Opening a bed and breakfast is a great way to operate your own business while giving back to your local community. If you are thinking of opening your own B&B, regardless of your chosen location, there are a few bed and breakfast features to consider investing in along the way. The right bed and breakfast features will not only help you to make a name for yourself, but they will also help attract new guests through the years to ensure ongoing success.

High-End Furniture and Bedding

When it comes to stunning bed and breakfast features, you can’t go wrong with investing in high-end furniture and bedding. Bedding and furniture are paramount when building a bed and breakfast, especially if you want to provide your guests with the most comfortable and luxurious experience possible. Investing in high end mattresses for each of the bedrooms your B&B contains is highly advisable if you want to get started on the right track when it comes to finding the ideal high-end furniture and bedding for your establishment.

How to Find the Best High-End Furniture and Bedding for a Bed and Breakfast

If you are shopping for high-end furniture and bedding for a bed and breakfast, you will want to set a budget ahead of time while considering the number of rooms you intend to furnish at once. Shopping for high-end furniture and bedding for a B&B is possible by visiting traditional stores and outlets, and also by browsing online or seeking wholesale distributors. Working with a wholesaler is highly recommended if you are furnishing multiple rooms simultaneously and are interested in purchasing in bulk at a steep discount.

Benefits of Working With Local Wholesalers

Anytime you are in the process of launching your own bed and breakfast, making the right connections can make a world of difference when it comes time to purchase decor, furnishings, and even high-end bedding. Connecting and networking with local wholesalers is a way to compare prices, inventory, and quality ahead of time before placing an order for your own bed and breakfast. Local wholesales will also work with you to lower the cost of your total purchase if you choose to do so by buying multiple pieces of furniture, mattresses, and bedding at one time.

Access to Local Sports

If you want to attract as many patrons as possible to your bed and breakfast, location is key. As the saying goes in real estate, ‘Location, location location’. Finding a suitable location for your bed and breakfast may be tricky, depending on where you currently reside and plan to invest in. Choosing a bed and breakfast location that is near local sports or even a world-renowned country club can help your B&B stand out among the rest, especially if you are choosing to open your hotel in an area that is rife with competition.

Benefits of Choosing the Right Location for a Bed and Breakfast

The location of your bed and breakfast will determine how much traffic your hotel receives and whether you receive mostly local visitors or out-of-town guests and tourists. The right location for your bed and breakfast can ultimately mean the difference between failure and success, especially if you are just getting started for the first time or if there are a few competitive locations that surround you. The perfect location for a bed and breakfast can keep you operating for years to come with the proper management and vision in place.

How to Choose the Best Location for Your Bed and Breakfast

Finding the perfect location for your bed and breakfast will first require you to consider the audience and demographics you intend to appeal to with your lodging and bed and breakfast features. Knowing your core audience will help determine which area is best for your bed and breakfast based on your surroundings and other business establishments in the nearby area and community. Take time to research the locations you are interested in for your own B&B online, where you can gain valuable insight about the properties you’re thinking of investing in and surrounding crime rates, statistics, and demographics.

Benefits of Searching for a Bed and Breakfast Location Online

Searching for a location for your bed and breakfast online will provide you with more options and possibilities than being limited to a small, local area near you. Browsing online for commercial locations will allow you to do so by setting specific budgets and by selecting features and amenities that are important or required in any property that appears. This will help save time while comparing the details, photos, exterior, and interior of a space before scheduling an appointment for a tour or walkthrough.

Choosing to search for a bed and breakfast location online is also a way for you to become much more familiar with your surroundings, crime statistics, and neighborhood features. Immersing yourself in nearby local communities can also help you to determine which areas are thriving and which locations could use additional business such as a bed and breakfast. Knowing your audience and surroundings will help you to guarantee as much success as possible once you are ready to move forward with the process of building, establishing, and launching your very own B&B.

Beautiful Landscaping

Curbside appeal is extremely important when it comes to establishing a successful bed and breakfast. Whether you’re in need of erosion control services or if you want to learn more about residential landscaping material that is ideal for the exterior of your bed and breakfast location, you can do so by working with professional commercial landscapers. Commercial landscapers are not only well-versed in different layouts, plants, flowers, and trees that are ideal for your specific location and region, but they will also ensure the outcome of your landscaping is exactly as you originally envisioned.

The Importance of Professional Landscaping at a Bed and Breakfast

When you are in the process of establishing your bed and breakfast for the very first time, you may only have one opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression on potential patrons and guests. To do so, improving and enhancing the exterior of your bed and breakfast establishment itself is key. The more time and effort you put into updating the exterior of your bed and breakfast’s location, the easier it will be to attract new guests.

Advantages of Working With a Commercial Landscaper or Landscaping Company

Hiring a commercial landscaping company is a way to create a beautiful landscaping layout surrounding the exterior of your bed and breakfast establishment. Local commercial landscapers can help you choose plants, flowers, and trees that will help accentuate your building’s structure and architecture. Additionally, professional landscapers typically have experience with a wide range of projects, and can show you their work using a portfolio, offline or digitally. Reviewing the portfolio of your preferred landscaper can spark ideas and the inspiration you need for your own bed and breakfast’s landscaping and design.

Proximity to Restaurants and Bars

While you are brainstorming bed and breakfast features that you want to incorporate with your own venture, consider the proximity to restaurants and bars of your current location. Choosing a location for your bed and breakfast that is near really good sushi or another excellent local restaurant can help attract patrons. Additionally, networking and connecting with local establishments can help you to promote one another while referring customers and guests to each restaurant or separate location.

A Heated Pool

One of the most sought-after bed and breakfast features includes swimming pools and a heated pool. If you want your B&B location to stand out and attract as many guests as possible, investing in a heated pool is one route to consider taking. When you want to invest in a heated pool, it’s best to do so only after you’ve located a local pool contractor that you can trust and rely on to get the job done right.

How to Find the Right Pool Contractor

Investing in a swimming pool is no small feat, especially if you intend to invest in a large heated pool that is suitable for the number of guests you plan to host in your bed and breakfast. Working with a swimming pool contractor is a way to protect the work that is done on your property with work warranties and guarantees. Also, pool contractors who work for reputable companies are also insured, helping to provide an additional layer of protection to any pool installation job you require.

A Luxury Hot Tub

When you are brainstorming luxury bed and breakfast features that you can invest in, consider a high-class hot tub. Investing in a luxury hot tub for suite rooms or for a public space you have created in your bed and breakfast can go a long way in attracting new guests and patrons. Anytime you are thinking of installing a new hot tub anywhere in or around your bed and breakfast, you should do so with the help of a professional hot tub contractor.

Benefits of Hiring a Contractor to Install a Brand-New Hot Tub

Installing a hot tub may seem straightforward, but it is best to do so with the assistance of a professional contractor if you are installing a hot tub inside a room in your bed and breakfast or even outside your commercial operation. Professional contractors are not only well-versed in the installation process of new hot tubs, but they also abide by laws and regulations that may currently be in effect based on your location and where you intend to install the hot tub. If you are planning to install hot tubs inside your bed and breakfast in a suite or bathroom, you should always do so with a contractor by your side to insure and protect any of the work that is done.

Smart Cooling and Heating

One of the most vital bed and breakfast features to consider if you are just getting involved with the industry for the first time includes smart cooling and heating solutions. Whether your current heating system is outdated or if you’re interested in investing in more sustainable and energy-efficient solutions, you can do so by working with HVAC specialists who are familiar with current HVAC systems, wind vented roof installation solutions, and modernized upgrades that are suitable for your bed and breakfast location.

