The guide books

[jon]

Interested to discuss the guide books.

Which are your favourites and why?

There is one book which is almost impossible to find!I have the book but I am trying to speak to the editorial/admin team......not finding it easy.

A friend of mine in UK has found it hard to buy the book.However if it was distributed and sold in the correct manner it would be good.It is called secretes and is published by Hatchette...sounds easy....but is not.

The AA guide......The Michelin...?????

[jon]

Why no replies?

[Cerise]

Not in any books (actually am in one Petit Futé but didn't pay for it).  Advertising is through the net and tourist office.  Books have generally been expensive advertising but very few clients seem to use them.   Each person must decide the market they are aiming for and advertise accordingly.   French customers used to like things on paper, but internet advertising has changed dramatically in the last 5 years.  Year one - no internet enquiries from the French  all telephone or even a couple of letters.   Now even quite elderly French people enquire through the net, though they will often call to confirm.

You pay your money, you make your choices - depends on what you are aiming for.

[Quillan]

The AA buy all their French data from GDF.

The French (down here anyway) are tight so why pay for a book when you can get the info free on the internet.

[jon]

In many cases the client gets their info from a guide which has on line facility as well as in published form.

Most of the people I know who use Alistar Sawdays guide are very successful.

I guesse.....you pay your money.                                                                                                                                                                     Depends if you want to be busy or moan about lack of bookings.

One of my neighbours has clients from March untill October.....keeping her busy...happily busy[not full untill June....but pretty busy in May]

It does depend on your emplacement. etc

[cooperlola]

In the days when I had to travel a lot on business, I always used the Good Hotel Guide, because entries were only from customers who had experience of the places and had recommended them. Personally - from a customer's perspective only - I never trust a guide an owner pays to be in!

[Russethouse]

[quote user="jon"]

Why no replies?

[/quote]

Probably because the forum was very, very difficult to access for much of yesterday.

For whats its worth many people seem to read 'Trip Advisor' before they go anywhere or book anything http://www.tripadvisor.com/

[Quillan]

But in the current climate will they all come from outside the Euro zone. Travel rates today vary from between 1.20 to 1.22 Euros to the pound with a prediction that it will only get better by a couple of cents come June, July and August. Some who booked last year may decide it's cheaper to loose the deposit. The prices of packaged holidays does not seem to have changed and all of a sudden those 'all inclusive' ones look good value for money. Mind you it's a good time for Euro Land people to visit the UK and USA (as well as a few other countries).

That was garbage so I have re-written it - It's also effecting people like Ryanair for instance. Typically a flight from London to Carcassonne on a one weeks return flying Saturday to Saturday in mid August would cost £200+ each way. At present you can get them for £69.99 each way. You don't normally get cheap flights for these dates whatever time of year you book unless it's the day before and the plane is empty.

If you are in the very high end market then it may not be a problem. If people can afford to spend  four or five grand on a weeks stay it won't make much of a difference to them.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

For whats its worth many people seem to read 'Trip Advisor' before they go anywhere or book anything http://www.tripadvisor.com/

[/quote]

Actually we use them as well and on our last trip to Spain used their recommended hotels and have to say they were exactly like the descriptions people had given. An excellent unbiased website. You can get listed with them, it costs nothing but you have to make sure you are exactly what you say you are as you have no control over what people write about you. It also has loads of information to print out (free of charge) and the stuff we printed for Madrid was excellent and really enhanced our stay there.

[Russethouse]

My sister uses them a lot - twice a year she books for 6 people - long weekend. Last venue was the Waterside at Bray so they don't go exactly go downmarket.

[jon]

A few things.

Yes flights in summer ...peak time exspensive...but a lot of people will make a real thing about their holiday.Start maybe in Calais and then drive down...stopping a few times.....If they come my way they can make their way to Spain.   If they go via Burgandy and then down towards Cote d azur they can visit    Italy.

