When you think of business travel, the images that come to mind are pretty drab.
Airports, rental cars, meeting rooms, never getting a chance to experience the place you’re visiting.
But what if that could be different? Business travelers don’t often consider a bed and breakfast stay, although a majority of bed and breakfasts say they make efforts to accommodate these guests.
If you want to get business travelers to consider staying at your bed and breakfast, remember these selling points:
Outstanding Customer Service
Guests at a bed & breakfast – whether they’re with you for business travel or on vacation – can appreciate the individualized touch that they might not get from a hotel.
It’s All-Inclusive
Business travelers may not be able to spend lavishly, so offering all-inclusive pricing makes budgeting
easier. The cost of their stay will include things like parking and wi-fi.
Cynthia Grow, a frequent business traveler from Cincinnati, told USA Today in 2007 that she had incorrectly assumed B&Bs wouldn’t have high-speed internet or any of the other services business travelers might need. After her first stay, she was converted. Nearly all bed and breakfasts and inns have wi-fi and cater to business travelers now-realizing that they are an important group.
“If the location at a bed and breakfast is suitable, and it offers a great breakfast and all the business amenities of a hotel, heck yes, count me in,” Grow said.
It Feels More Like Home
When travelers stay at a bed and breakfast, they get a unique, homey experience. Rather than rooms, they can sleep on a comfortable mattress in a space that’s been uniquely decorated.
Grow said that she typically opts for hotels, “but was won over by a quaint and comfortable B&B in Natchitoches, La., that ‘was so different from a sterile cookie-cutter room that one gets at a hotel.’”
They’ll Eat Freshly Prepared Food
Bed and breakfasts can offer travelers a fresh, home-cooked complete breakfast, often made with locally-
sourced ingredients. It’s miles away from a few croissants and a glass of orange juice in a conference room. Innkeepers will be happy to try to accommodate dietary restrictions for guests who are diabetic, gluten-free, etc.
Many also offer a happy hour where guests can enjoy a glass of wine and some refreshments, while interacting with other travelers.
They’ll Meet New People
The intimate nature of a bed and breakfast makes it the perfect place to meet new people. Granted, this might seem like a downside to some travelers.
John Fitzgibbon, a healthcare consultant from New York, told USA Today he prefers the anonymity of a chain hotel. He wasn’t a fan of sharing stories – or meals – with the other guests.
“I checked out the next morning after making up some business emergency story and drove an additional 20 miles to the closest higher-end chain hotel,” Fitzgibbon said.
But it should noted that at most bed and breakfasts and inns, guests do not have to mingle if they don’t want to. There are tables for six, or tables for one or two. It’s up to the guest on whether they would like to interact or be on their own.
There’s Privacy and Peace
Worries about having to share stories over breakfast aside, a bed and breakfast offers more privacy than a
hotel in some ways. Your guests aren’t sharing a building with hundreds of other people, and don’t have to contend with staying in the same building that’s hosting a busy convention or a raucous bachelor party.
It’s a Unique Experience
Business travelers want some downtime during their trip. As a bed and breakfast proprietor, you’re in the unique position to help them discover what makes your community special. Point them to the best places to eat, shop and explore.
InnStyle can Help Your Bed and Breakfast
If you’re looking for ways to make your bed and breakfast more inviting to guests, whether it’s a lone business traveler or a couple celebrating their anniversary, InnStyle is happy to help. InnStyle offers a great selection of bedding, bath products, lodging accessories, dining products, and much more to help your property give your guests the best possible stay. InnStyle can be reached at 267-354-6020. Their website is https://www.innstyle.com/.
I love how you said that you get a homier experience when staying at a B&B. My sister is planning a trip with her husband and wanted to know what type of hotel she should stay in. I’ll make sure to pass this information along to her so she can think about staying in a B&B.
Thanks Kate! It’s true, and another thing I love about some B&Bs that you don’t get from hotels is that you have the opportunity to get to know other guests. We have met lots of interesting people in unusual places.
I like how you said staying at a B&B gives you a more personal experience. My sister and her husband are preparing for a trip, and they were wondering what kind of hotel would be the most comfortable for them to stay in. I’ll make sure to give her this information so she can consider booking a B&B.