Advantages of Hiring a Professional HVAC Company or Contractor

Maintaining a comfortable and reliable temperature in your bed and breakfast year-round is imperative if you want to keep your guests satisfied and returning again in the future. Investing in a new HVAC system is not always as simple as choosing the latest furnace or air conditioner that is available and affordable to you on the market. Working with an HVAC company or contractor can ensure you are making the right decisions whether you’re in the market for a traditional furnace, central cooling systems, or if you want to learn more about modern energy efficiency that is optimal for your B&B.

How to Locate a Trusted HVAC Company Near You

Whether your bed and breakfast location’s HVAC system is outdated and no longer running efficiently or if you’re thinking of updating your entire system itself, a trusted HVAC company and contractor can provide you with a thorough inspection to determine your needs. Trusted HVAC companies are also well-versed in current HVAC trends, which can help you choose a furnace and air conditioning system that is just right for the number of rooms you currently offer in your bed and breakfast. All work conducted by a professionally licensed and insured HVAC company is also covered under warranty, protecting your investment from potential damages or issues.

Owning and operating a successful B&B requires just the right bed and breakfast features for the demographics and type of guests you want to appeal to and attract. Taking the time to invest in suitable bed and breakfast features for your guests can have a significant impact on their overall experience, which may prompt them to visit again in the future or refer your bed and breakfast to friends and family members they know. The more invested you are in ensuring a positive experience for your bed and breakfast guests with the right features, the easier it will be to remain in business for years to come.

If you own a bed and breakfast business, you must create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for your guests. And it all starts with the amenities you offer. Your bed and breakfast should offer amenities that make your guests feel at home. So how do you upgrade your bed and breakfast amenities to create an exceptional experience? Here are a few renovations to consider.

Take Care of Your Exterior

The exterior of your bed and breakfast serves as a preview of the exceptional experience that awaits your guests. Therefore, upgrading the exterior amenities can create a difference at your B and B. The upgrades create a visually appealing and welcoming environment that allures potential guests to your establishment.

You can give your bed and breakfast amenities multiple exterior upgrades to enhance curb appeal. For instance, you should maintain a well-groomed and visually appealing landscape. Hire professional landscapers to trim bushes, plant colorful flowers, mow the lawn, and add potted plants.

If the exterior walls look dull, you might want to add fresh paint to give your B and B a fresh and inviting look. Ensure you choose colors that complement your architectural style and create an appealing visual aesthetic. Also, consider installing functional and attractive outdoor lighting to illuminate entrances, pathways, and parking areas.

Remember, some of your guests will be coming in late for the night; others will just want to enjoy the beautiful serene environment at night. So, you have to give them a memorable experience. Proper outdoor lighting enhances safety while adding a welcoming ambiance at night.

Also, don’t forget about your roofing, as it is among the most visible components of your B and B. Hire professional roofers to inspect and repair your roof. If the roof is old, you might want to upgrade to a new, more functional, and energy-efficient roofing. Also, consider adding gutter leaf guards over or inside your gutters to keep debris from entering your gutters. This helps you harvest clean rainwater.

Upgrade Your Water Services

Water is among the most essential bed and breakfast amenities. Therefore, if you’re considering upgrading your B and B, give special attention to your water services. First, you should assess your current water infrastructure, including plumbing systems, water heaters, and fixtures. It’s important to hire a professional commercial plumber to help you inspect your water systems. These professionals will help you identify potential issues or areas that require improvement or replacements.

If your plumbing system is outdated, consider a partial or complete upgrade to increase efficiency. If you don’t know your options, consult a professional and experienced plumber to help you determine the most suitable options. For instance, consider installing pressure-boosting systems or upgrading plumbing components to ensure sufficient water pressure throughout your property.

Your guests need access to safe and clean water. Therefore, you should consider installing water filtration systems to enhance water quality in your B and B. If you’re using a well pump, you must ensure that it’s functioning correctly at all times. If not, consider a well pump repair service to help address any issues with your well pump.

Invest in New Furniture

Among the most used and essential bed and breakfast amenities is furniture. Think of the beds, bedside tables, dining furniture, desks or workstations, and storage solutions. You must ensure that your guests enjoy comfort and satisfaction from your furniture. If your existing furniture doesn’t offer comfort and client satisfaction, consider investing in new furniture for your B&B.

When upgrading your B and B furniture, consider quality, comfort, and durability. For instance, you should invest in supportive chairs, comfortable beds and mattresses, and ergonomic seating in common areas to create a positive guest experience. Also, consider aligning your furniture with your desired theme or style to enhance the overall aesthetics of your bed and breakfast. Remember, fresh, stylish, and coordinated furniture can create a lasting impression on your guests.

Investing in high-quality furniture ensures the durability and longevity of your bed and breakfast amenities. This helps minimize the need for frequent and unplanned repairs and replacements while saving costs. For instance, Steelcase furniture is known for its durability, resistance, and timeless beauty.

Another reason you might want to invest in new furniture is to comply with updated safety regulations and certifications. Remember, a B & B is a business, and it must adhere to industry regulations.

Maintain Your Pool

Pools are among the most essential bed and breakfast amenities that contribute to the overall guest experience. Therefore, when thinking of upgrading your B and B, you must put them in the line of upgrades. If your B and B doesn’t have a pool yet, you might want to hire pool builders to build one for you and your guests.

A well-maintained pool enhances the guest experience and satisfaction. As a result, your guests will likely enjoy their stay and appreciate your bed and breakfast amenities. But how do you maintain or upgrade your pool to increase guest satisfaction and add value to your property?

First keep your pool clean and inviting to encourage guests to use the facility. Remember, no one will use your pool if it’s not well maintained. Consider proper sanitation, infiltration, and chemical treatment to maintain water quality and hygiene standards.

Also, conduct routine inspections to detect and address issues with your pool. You can consider swimming pool leak detection companies to help you inspect and address leak issues with your B and B’s pool. Upgrading your pool is also essential to maintaining health and safety regulations. Remember, you have to maintain a safe environment for your guests. Non-compliance could result in legal issues and hefty penalties.

Install a New Floor

Floors are often the most visible and noticed parts of any building. Therefore, if you have a bed and breakfast, you should consider upgrading your floors to enhance aesthetics and improve ambiance. Adding a new floor allows you to update the color, style, and design to match your desired aesthetics. A visually appealing floor creates a positive first impression for guests.

When upgrading your floor, consider the amount of foot traffic the area receives. There are various flooring materials to consider, including carpet, hardwood, vinyl, and tile. Each material comes with unique benefits as well as downsides. But choosing your flooring material well contributes to a cozy, elegant, and modern atmosphere.

Also, installing a new floor in your B and B gives your establishment a fresh, durable surface capable of withstanding daily wear and tear. Modern flooring materials are also easy to clean and maintain, minimizing the need for frequent and costly repairs and replacements.

Above all, installing a new floor enhances safety and accessibility at your B and B. Some flooring materials are slippery when wet. As a result, there’s a high risk of slips and falls, which could cause injuries. So when choosing a flooring material, consider slip-resistant options. You might also want to protect your floor by adding an epoxy coating. This coating offers superior resistance to harsh chemicals, abrasion, turbulence, and severe temperatures.

Replace Your Water Heater

Water heaters are essential bed and breakfast amenities you should never lack. And if you have them, they should always be well maintained to ensure proper functioning. However, if your water heater is more than a decade old, you need to have it replaced. But why are water heater replacements ideal for your bed and breakfast?

First, newer water heaters are more energy-efficient compared to their older counterparts. Therefore, if you’re still using an outdated water heater, you’re likely consuming more energy, increasing your energy bills. So, even if your old water heater is still in excellent condition and working properly, you might still want to replace it with a more energy-efficient unit. A newer model will likely heat more water using less energy.

Also, replacing your water heater ensures a consistent hot water supply within your bed and breakfast. Remember, your guests should have constant access to hot water. Unfortunately, an older water heater may not cause insufficient hot water supply, or inconsistencies in water temperature, which could affect comfort and guest satisfaction. Replacing your water heater minimizes complaints and inconveniences related to inadequate hot water.

