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AIBU?

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Original poster

What are b&bs shit at?

134 replies

jamcorrosion · 02/04/2026 02:42

Hey! I’m hoping for some good ideas or thoughts - my friend has a guest house at the coast UK. He’s not getting many bookings and those he gets are generally elderly. He wants to get the word out more. I’ve stayed they’re and it’s really lovely, brekkie included and right on the seafront.
Now I know lots of places advertise family friendly but rarely they actually are more than the basics.
He is looking at marketing towards families with children and being really family friendly. What does this mean to you? And what would you love to see at a bed and breakfast that would make a difference for kids? Things that in the past you’ve been away and thought ‘I wish they had or did ….’
Any and all thoughts welcome!

OP posts:
BlueMum16 · 05/04/2026 08:32

jamcorrosion · 05/04/2026 00:25

I went to the snow centre whilst there unfortunately the toboggan was shut but my son did the the snow tubing and loved it. One thing I was pleasantly surprised about the area in general nothing felt ridiculously overpriced.

Major improvements needed on the website and social media front - I think he needs to make this priority as it’s still the old owners photos and polices on the website and his social media postings are just awful in terms of spelling etc he is dyslexic but it puts me off when I see a business with awful spelling

Show quote history

The website needs to be his priority.

You have shared a link in here and constantly say it's different, it's better, it's not a true reflection.

The website is awful. No one would book based on that and then if the guest house is genuinely better than what is shown he is losing potential customers.

He needs the website, Facebook, etc all working and now. It's Easter weekend, schools have been off and people may have looked and scrolled on by.

As the kids go back retired people are looking for a few days away as the sun starts to come out. He is literally losing customers every day the website it poor

The first step of getting any booking is online. People don't turn up looking for vacancies any more

We watch the Hotel Inspector.too. lots of ideas he could take from that about making rooms more attractive, making money with a coffee machine.

I wouldn't consider a monitor for children in bed and parents downstairs. Does he have a license to sell alcohol? I don't know any parent that would leave their kids in this way.

Some retired people like entertainment - maybe a bingo or a quiz or similar. If they are traveling alone they need company.

VickyEadieofThigh · 05/04/2026 08:38

jamcorrosion · 05/04/2026 00:14

Oh really! Did it work?

Show quote history

I've no idea, to be honest.

Icecreamandcoffee · 05/04/2026 17:50

Another who thinks really lean into the grey pound. The poster who suggested things like afternoon tea offer is a good one. I used to work in the tourism sector and worked with a lot of coach companies (I worked for a tourist attraction). The grey pound, (particularly the coach trip grey pound) likes experiences tied in with holiday, so the coach companies would advertise "3 day trip to x, tea and coffee and cake on arrival at Z hotel, bed, breakfast and evening meal at Z hotel, day ticket to A on y day". Quite a few of the smaller boutique bnbs and hotels did similar things too.

Coach companies like to fill their coaches, so they generally want somewhere with about 30 rooms (assumption that coach is a 62 seater and most of the people travelling are in couples/ sharing with a friend). This allows 1 drop off and pick up location. This is especially the case if the day ticket to A requires a pick up and drop off. Although coach companies generally pick a day trip that is walkable so the coach doesn't have to hang around.

What I would do is try and get in with travel agents around 90mins to 2 hours drive away. If they can get a package together that would be great. Perhaps speak to local tourism venues and see if there are any deals. For example where I worked you could get a multi attraction ticket if you purchased through the local visitor centre. I know one of the small local boutique hotels (6 rooms) would do stay at their hotel, coffee and cake on arrival, visitor centre multi ticket for x and y attraction, then they would do an afternoon tea one afternoon and bundle it as a "mid week getaway".

Also make sure the website is clear, easy to use and have instant booking available but also a phone line to ring and book.

I would try and steer away from contractors, they often want rock bottom prices, self catering options and in some cases are not the cleanest or most considerate guests.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 05/04/2026 17:59

Does he have much experience at running a b&b OP? Or has he done the thing often seen on the Hotel Inspector of taking this on with no experience?

Original poster
jamcorrosion · 11/04/2026 20:15

Lemons1571 · 05/04/2026 07:46

Google maps does him no favours either. Not one space for a car outside, the parking looks crammed. No parent wants to be driving up and down praying for a space to become free, then potentially walking a distance to then navigate those front steps with a buggy.

I didn’t have an issue parking outside when I stayed there but could be worse at busier times

OP posts:
Original poster
jamcorrosion · 11/04/2026 20:19

BlueMum16 · 05/04/2026 08:32

The website needs to be his priority.

You have shared a link in here and constantly say it's different, it's better, it's not a true reflection.

The website is awful. No one would book based on that and then if the guest house is genuinely better than what is shown he is losing potential customers.

He needs the website, Facebook, etc all working and now. It's Easter weekend, schools have been off and people may have looked and scrolled on by.

