Comments on: Guest Retention for Bed and Breakfast Inns

By: Calvin from twin over full bunk bed

Calvin from twin over full bunk bed — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:38:13 +0000

Its good to find a source of information that can be useful, especially when looking for something to occupy me,thankyou for your help and being of assistance, there’s a good wealth of information here.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:46:22 +0000

Thanks, Howard, as a result of your thoughtful explanation I now “get it”. And, thanks for publishing the various expositions on innkeeping – no matter how long we’ve done it, we better always be learning!

By: Howard Levitan

Howard Levitan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:13:03 +0000

Mike. Thanks for your comment. Loyalty Programs like those on Select Registry or Distinctive Inns are geared to repeat guests and are rewards for multiple stays. While you are correct that they ultimately mean less money to the Inn, the programs are really designed to be an alternative to just a plain discounting to get a reservation. The repeat guest has to qualify by several stays (in the case of Distictive Inns it is 4 stays at any of the group). This is sort of like the distinction between discounting and value added (example a split of champagne given to a repeat guest). While the dollar cost to the Inn is small, the guest has been rewarded and this will help solidify the relationship and bring them back again. Maybe this is only a subtle distinction, but it seems to work.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:57:36 +0000

Howard, good thoughts, but I got confused in the last sentence of the last paragraph, where you advise that “. . . discounting for any guest, including repeats really does not work, and devalues your brand, making it difficult in the future to ever charge full price for your most treasured guests” However, just a few sentences earlier you cited Select Registry’s and Distinctive Inns of New England’s loyalty programs as a “success”, and both programs involve discounts. What did I miss in the discussion?

By: Edith bawn

Edith bawn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:39:39 +0000

I have always loved B&Bs, since staying at the Dega House in New Orleans every year when I attended the Essence Music Festival. Now I’ve opened my own in Liberia and it is wonderful. The people are interesting and the staff is learning. But more amazingly, the view of my place is beautiful…just across from the U.S. Embassy.

By: Dominique

Dominique — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:15:15 +0000

Interesting suggestions (and I’m reading this from the guest point of view).
I love visiting B&Bs. I’m happy when I can return to a B&B where I’ve had a great experience (and there are several within my region where I’ve managed repeat visits).
I’ll remember a great stay long after I’m gone.
Perhaps just as important–even if it may be quite some time before I revisit (or even if I can revisit) a great B&B, I make every effort to recommend them to others.