Bed and Breakfast Business Tips For The Winter

According to Visit Britain only 55% of rooms in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs were occupied in January 2016. That’s compared to 81% in July this year.

Your Bed and Breakfast business might not operate at maximum occupancy during the cooler winter months. But there are steps you can take during this quieter time that could mean bigger profits all year round.

Use spare time to check your paperwork such as insurance is up to date

Does your insurance cover you for all your business’ needs? Are you paying way over the odds? The quieter time in the winter months can be put to good use by spending a few moments really looking into your insurance and finding the best deal.

Cheapest is not always best, a situation you don’t want to find yourself in if you do need to make a claim. But there are plenty of ways to secure a better value policy without compromising on your cover.

Things to consider when looking for the best value B&B insurance include:

Are your stated replacement figures for fixtures and fittings or rebuild costs high enough? It might save you a few pence in the short term, but under-insuring is a dangerous situation if you do need to make a claim
Do you have public liability insurance? A guest slipping on loose carpet or spilt liquid could cost you ££thousands in compensation. Make sure your insurance covers legal fees for your peace of mind
Ordinary, domestic home insurance won’t pay out if you’re a B&B. Double check that your policy is specifically designed for B&Bs
Do you rely on your B&B income to pay essential bills like your mortgage? If the answer is yes, then it can be prudent to take out loss of bookings insurance. This covers you if you have to cancel bookings due to an unexpected event, such as burst pipes, fire or flood
Is your insurance tailored to your specific needs? If you’re paying for a general ‘one-size fits all’ insurance product you might be spending more than you need to. Talk to a specialist B&B insurance provider, who can tailor your insurance to cover everything you need without asking you to pay for things you don’t
You don’t have to wait for renewals time to change your insurance. Some savings might be so substantial that you’ll still be in profit even if you have to pay an administration fee to leave your current provider early

If you don’t know where to start to look, or prefer to enjoy some extra time off, use an expert insurance broker like Park Insurance to find a great deal for you. We have 30 years experience helping B&B owners and can source comprehensive but competitive insurance policies from some of the UK’s biggest insurance providers.

Contact us for a no obligation quote.

Develop a marketing plan – and follow it!

Whichever camp you fall into, there’s no denying that Brexit could be good news for anyone with a B&B. The falling value of the pound means more and more of us are abandoning plans to holiday in Europe or the rest of the world, deciding instead stay in the UK. And with living costs rising, there’s also less cash to splash on pricey hotels.

Make sure you get your fair share of this increased market by developing a marketing plan this winter to reach old and new customers.

Things to consider:

Try some of the tricks that hotels use to drum up business. Collect email addresses from your guests (always ask their permission first) and contact them with details of special discounts or offers
Try and increase occupancy during the quieter winter months with promotions and special offers for existing customers and potential new ones
Perhaps you have a welcoming, warm log fire. Or maybe your B&B is conveniently close to a popular festive market or could cater to revellers who don’t want to drive after a works party out on the town? Increase occupancy during the winter by highlighting what makes your B&B special during these months

If you don’t already, consider listing your B&B on Airbnb

Just about everyone has heard of Airbnb. It has 60 million users in 190 countries. Hosts using the site range from individuals renting out a spare room in their house once or twice a year to full-time B&Bs. Listing your business with Airbnb opens your B&B up to many more potential customers around the world – and you’ll pay only a 3% fee for every completed reservation.

Not the time to put your feet up

Winter isn’t an excuse to put your feet up. Take this opportunity to do the things you simply don’t get time to do in the summer, like planning a marketing campaign and keeping your insurance up to date. Time spent now could benefit your B&B business all year round.

Want to know how much you could save on your B&B insurance? Contact us now.