What are b&bs shit at?

Yes! Those giant connect four games.

Rather than what’s bad about b&bs, the thing I love and that should be promoted IMO, is (if he does this), no buffet breakfast, cooked to order breakfast, so you can say things like “fried egg but well done”

I have young DC and have only stayed in one B&B, which we chose because:

per person it was cheap
2 sort of adjoining rooms, a bit like a suite - a bedroom and a 'living room' with a coffee making station and a sofa bed
outside space with a couple of play things
walkable to a shop/beach
Buffet breakfast instead of an awkward 8am table service (nightmare for kids)

I would add:
good parking
highchairs
option to use a cot

In Llandudno specifically I'd have a box of beach toys for guests to borrow, some maps/leaflets for local walks that are family/pram friendly, maybe some crayons with colouring sheets of local attractions (chat gpt/gemini can make these).

He needs to do a bit of customer research among local visitors. While 'kid friendly' might attract families, they will tend to be mainly booking during the holidays. However, speaking for myself, I would never book anywhere promoted as 'kid friendly' regardless of whether I wanted to stay in the holidays or not. I wouldn't even pause to think about it, I'd just scroll by. So he could be reducing the number of bookings he would get during term time.
P.S. I used to run a 4* B+B with several staff. We all much prefered 'older' customers to families of kids. Far less trouble and less likely to disturb other guests during the night. Bottom line is that you want the rooms fully occupied. I suspect that in this location your friend would do much better by targetting a slightly older market. Also think about people who might be working in the area weekdays.

If he’s going to aim for families then I’d probably suggest ones with older kids.

I have small children and wouldn’t choose a BnB because evening meals are tricky.
The children want to eat early and then go to bed, so either a hotel where we can get room service/eat in or self catering work better for us.
With small children it’s also really helpful to have basic laundry facilities available (either a washing machine in self-catering or a laundry service in a hotel). I also look for somewhere with a fridge in the room for storing pumped breast milk and toddler snacks/milk/juice.
BnBs also don’t tend to work for us because they’re usually a single room which means we have to sit silently in the dark from 7pm when the kids go to bed and everyone gets woken up in the night if the baby wakes up.

I don’t want to be negative, but I would seriously consider whether aiming at a family market is his best option. Especially because it would probably put off his older guests and adults without kids.

If he really wants to aim for the family market I’d suggest:

• Really good blackout curtains in the rooms
• Simple child friendly breakfast options
• Child equipment that is high quality and in excellent condition (with pictures available on the website so you know the travel cot isn’t a manky, death trap)
• Communal areas and rooms that are simple, hardwearing, clean and safe (I don’t want to spend my whole holiday trying to stop my child fiddling with delicate nicknacks or trying to navigate the pushchair around a load of cluttered furniture)
• I’d definitely be more likely to book somewhere with a nice outdoor space where they can play (again, safe and good condition toys/equipment)
• Decent soundproofing between rooms (I don’t want my kids woken up by a hen party coming in at 3am, and other guests probably don’t want to be woken up by my toddler having a tantrum because I won’t let him watch Paw Patrol at 5am 😂)

The Hotel Inspector also did an episode a few years ago based on exactly the OP'S premise: making a B & B more family friendly.

He’s not getting many bookings and those he gets are generally elderly
What's wrong with elderly guests?😒 I bet they are a lot less trouble than having to toddler-proof your B&B.

My two cents - I agree with a lot of the posters already in that I'm doubtful there us much of a market for B&B accommodation for families with children, we would either book a whole property so the children had their own room(s) and we had a living room to "chill" in the evenings after they went to bed or we would use a hotel where the kids could have a swim in the pool, run around in the gardens and we used the "kids eat free" deal in the restaurant for dinner.
To me a BnB would be the worst of both worlds, neither the space of renting a whole property nor the facilities of a hotel.
I think your friend would be much better aiming for the "older people and adult only" market than trying to get families who would be more likely to rent one of the static caravans that surround Llandudno and that whole stretch of the coast.

Like others I don't understand the appeal of marketing to families with children.

Llandudno - is it a place that families go particularly? If they do, surely they would want self catering or a holiday park with a pool or playground or general outside space to run around.

Bnb is not flexible. I have stayed in a few and some have been very nice, but needing to say what time you'll arrive and when you want breakfast doesn't suit sometimes.

If your friend is getting elderly people booking then lean into it!

Another one with young children who wouldn't book a BnB. We tend to book self catering caravan or holiday cottage.

I book self catering cottages and caravans for the space, the kitchen, the fact that we can put the children to bed in a separate bedroom and not have to sit in the dark/ in silence. Not having to worry about cleaners in the room or feeling like we have to be out most of the day.

I need flexibility for meals. DD is a picky eater and a grazer. Sometimes all she wants for tea are simple bits like toast and beans, spaghetti hoops, sandwiches and fruit and veg sticks ect, all which can be made at home for 1/10 of the price of going to a cafe and can't be made in a BnB without a kitchenette. I also need somewhere and somehow to wash and sterilise baby bottles. DD drinks milk at bedtime still and doesn't like UHT milk.