Also, if you’re considering expanding your bed and breakfast, you should replace your water heaters as well. This is because your current water heater may not be able to meet the demand due to the increased occupancy. Therefore, you should upgrade to a larger-capacity water heater to ensure a sufficient and consistent hot water supply, even during peak times.

Some older water heaters don’t meet the latest safety standards or building codes. Therefore, they might be considered unsafe, especially in a commercial setting like in your B and B. As a result, you might need to upgrade to a new water heater that meets the current regulations.

Upgrade Your HVAC

Your bed and breakfast needs a properly functioning and efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to maintain a comfortable environment for your guests. If your HVAC malfunctions, it won’t regulate temperature and airflow. Therefore, it’s important to inspect and maintain your HVAC to ensure optimal performance.

If your HVAC has been working for more than 10 years, you might want to consider replacing it before it develops emergency issues. This is because the HVAC is almost at the end of its life and may not function properly as required.

Moreover, older HVAC systems are less energy-efficient compared to their new counterparts. Therefore, they consume more energy leading to increased energy bills. Upgrading to a newer model ensures energy efficiency, reducing your utility bills significantly. Modern HVAC systems feature advanced technologies like smart thermostats which optimize energy usage and minimize wastage.

Upgrading your B and B’s HVAC can also enhance air quality. Newer systems have better filtration capabilities, minimizing allergens, airborne pollutants, and odors. This creates a healthier and more pleasant environment for guests and staff, eliminating the risk of respiratory illnesses.

Also, older systems produce noticeable noise during operations, which can disrupt guests. Remember, some of your guests want a more quiet environment for relaxation. Therefore, any type of noise, however little it is, can cause a bad experience. So, consider upgrading to a modern and quieter HVAC system to enhance your guest’s experience.

If you’re not sure which HVAC system is right for your bed and breakfast, seek help from a local HVAC company. These professionals have experience with different systems and can recommend a suitable unit for your B and B. What’s more, they can help you repair or replace your unit.

Repair Your Furnace

When it gets cold in your bed and breakfast, you have to turn on the furnace to provide warmth for your guests. The heaters keep your B and B warm during cold nights. Therefore, your guests won’t need to sit by the fireplace when it gets too cold. What’s more, a furnace adds value to your property. But having a furnace is one thing, and maintaining it is another. Therefore, you must always ensure your furnace operates optimally.

A properly functioning furnace ensures a cozy and comfortable environment for your guests, especially during colder months. A malfunction could cause temperature fluctuations or inadequate heating. Therefore, if you notice any signs of a furnace malfunction, seek a furnace repair service to address the issue.

Moreover, an older or malfunctioning furnace may consume more energy leading to higher electricity bills. So, while it’s one of the most essential bed and breakfast amenities, you must consider its operating costs. A furnace repair service can help identify and address issues such as air leaks, faulty components, and inefficient heating. This helps minimize operating costs and aligns your bed and breakfast amenities with sustainable practices.

Also, regular furnace maintenance can help prevent safety concerns like fire hazards and carbon monoxide leaks. This ensures proper functioning and ventilation of your B and B furnace. What’s more, regular maintenance ensures equipment longevity and minimizes major breakdowns.

Replacing or upgrading your bread and breakfast amenities enhances the guest experience while minimizing operating costs. Whether it’s adding fresh paint to your exterior walls, buying new furniture, or installing a new floor, these upgrades can create a comfortable and welcoming environment, enhancing the guest experience. So which bed and breakfast amenities do you want to upgrade?

In today’s day and age, many people have determined that they want to take a property they own and convert it into a rental property from which they can earn some income. After all, luxury beach home rentals are a big part of the income stream for people who have the finances necessary to make sure they cane the kind of life that they want and have worked hard to purchase a property; they might also have the chance to convert that property into a short-term rental for someone who wants to stay in it for several days while they are visiting a luxury beach area.

Plenty of people will want to take a vacation in a luxury beach area, and you should make sure you are looking at how you can provide the housing that those people will need to get the kind of vacation they genuinely need when they are visiting the area. You may take on a significant amount of income and value from the property that you have worked so hard to own in the first place.

Remodel Your Home to Start

When looking at what you need to do to make luxury beach home rentals the place where people will want to come and stay, you need to ensure you are looking at luxury home remodeling services. This is necessary because you want to ensure you are looking at getting the most value out of the property you own. People want to stay in a friendly new property when they are on vacation, and it is more likely that they will want to rent from you if you have put in some remodeling services to make your property as highly desirable as possible.

There are plenty of delicate touches that one can put on their home to make it look its best for those who might want to rent from you (more on this to come). It would be best to select the services you believe will be the most eye-catching and appealing to the customers who have viewed your property. Please speak with the contractors you decide to work with to get their opinions about what you should add to your home to make sure it is as appealing to the masses of people that you need to reach out to.

Get a Fence Put Up

One of the elements that almost everyone is looking for when working on luxury beach home rentals is a sense of privacy as they are working out what they must do to have that privacy. A great way to offer some of that privacy to people who decide to rent from you is to make fence installation a top priority as you work on getting your luxury beach home rentals up to par.

Putting a fence around the property means that anyone who rents from you will have the peace of mind that their comfort is a top priority for you to make sure your rentals are maintained to the highest levels and that people will always want to rent from you when they are ready to take a vacation in the area. When people are prepared to relax and take a trip to the beach, they must have a safe place where they can lay their heads down on a pillow at night. Make sure you are working to take care of those elements of your property to make it all it needs.

Get the Electrical System Set up Properly

You can ensure your property is set up with all the electrical elements that any living space needs. Thus, you should reach out to an electrical contractor to ask for their advice and help to set things up how they are supposed to be. Remember, your guests will always want access to the electricity they need to flow through the property they have rented from you. It is about ensuring they can have all the comforts at home, even while on vacation.

Suppose you can get the help of a contractor to come out and wire up your home how it needs to be wired. This is the essential thing you can do to get your home set up and how it needs to be for people who rent from you. After all, you must ensure that you are looking at what needs to be done to keep your property up to the quality people expect.

Working on the Roof

The type of roof luxury beach home rentals might not seem all that important, but that isn’t true. There is a lot that a roofer can do to help you get the kind of roofing situation that you need to have put on your property. People who work with roofers like this will quickly see that they can fix the way that the roof looks on their property, and they will be able to get a roof that can withstand the elements and the weather pouring down on it all the time.

It is always a bad idea to have a roof that needs repairs or isn’t holding up against damage and weather thrown at it. Therefore, you should try to make sure you get a roofer out to make sure you have the home that you need to make sure you can rent your house out to those who might want to use it while they are on vacation.

Make the Outside Look Great

While you are working on getting your luxury beach home rentals up to shape the way that you need them to be, don’t forget about the outside of your rental property as well. This is to say that you might want to consider hiring the services of landscapers to help you get the assistance that you need to make the property that you own look its best and allow it to bring joy to anyone that might ever rent the parcel from you. It is all about adding some spice and variety to how your property looks and ensuring you are getting the perfect space set up for anyone who might want to rent from you.

The people that work on these things for you can help you get the assistance that you need, and they will even be able to help recommend what kind of flowers and other plants you might need when you are looking at the specific types of plants that will work best in your geographic area. The landscapers you work with will know better than anyone else what kind of plants you should go with. As you speak with them about landscape design, make sure you listen to their advice and try your best to create the kind of space that will work best for you and for the people who might rent luxury beach home rentals from you.

Safety First

You need to add some aspects to your home to ensure you get the safety features necessary to keep everyone renting from you as safe as possible. Some of these features are required before you can even begin to rent out your luxury beach home rentals. The companies you rent your homes through might require that you have a fire feature that will keep your renters safe from anything that could happen while they are in your home.

