Reviews are necessary to attracting new travelers, so you will want to encourage your customers to provide their insight online.

Get Personal with Your Guests

Be a people person. Hopefully this comes naturally to you – after all, you did decide to run a bed and breakfast!

Learn your guests’ names, and find out more about them. When they come down in the morning, greet them personally and talk to them about your own day.

This is one of the most important aspects of running a bed and breakfast, and it’s the type of service that people have come to expect.

In today’s world of ever-expanding technology, it’s easy to incorporate the latest developments along with your personal style.

This gives your bed and breakfast guests an experience that compares to that of the largest hotel chains, without sacrificing the care and attention that they crave on their travels.

Just make sure you have the right technology to back you up.

By implementing an all-in-one front desk system, like Little Hotelier, you can manage your hotel without neglecting your guests. Learn more about what such a system could do for you here.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).