Private vs ensuite

[2cat_lady]

Just throwing this out there. We opened in January of this year. Four rooms- one ensuite and the other three each have their own private bathroom. I've lost track of the number of people that won't reserve my rooms with the private bathroom. I explain they are directly across the hallway, they share them with no other room and I provide bathrobes for their convenience and 'discretion'. Honestly, I have ocean views from all my rooms ( we are on a peninsula) and people are concerned about walking five feet to go to the bathroom! Maybe I'm not explaining myself properly and maybe someone out there with more inn experience had a suggestion.

 

[gillumhouse]

What kind of locks do you have on the bathrooms?

 

[2cat_lady]

What kind of locks do you have on the bathrooms?.

I give people a key to their own bathroom. Do you think if I make a point of them being able to lock their own bathrooms it would make a difference? Because honestly, when I go up to clean, no one locks them and some even leave the doors ajar.

 

[Generic]

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them.

 

[user 26]

we call them the plague rooms - in spite of nice bathrobes, a really nice bathroom, cozy and tucked away ... in my experience, most guests like to have the bathroom en suite. search here on the site and you'll read all about the challenges of a private bath not in the room.

 

[Generic]

What kind of locks do you have on the bathrooms?.

I give people a key to their own bathroom. Do you think if I make a point of them being able to lock their own bathrooms it would make a difference? Because honestly, when I go up to clean, no one locks them and some even leave the doors ajar.
.

If you can swing it, I would suggest replacing the lock and key locks with YALE real living handle latches. No keys to remember and when the door shuts, the room is locked. In fact, you may want to look at ZWave, so you can program them from afar. Cheaper without the Zwave, but then you need to program them manually.

 

[gillumhouse]

What kind of locks do you have on the bathrooms?.

I give people a key to their own bathroom. Do you think if I make a point of them being able to lock their own bathrooms it would make a difference? Because honestly, when I go up to clean, no one locks them and some even leave the doors ajar.
.

No, that was not why I asked. I have a deadbolt lock on the shared bath at my B & B and since it is shared, I have the only key. Yes make a point to tell them to lock the door of the bathroom to keep it private (and make sure you have extra keys).
I have one room with private ensuite bath - it rents the most. I also have 2 rooms that share a bathroom (I have a business card on a string for them to toss over the door as an occupied sign). Usually those rooms rent last (duh, if room 1 is rented, rooms 2 & 3 would be last), but it is not unusual to have all 3 booked - by different people. Last October, we had a wedding night book on the smallest room with shared bath knowing the other room sharing was going to be rented.
Shout from the housetops with text and especially photos of the ocean views. Take photos of glorious sun rises and sunsets. Photos of clouds - puffy white, dark stormy (those usually look awesome), great blue, and blue sky with the surf. Take the photos showing the window framing the picture (portal shots are grabbers). Show the view from each room.

 

[Arks]

we call them the plague rooms - in spite of nice bathrobes, a really nice bathroom, cozy and tucked away ... in my experience, most guests like to have the bathroom en suite. search here on the site and you'll read all about the challenges of a private bath not in the room..

we call them the plague rooms...

There's your answer, 2cat_lady.
120 years ago it was not uncommon for people to share a BED at a hotel with complete strangers. Now, if they can avoid it, people won't even book a room with a private bath across the hall. We're all spoiled by the good life, and that will not change.
I know of one B&B where the bathroom is upstairs on another floor, but it's ensuite (the stairs are from the bedroom) so people still book it before the rooms that require a trip across the hall to get to the bathroom.
And I don't blame them. When I close the door for the night, I don't want to have to put something on, and risk being seen with my hair sticking out in every direction just to use the bathroom.
If you can't figure out a way to squeeze bathrooms into the bedrooms, you will always have a problem.

 

[OnTheShore]

You might look into making it such that the locks for each room and its associated bathroom both use the same key (or code).

 

[Highlands John]

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them..

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them.

Given Jon's experience, maybe you're making too much of an issue of this on your publicity/website and creating a problem where one wouldn't exist?? Just guessin'

 

[Arks]

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them..

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them.

Given Jon's experience, maybe you're making too much of an issue of this on your publicity/website and creating a problem where one wouldn't exist?? Just guessin'
.

Given Jon's experience, maybe you're making too much of an issue of this on your publicity/website and creating a problem where one wouldn't exist?? Just guessin'

Perhaps, but of course it has to be clear enough on the website that people know what they're signing up for. We all know how guests react to unwelcome surprises. It's not a pretty sight! Jon's success in this respect may be a rare exception.
And certainly, for some the message won't sink in until they get there, even if they are clearly told in advance, and they will roast the inn at the travel review sites. Plague rooms are bad news.