It is so important to look at things like this to ensure you start with all of the basics for your homes before you go further down the line. After all, you want to be positive that you have at least the essential elements required before renting your home. People won’t even be able to rent from you at all until you take care of these crucial elements right from the start. You can start to get excited about renting out your property only after you have taken the time to get the safety elements of your property taken care of ASAP.

Paint the Inside of Your House

You might be surprised to learn that you can get a lot of added value for your home by making sure you are looking at interior painting services and what they can provide for your property. Make sure you are looking at this as a potential way for you to make a difference in terms of the home that you own and what you need to do to make sure you are creating the exact atmosphere that you need for your rental property. It is all about getting the kind of home that people will want to visit.

Remember, there are a lot of luxury beach home rentals that people can select from, and it is best to make sure you have yours stand out in some way. The paint job that is applied to your home is important because it can help set it apart from the other homes that are available for someone to rent along the beach. If you are looking at something like this carefully, then you can find some of the kinds of painting services that you need to make sure your rental property looks far better than it did before.

Look at the Exterior Paint Job as Well

Don’t forget that you might need to look at the exterior paint job of your home as well. If you are working with an exterior painting company, they can help you get the kind of look that you desire for your home. They will present you with a wide selection of different colors and options for you. On top of that, they can offer you the kind of professional services that are required to make your exterior paint job look the best that it possibly can be. You might want to focus on getting the kind of help that is necessary to have your home look its best.

Make sure you are looking at the kind of exterior paint job that is a part of your luxury beach house. Most likely you will want to focus on colors that are related to the beach and are a good reminder of the kind of fun and relaxation that your renters want to think about as they are spending time in your property. After all, it is all about keeping things as fun and light-hearted as possible while you are working out what needs to be done to create the kind of property that you need for them.

Make the Shower Experience Great

Taking a hot shower at the end of the day is one of life’s simple pleasures. If you look at the shower enclosure that is available in your property, you might discover that you can get the kind of help that you need to make sure you are getting precisely what you need to create the perfect shower experience for anyone that decides that they want to stay at your property. It can be a bit of a project to get the shower up to par where it needs to be, but it is an investment that is worth making.

The more work that you put into the shower, the nicer it will be for those who are going to rent from you and spend some time in your property. That often translates to better reviews left for you about the property that you have provided to your customers. Make sure you look at this and think about all that these kind of reviews can do for you.

Overall, you should try to make sure you are looking at doing all that you can to get the kind of fixes you need to make your luxury beach home rentals the best that they can be. There are an incredible number of these rentals available these days, but you can make yours stand out by making sure you have put a lot of work and effort into the property or properties that you own. Do it today.

Today, we look at Clean & Delicious’s video on making homemade dog food. The video outlines whole-grain ingredients you can easily find and cook on vacation, so your pup stays healthy and happy. She explains how to make your own whole gran dog food recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole-grain oats (or whole-grain quinoa)
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 can of salmon or tuna in water, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
• 1/4 cup frozen peas and carrots

Directions:

Mix the whole-grain oats or quinoa with the ground flaxseed in a medium-sized bowl. Add the salmon or tuna and mashed sweet potato, mixing until evenly combined.

Video Source

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and lightly oil it with vegetable oil. Add the frozen peas and carrots to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Combine the cooked veggies with the whole-grain mixture and mix everything together until combined. Place dog food mixture in a container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Serve this whole-grain dog food recipe to your pup as needed, and enjoy! Please feel free to comment below if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

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Starting a new business is very exciting and it can feel thrilling to be your own boss. Of course, no new business is without struggles and obstacles, but if you plan your venture properly, your business can excel and grow into something amazing.

It won’t happen overnight, but when you know how to start a bed and breakfast inn, you will be more likely to have a successful business. So how do you start a bed and breakfast? t sounds simple enough, right? Buy a big building with enough rooms and amenities, add furniture, and voila! Well, it’s not that simple.

Where will you prepare the food for guests? What kind of furniture do you need? What about zoning? How much will the initial costs be? There are many elements to consider, and this article will take a closer look at everything you need to know. From kitchen equipment to marketing and merchant services, everything you need to know about how to start a bed and breakfast inn will be covered. But first, let’s quickly discuss what exactly a bed and breakfast inn is.

What Is a Bed and Breakfast?

A bed and breakfast is a piece of residential real estate that’s usually owned and operated by a small team or a family and offers accommodation to travelers and anyone looking for a place to stay for a while.

As a general rule, these properties have less than 10 rooms available and offer breakfast as part of the service, but the guests have to take care of their own needs for the rest of the day. Bed and breakfast accommodation is typically very homely but offers simple luxury. Many homes that are opened to the public in this way also have a rich history and the food served is authentic and delicious. A bed and breakfast inn is the ideal place to stay if you’re on a romantic road trip or just want to get away for the weekend.

Is a Bed and Breakfast Inn Right for You?

Before you can start learning more about how to start a bed and breakfast inn, you need to be completely sure this is the right choice for you. Making a success of such a business requires commitment and dedication.

You will have to spend a lot of time focusing on nothing but your new business. It will be an everyday thing and you can’t shut it off or ‘go home’ and ‘leave the work behind’. Also, for any business to work, it’s important that the entrepreneur is good at dealing with pressure and is knowledgeable about the industry. You will have to be good with people and always treat them well when they visit your bed and breakfast.

There are many rules and regulations that a bed and breakfast business needs to always consider and these rules may never be broken or the business could be closed for good. For the business to thrive and grow, you have to put in a lot of effort and it will often feel like you’re not getting the thanks or appreciation you want or need.

If that, and all other stresses associated with running a business, doesn’t scare you off, you can continue reading about how to start a bed and breakfast inn of your own.

Are Bed and Breakfast Inns Profitable?

Any business has the potential to be profitable, and that’s what the owner of the business aims for. To make a business profitable, there needs to be a regular, healthy income that is generated by keeping customers or clients happy and making them want to come again. Will it be possible to make a lot of money with a bed and breakfast inn? If the inn is managed correctly, then yes, of course. Expenses need to be tracked well and marketing has to be top-notch, but it’s possible for a bed and breakfast to make good money.

Now it’s time to look at the expenses you have to be aware of, followed by tips for the best chance at success.

How to Start a Bed and Breakfast Inn: Costs to Expect

As is the case with any business, a bed and breakfast inn cannot run on hopes and dreams alone. There are many costs associated with this kind of business, and you need to factor in all of them when planning your bed and breakfast.

Personal Expenses

The most important expense you’ll have to cover is going to be insurance, whether this is business insurance, loans, life insurance, or health insurance. A large chunk of your budget will be dedicated to these personal expenses. You need to budget well to ensure you are able to pay all these costs and stick to your budget. If you have employees, you will need to pay for insurance for them as well, even if they’re family members.

Merchant Services

You’ll need to use an integrated payments solution for your bed and breakfast inn so you can receive payments from all your guests. It can be difficult to know exactly what the real rate you need to charge will be since there are so many different kinds of cards with their own additional fees.

It would be best to talk to a professional service provider and get accurate and reliable information about how to get paid and how you’ll pay for business services.

Waste

Waste, especially wasted food, is going to be a problem you’ll have to solve. You can’t serve leftover food to people at the risk of them getting ill. It’s a good idea to closely track the food that guests waste the most and avoid putting it on your menu. When the food does get wasted, you’ll have to dispose of it carefully and hygienically.

Damage

When it comes to discussing how to start a bed and breakfast inn and the costs associated with this kind of business, the damage is an important element. You’ll be letting strangers on your property and have to be prepared that something will break. You can expect to replace linen and similar items quite often.

