Running a Bed and Breakfast For Dummies
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You need to gather essential information when taking guest reservations for your bed & breakfast by phone, and you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget the basics. To cover all the bases, begin by taking down the following information:

  • Date reservation taken and who took the reservation

  • Guest name(s), address, telephone (day, evening, cell), and e-mail

  • Arrival and departure dates (confirm number of nights)

  • Room selected and special add-ons

  • Reason for visiting the area and whether this is a special occasion

  • Referral source (how they originally found you)

  • Credit card number, expiration, 3 digits on back (4 digits on front of AMEX)

Wrap things up by

  • Confirming the rate plus tax and any additional charges

  • Reviewing policies (especially deposit and cancellation policies) and check-in time (ask for approximate arrival time)

  • Noting any dietary restrictions or allergies

  • Offering to make reservations for dining, events, tours, and so on

  • * Telling guest the next step such as a follow-up confirmation by e-mail

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Mary White is the go-to source in the bed and breakfast industry for opinions and advice. A noted expert on B&B travel, she has been involved in promoting and marketing B&Bs on the web for more than a decade and has appeared in dozens of media outlets. Her site, BnBFinder.com, is hailed by professionals and consumers alike as the most informative B&B site.

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