How to Run a Successful Bb in France
I live in a rural area of Southern France, increasingly popular with visitors from the North of the country as well as Great Britain, Ireland and Holland in particular. Many of the local houses are crammed full of old French charm and character. Sadly many, too, are crammed full of dampness, rotten floorboards and crumbling masonry.
As my day job' is finding and marketing properties, I receive many enquiries from people wanting to buy a character property and turn it into a bed and breakfast inn. There are some highly successful businesses in this area run by people who have done it right, but there are also some notable failures. Hopefully by thinking through some of the basics, if you are considering the move yourself you will make the right move.
Character houses make the best Bed and Breakfast establishments. Look for one which has already been refurbished or has been consistently maintained to a good standard over the years. You may want to redecorate, and you should have budgeted for this. If you really want a refurbishment project, make sure you have done your calculations based on "worst case scenario" so that there are no nasty shocks in store once you take the wallpaper off and find that the plaster comes with it! In any case, my advice would be to avoid anywhere with huge cracks in walls, lots of missing roof tiles or slates or any sign of rot in the woodwork. Unless you are, or have access to a highly qualified builder or surveyor, you could easily be buying a great deal of trouble.
What about guest facilities? Never forget that you are in a competitive business. If you offer the cheapest mattresses, basic bathroom facilities and a breakfast consisting of stale bread and supermarket jam, you may find very little return business or recommendation. Try to find a unique selling point. A friend of mine has a deal with the local golf club so that her guests get preferential rates. Her guest house is always full of golfers!
It is well worth visiting the area before you buy and staying at your competitors' premises to see how you would and could improve things. It may be a better power shower, a more varied breakfast or some luxury mattresses in the rooms. And what about providing a quiet room with plenty of books and board games and as many tourist information leaflets as you can find about your area?
All these things will help you on your way, but there is one really important factor not to overlook, and you would be surprised how many people fall into this trap. Where is your Bed and Breakfast? I have seen people buy splendid old houses and transform them into the most luxurious and inviting establishments only to find that they are so far from the beaten track that nobody can find them! It's all very well taking advance bookings, but passing trade is enormously important, and if nobody passes well, there just isn't any.
Be prepared for hard work, especially in the early days. Keep abreast of customer requirements so you are always ahead of the game and above all, keep that smile on your face no matter how miserable you are feeling inside. Your smile is your biggest key to success in the business.