Online Presence and Marketing

You can’t have any kind of business these days without clever marketing strategies, which include a strong online presence. You’ll need a professionally-designed website that has to be maintained and upgraded. This costs a lot of money, and marketing strategies aren’t free either. When your business has grown, you may have to think about a dedicated marketing team.

Furnishings

The furnishings you use will define your bed and breakfast inn, so you need to choose everything carefully. From custom signs and landscaping to a new bathroom design, you can’t be stingy or your business will look bad.

You may have to cover expenses such as bathroom remodeling (in some cases a completely new bathroom design), and swimming pool remodeling if you have one. If necessary, you may even have to go as far as to think about how to replace countertops everywhere in the house without spending a fortune.

For your plumbing, you should consider hiring a remodeling plumbing service to ensure your property can handle serving many people simultaneously. You need to be sure the property’s electrical outlets are up to standard as well, so there’s no risk of fires. Adding fire alarms and smoke detectors to every room is also something you’re legally expected to do.

Supplies

There is a range of miscellaneous supplies you’ll have to buy so you can run your bed and breakfast inn smoothly. While standard stationery is to be expected, you’ll likely also need a reliable computer and printer, as well as other items like tablets for management on the go.

Kitchen Equipment

Your kitchen is going to be an important part of your business and it should be run the way you would run a restaurant. You’ll need tables and chairs, cutlery, cooking equipment, decent stoves and dishwashers, to name just a few of the essentials.

You’ll have to have backups of the most important equipment in case something breaks, and your kitchen must be spotless and germ-free at all times.

Zoning

Zoning is a crucial part of your business planning and every aspect of your business must meet the various standards. This can vary from how many rooms you’re allowed to have for guests to parking arrangements and noise concerns.

It would be a good idea to get the help of a real estate attorney, a real estate agent, or a similar professional to help you make sure you’re doing everything you’re legally expected to.

How to Start a Bed and Breakfast Inn: Useful Tips

Now that you know all about the kind of money you’ll have to spend on your business, let’s discuss some useful tips that will ensure that money isn’t wasted. This list is not exhaustive by any means, and you’ll learn about other ways of successfully running your bed and breakfast inn as you gain more experience.

Understand Your Market

To be successful, you must know the market you’re catering to. Are you aiming for local visitors only, or do you hope to welcome international guests to your bed and breakfast? The kind of guests you want will affect how you promote your business and how you run it.

Don’t Over-Deliver or Undersell

It can be tempting to go above and beyond for your guests, but be careful not to over-deliver if it’s not necessary. You can get good reviews that way, but it doesn’t do your business financial favors. Also, if you promise to deliver specific services, you had better do it. Underselling will cost you your business’ reputation.

You Can’t Do It All

When learning about how to start a bed and breakfast inn, it’s important to remember that you can’t do everything on your own. You may wish to be the sole owner, the cook, the manager, and the cleaner, but it’s just not feasible. Hire all the staff members you need so the quality of your business can be kept at a high standard.

Do Your Research

If you fail to do enough research, you can set your business up for failure. You need to know everything you can about good business management, what the area where you’re located is like, who your competition is, and have a comprehensive understanding of your target audience. Don’t stop doing research once you open your doors, you will never be too successful to learn something new.

Be Patient

Rushing to officially open your business is a mistake. People’s first impressions of your bed and breakfast inn are going to be lasting, so make sure it’s a good impression that you create. This may mean you’ll have to plan longer and change things until it’s perfect on the day you open your doors.

Have Clear Rules and Policies

You cannot afford to operate your business without policies and rules that are clearly stipulated. Guests can take advantage of you or misunderstandings can happen when you don’t provide policies that are visible and presented in a way that they can’t be ignored. This includes rules about pets, damage to property, check-out times, and so on.

Understand What You’re Getting Into

One of the most important elements of understanding how to start a bed and breakfast inn is not going in blindly. You need to know what to expect from the industry as well as your role as a business owner. Running a business is not easy, and you should be prepared for challenges and frustrations.

Be Different

You won’t be without competition, so you need to find a way for your bed and breakfast to stand out. Find a unique selling point that only you can offer to your guests. It can be a unique experience or something that guests won’t get from another establishment. Whatever it is, make sure everyone knows about it.

Adapt to the Times

Sometimes, the old way of doing things isn’t necessarily the best way of doing things. As a business owner, you need to be able to adapt to the times or risk falling behind. Running a bed and breakfast with pen-and-paper management is just not done anymore, for example, and following that kind of management structure will lead to frustration.

Cover All Your Bases

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not covering all your bases before you start to operate your bed and breakfast inn. Make sure everything meets legal and safety standards. Have all the certificates you need, ensure your staff is trained properly, and double-check that your kitchen will pass any inspection. Don’t leave anything to chance!

Now that you’ve read this entire guide on how to start a bed and breakfast inn, it’s time to start planning your venture. Consider everything covered here and come up with a business plan that is thorough and comprehensive. Don’t leave anything to chance—plan, plan, plan, and then plan some more. And have fun! After all, this will be your ‘baby’ for the rest of your life.

Are you ready to run your own bed and breakfast? If you love staying home away from home, running your B&B might be perfect for you. This article shares tips on how to run a successful beachside bed B&B in Alaska.

A bed and breakfast facility is an accommodation where guests stay in private rooms rather than at a large hotel. It is often applied to properties offering overnight lodging and meals, although some establishments offer simple breakfasts. According to www.hospitalitynet.org, there are over 17,000 B&Bs in America. This figure keeps increasing as more mid-level professionals enter the hospitality industry.

Alaska is known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor adventure activities. If you want to live a life of luxury in a remote location, then Alaska might be the place to go. The state offers many opportunities for those who love nature and wildlife, with plenty of hiking trails, sand dredging, fishing spots, and national parks. Here’s how to run a successful B&B in Alaska.

Research

To run a beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska, it is essential to research the business thoroughly. Find out whether your company will require a physical location. Determine whether you’ll lease, buy, or build a place for your business. If you plan to run your business from home, find out about local zoning laws and neighborhood rules. You should know how many rooms you will need, what food services to provide, and how much money you can expect to spend. These questions will help you define your business according to the Alaska small business development center (SBDC) guidelines. Besides, researching these issues will help determine how the state regulates your business. Also, you may want to explore the cost of starting a business. The SBDC has a tool to help with this task.

Get a Licence

After doing your homework, acquire an appropriate license and code from the state to run a successful beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska. Besides, you’ll need an additional local business license, such as a borough municipality if you’re providing extra services within the facility, such as transportation and selling items. A single-state license lets you operate any business within the assigned area. For example, you can run an owner-occupied private residence with fewer rentals. Also, you can manage public accommodations with over five rentals and aren’t owner-occupied. Besides, you can have public accommodation with a complimentary breakfast.

Regulations and Requirements

State laws and regulations governing beachside bed and breakfasts in Alaska differ from those applicable to hotels. However, if one operates such an establishment, one must comply with the local building codes. Additionally, the building inspector may require a plan before any work begins. The plan contains information about the location, height, number, and occupancy of buildings on the property. Also included are all exits, wood flooring repair, CCTV systems, kitchens, bathrooms, and commercial glass door installation. The plan should show where the electrical and gas fixtures are installed and how they’re wired for fire safety. The fire inspector will also ask about the energy installations, such as commercial heating fuel, and the means of controlling them. Any elevator modernization or general elevator installation should also be shown.

Building Permits and Fire Safety

Once you comply with the state regulations, apply for the building permit. The building permit application should include a plan review application and construction documentation. After receiving the application, the fire marshal’s office will calculate and review the plan review fee, which can take several weeks. State law requires a fire alarm system to be installed in every sleeping area. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide monitors must be installed in each sleeping room, including the basement and kitchen. In addition, all bedrooms must have escape windows. Other regulations cover the installation of emergency lighting, exit signs, and heating and air conditioning units. Bed and breakfast operators who are not considered public accommodations must follow the same rules as residential property owners.

