Happy Guests Mean Happy Holidays: Tips in Guest Comfort

Turn your guest room into a B&B this holiday season.

The holidays are coming and your challenge is to create a comfortable home away from home for your guests.  Even though (or perhaps because) they are family and old friends, you want to make a good impression. You want the house to look great, the meals to be faultless; it’s easy to forget that if your guest room isn’t comfortable, nothing else matters.  If your guests include parents or grandparents, just remember, “if Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”  A few thoughtful touches can make all the difference in everyone's comfort levels.

• Make your guests’ sleeping quarters as comfortable and inviting as possible. When you’re setting up the room, create some space in the closet (including empty hangers of decent quality) for them to hang their clothes, as well as a few empty drawers or shelves for folded clothes. The more you can distance them from their suitcases the better. Make sure their sleeping quarters offer a place to get away when needed.
•  “Comfortable bedding is always a top priority because over-tired guests are not happy campers. For many people, adjusting to a different bed or pillow is difficult, so ask ahead of time whether your guests are allergic to feathers, sleep with one or two pillows, and so on. If your pillows are flat or your mattress is sagging, invest in new pillows and ideally a new mattress, or at least a bed board.
•  “If needed, add a bedside table by simply using a TV tray table next to the bed with a clock radio and reading lamp. Special touches like extra blankets for sleeping, handy throws for reading or naps are equally thoughtful touches.
•  “If your guests are sharing a bathroom with other members of the household, provide fresh towels and make hooks or a rack exclusively available for them to hang wet towels If possible, providing robes is a thoughtful touch. Be sure to provide a place for guests to put their toiletries. If guests are flying in (or tend to be forgetful), fill a basket  with toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioners, and lotions, so they won’t have to worry about airport security.
•  “Remove personal items that have piled up in your guest room, then add a bud vase with fresh flowers and a dish of candies to create the welcoming feel of a B&B.”
    

**SPOTLIGHT** River Inn at Harbor Town in Memphis, Tennessee

River Inn of Harbor Town and Bed & Breakfast - A Small Luxury Boutique and Upscale Hotel near Downtown and Beale Street

The charm of the Old South meets the intimate style of Europe and the rich history of Mud Island at River Inn of Harbor Town. Overlooking the Mississippi River near downtown Memphis, Tennessee, the River Inn has impressive architecture, accented by gas-lit lanterns, decorative wrought iron, blooming window boxes and colorful umbrellas dotting the rooftop terrace.

The traditional warm and inviting lobby features a sparkling crystal chandelier, a wood-burning fireplace set off by an 1850's-era New Orleans mantel, wood flooring from an old Virginia textile mill, along with Oriental rugs, original oil paintings, fresh flowers, and the soft glow of candles. In addition to 28 luxury boutique and upscale lodging accommodations and suites, River Inn offers two dining options: the exquisite Currents Fine Dining restaurant, and the casual Tug's Neighborhood Grill, plus the cozy Little Bar.

Be swept away by the charm and warm hospitality of the staff, who offer nothing but unparalleled service. Discover tourist attractions, the Liberty Bowl and Memphis in May Blues Festival on Beale St. Come enjoy the River Inn of Harbor Town near downtown Memphis, TN, the South's Most Romantic small hotel, for an experience you will want to enjoy again and again. ~ AAA 4 Diamond / 5 Star Alliance Hotel ~ .

Check River Inn of Harbor Town and other Tennessee B&B's and Unique Inns, at this link:

www.bestlocalbnb.com

Top 3 Benefits of your stay at a Bed and Breakfast

Personal Attention

 One factor is most common while traveling for business or holidays; search of place to stay. Most individuals choose big hotel chains which have never of options of personality more than to provide a place to sleep for their guests. Whenever business and holiday travelers prefer to stay at a Bed and Breakfast there are always options to enjoy their tour even more simply as Bed and Breakfast inns focus on each individual guest.



Experience of Feel at Home

 Most Bed and Breakfasts are small and have a small number of rooms to provide as Bed and Breakfast. However, rooms have lots of personality and generally decorated around a theme and focuses to provide most the comfort of guests who stay there. The Bed and Breakfasts are family run so presence of family members doesn’t feel the guest lonely. The family environment is always happy and charming. All in all, when you stay at a Bed and Breakfast you enjoy the experience of feel at home.


Healthy and Delicious Foods.

To keep you fit your body and happy mood; you need “Healthy and Delicious Foods” as necessarily while you are on tour. The daily rate of a Bed and Breakfast stay includes the first meal of the day, while a Continental breakfast is included in chain hotel rates. The breakfast at Bed and Breakfast is all time of a significantly higher quality. This is because bed and breakfast owners feel pride in serving well balanced and tasty meals allowing guests to enjoy every aspect of their stay. Though there is difference in every Bed and Breakfast you can generally expect a full breakfast of your choice.

