Anyone ever run a B&B/Guest House?

I often ponder about running one I miss working with and meeting new people, and so have thought about it a few times. It could be a chance to live somewhere nice, and still have time for the sites/programming

Anyone ever owned/run one? What's it like? Would you recommended it? Where!? Are business mortgages easy to get for them?

Yes, we have Azz We had a 10 bedroomed guesthouse, and although it was busy during the summer, it was pretty empty during the long winter months, which meant up went the overdraft, then that got cleared the next summer. I suppose it supported our own living but not much else! During the winter months, we started taking in what used to be called the DHSS lot, and they drove me nuts, so we ended up selling it. Overall, in 4 years, we lost money (not good!)

You would have thought it's a pretty easy lifestyle, but it's not. Some people only want to stay one night, so you're constantly cleaning and changing beds etc. etc. Then in the winter, when you'd like a nice lie in, you might have to get up early just for one guest, when you'd much rather go back to sleep. You've got to keep the whole place nice and warm for the unexpected guest during the winter. Then there's the privacy aspect of it all, we were lucky, it was such a big house, we took over the whole ground floor for our own living space, apart from their dining room, but it still meant people were coming and going through your front door, which Dave hated! The front doors were permanently open too of course, because of guests walking in to book.

If I was going to do it again, I'd do it on a smaller scale, say 3 letting rooms only, and that way, it should cover your living expenses all year round, but you wouldn't have to keep it going during the winter months, but that's only if you end up fully booked for the whole season.

Location of course would be THE most important consideration when you're looking, and in this climate, I'd rather go for something already up and running, which would also mean you'd probably get the cash from the bank/building society without too much of a problem. Location would depend on what type of guests you are looking for, if it's walkers you're after, then of course, you want that type of location that would attract them.

I wouldn't do it again Have I put you off???!!!

I have never done it, but I do watch the Hotel inspector on tele and that has put me off.
To have any hope of competeing with rivals costs a small fortune to try and keep everything in top top condition and my goodness it is hard work. You would never have time to do all your programming Azz, as watching those poor people they hardly have time to draw a breath and are exhausted and in huge debt.

We have never done it but have stayed in quite a few over the years good and bad.

When Gorden was made redundant it was one of the things we thought of looking into if he couldn't find enough work to keep us going. It would of been Derbyshire or Yorkshire plenty of walkers and mountain bikers.

If we were going to do it we would like some sort of set up which we have stayed in one before where the guests have their own entrance or nice outbuildings made into cosy rooms with en-suites.

I doubt we will do it now though Gorden has had enough work to keep us ticking over and is now applying for permanent jobs I think he in particular feels we are at the wrong time of life to be looking after others. We much prefer to let others look after us now if going away.

Hubby's friend runs a very large one in Blackpool - well, a hotel rather than guest house.

Started with a medium sized one. Bought next door and made into one big one.

When they started, Hubby's friend had an outside job to keep them ticking over. Nowadays, they have staff that run the hotel and they more or less just oversee things. They also bought their Son a small guest house round the corner from them.

Would I do it? No.

It is something I also considered in the past - as I thought it would be a good way to work from home (for the dogs benefit), live in a nice place (I wanted to move to the Highlands) and to meet new people.

However, I did work in one on a weekend in the Lakes when I was at school and didn't particularly enjoy the work - although did put it down more to the creepy boss than the actual work.

I think H has made some good points about long hours, always having to be open, not a great deal of time off and a lot of hard work.

Personally if I were going to do anything like this, I would look at a property that could be split, and have half for me and half as self-catering.

I would like to do this but it's the wrong time for me at the moment and I probably won't ever get around to doin git.

Where Oscar and I stay in north Wales, the rooms aren't overly extravagant adn much of the work was done by the people who own theplace. The front of the house is open all fo the time and is their front door too but they have a door that is openly constantly and one that you need a key for. Anyone who is just passing and wants to book in has to ring the bell.

The owners live in the ground floor flat at the rear fo the property adn have the rear garden to themselves. They also have a separate rear entrance should the choose to use it.

Although I'd liek to run a B&B, the amount of houseowkr puts me off. I change the beds 3 x weekly at home but to do it potentially every day would frive me nuts. Also at home, if I don't want to sweep the floors, I don't have to whreas in a B&B everythign has to be kept almost perfect, just in case guests are there.

I think I'd rather run an old people's home. Not a care/nursing home but a residential home. Where people are able to do their own thing, where they can go for a weekend with their families, where they can go out shopping if they want to etc. Also, I certainly wouldn't charge teh extortionate fees that private homes charge and I would force people to sell their own properties to be able to live in mine. it would be purely on a first come, first served basis.

Having said that it would probably be just as much if not more work than a B&B!

OMG

I think you have all put me off

Thanks for the insight - it sure does sound like hard work :/

I think maybe longer stay holiday lodges might be better what do you think?

I grew up in guest houses in Wales.

My parents had a small one almost at the foot of Snowdon - they got it when I was 4 and we left when I was 7, the only memories I have is going walkies up Snowdon !! Oh yeah - then there was the Yeti but that's a whole different thread

We then moved as mum n dad bought a larger one in Criccieth (N Wales) could sleep 21 adults and I used to help out. The summers were mad, a constant round of cooking, washing and ironing, didn't really spend much time with the parents, they were around but always run off their feet busy They had to take enough money in during the summer to cover the winter expenses. The winters were quieter but it used to upset my mum when homeless kids would come knocking on the door on xmas eve just looking for a bed for the night
I loved it, especially the people who came with their dogs, one guy had a beautiful Red Setter and I used to walk for miles with them Mind you we did once have a lady with a pampered Poodle who brought into to dining room, sat it on her knee and shared her cooked breakfast with it, from her plate !!!!! that brought in a few complaints

They eventually sold up when I was 15 because the guests just weren't coming as it got cheaper and cheaper to go abroad It was bl**dy hard work for my parents, they had no social life in the summer at all, they were just too knackered! They did more than make up for it in the winter though There was no such thing as a summer holiday!

If I was to do it now I'd make sure it was dog friendly, maybe even gimmicky with the dog's own menu for dinner and doggy drinks, day care facilities etc and try and tap into that market rather than just the general public, somewhere where there are great walks and places to go with your dog

How about buying a place and renting it out to holiday makers in the summer while staying in a static caravan on the site? I've rented a couple of holiday cottages where the owners did just that.

We're looking at holidays but the prices rocket up during school holidays. I guess it's when they make most of their money though because the families can't often do it during school term because it's often frowned upon or unauthorised.