 

[EmptyNest]

I would NEVER book a room with a bathroom across the hall or anywhere but ensuite. I get up a lot at night and there is no way I put on a bathrobe and trek even a few feet outside the bedroom. If there is any way you can do it, knock down walls or whatever, you MUST get ensuite bathrooms. Sorry that is just the way it is today.

 

[Generic]

I would NEVER book a room with a bathroom across the hall or anywhere but ensuite. I get up a lot at night and there is no way I put on a bathrobe and trek even a few feet outside the bedroom. If there is any way you can do it, knock down walls or whatever, you MUST get ensuite bathrooms. Sorry that is just the way it is today..

Let me understand this, because this is what you want, everyone wants it? I have more than half my rooms without ensuite and the rooms all get booked. I'm sorry, but I don't see why you need to discourage someone because of what you want. I respect your choice, book elsewhere. But there are plenty of people who will book without it being ensuite.

 

[Generic]

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them..

To be 100% honest, it's a matter or price and clientele. I have shared bath and I sell out and I don't advertise as having bathrobes at all. In fact my best rooms don't have private bath. Sure, to a certain clientele they will only book the room with the private bath, but others... care about other things like the amenities, the views, the breakfast, the hospitality, etc. It's all part of the package. Set your price lower, see what clientele comes in for those rooms and see how you have to market to get them.

Given Jon's experience, maybe you're making too much of an issue of this on your publicity/website and creating a problem where one wouldn't exist?? Just guessin'
.

Given Jon's experience, maybe you're making too much of an issue of this on your publicity/website and creating a problem where one wouldn't exist?? Just guessin'

Perhaps, but of course it has to be clear enough on the website that people know what they're signing up for. We all know how guests react to unwelcome surprises. It's not a pretty sight! Jon's success in this respect may be a rare exception.
And certainly, for some the message won't sink in until they get there, even if they are clearly told in advance, and they will roast the inn at the travel review sites. Plague rooms are bad news.
.

I have had 2 cases where they came back to me and said that they thought that it was ensuite. I have ensured that it is everywhere and that I don't mislead people. But I also live in a house that is considered antique. It's all about how you market, who you market and the pricing. I'm certainly not the cheapest in town and not the most expensive in town.
But, as I said, it's a total package. I'm known for my location, my breakfast, my detail, my service. If you don't have the total package and the price that matches it, it fails. Everything has it's price. The fact that I can rattle off easily six different restaurants that suit what a guest tells me is part of what I offer. The bathroom ends up being a minor inconvenience when you see it as part of a total package.
But, I also can tell you that I'm not that attractive to people over 60 years old. I have stairs as well. I don't do bell boy. They aren't my market. And the older people are the more they want ensuite. The younger ones, don't care as much.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

What kind of locks do you have on the bathrooms?.

I give people a key to their own bathroom. Do you think if I make a point of them being able to lock their own bathrooms it would make a difference? Because honestly, when I go up to clean, no one locks them and some even leave the doors ajar.
.

I give people a key to their own bathroom. Do you think if I make a point of them being able to lock their own bathrooms it would make a difference? Because honestly, when I go up to clean, no one locks them and some even leave the doors ajar.

I had a complainer and just smiled and said, "I know what you mean. Some places still have SHARED bathrooms. I made sure we didn't do that." No offense to shared baths, just a matter of rhetoric. If you remind them how well they have it, they forget the complaint.

 

[2cat_lady]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logistically, I can't change the three rooms to ensuite. The plumbing runs down one side of the house and we inherited a plumber's nightmare. We were fortunate to find one that would work with what we had and have very up-to-date fixtures. I love some of your suggestions. More pictures of the beautiful views from ALL the rooms, remind people that they are not shared, etc. I don't make a big deal of it but at the same time, I don't want anyone 'surprised' at the private bathroom at check in. Believe me, I make sure that everyone knows what their getting (confirmation email). Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.
By the way, what does DH mean? Sorry, new to this site!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logistically, I can't change the three rooms to ensuite. The plumbing runs down one side of the house and we inherited a plumber's nightmare. We were fortunate to find one that would work with what we had and have very up-to-date fixtures. I love some of your suggestions. More pictures of the beautiful views from ALL the rooms, remind people that they are not shared, etc. I don't make a big deal of it but at the same time, I don't want anyone 'surprised' at the private bathroom at check in. Believe me, I make sure that everyone knows what their getting (confirmation email). Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.
By the way, what does DH mean? Sorry, new to this site!.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logistically, I can't change the three rooms to ensuite. The plumbing runs down one side of the house and we inherited a plumber's nightmare. We were fortunate to find one that would work with what we had and have very up-to-date fixtures. I love some of your suggestions. More pictures of the beautiful views from ALL the rooms, remind people that they are not shared, etc. I don't make a big deal of it but at the same time, I don't want anyone 'surprised' at the private bathroom at check in. Believe me, I make sure that everyone knows what their getting (confirmation email). Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.
By the way, what does DH mean? Sorry, new to this site!

