Lessen the inconvenience

Many guests view a room as their own little haven, a safe and peaceful place away from life’s everyday stresses and surroundings. So it’s safe to say the one thing they DON’T want is inconvenience during their stay. 

A clean and well presented room should be the absolute minimum when inviting guests to stay at your B&B or hotel. Providing a range of complimentary toiletries and tasty treats is also a nice touch which should keep you in the good books, and hopefully the reviews glowing. 

But what about the basics? As the saying goes: “The most simple things can bring the most happiness.” 

You’d be surprised how many accommodation owners forget to kit out their rooms with some of the most basic amenities. So to help we’ve highlighted some of the simplest of items guaranteed to reduce inconvenience for your guests:

Hairdryer 

Ever noticed those designer type overnight bags seem to be getting smaller and more extravagant in design? You’ve seen them as your guests check in…. neon floral with zips about to burst. That bulge will be those extra pair of heels, because being the good host, you’ve already taken care of the hairdryer – neatly bagged away in a drawer ready for action. 

And for those guests that simply forget to bring this fundamental piece of kit, you might just be saving a life by having one handy.

Coat hangers 

We’ve mentioned before that, at some time or another, we’ve all stayed in one of those guesthouses with a wardrobe filled with a mixed bag of bent old hangers. Not a good look is it? Yes, there’ll always be guests who prefer to live out of their case for the weekend. 

But for most, whether it’s a leisure or business stay, a nice rack of matching solid coat hangers for those crisp shirts or evening outfits will be sure to help maintain the standards guests have come to expect. 

Iron 

We’ve all been there…no matter how delicately you take your clothes out of your bag upon arrival, they’re never in the same neatly packed, origami-style shapes you put them in, and those tough wooden coat hangers aren’t miracle workers. 

So to prevent the inconvenience of guests having to go for the ‘straight out of the pack’ look, either provide an iron in your rooms or make it clear they can hire one from reception (for free of course). 

One of the most popular questions on the TripAdvisor forums is ‘Does this hotel have an iron in the room?’. Say no more. 

Door signs 

If only you or your cleaners had a crystal ball. You’d know exactly when the coast was clear to quickly move in with the cleaning trolley and more biscuits. Unfortunately you don’t, so prevent any awkward encounters by having the all important ‘Please Clean Room’ and ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs hung on the inside of every room door. 

They may just be rooms to you, but remember they are hideaway havens for your guests. The last thing a couple want on a weekend break without the kids is hearing the sound of that master key turning in their door! 

Rubbish Bin 

Although we’re sure your cleaner would do a grand job collecting all those empty sachet wrappers sprawled across the welcome tray, or the miniature toiletry bottles from the shower floor, believe it or not people don’t want them lying around until the next cleaning round. 

We think it should be law that every guest room have a small bin, a smart bin preferably to hide the unsightly bin liners that otherwise tend to flop unattractively down the sides. 

Just kidding on the law part, but have you ever spared a thought for those guests who might not actually want you sifting through their rubbish? You just might end up stumbling across the receipt for that new glossy overnight bag that’s blinding you from the luggage stand.