Open Your Own Bed & Breakfast [Kindle Edition]

Barbara Notarius begins her description of 'our Dream House' with, "when my ex-husband and I bought our house". Does running a B&B propel you towards the divorce courts? The answer is ... possibly. Running a B&B is very demanding psychologically, emotionally, and physically. It can also impart a major financial strain as you try to ready your home to pass inspection by fire officers, environmental health officers, tourist board representatives, the bank manager, etc., etc.

Notarius & Brewer explore how to start a B&B business. The point they get across is that you must start by seeing it as a business. It's not just a way to earn some pin money - you are handing over your house to strangers who will be unforgiving about the quality of service you provide. This is a business, you are providing a service, and your own home is part of the product you are selling! It's a business, first and foremost.

Notarius & Brewer provide a well-paced, highly readable, very human but very professional introduction to the challenge of opening a B&B. They provide much practical information which applies equally inside and outside the USA - checklists, how-to advice, ideas, marketing advice, and a perspective on the human interaction which will take place within the walls of your business.

They are, indeed, particularly good on customer relations and marketing. Relate your product to the area in which you live! Who comes here? What are they looking for? Tie your business into the needs of walkers, or surfers, or climbers, or sales reps, or whatever. Your customers are your business - you want them to come back, you want them to recommend you to their friends ... and you'd love to be in a position to choose which ones you allow back through your front door.

Excellent advice, but you will need to supplement it with specific local information from your Tourist Board, Council, etc. [Stewart Whyte & Nigel Jess' "Starting and Running a B and B: A Practical Guide to Setting Up and Managing a Bed and Breakfast Business" offers good practical direction from a UK perspective.] If you're wanting to start in the B&B business, read as widely on the subject as you can (do a search on Amazon), absorb the business aspect as thoroughly as you can, but do look at Notarius & Brewer for their human understanding.

This is actually a superb, thoughtful exploration of how to start a B&B business. Remember, it's a business, not a hobby. Anecdotal in style, it has a distinctly feminine flavour - it takes a good look at the relationships involved in a B&B. Your business, remember, is not simply about providing a warm bed and meal - the challenge is to relate to your guests, communicate with them, and provide human warmth.

This book contains a wealth of practical information - checklists, how-to advice, ideas, opportunities, and a run through of the many adventures you're likely to face.

The customer relations and marketing chapters are of particular value - well worth a read, even if you've been running a B&B for some time. Notarius has sound advice for getting to know your area and incorporating local history and local resources into the services you offer. The aim, after all, is to transform that overnight stay (whether it's for business or pleasure) into a memorable experience; give your guests that added value and they'll appreciate having a warm, homely base from which to operate. Read and learn.