Department of Environmental Conservation

To run a successful beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska, you must follow sanitary procedures set by the environmental health department. This agency conducts regular inspections of all facilities that prepare and serve food and offers training. Its public accommodations guidelines include standards for architecture, landscaping, and hygienic conditions. Suppose your beachside facility has less than twelve bedrooms. In that case, you can only host about 20 visitors per night if you provide a complimentary continental breakfast or cook for your customers.

Local Government Requirements

When running a beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska, check if any local laws apply to your type of business. In many states, like Alaska, certain businesses require licenses, permits, or local building codes before operating. If your business falls under these categories, you might need extra steps to get approval to operate. Some jurisdictions may require you to comply with zoning laws to run a successful beachside business. You should also ensure that your business complies with federal law. Some cities may need you to register a business as a corporation instead of filing as a sole proprietor.

Buy Insurance

To operate a bed and breakfast successfully, you must purchase general liability insurance, worker’s compensation, and property insurance. General liability insurance covers damages to people or their property caused by your business operations. Workman’s comp insurance covers injured workers while working at your location, and property insurance protects your buildings and equipment. If you’re operating the facility from your house, check if the homeowner policy can protect your visitors. Remember, a facility with multiple businesses will need extra insurance coverage. If you have employees, you must also have workers’ compensation insurance, besides homeowners and general liability insurance. Workers’ comp insurance pays for medical treatment and disability payments to employees whenever injuries occur. Ensure you know what kind of work you’re doing and who you’re hiring to meet all state regulations.

Taxes

To successfully operate a beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska, register for taxes, especially if your business has employees. However, an employer identification number (EIN) is not required if your business doesn’t have employees. Instead, you can utilize your social security number. These requirements will enable you to open bank accounts for tax reporting and employee hiring.

Operational Set-Up

Now that you have all the necessary licenses and tax requirements to run a beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska, you must set up your business. That means establishing financial avenues, including opening bank accounts and business credit cards. The Alaska SBDC can offer guidance for getting loans for your business. Also, you will need to choose your niche market to start your marketing and branding. When selecting design decor and fixtures for your business to create a consistent image, consider employing a professional to make your logo and branding kit for print or online use. Hire a branding professional in your area, or look into sites like Fiverr or design crowd if that isn’t possible. Create a Facebook and Instagram account and begin posting after completing your logo and brand kit. If you’re uncomfortable with social media, consider hiring an expert to manage your social media marketing accounts. Also, ask your business adviser for a recommendation list to identify a qualified provider to develop a website for you. You can outsource this task if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself.

Branding and Marketing

A lot goes into branding and marketing your business B&B business. A successful beachside bed and breakfast must have a unique look, feel, and experience. Your guests will want to stay at your place instead of a hotel and tell their friends how special it is. They’ll discuss the good food and bring back pictures of the rooms. In that case, you must ensure that when someone thinks about your property, they always remember the positive aspects. They’ll mention the cleanliness, food, the entertainment from a used piano, and how friendly everyone was. If you operate a yacht service on your property, ensure a yacht surveyor properly inspects it. Thus, when people think about your place, they remember a fantastic experience.

Cash Flow

When running a bed and breakfast, it’s essential to clearly understand cash flows into the business and the breakeven point. These vital accounting concepts will make you price services and determine where to reduce expenses. Besides, you’ll know where money is most effectively spent by thoroughly understanding their operational costs and market prices. You can start by inspecting your current expenses. What does the average cost per person per night look like? Is there anything else you can cut down? Can you cut down on catering services? Could you do away with housekeeping? These answers to these questions can lead to a significant boost in profit.

Manage Your Maintenance Housekeeping

Your bed and breakfast establishment needs to be adequately maintained to provide a pleasant experience for your visitors. Cleaning should happen daily to ensure it’s ready for the next guest. To keep everything in order, you will have to do certain things. They include preparing breakfast, sorting out guests’ issues, shopping for items needed for the hotel, handling repairs, and maintaining inventory. Be sure to create a practical housekeeping checklist to stay organized.

One of the easiest methods to simplify your B&B upkeep is to get a house warranty package. Using this plan, you can repair or replace any key device or system in your house with less money. If something breaks, you only need to call your provider. Then, your home warranty service contacts a reliable professional to undertake the required maintenance and repairs. Thus, your facilities and devices will operate as soon as possible.

Provide Top-Notch Facilities and Amenities

A great bed and breakfast in Alaska should be welcoming and appealing to everyone who visits. To achieve this, ensure that the rooms are arranged well, and each room contains all the necessities for living comfortably, including custom window coverings. Besides offering guests a place to sleep, ensure they enjoy the comforts of home, such as a computer and free Wi-Fi. Since technology plays a significant role during traveling, having internet access will enable your guests to check their emails. They will also read news online, book flights, order food, and pay bills.

Moreover, investing in a small library filled with books, a cozy TV room with comfortable furniture, and an outside patio where guests can relax and enjoy after a busy day is advisable. Besides, rooms especially made for disabled guests are worth investing in to accommodate people with special needs.

Resources and Links

There’s nothing worse than starting a business only to realize that you don’t have the right tools. As a business owner, you probably already have many resources around you. Don’t just rely on yourself. For example, get advice from others who’ve been in similar situations before. Ask family members, neighbors, and co-workers to share their experiences. You can even ask local businesses in Alaska for help. There are plenty of places online that offer valuable information. Check out small business development center (SBDC) websites and small business help. These sites provide everything you could ever want to learn about running a successful bed and breakfast business in America.

How the Alaska SBDC Can Help

The SBDC works with small businesses throughout the state of Alaska and helps them to thrive. They offer free business counseling services to entrepreneurs and help develop business plans. The SBDC helps companies to improve their marketing strategies, market research techniques, customer service skills, human resource management skills, and financial planning skills. There are many ways they can help you succeed in your beachside bed and breakfast in Alaska. However, the most significant way they can help is by providing information about the steps to start a business.

To run a successful bed and breakfast business, you must understand what type of environment you’re working with. You’ll need to meet some financial requirements first, as well as be able to provide guests with quality service.

Wrecked vipers for sale can be a great option for people who love to go on road trips. These cars are not only comfortable while on the road, but they are also affordable. In this video, the narrator takes the viewer through the process of acquiring a wrecked viper from a cheap auto auction.

Video Source

The plan is to repair the vehicle and get it back again on the road.
When purchasing wrecked vipers for sale, one should keep a few things in mind. First, finding a reputable dealer who sells quality cars is vital. Although damaged, the vehicle should have all the essential features and provide the buyer with the same performance as new vehicles. The buyer can find this out by checking the engine’s condition, interior, and exterior of the car, and starting it to see how it behaves.
After being satisfied and purchasing it, the buyer should hunt for parts needed for repair. Wrecked vipers can be restored to an almost new condition with a good repair. In this condition, owners can enjoy using them as great road trip vehicles at an affordable price. Moreover, being a flashy car, it would catch many people’s attention.

It is easier than ever to find places to rent for the weekend thanks to websites and apps that focus on connecting owners with people looking for places to rent for the weekend. A weekend getaway is exactly what everyone needs to recharge, relax, and have some fun. Places to rent for the weekend can be the perfect home base during your trip. This guide will help you to find the perfect places to rent for the weekend.

Pick Your Destination

Your first step in creating a great weekend getaway is to pick your destination. You do not have to go too far to find great places to rent for the weekend. Your home state is a great place to explore. Every state in the United States has something to offer. Many people miss out on taking advantage of what is in their own backyard by not booking travel in their own state.

There are some key advantages to traveling within your own state. For example, it can be cost-saving not to have to arrange for transportation. You can take your own vehicle and drive a couple of hours to enjoy a weekend getaway.