Historic Bed and Breakfast Inns

Are you fascinated by historic buildings that tell a story of days gone by? Do you enjoy sharing your love of history with others? Search www.bestlocalbnb.com to quickly find the perfect historic bed and breakfast or inn.

In the earliest days of Colonial America, lodging establishments were few and far between in the 1700s. Apart from a few "coaching inns" (an even smaller number of which survive today), travelers relied on strangers to provide a bed for the night. During the Great Depression, homes offering "tourist" rooms provided cheap lodging for the traveler and welcome income for the host.

After World War II, Americans traveling abroad experienced the European-style bed and breakfast for the first time, and many were inspired to open bed and breakfasts of their own after returning home. Increased interest in bed and breakfast lodging coincided with an increasing interest in historic preservation, spurred by the U.S. Bicentennial, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and the Tax Reform Act of 1976, which provided tax incentives for the restoration and reuse of historic structures.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, bed and breakfasts increased rapidly in numbers, evolving from homestays with shared baths and simple furnishings to meticulously renovated historic mansions with luxurious décor and amenities. Today bed and breakfasts are found in all 50 states, in major cities and remote rural areas, from modest cottages to opulent mansions, and in restored historic structures from pre-colonial carriage houses and cabooses to lighthouses and log cabins. 

www.bestlocalbnb.com

Southern Towns You Will Love

Have a hankering for some sweet tea and southern hospitality? You should. As September hangs on the horizon, a jaunt south is the perfect way to win some extra summer days, and these member-recommended Mayberrys are the best places to savor them.

Lawrenceville, Virginia
Just over the North Carolina border, little Lawrenceville has the surprising distinction of being the site of “some of the best diving on the east coast,” says vampirefan , who, along with her husband, headed to Lawrenceville on a tip from her local dive shop. In addition to world-class diving at Lake Rawlings Dive Park, the happy couple discovered a down-home B&B they highly recommend: the Brunswick Mineral Springs B&B, a tobacco plantation and then a health spa in previous lives. It’s now a bed-and-breakfast owned by Nan and Dave Spears, “two of the most wonderful people in the world.”

Mount Airy North Carolina
The Mayberry of Andy Griffith fame, “Mount Airy is not a hot destination, but you have to visit anyway,” says MCJ graduate, because “it is a quirky town with much to celebrate.” In addition to mad Mayberry memorabilia—and full-blown Mayberry Days this September 25-27—Mount Airy offers Pilot Mountain State Park, bluegrass jam sessions, a picturesque Main St., and, of course, what JF150 calls “that feeling of stepping back in time to those good old days.”

Madison, Georgia
Different visitors are drawn to Madison’s pillars and squares for different reasons, but they all leave wanting to return. For John Hollinger’s wife, it was historic Heritage Hall—but only because “John, being an antebellum-house buff, just had to see it.” Mrs. Hollinger ended up enjoying the town too, as well as nearby Social Circle, Georgia, and a meal at the famous all-you-can-eat Blue Willow Inn. Looking for a place to stay? Robvn Cook recommends the “gracious” and “luxurious” James Madison Inn, particularly for its breakfast. Rest assured you will not go hungry in Georgia.

Bell Buckle, Tennessee
An old railroad town, tiny Bell Buckle impressed Taylor Shelby right off the bat. She found that the words of the woman who’d sent her—“it’s just the cutest li’l town you ever saw”—rang true, as “the once-abandoned downtown is now thriving with antique shops, artists, unique stores, and one fantastic restaurant.” And Bell Buckle native Tideone adds that with so many “antique dealers and arts and crafts folks, it seems like there is always some kind of celebration taking place.”

Cullman, Alabama
Perhaps a testament to the town’s universal appeal, two IgoUgo members have opposite takes on Cullman, but both tout is as a great getaway spot. Because of its covered bridges, battle sites, and antique stores, Library Dragon says, “When travelers think of Alabama, they often envision towns such as Cullman.” NiteOWLTX, on the other hand, says that Cullman’s German heritage, grottos, and shrines make it a regional anomaly full of “some of the most obscure things you will ever see.” Cullman, it seems, is wonderful no matter what you make of it.

Oxford, Mississippi
When Ole Miss is in session and football fans are in town, Oxford isn’t exactly tiny, but it does infuse its academic inclinations with small-town charm. Fittingly, the home of William Faulkner and John Grisham offers the famous Square Books independent booksellers. And while you have your wallet in hand, Steve S. recommends heading to Neilson’s Department Store, the oldest shop in the South. He also raves about the many fine-dining opportunities around: “You’re probably thinking, ‘fine restaurants in a town of 10,000 in Mississippi?’, but yes, Oxford has its share of excellent eateries.”