However does not always have to be visitors with children in school term time...therefore flying can be achieved fairly cheaply.Most ppeople take several small holidays each year.

There are very few guide books where entry is free....that is for hotels etc...they all seem to charge...to survive.

However Alistar Sawday inspects before they take you...and they refuse many people....they are fussy...so it seems.

From a website how can you be sure anyway......you look and see.....get a price and a promise of something special.How often is the picture spot on?

You reminded about the Good Hotel Guide[not attached to the GFG] and they charge nothing for entry as far as I know.

Any of you aware of Mr and Mrs Smith?Hip Hotels?

May I add that we never paid or were asked to pay for entry to The Good Food Guide, Egon Ronay Guide, Micheline, Square Meal, AA restaurant guide ,Hardens or any others...we never paid for a journalistic visit....newspaper or magazine review or accompanying photographer whilst we had our restaurants.With a B and B you need to get on the map.

 

[Russethouse]

Trip Advisor uses reviews from people who have stayed at or used the facility whatever it is, lets face it, you have to feel strongly  (good or bad) to bother - many people prefer this to a guide book where realistically the owner may be paying a fee, which could skew the report.

Oh - I know lots about Mr and Mrs Smith [;-)]

[jon]

So Russet House tell me/us about the guide Mr and Mrs Smith.

We have stayed in one of their listed otels...actually really a B and B in Vance.

[Cerise]

Alistair Sawday inspects and you pay to be in it - and those I know who are in it don't know of anyone refused.  It really depends on your market as I said before.  We are in a village - in a village house.  We are not a chateau or a grand place where people stay for weeks at a time.  Most of of our non-european guests are Australian (don't know why) and a few Americans.  We are not targeting families staying for one or two weeks, but all year round trade of those touring, those on their way to Spain, Italy etc. plus lots of French people who are visiting families, here for weddings, funerals, meetings and clubs etc. 

Some people only want to be full during the summer season, others want all year round trade.  Some are doing this for a living, others for a bit of extra pin money.  It is no good asking others to recommend advertising unless they have the same kind of place and aspirations as you.  If I had a beachside B & B I'd advertise in completely different places than the ones I do now.  I'd also charge different prices.  We get quite a few bookings from a small ad in a specialist classic car magazine - but those people only come here because they know they are coming to spend a few days with another loony interested in engine bays (sorry darling[:)]) - a bit pointless a person whose hobby is painting watercolours advertising there.

Type into google what you think your hoped for customers will type.  See what sites come up, most of the books have websites too.  Do your sums and work out how many bookings you need to cover the ad and make a profit.  Try it and if it doesn't work change it next year.

[Quillan]

Sorry my point about flights is that this year they are cheap during the peak period which is unusual. This seems to indicate that there is a lot of 'spare capacity' i.e. people are not booking so many flights this year compared to other years.

We too are on the non auto route down to Spain (we are about half way between the northern ports and the more popular places in Spain) and get a lot of stopovers. There is a website that specialises in such bookings and produces good results for us.

In the UK it is increasingly difficult to remove children form school during term time from what I have read in newspapers and seen on TV.

Are you trying to say you are in AS's guide and it's very good? We were invited to join after a few guests recommended us but we declined because we thought it was very expensive and did not like the attitude of the person arranging the inspection particularly when they TOLD us what the inspector was going going to pay for a nights stay including an evening meal. I replied by telling them how much I would pay to be in their guide which they didn't like. That was a couple of years ago so things may have changed. If you search through the forum you will find some have had great success with AS and others have not, why I don't know.

For the guides you mentioned was this for your B&B or when you had a restaurant?

I ask this (not in a glib way) because, like others, I am always interested in improving the number of 'bums' in my beds and I love the sound my till makes [;-)] .

 

[Cat]

I have to say I'm a real fan of Trip Advisor as well.  I always use it now when researching holiday accommodation, and so far have been very happy with the results.  I like small, family run hotels, and those that I found in Collioure, Paris and Biarritz by using their site were fantastic, and so much cheaper and lovelier (to me) than any of the grander 4 or 5 star places in the same areas, and with the best locations.