Once you have your destination picked out, then you can get started searching for places to rent for the weekend. These next tips will help you pick the perfect place.

Consider Size

To ensure that everyone is comfortable on your weekend getaway, you will need room for everyone. Most places to rent for the weekend that are listed will have information about the number of bedrooms and how many people the space can sleep. It is important that you follow the owner’s guidelines for guest limits.

Most apps and websites that act as the middleman between the guests and the owners have a list of requirements that each party must follow. Your responsibility as a guest is to follow the guest limit that is listed. If you book for four people and bring six people, you may find yourself without a place to stay. The owner of the property can deny you access to the property if you show up with more people than you said you were bringing. The property owner also has some rules and regulations that they must follow as well.

If an owner lists the property as having central air conditioning and you get there and it does not work, it is on them to get someone out there to repair it, or provide you with a refund. They may fudge about certain things to get their property rented but they cannot skip out on basic services.

For example, what they claim as a luxury bath, you may not find luxurious, but if all the plumbing services work, you likely will not get a refund. There are ways you can protect yourself from listings that are less than honest. Before you start looking at places to rent for the weekend, you want to make sure you have a good understanding of how the website or the app works that you are using for your search.

Read All The Reviews

It can be exciting to plan a weekend getaway, but before you pull the trigger on a property, make sure you read all the reviews for that property. Keep in mind that places to rent for the weekend are listed in the best possible light. All the great things about the property will be listed, like the great kitchen design, and photos could be deceiving. While the kitchen may be great, you really need to know if the beds are comfortable and whether everything works as it should. Reading reviews will give you a much better insight into the property.

Most reviewers will mention if heating and cooling problems were present during their stay. Happy travelers will list all the perks of the property, and unhappy travelers will absolutely list all the things that are wrong with a property. Of course, you have to use your own judgment when reading reviews.

Sometimes there are things happening at the property site outside the owner’s control for a specific period when a traveler was visiting. For example, one angry traveler left a scathing review of a condo rental because there was a condo renovation going on above the unit. Even though the reviewer was angry, the reviewer had to admit that the condo was in great shape, and had a convenient location, the noise coming from the condo above influenced the review.

To get a clear picture of the situation, you should read each review fully, and note any response that was left. Don’t just assume, because three stars out of five were left, that the place has problems and is a bad choice. Often, times it is something very simple that leaves the traveler angry and they write the review while still in a state of anger.

Another example of how a negative review can be a bit misleading was a three-star review left by a traveler that rented a place for the weekend and invited guests over for dinner. This reviewer loved the location, the condition of the place, and everything else about her stay, except for the wood cabinets in the kitchen. She did not like the aesthetics and thought that the cabinets would be upgraded. She felt that her guests did not fully enjoy the dinner because of the “ugly kitchen cabinets”.

For most travelers, the types of cabinets in the kitchen designs are not a deal-breaker. Most travelers want working appliances but are not offended by cabinets they do not like. Read the reviews to better understand why a property may have gotten a ding or two in the ratings before you make a decision.

Set Your Budget

When you are searching for places to rent for the weekend, it is important that you work within your budget. Most apps and websites have filter settings that can let you input your budget range. There are plenty of ways to save on places to rent for the weekend if you have the right strategy.

Staying flexible on your dates. Maybe you have your heart set on traveling during a holiday weekend, but if you are a little flexible with your dates, you can save a lot of money. Being flexible is a great way to find savings on places to rent for the weekend. There can be significant savings just by changing your travel dates by one weekend.

Sometimes adding a day on to your weekend excursion is also a great way to save. For example, if you can leave on Thursday or stay over through Monday, you can find better deals. It may sound counterintuitive that staying longer can be less expensive, but in some cases, it can. A lot of owners will reduce the per night rate when you stay longer than just the weekend, so you wind up paying the same amount for a three or four-night stay as you pay for a two-night stay.

Look for discount codes on coupon or group discount websites. You can save a few dollars, and why not save if you can? A little bit of effort can go a long way in saving money on your weekend getaway.

Book Far In Advance

While spontaneous weekend getaways are fun, you can find the best deals and the best places to rent for the weekend if you make your plans early. Let’s say you want a beach weekend getaway. If you book your beach getaway before the season starts, you will have a lot less competition to deal with, and owners will be anxious to fill those weekends up with guests. You may have more negotiation power if you book early.

Booking in advance will put you in a position of power, and yes, you can negotiate prices for most weekend places to rent. Owners that want to generate income outside of season will be happy to take your deposit for your trip that is two or three months down the road. Additionally, the owners will be more focused and able to communicate with you about the property.

Look for properties that are offering early bird booking discounts. You may be surprised to find that there are a lot of owners that offer them. Do make sure that you understand the refund policy just in case things do not pan out the way you planned. Getting sick, or a family emergency can keep you from going when you planned. Canceling as early as you know that you will not make it to the property is essential in getting as much of a refund as possible in most cases.

Beware of Hidden Fees

Finding places to rent for the weekend online or using an app is a great way to find unique properties in areas that you want to visit. It can also be a great way to save on the cost of lodging, but you do want to make sure you read the fine print. Unfortunately, over the last few years, there have been a lot of complaints filed about one of the leading apps for vacation rentals. Those complaints have started to crop up because of ridiculous hidden fees that some owners are tacking on to the cost of the places to rent for the weekend.

You do not want to have to pay additional fees for electrical service, or crazy cleaning fees, or even exorbitant “security deposits”. Make sure you fully understand what you are agreeing to. Read the fine print of the agreement before you agree to anything.

Make sure you pull back the curtains on the deal before you make the deal. Know what you are getting into, so there are no surprises when you arrive. It is always best to completely understand what your financial responsibilities are.

Stick With the App

Finding places to rent for the weekend using an app or a website is a convenient way to find amazing lodging. However, you should never agree to work outside the app. Some unsavory types have been exploiting people by asking them to Venmo or send the money by another app outside the travel app. Do not do it.

Recently a social media poster relayed how they were ripped off by a “property owner” when they made a deal outside the app. The poster sent the property owner $5000 to rent a property for a week using another app because the owner offered them a discount if they would. When the social media poster arrived at the property, the property owner was supposed to text the keypad code but refused to do so, unless the traveler gave them a $5000 security deposit as well. That was not the deal the traveler made, the owner refused entrance, and refused to refund the original $5000.

The traveler went as far as to call the local police to try to get the money back but the local police told them it was a civil matter. The traveler had no protection because they made the deal outside the app and sent the money directly to the property owner. The bank could not help because they had authorized the payment, and neither could the outside app. The traveler was out $5000 and had no place to stay for their vacation.

The moral of the story is to play by the rules. Most travel-type apps that list places to rent for the weekend have a safety net to ensure that every party is protected. Going off the reservation for promises of a better deal can be tempting, but do not do it.

Finding the perfect places to rent for the weekend is easy as long as you follow the guidelines of the app, and go in with your eyes wide open. Good luck finding the best place for your next weekend getaway and happy travels.

Starting your own business can be challenging and stressful. Without capital, you will likely spend most of your time trying to find investors and banks to loan you funds for expansion. Of course, as a budding current entrepreneur, you will only need a boost to fire your business to great heights, but if you are starting, you might be looking for available funding options to kickstart your venture.

Turning to the SBA for startup loans and grants could be wise. SBA offers low-interest loans and grants to small businesses in the United States. Though SBA doesn’t lend money directly to enterprises as most lenders do, it acts as an intermediary between companies who want loans and lenders who offer them. It works with lenders who specialize in lending to small businesses and then connects borrowers with those lenders. It does this by matching borrowers with lenders based on their creditworthiness and the amount of money they want to borrow.