A separate bedroom is a huge help as otherwise the children go to bed at 8 and me and DH have to sit in the dark/ in silence and even then because we are there DC do not sleep and instead find 30000000 reasons to stop up longer. Many bnbs cram the beds in 1 room, no- one sleeps well because every time someone goes to the toilet the whole room is disturbed, DD will get up at 5 (really not other guest friendly) and put the TV on or start crashing about with toys - again waking everyone up. Then be raring for breakfast at 6 - again not BnB friendly.

Then there is the cleaning/ room service aspect where most bnbs expect you to have breakfast and then be out for the from around 11am so turn rooms round. My youngest naps at 11.30 till 1 and then 4-5. Sometimes if they get up early they nap 9-11 so we are often in the room. Eldest is then often stuck in with cabin fever whilst youngest naps, we usually book either a beach side family hotel or a caravan on a caravan site so DD can go to the park/ beach to burn off some steam whilst youngest naps.

Similarly space, BnB family rooms are generally cramped so play space is limited.

Personally I would advise your friend to stick to the adult market. Look at what everyone else is doing, serve food quality nice breakfasts, if they want to stand out go quirky but adult focused.

Tell him to watch a few seasons of Alex Polizzi’s Hotel Inspector, especially the B&B ones. He’s bound to get some good pointers.

Flexible breakfast timing- we’ve just stayed in one where we had to say what time we would be down the night before- made it a bit stressful!

I used to run a B&B and I would ask for a rough breakfast time because who wants to be drumming their fingernails from 7am on a Sunday morning when the guests fancy a lie-in until 10. Also, it meant that I could arrange 5am breakfasts for the big local event that cost a fortune to attend and people wanted to get their money's worth and get there early.

Definitely. Also binge watch the Hotel Inspector.

Rooms should be spotlessly clean, uncluttered and simply styled (like a Premier Inn!). Nowadays people want ensuite facilities. If a couple of the rooms could have an interconnected door, that might be good for a family or groups.

Families with young kids are not going to B&Bs in Wales they will either go to caravan parks or air b&bs , there is nothing wrong with catering to older adults and couples, your friend isn't doing anything wrong I just don't think parents want to take their young kids to guest houses .

My gripe is that the children's beds in family rooms are often not suitable for taller teens. Why would I let my DS sleep in an inferior bed (often a fold up one or one of those foam fold out armchairs) when I am paying for the privilege?

Pricing. Would a few nights in Llandudno with food and activities for a family of 4 cost the same or more than a package holiday somewhere hot? If so he needs to abandon a family market, most families are under huge financial pressures and need their holidays to combine nice and cheap.

B and Bs are too personal for young families. I don’t want a phone call harassing me asking what time exactly I will arrive. I want a quick and friendly check in experience, I want a clean, up to date room. I want a buffet style breakfast for kids where I can come down in a large time frame rather than having to commit to a time. I want a fuss free checkout, I want easy car parking (not on street). I can’t think of many b and bs which offer that hence why I will always go self catering if 3 nights or more, or a hotel for a short stay.

I would stick to his elderly/middle aged market and try to maximise it.

Problem with Llandudno/north Wales is he's surrounded by caravan parks and self contained air bnbs so probably isnt right type of property to market to families.

If he's getting older folks booking, why not ramp that up? Market to coach companies as well that do holidays there?
Older folks will cause less wear and tear too.

Location will determine a lot of things but generally a fresh clutter free clean looking exterior, rooms that aren’t full of trash furniture from a million years ago. A website that doesn’t look like it’s been updated since the 90s. No dodgy smells. Communal spaces that don’t look like youth centres or social clubs.

Clean high chairs
garden with adult seating and child toys nearby - swing, climbing frame
access to fridge, kettle, microwave, hob
rooms you can put a crawler down in
clean toys, clean books
flexible timing, space and sound proofing so you can go and do something when your kid wakes up at 6
linked spaces so adults can have a drink in the evening near sleeping children

all this sounds unrealistic in an Airbnb but it’s what families with small kids need

My first questions before doing anything would be:

Is Llandudno a popular resort for families?

Do families visiting Llandudno want to stay in a B & B?

Because without doing that that research, targeting families may be pointless.

Oh Llandudno! Can I have the link? I have family in Rhyl and I have two young children so I could be a guest if it looks right.
I’d always look on booking.com, is your friend on there?
For family friendly, in the summer, I’d be looking for an outside area for the kids to run around while we had a coffee or something maybe (not essential).
Ensuite rooms.
Pram friendly (for baby babies), do they have a lift if it’s on multiple floors?
Is it ridiculously expensive with it being on the seafront? Families with young children often can’t afford luxury.
Is there the option of extra beds/cots in the room? Is a travel cot provided on request?

Llandudno is an old person town. Families go for the fabulous beach but IMO would stay in the many caravan parks nearby.

Why would a family of 4 cram into one bedroom when you can get more space nearby?

I'm not sure families is the way to go.

Lots of people I know go who are retired and have spare cash to go year round.

I would try to appear more to those. Does he have accessible bathrooms? Showers not baths? Onsite parking? A lounge for afternoon tea/evening drinks?

I wouldn’t use a B&B for a holiday with my toddler. You need flexibility and the ability to come and go, it just doesn’t seem to match up.

The best thing for families is a big room or interconnected rooms. It's hard to put these in later.