I like the fact that I don't have to rely on the opinion of just one reviewer (who may not share the same tastes as me, and may just perhaps have a vested interest in painting a rosy picture).

 

[Quillan]

I love the little gems of information like one hotel we looked at said something like "Absolutely charming but beware of the lovely wooden floors, they add so much character but they squeak which is not so good when people get back late at night and pass your door."

[jon]

squeeky floors...guesse thats why my rooms are having a form of sound proofing...also to keep the house warmer.Each room...by law apparently has to have a TV connection and a television connection.

Trip adviser tends to circulate the "known" Places seems to miss the little gems.

[Russethouse]

I think any one can recommend a place anywhere can't they ? I think it may be a very effective way of advertising, perhaps in addition to other things.

A long time ago some one on this forum gave the tip that if you were going anywhere/buying anything, type the name in google and add 'review'. I nearly always do that now and I suspect I'm not the only one.

[Quillan]

[quote user="jon"]

squeeky floors...guesse thats why my rooms are having a form of sound proofing...also to keep the house warmer.Each room...by law apparently has to have a TV connection and a television connection.

Trip adviser tends to circulate the "known" Places seems to miss the little gems.

[/quote]

Err two things, First I was talking about Trip Advisor. Secondly, where on earth did you get this startling peace of information that each B&B room "by law apparently has to have a TV connection and a television connection". Which for a start, if you pardon me for saying so, does not exactly make a lot of sense and it's a new one on me but then perhaps I missed something.

[jon]

No perhaps it does not make a lot of sense but my architecht and the builders are telling me this.Connections in the rooms!

But perhaps they have got it wrong and you know better!
I honestly listien to others who may be knowledeable.So...yes I know Quillan that you were talking about Trip Adviser...what is your point here?
And why so assertive...are you always right?
It never bothers me to be wrong because that is all part of human nature.No one is correct all the time!

 

 

 

 

[jon]

By the way is this a moderators gathering!

[Quillan]

Now I understand, your place comes under the new regulations as of the 1st Jan 2008.

This is actually nothing to do with B&B's but new builds and/or renovation of property as I have recently discovered. I have had it explained to me by a rather clever chap called Punch in the following thread http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1193104/ShowPost.aspx .

What they are talking about in the new regs is a centralised distribution system for phones, TV aerials Satellite etc but not, after reading the link he gave, compulsory placement of sockets just what they must be. I think you will find that the links given in that thread and on the French government website will back this up.

I can assure you that there is no current regulation that all Chambres D'Hotes have to have TV's in their rooms. It's not mentioned in Decret 2007-1173 dated 3rd August 2007 or in any of the Decrets linked to it or in the consolidated update of 2007-1173 dated 27th March 2008. If you are talking about hotels then there is a requirement for your grading only but not a legal one

I think you should get your architect to show you the Decret number or number from any other regulative body involved so you can look this up yourself. If he gets you the info can you share it with us so we all know for the future, thanks in advance.

[jon]

ok I will try.

They do seem like a very reliable collection of people ...the artisans...that is.

I want, of course to do everything correctly,...it is not only a way of making  a living[I hope] but a way of life for us.Living in London we had no real garden space so this a treat...to be able to grow vegeatbles and to see everything blossom each year.I think that our old clients would love the peace and tranquility of this part of the world.

So lets see.

 

[Quillan]

Perhaps it is a misunderstanding between you and the architect. I think that if I was involved on a complete renovation after which all the walls are to be plastered and painted I might suggest to the client that it may be a good idea to put one of these new sockets in each room as a sort of future proofing. Perhaps it was a bit like the word should like it's a good idea or you must.

I am sure that when it's all finished you will have a lovely place and will be able to relax and de-stress and that your old friends and clients will love the place.