SBA loans provide financing options like any other bank loan but also come with unique advantages such as low interest rates and long repayment periods that make them more beneficial to hospitality startup entities. SBA startup funding can help you start your dream business, and if you are in the hospitality sector, it is essential to have a steady cash flow. Without it, your startup business can’t grow, you can’t pay employees, and customers will go elsewhere. To help ensure you’re ready for whatever comes next and get off the ground, here are some of the best uses of SBA startup funding:

Getting Your Business Ready

Hospitality businesses can use SBA loans for various reasons. One reason is that many hotels and restaurants are seasonal businesses, meaning they have a limited time to make money during the year. Many hospitality establishments also need to stay competitive with other companies by improving their service. SBA loans not only serve hotels and restaurants but may also be used by retail stores, gas stations, and nightclubs. To get the most out of your SBA loan, you need to know what you want and how much money you need.

SBA startup funding can help you get your business up and running with all the necessary equipment and supplies. It enables you to acquire the required workstations, tables, ergonomic office furniture, and appliances for your employees. It’s also an excellent way to pay off existing loans or credit lines before applying for new ones. You will want to focus on creating a solid marketing plan so you can start attracting customers from day one. SBA loans can help market your business, including advertising costs and materials such as posters and flyers. These costs can help increase customer traffic at your restaurant or hotel, which means more revenue for your business in the long run.

Working Capital Loans

Hospitality enterprises are always looking for ways to improve their profit margins, and SBA loans are an excellent way to finance your restaurant or hotel projects. They allow you to borrow money at low-interest rates and get it instantly. As a business owner, you know the struggle of trying to grow and expand your hospitality business, especially if you are starting with a blank slate. Here is where an SBA loan comes in handy.

SBA loans can help generate working capital like buying inventory or paying bills. SBA provides loans and guarantees to help your business expand, start new projects, or even purchase equipment. In addition, you can use the loan as a bridge loan where you can borrow from SBA while you wait for your business to grow and become profitable. Another common way to use SBA startup funding is as a gap financing source, meaning you borrow and pay it back with interest over time. For example, you may want to take out a small amount of working capital to start paying employees or suppliers immediately after closing your property purchase or new restaurant location. As you progress, you will repay the loan and borrow more funds for other projects.

Many hotels and restaurants need pest control services which take up most of the funds. Pests such as bed bugs are prevalent in hotels and expensive to get rid of completely. However, you can start immediately with SBA startup funding and hire an exterminator. The SBA program is open to all businesses regardless of size, location, and industry sector.

In addition to traditional small business loan programs, the SBA offers various other financial services, including business consulting, industry-specific workshops, and trade shows. For example, the SBA provides free health care and hospitality seminars, which can help you grow your business through new knowledge and ideas, and hosts yearly trade shows in major U.S. cities where you can meet with prospective customers or suppliers.

Equipment and Machinery Loans

Small equipment financing is available to both new and existing businesses. An equipment and machinery loan will cover the cost of purchasing new equipment or replacing an existing piece of equipment in your restaurant or hotel. For example, you can use low-interest loans to buy refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, etc. You can also use this funding to purchase building materials or equipment for your new business, including materials for walls and ceilings, plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring, and even building supplies such as lumber or nails.

You might not think much about catering equipment when you think about startup funding, but it’s one of the most critical areas for small businesses that need focus in the first year of operations. When you use SBA startup funding for catering equipment, you will have to acquire the necessary tools to quickly get your business off the ground.

SBA loans are also helpful when you need funding to procure company cars or trucks. These vehicles will help employees get around town more efficiently, which means less time wasted on public transportation and less time lost by employees trying to find parking spaces. This inconvenience is especially prevalent when they work late at night or early in the morning before starting their shifts.

Microloans

SBA startup funding can help you get started on big projects requiring high costs and multiple steps to complete. When you open your business doors, you’ll need to be ready to power everything from your lights and air conditioning systems to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. An excellent example of this is commercial electrical projects of an office building that needs rewiring, heating, lighting fixtures, and cooling systems. These projects range from small home office remodels to large commercial buildings such as hotels, resorts, and other hospitality properties that need an upgrade.

An SBA loan can avail the funds you need to pay for these projects and allow you to complete them quickly. SBA startup funding also works well for acquiring hardware and software equipment you may need to keep your business running smoothly. You may consult computer technical support service providers for hardware and software repairs, upgrades and installations to help you grow your business. The technical service will set up a computer office for you and provide software enabling you to handle more clients and make more money.

Grading and Site Improvement Loans

Hospitality businesses often carry out improvements to their property to make them more appealing to customers. SBA-backed loans help boost your entity by providing working capital for projects such as grading, excavation, foundation work, and site preparation. They also allow you to purchase materials and equipment necessary for the project to proceed smoothly.

A grading and site improvement loan can assist you in buying equipment and hiring a paving company experienced in working with asphalt and concrete to make improvements on your property. You can use this loan to improve an existing building or make room for additional facilities. Modifications can be costly, so you must prepare well when applying for these loans. You should check out the guidelines carefully before submitting your application. Ensure you understand the improvements that qualify for SBA startup funding before applying.

Construction Financing

Construction loans take up a considerable chunk of SBA startup funding for hospitality businesses due to the large sums required to fund renovation projects at your hotel or resort. You can utilize these funds from renovating guest rooms, stocking baby bedroom furniture set, or upgrading existing amenities like pool decks or fitness centers. However, commercial renovation can be costly, especially if adding new features.

If you want to increase the value of your business, or when you need to upgrade your facilities to keep up with current market demands, you will need commercial remodeling services to perform minor repairs and upgrades or full-scale renovations. A full-scale remodeling project can be costly, but it is necessary for any business that wants to prosper in today’s competitive marketplace. SBA startup funding can help you execute remodeling without running out of cash before completing the project.

The standard commercial remodel projects in the hospitality industry involve new building construction and new business equipment purchases. For example, you may obtain SBA startup funding to renovate kitchens and bathrooms, lighting, HVAC systems, flooring, paint colors and install new windows and doors. When considering a new building construction, you may have to demolish the old building and commence new construction before your loan’s closing date.

When remodeling, you may want to replace a leaking or old roof. Roof replacement and repair protect your business from unexpected expenses and reduce the need to fix leaks or replace tiles. They also ensure that your building remains structurally sound and that you won’t worry about employee injury or property damage. If you are considering a new roof as an option for your business, you can find a contractor specializing in commercial roofing through local yellow pages or online. Once you find a contractor, ask them how much they charge for the installation and maintenance of their roofs and how long it would take them to complete the job. Then, you can use their quotation to assess the amount of SBA loan to borrow.

The Essentials of Startup Financing in the Hospitality Sector

If you want to take your hospitality business to the next level and make it more successful, an SBA loan could be what you need. An SBA loan can help your business expand to meet its current needs or grow into a corporation. These loans are available for any business, including restaurants, hotels, and retailers. The application process is quick and straightforward with minimal paperwork, and you are guaranteed approval in less than three weeks. Here is why hotels need to apply for this funding:

Hotels require a considerable capital investment to set up and run smoothly. Without cash flow, it’s hard for hotels to stay afloat. That’s where SBA loans come in handy. They allow businesses to pay off their obligations with interest rather than pile them up and go unpaid.

Hotels have a lot of overhead costs associated with them, like rent and utility bills, which can be pretty high compared to most other types of businesses. These costs make it difficult for hotels to turn a profit every month, even if they have enough customers using their facilities.

Many hotels need qualified employees to handle specific tasks within their premises or elsewhere. However, training can be costly and put them at a disadvantage compared to other types of businesses that do not require such specialized skills or training.

Any business owner who wants to improve their property needs to look into SBA loans. Many hotels and restaurants have taken out these loans for projects such as commercial remodeling services or new additions over the years. If your business has a good credit score and isn’t facing any major financial issues, then the SBA loan could be perfect for you.