Room facilities

[Miki]

 Oh, yes, I know that legally there's the 5 (more generally 6 these days) rooms limit, but what I was asking was: what makes a place a B&B rather than a hotel? What makes it feel that way?

Sorry Arnold but it is not more generally 6 these days, the rules haven't changed at all but there are certain regions that will argue about 5 rooms and 15 people being the maximum for a B&B and 6 is getting pretty rare. Now there is another reason which I am going to have to drag up from the depths. If you take a look through any regional or national guide book for Chambres D'Hôtes, especially GdF, you will rarely see a 6 bedroom place. All the larger ones will say 5 bedrooms and up to max 15 persons, not six. I shall have to have a quiet word tomorrow at the GdF bourse toristique in Saint Malo.

For instance, our place is certainly "small hotel" size and (generally) in layout but we have kept the "B&B feeling" going by the comments we've received ie they're "B&B comments" rather than "hotel comments" in terms of what they say and how they say it. We want to keep people feeling that way about us because we hope to offer the best of both worlds (that's one comment that I'm sure will raise a smile in years to come, Miki!).

I see no reason why a large Auberge should not have a nice feeling about it, after all it is about mein hosts is it not ?

 

 

[mascamps.com]

Well, in days gone by it used to be always 5 plus 1 disabled access room. I thought that they'd taken it up to 6 more generally since then.

 

Arnold

 

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi Arnold,

you asked:-

So, what is it that makes people feel like they're "at home"? We're certainly, by and large, laid out like a small hotel yet we've had a considerable number of comments along the lines that we've made people feel like they're at home.

and elsewhere, you ask

Seriously guys: what does make one place a B&B and another a hotel? To my mind, it's principally the personal service and individual attention that each guest gets, but what do you think?

A very interesting question and one that I've cogitated on from time to time. Would you mind very much if we don't continue the discussion in this thread, though, as it seems to me as if it is wandering a leetle bit away from the original topic of what should be provided in rooms. I would be the first to agree that it can vary wildly depending upon what kind of establishment you are, and that to that extent the question is on topic, but i would like to take a stab at this and feel it merits a thread on its own. As I'm a recent newcomer, however, it's perfectly possible that this has been done to death a dozen times. If so, my abject apologies, and I'll drop it.  

[Miki]

[quote]Well, in days gone by it used to be always 5 plus 1 disabled access room. I thought that they'd taken it up to 6 more generally since then. Arnold[/quote]

You have got me there, I have to admit I have never heard of that one before. I personally haven't read that and as far as six, as I said, take a look through all the gude books and you will rarely see a six bedroom B&B. 

I will try to remember to ask a few people tomorrow about the six bedrooms and why most keep to 5 and not six.

 

 

 

[Aly]

I don't agree that by wanting to offer something different to people in makes you into a corporate hotel.

B&B's are changing dramatically in the UK and also in france particulary in more urban areas and frankly with the numbers of people following their dream in places like Normandy and Brittany B&B's are going to have to offer abit more than flock wallpaper and a copy of a green guide in a lounge if they are going to compete.

[Aly]

I don't agree that by wanting to offer something different to people in makes you into a corporate hotel.

B&B's are changing dramatically in the UK and also in france particulary in more urban areas and frankly with the numbers of people following their dream in places like Normandy and Brittany B&B's are going to have to offer abit more than flock wallpaper and a copy of a green guide in a lounge if they are going to compete.

[mascamps.com]

Indeed, altan. However, the issue that Miki raised was that there are a substantial group of people who come to his and similar places in France specifically to "get away from it all" ie who want a place with no TV, no phone, etc.

In our own specific case, that isn't directly applicable as we're on a main road, albeit in the country. We therefore get a different mix of people than Miki and similar places get and some of those people do look for TVs in the rooms. We even had one large booking last year who left because we didn't have a TV in the room (costing us quite a bit as they'd booked meals and we ended up dumping a lot of stuff bought specifically for them).

On a different angle, we currently have a family with a severely disabled girl who very much depend on the TV to give them a bit of a rest. That might sound unusual but it isn't necessarily so for us because we have disabled facilities and now and again we would expect to get a family like that.

I think there's a need for both types of place over here. There are certainly places that people go for the quiet and obviously adding a TV etc. to rooms in those places would detract from the appeal. However, I think people need to consider what type of place they actually have: if they're not in one of the "quiet places" then they need to look at adding TVs etc. because in some cases they may be losing more people through not having the TV than they're gaining by not having it.

 

Arnold

[Aly]

I did'nt actually mention television but I agree that some people want peace and quite but equally people are not sheep, if they don't want to use a TV or computerlink they don't have to.

The principal is one of variety and choice. I like staying in small and interesting establishments but I also want style, good food and some luxuries.I don't accept that only Hotels can provide that. There are many chambres providing a range of interesting accomodation and facilities and charging for it.

 

[mascamps.com]

Indeed. I used the example of a TV as the TV/phone/radio combination is something that some CdHs make a point of not having. As I say, there is a definite market for that approach and there's a place not terribly far from us that seems to do very well using it. At the other extreme, there is also a quite definite market looking for an "English B&B" which happens to be in France down to the English TV that a lot of places advertise.

On the internet front, we don't get a lot of people who ask for it and indeed two nights ago was the first time we'd had a request since, I think, September. With that level of usage, I don't think it's worthwhile spending big money installing it just for the guests but we already wireless access for ourselves so there's no real cost in extending it.

I'm with you in not accepting that a CdH should be the same as it was 50 years ago ie quite literally a spare room in someone's house. That would mean that no CdH can have an ensuite bathroom yet these days they're pretty standard. On the other hand, there's no way we could realistically compete with the facilities that you get in some hotels. What's needed is a middle ground which gives people the things that they expect and that's a moving target. Five years ago, virtually nobody would have had a DVD player in their bedroom yet now you can buy the little "bedroom" portables with a builtin DVD.

Outside of the technology arena, we have been "treated" to some incredibly naff toiletries in places over the years. I know there's the arguement that people will bring their own shampoo if they want something "nice", but that's no excuse for providing the trully dreadful stuff that some places provide. A lot of people do bring their own shampoo and whatnot (so they leave our stuff unused) but others don't.

To my mind, what is critical to preserve from the "old days" is the sense of personal attention because that's what most differentiates a CdH from a hotel.

 

Arnold