Beaufort, South Carolina
North Carolinian vanpirefan has nothing but nice things to say about her neighbor to the south: “Beaufort has a long and rich history that can be seen everywhere you look.” She reports that the Low Country town is “a breeze” to walk around, but that buggy tours are equally enjoyable if your feet tire. Her compliments continue: “While Beaufort is not as big as Savannah or Charleston, she is nonetheless equally as beautiful and impressive.” And Beaufort has a leg up on even those two cities when it comes to eating: “This is the place to enjoy delicious seafood!” says ashlorene84 of Beaufort’s laid-back restaurants.

Morgantown, West Virginia
“Waterfront bike trails with dappled sunlight, riverfront jazz in the sun, and nights of theater magic, all in designated landmark settings” create, kjlougn says, “a formula for perfect days.” Another college town—the West Virginia University Mountaineers call it home—Morgantown delights IgoUgo members like drhough with its mix of art and nature. “Quaint yet cosmopolitan, Morgantown is my favorite weekend destination for original dining and compelling theater,” the regular visitor says. On another trip, he focused on the outdoors, saying, “I thought I knew Morgantown and was surprised to discover the recreational community it has been hiding along its riverbank.”

Seaside, Florida
With its ice cream parlors, pedestrian-only lanes, and white picket fences, the planned Gulf community of Seaside (you may have seen it in The Truman Show) looks like it stepped straight out of a storybook to become a respite from the spring-break madness of nearby Panama City and Destin. Nora Katz describes the town as a tiny community that “stands out among the snow-white dunes with its pastel-colored Victorian cottages topped with tin roofs that shimmer in the midday sun.” If your ideal Sunshine State experience is more verandahs and hammocks than roller coasters and parades, you’ll love Seaside.

Creating an Effective Facebook Page For Your Bed and Breakfast Inn

As an innkeeper for a quaint bed and breakfast inn, you are charged with the task of not only creating a comfortable, homey environment for your guests, but also managing an effective marketing campaign that exposes your accommodations over large chain hotels. It can be rough especially for the new B&B owner to compete with a national corporation and their seemingly endless budget, but if you are savvy enough to operate social media and use it to your advantage, you can cut a chink in their business and watch yours grow. A Facebook fan page is a great, and free, way to start.
Facebook Profiles and Fan Pages - the Difference
If you have a Facebook profile, you might be apprehensive about promoting your bed and breakfast through this network. Over the last few years, concerns about privacy have cautioned Facebook users from volunteering too much information, and you may not wish to arbitrarily add strangers to your friend network. The good news is: you don't have to. With Facebook you can set up an individual page devoted to your inn or vacation rental, and people can join that page for information. Your profile remains intact.
What can a fan page do for your lodging business? Now that Facebook URLs show up in search engine results, plenty! At the bottom left corner of your Facebook dashboard, you'll find an icon that takes you to the setup area for a page. The wizard is user-friendly and the end result looks similar to your personal profile, only you have the opportunity here to promote your bed and breakfast main website, directions, and other important information. Also, you can create photo albums for your specific rooms and amenities, and list events happening in your area and at your inn. A video tab option allows you to upload short clips advertising the finer points of your B&B, or homemade "commercials" for viewers to enjoy.
Facebook Extras
While Facebook limits how users can structure fan pages, there are widgets available to enhance the functionality. If you are familiar with HTML, then using the Static FBML function can help you create custom tabs for your page. You can set up qualified code to direct users to a reservation engine or your Twitter feed or Flickr account...anything you wish.
Facebook also has a proprietary advertising program, where you can market to specific demographics. If you seek in-state visitors, for example, you can advertise to profiles in the area - or to women only, people who like a specific football team near your home, and so on. Using the cost per click model, this social network's advertising is affordable and the analytics are easy to discern.
The notes section on the fan page is for making informative posts, much like a blog. To cut time, if you have an existing blog set up you can plug the RSS feed into the Notes application and every time you blog it will feed into your Facebook page.
Finding Friends
Once you've set up shop, next comes the job of getting people to join your fan page. Of course, word is mouth is the best method of advertising, so naturally the first thing to do is let your personal friends know the page is live! Make sure to include some kind of link on your main website leading to the page (Facebook has widgets and code available for us) to authenticate the fan page, and promote away. As other social networks have applications to interconnect with Facebook, you'll find spreading the word is as simple as typing your inn's name.
If you do not already have a fan page for your lodging, it is important to set it up as soon as possible. Add social functionality to your business solidifies your brand in social media, and helps you better promote your inn. Invest the time to promote through Facebook and see the improvement in your reservations.