Keeping it fresh: Renovate your B&B

So you’ve owned a hotel, B&B, guest house or apartment rental for a number of years now – maybe it’s time to renovate your accommodation. This can be anything from fixing the little things to taking on a large-scale refurbishment and transforming your property. Be it a fresh coat of paint or the addition of a restaurant, any change can open your door to a new set of customers.

This can seem like a lot to take on, but we can help you get started with these simple steps…

Before taking the plunge, you will, of course, have to think about a few things. Here are the main points which should be taken into consideration:

Once you’ve decided what you’d like to undertake and what kind of professionals you’ll need in order to renovate your accommodation, you can begin to draw up a plan of action. Since this property is your livelihood, it’s even more important you get the right people for the job! Sites such as RatedPeople.com and My Builder.com are good places to start as you can read individual reviews on all the plumbers, electricians and builders listed.

If you live in your guest house, be sure to save space for you to live in while the renovations are taking place. Of course this depends on the scale of the project – if you’re ripping your whole house apart, then you’ll still need a roof over your head. If you’re just smartening up a few rooms, be prepared to work around it.

If you are going to have guests staying during the project, then be sure to let them know that they might hear the odd drill going off or see a few workmen about the place. Knowing that they are going to be bothered with either noise or lack of hot water intermittently, you could provide them with something (like a free breakfast) to be sure that they still stay with a smile on their face!

With eviivo’s booking calendar software, you can block off certain rooms to prevent guests booking them, which is ideal for when you’re renovating your B&B!

If you’ve decided on extending your property, you may need to get an interior designer and architect on board, just to see if your plans are going to be doable. Take a look at your property and proposed plans through the eyes of your guests and think about what will appeal to them.

For example, you may be thinking about renovating a medium-large space in your building. There are a few things to consider, such as how many rooms you could make from this area: should it be two modest ones or one big luxurious suite to promote at better rate for holidaying couples or travelling families?  Would a suite like this appeal to your market, or would two smaller rooms aimed at business guests be better and have enough room to work in?

You will also need to consider the likes of access, views from any new and existing rooms, the space for en-suites, as well as attaining any planning permission you might need from the council before any work actually goes ahead.

Keeping your entrance and foyer fresh and welcoming will set the tone for your guests’ experience.  It’ll nail down that crucial first impression and wow them straight away. It’s important to consider the look of all the rooms that your guests will come and go from at all times of the day. Naturally, you’ll have your own style, though some sofas, lighting and even fresh flowers could be a welcome addition.

Is your restaurant or breakfast room big enough? If you’re deciding to add more rooms, think about how many guests you can cater for at breakfast. On the other hand, should you feel that your restaurant simply needs bringing into the 21^st century, some new fittings and furnishings may just be enough.

Any communal outdoor areas and gardens really add to the aesthetic value of your guesthouse, as well as being somewhere for your guests to sit and chill out. Are they comfortable and pleasant enough for your visitors to sit and read the newspaper or check their emails?

A large outdoor project could be creating a new lawn area, erecting decking or a place to sunbathe, or even adding in a swimming pool and crossing your fingers for some weather from the continent. However, something smaller could also prove equally successful; simply adding in a play area or a trampoline could help you attract more families, for example.

If you don’t have much outdoor space, then it’s all about making the most of what you do have – perhaps a small but neat patio complete with a BBQ will suffice. This will not only be great for those warm summer months, but will also require minimal maintenance!

When deciding to treat your clients to some new furnishings, be sure to buy items that are both durable and high quality. You want them to look great in the room but they also have to be sturdy enough to hold up against years’ worth of visitors who stay in the room.

The beds and mattresses are the most important items of furniture so it’s wise to see them as an investment – giving your guests a good night’s sleep away from their own bed is just about the best thing you can do.

If space is limited, make use of what you have by choosing items of furniture that double up as something else – a cabinet with drawers can often be a great place to put the TV for example. Bunk beds are great space saving option for a kids’ room if you happen to take a lot of family bookings.

But it’s not just practicality that takes centre stage – stick with the aesthetic value you want to achieve by buying items of furniture that are really in-keeping with the feel of the room. Small touches, such as a trendy office lamp or an upcycled vintage chair, depending on what look you’re going for, can really make all the difference to a room’s overall appeal.

If your rooms come with en-suites, check how the current look of the bathrooms tie in with the feel of the rooms. If you’re giving the room a makeover, then the bathroom may need one too. If there’s only a shower in there and you think your guests would prefer a bath, then it’s probably worth buying one and having a plumber install it if you can afford it.

When the rooms are all done, it’s time to take some new pictures for your website! If you need help, read our guide on taking quality photographs of your B&B.

When the time comes to replace any items that have succumbed to wear and tear, it’s important that you have a budget set aside for exactly this. If it’s an easy job and you’re a dab hand at DIY, then you’ll probably want to undertake it yourself. All that might be required is ordering a few spare parts and having a toolkit handy.

If you’re happy to fix any problems that come up, then you might want to consider taking a crash course in DIY in order to learn the basics – if you haven’t already, that is! This Complete DIY Manual from Collins is as comprehensive as they come and has received some excellent reviews too.

The benefits of deciding to renovate your accommodation are definitely worth it, as your property will feel fresher. Not just that, if you have taken the decision to extend then you’ll be able to take more bookings and welcome many more happy guests through your doors!

Managing the renovation of your property could take up a lot of your time, but eviivo are here to help! Our award-winning product, eviivo suite, is designed to make life as easy as possible for independent hoteliers and property owners, so you have time for the more important things like picking out new bed linens or knocking down walls!