DH = Dear husband

 

[gillumhouse]

I would NEVER book a room with a bathroom across the hall or anywhere but ensuite. I get up a lot at night and there is no way I put on a bathrobe and trek even a few feet outside the bedroom. If there is any way you can do it, knock down walls or whatever, you MUST get ensuite bathrooms. Sorry that is just the way it is today..

Let me understand this, because this is what you want, everyone wants it? I have more than half my rooms without ensuite and the rooms all get booked. I'm sorry, but I don't see why you need to discourage someone because of what you want. I respect your choice, book elsewhere. But there are plenty of people who will book without it being ensuite.
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I agree with Jon. It depends on (1) your market; (2) HOW you market your inn; (3) what you provide as service - and how. I started offering the flexible breakfast time to compensate for the shared bath.
I made it for 10 years with 3 with shared. BUT the revenue never went above a certain point AND the market was changing to the private ensuite. FINALLY I was able to convince Himself to sign for a loan (it is MY business but he owns half the house) after I figured out how to do it. So I still have and always will have 2 with a shared unless I go to 2 rooms - but then, the room that would get the door into the bathroom would be my smallest - ain't happening. I am not fancy but I do things nice. And my rates are higher than some of the hotels but I do things like book 3 or more nights and the rate for the 3rd night is (in 2012 when my house hit 100) $19.12; (2013 - my State was 150) it was $18.63; this year it is $20.14. I have to think of a hook and a rate for 2015. It just hit - we will have our 40th anniversary so the 3rd night rate will be $19.75. It HAS resulted in some longer stays AND has brought reservations here because over the 3 nights, I was less expensive than the hotel where the family reunion was held.
Your market - now that may evolve to something entirely different from what was thought to be. Originally I thought rail-trail who would not be a picky about bathrooms. That soon proved to be what was in the beginning, but soon disappeared as they went to other new rail-trails. So monitor who is your guest and watch for changes so you can change with them.

 

[user 26]

I am always glad to hear when a place sells out all their rooms, whether the baths or ensuite, private, or shared. It's all good.
2cat_lady asked about why it's difficult for them to get this particular room rented out ... and in my experience as an innkeeper people wanted the ensuite bath. Not saying that's how it should be, but how it was.
I went to great trouble and expense to cram add a bathroom to 3 guestrooms and those rooms skyrocketed in bookings. If I had stayed innkeeping there, the next big project was to reconfigure the private bathroom beside one guest room so that it was ensuite because it would sit unoccupied night after night.
Also ---
On the top floor, I had guest rooms with the best view in the harbor! But a shared bath. With a hand shower in a clawfoot tub. We are talking real old fashioned. They got the economy rate and really a sweet space but sharing a bathroom with other guest rooms has to be taken on by a particular kind of guest. For me, these tended to be young guests, adventurers, back packers and Europeans. They tended to be happy, flexible and easy-going. Although I did have an elderly gentleman with knees and joints that went snap, crackle and pop when he walked. He loved the view and was happy to share the bath 'like at home' he said. I explained at length about the bath sharing up there and the stairs to climb. Up he went, slow and shaky. Down he came, even slower. He was lovely. I was a nervous wreck during his stay.

 

[2cat_lady]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logistically, I can't change the three rooms to ensuite. The plumbing runs down one side of the house and we inherited a plumber's nightmare. We were fortunate to find one that would work with what we had and have very up-to-date fixtures. I love some of your suggestions. More pictures of the beautiful views from ALL the rooms, remind people that they are not shared, etc. I don't make a big deal of it but at the same time, I don't want anyone 'surprised' at the private bathroom at check in. Believe me, I make sure that everyone knows what their getting (confirmation email). Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.
By the way, what does DH mean? Sorry, new to this site!.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logistically, I can't change the three rooms to ensuite. The plumbing runs down one side of the house and we inherited a plumber's nightmare. We were fortunate to find one that would work with what we had and have very up-to-date fixtures. I love some of your suggestions. More pictures of the beautiful views from ALL the rooms, remind people that they are not shared, etc. I don't make a big deal of it but at the same time, I don't want anyone 'surprised' at the private bathroom at check in. Believe me, I make sure that everyone knows what their getting (confirmation email). Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.
By the way, what does DH mean? Sorry, new to this site!

DH = Dear husband
.

Ha ha. There's a lot of that going around!