How to Start a Bed and Breakfast

This lodging niche offers the best of both worlds

By Betty W. Stark, Business travel consultant and columnist, Stark Consulting

Think of it as a cross between a luxury hotel and a private home. The “typical” bed and breakfast offers travelers personal touches that they simply won’t find in larger hotels, usually in historic settings that emphasize the finest details of a bygone era. Cozy rooms with sumptuous bedding, crackling fires, breakfast featuring the owner’s best china and the family’s secret recipe for sticky buns.

This alluring picture makes it seem like an easy-enough transition: just open up a few rooms in your home to travelers seeking the quiet and serenity that comes with being one of just a handful of guests. It’s true that operating a bed and breakfast can be very rewarding and personally satisfying, but glamorous images like this can sometimes blur the reality of hosting strangers in your home around-the-clock, seven days a week, whether you’re in the mood or not.

Before you make the plunge, there are several things to consider:

1. Decide if you’re the right fit.
2. Learn from those who have already done it.
3. Consider the legalities.
4. Get good business advice.
5. Remodel and refurbish if necessary.
6. Plan to maximize your exposure.

Evaluate yourself

Romantic settings, 400-thread-count sheets and highly-polished antiques aside, the business of running a successful bed and breakfast requires that you truly like people, are committed and prepared to meet their needs, and that you are suited to being your own boss.
Try:

Ask yourself these questions posed by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (order a free copy of their “Aspiring Innkeeper Kit” too). Use these worksheets to better understand the role and responsibilities of an innkeeper

Get tips from Bed and Breakfast experts

The growing popularity of the bed and breakfast niche means that there are plenty of seasoned innkeepers out there who have earned their stripes. By tapping into this storehouse of knowledge, you’ll be better prepared to open and operate your own successful B & B.
Try:

Look into seminars offered by Inn Your Dreams . Order a comprehensive start-up kit (sign up for their free newsletter too). Buy books that zero in on the process of starting and operating a bed and breakfast. Download an e-book with instructions for starting a bed and breakfast almost anywhere in the world (take their “Is the Bed and Breakfast Business Right for You?” quiz too). Sign up for free newsletters.

Develop a business plan, ask for advice

The careful process of developing a business plan will ensure that you address all aspects of starting and operating a bed and breakfast. There are lots of experts and consultants who will help you wrestle with key issues and guide you toward a successful launch.
Try:

Hook up with one of the virtual business advisors from SCORE (counselors to America’s small businesses). There are several with expertise in starting a bed and breakfast. Check out the SCORE “toolbox” too for downloadable business plan templates. Hire a lodging management consultant with experience in the bed and breakfast industry.

Make sure you have money, permits, business accounts, insurance

Once you start welcoming paying guests into your home, you have gone from being just an occasional host to a fulltime business owner. Line up your ducks before you open the door.
Try:

Make sure your soon-to-be-inn is zoned to operate as a bed and breakfast. Incorporate your business, find a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), set up bank accounts, compare quotes on business insurance. Check out financing options too.

Refurbish, repair, replace

Your guests are unlikely to be as forgiving as you are of slightly worn sheets and towels, paint chips and stained carpet, or a cluttered front porch. That’s why it’s important to evaluate all physical properties with a critical eye to be certain everything passes muster. Fix, paint, repair, replace before you open for business.
Try:

Look into contract furnishings; they’re built to handle wear and tear and cost about the same as residential goods. Several vendor members of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International sell furnishings, mattresses, bath amenities, linens, window treatments, etc.

Get the word out

The Internet is the perfect place to tell AND show the benefits of your bed and breakfast. Join professional organizations that offer exposure on their Web site, and for maximum exposure, include a link to your own Web site.
Try:

Join the American Bed and Breakfast Association (including your state chapter) or the Professional Association of Innkeepers International to take advantage of the Internet exposure they offer their members. For your own Web site, connect with Web site designers that have expertise in the hospitality industry. If you plan to include advertising on your Web site, consider the important elements of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click

Don’t forget to include family members in the decision-making process. If they’re living at home, their lives will be affected too.
Make sure that your private quarters offer both privacy and a restful environment. Cramming yourself and your family into less-than-adequate space is a recipe for disaster.
Running a bed and breakfast is a lot of work. Don’t assume that you can do it without help. Discuss with family members specifically what each of them is willing to do.
The food you serve should be top-quality and offer variety to accommodate the preferences of your guests.
Be extremely cautious when preparing food, to avoid health problems. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. If it’s questionable, throw it out.
Know about any state or local regulations that govern food service or any other aspect of your operation.
Welcome your guests with a plate of cookies, juice or other beverages on their arrival.
Be a fountain of information about your town and the area; have brochures available for local attractions and events and offer maps to help guests find their way around.