B&B bookings for a week + ... any experience?

this is my first proper year b&b-ing... i started last july so didn't get a whole summer season... i'm getting bookings for next year which is great - including a german couple who've booked for 8 days!


2 questions... at what point should i change the sheets / towels - or even clean??


and... they have booked to have dinner every night. i think it's odd, particularly a i usually make a fairly fancy dinner - it's 25e each - plus as they're coming the middle of april it's entirely possible it'll just be them and us!


all advice, experience greatly appreciated (oh and any menu thoughts too!!!)


x teresa


oh, should say i'm sure it's not a scam - they've paid the deposit and we've spoken & emailed


Hi Teresa, Thanks so much for the link! My site is managed by a friend who is on matenity leave so as soon as she is available I will ask her to return the favor!

Have a good weekend Teresa and Jennifer!

Calista & Jennifer - i've put a link to your b&b's on my site... it might be nice to have pictures of the houses at some point?

x teresa

http://www.maisonverdigris.com/maison-verdigris/2012/01/beautiful-b...

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks so much for all of the precious advice! I am already with Trip Advisor, Homelidays, bedandbreakfast.com , Likhom and Guidesdecharme.com. I am supposed to be accepted by gites de france this month and will be in their reservation system as well. These sites are working some for me but hopefully booking.com with give me the boost I need.Thanks for the encouragement!

Calista

Thanks so much for the information on booking.com! I am filling out all of the forms now after hesitating for several weeks. I am eager to see the results! Good idea for the links. As soon as I can I will try to do the same.

Calista (domaine de saint clément)

Hello Calista,

I think booking.com are really good - very easy to manage... the client pays you directly. You ten pay booking.com each month via a direct debit for the percentage fee. if the client books but doesn't come you don't get charged... easy. i don't accept credit cards at the house - but they CAN pay by paypal if they want (no-one has so far!)

let me know if you need any help with the site if you do join

oh, and like jennifer i'll put a link to your site on mine!

x teresa

Hi Jennifer - this is exactly my experience too - i've had a few bookings from my website, local people and the Mairie, but most from booking.com - i agree - it's a marketing fee!

i'll add a link to my site too

Teresa (La Maison Verdigris)

Thanks for the info! After operating 10 years I closed for 5 years, did major repairs (and took vacation) and i Just reopened last June. It is a new world on internet since I stopped. I am trying to be on alot of sites, but am just now considering booking.com. Are you paid directly by your clients with BOOKING or do they pay on site? Do you accept credit cards? I have never accepted credit cards and would prefer to avoid it! Is booking easy to manage?

Thanks-got to return to work now!

hello calista, thanks for your great reply!

my b&b is called La Maison Verdigris - it's about 10 minutes from Revel in the very south of the Tarn 81 - close to Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Albi

last year i never went into the rooms (i have two) and although they mostly stayed for one night - i did have a couple of bookings for 3 nights - so it's very intersting...

i've had probably 80% of my bookings from Booking.com - they charge a % fee - but i think it's been worth it... this year i'm also advertising with Homelidays, which many people on here have recommended.

i should say as well that i've had NO guests from the UK, which surprised me

x teresa

Hi Teresa, I have had 10 years + experience with running a B and B. I can give you a few guidelines. The general rule is that sheets should be changed a minimum of once a week and towels a minimum of every 3 days. In fact guests are not all the same and do not require the same amount of "entretien" or housekeeping. When I have guests staying more than one day, I enter their room once a day. I empty the garbage every day, I make the bed, I check for obvious "problems" such as sand from the beach, water on the bathroom floor, drenched bath mat, lack of toilet paper and kleenex etc. Problems like this need to be corrected. I check to see if the bathroom needs a quick clean-up. If sheets are obviously soiled, or towels appear to be too wet to dry out soon, I change them even if it has only been one day. Some people are extremely neat and there is little to do; others are less neat and there is obviously more work to do! If I had someone for 8 days since this passes the week rule for sheets, I would plan to change the sheets after the 4th day. Also a complete cleaning should be done after a week. I have never offered evening meals, so I have no advice for that.

I would like to know where you are located and how you are reaching your clients if I may ask?

Wishing you a very successful year!

Calista