As the kids go back retired people are looking for a few days away as the sun starts to come out. He is literally losing customers every day the website it poor

The first step of getting any booking is online. People don't turn up looking for vacancies any more

We watch the Hotel Inspector.too. lots of ideas he could take from that about making rooms more attractive, making money with a coffee machine.

I wouldn't consider a monitor for children in bed and parents downstairs. Does he have a license to sell alcohol? I don't know any parent that would leave their kids in this way.

Some retired people like entertainment - maybe a bingo or a quiz or similar. If they are traveling alone they need company.

Show quote history

I completely agree with you - tbh I didn’t realise how bad the website was till I shared a link in here I hadn’t looked at it before but it’s so important like you say. I’m getting the feeling he’s concentrating on things in the wrong order - he obviously wants to make it a success but really he needs to get the basics down first!

Will mention the show too!

Think he has a license yeah he currently has a bar for inside on order too. Do you not think parents would? Even though it’s literally downstairs in the same property? It’s only the same as being downstairs at home isn’t it? I’d do it but I’m quite a laidback parent.

The bingo and quiz is a good idea! He had a singles day today which included a walk and he got a really good turnout over ten people and three of those booked to stay over

OP posts:
Original poster
jamcorrosion · 11/04/2026 20:22

Icecreamandcoffee · 05/04/2026 17:50

Another who thinks really lean into the grey pound. The poster who suggested things like afternoon tea offer is a good one. I used to work in the tourism sector and worked with a lot of coach companies (I worked for a tourist attraction). The grey pound, (particularly the coach trip grey pound) likes experiences tied in with holiday, so the coach companies would advertise "3 day trip to x, tea and coffee and cake on arrival at Z hotel, bed, breakfast and evening meal at Z hotel, day ticket to A on y day". Quite a few of the smaller boutique bnbs and hotels did similar things too.

Coach companies like to fill their coaches, so they generally want somewhere with about 30 rooms (assumption that coach is a 62 seater and most of the people travelling are in couples/ sharing with a friend). This allows 1 drop off and pick up location. This is especially the case if the day ticket to A requires a pick up and drop off. Although coach companies generally pick a day trip that is walkable so the coach doesn't have to hang around.

What I would do is try and get in with travel agents around 90mins to 2 hours drive away. If they can get a package together that would be great. Perhaps speak to local tourism venues and see if there are any deals. For example where I worked you could get a multi attraction ticket if you purchased through the local visitor centre. I know one of the small local boutique hotels (6 rooms) would do stay at their hotel, coffee and cake on arrival, visitor centre multi ticket for x and y attraction, then they would do an afternoon tea one afternoon and bundle it as a "mid week getaway".

Also make sure the website is clear, easy to use and have instant booking available but also a phone line to ring and book.

I would try and steer away from contractors, they often want rock bottom prices, self catering options and in some cases are not the cleanest or most considerate guests.

Thankyou these are all really helpful suggestions and I will pass them on. He currently has an offer where you get a free pass to a local soft play but that’s limited to a particular demographic.

The website isn’t great at all so will tell him to fix that asap!

Yeah contractors probably not the best option but I was wondering more for professionals working away for example I have to work away quite regularly when assigned to a client and I book hotels through our internal system where they’ve been given cheaper rates etc

OP posts:
Original poster
jamcorrosion · 11/04/2026 20:24

Theeyeballsinthesky · 05/04/2026 17:59

Does he have much experience at running a b&b OP? Or has he done the thing often seen on the Hotel Inspector of taking this on with no experience?

No he doesn’t as far as I know - he’s took the plunge with the hope he can make a success of it.

Hes a single dad to three kids and the change from Manchester to Llandudno was really attractive to him as well in terms of somewhere nicer to grow up for them. He also struggles with a typical job due to the number of kids and they don’t have contact with their mum either.

I hope it works out for him - sometimes learning on the job is the best way!

OP posts:
Theeyeballsinthesky · 12/04/2026 20:04

jamcorrosion · 11/04/2026 20:24

No he doesn’t as far as I know - he’s took the plunge with the hope he can make a success of it.

Hes a single dad to three kids and the change from Manchester to Llandudno was really attractive to him as well in terms of somewhere nicer to grow up for them. He also struggles with a typical job due to the number of kids and they don’t have contact with their mum either.

I hope it works out for him - sometimes learning on the job is the best way!

Show quote history

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ well frankly that was a rather stupid thing to do. He's gambolled his and his children's future on a job and industry he knows nothing about. Why would he di that??

best advice would be to sit down and watch every episode of the hotel inspector which is 90% made up of ppl who did what your friend did. Alex polizzi explains in words of one syllable to a succession of pretty clueless ppl why their hotel/b&b/pub is failing. Learning on the job is definitely not the best way!

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