We give away too much

[Morticia]

We do give away too much - each. and every. day!

That said, after I tried to sell my add on's for this last weekend with no takers, I decided that since I made a 2 night requirement and raised my rates $10 per night I would do a little something in each room.
Nothing overly expensive brake down for each room: 1 Valentine balloon, 8 heart shaped chocolates placed in a heart shape on the bed, 4 chocolate covered strawberries given at check in.

Cost: balloons $1 each
Chocolates under $5 (no they weren't the best, not for 'free')
Strawberries: under $5 for the berries & chocolate (first of our local berries were out, yummy too as there were enough for us to have a couple too)
All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it..

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,
.

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,

Yes, lots say they loved it and will be back, will tell their friends, etc. They rarely carry though. Takes a combination of promotion and luck to get new ones coming in.
.

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,

Yes, lots say they loved it and will be back, will tell their friends, etc. They rarely carry though. Takes a combination of promotion and luck to get new ones coming in.

Our music fests goers book as they go out and the family reunion, but that's all.... Mort, you know we are all jealous as can be!
.

Our music fests goers book as they go out and the family reunion, but that's all.... Mort, you know we are all jealous as can be!

One weekend in Dec about 5 rooms rebook. Valentine's day it's 3 rooms. (Altho we might get another because they really liked the changes to 'their' room.)
We've got some summer people and some Christmas shoppers, too.
It is nice. What's really nice is to hear this when they book, "we've tried 3-4 other places in town, but we're coming back here!" (And I'm sure the other inns hear the same thing.)

 

[Momma Smurf]

We used to have add ons for chocolate and champagne and got some takers. But because we put it in after the guests head out for dinner, we'd have to wait around and see them leave then get into their room and set it all up. It became more of a problem taking up my dinner time. So instead I raised the rate of all rooms by $5-10 a night and now purchase truffles wholesale and have a plate in each room with a welcome note. Guests love them and it's a great welcome amenity - it doesn't cost me any extra because I added it into the rate increase. With food cost and tax increases every year, if I'm going to add an amenity then I have to charge for it or I make less and with 2 kids heading to college I'm not about to go backwards in my earnings..

Do you do the truffles every day or just for the holiday weekend?
.

We always have a candy dish in the common room. Nothing in the bedrooms.
We set out Werther's originals and Andese mints. For holidays, we also add Hershey kisses.
.

We leave York

Peppermint Patties every night on the wine glass/corkscrew tray. For V-Day we left the special Strawberry truffles instead. We also have an add-on package of a bottle of Upscale Champagne plus a dozen Truffles for $30 (cost=$12); which has been selling quite well. With our Romance Dinner Package, if two or more nights are booked, they get a bottle of $6 California Champ plus 6 Truffles for an extra $5.
And finally, there is always a small bowl full of assorted Dove Promises in the dining room with the cookies, hot water pot, trail mix & pretzels.
.

Where do you get the truffles?
We never got an alcohol license so no champagne in the packages. It was just too much hassle having to be the alcohol police along with being the parking lot police!
.

We use the wrapped Lindors, usually quite reasonable at BJs and they often have coupons so we stock up and they aren't as messy as homemade or others can be. We serve them in fancy hobnailed frilled glass stemware. I am quite sure that in our state many many B&Bs package champagne w/o apropos approval.
.

I am quite sure that in our state many many B&Bs package champagne w/o apropos approval.

I'm paranoid about ATF.
Do you get the sparkling wine at BJ's, too?
.

Yes BJ's too

 

[gillumhouse]

We used to have add ons for chocolate and champagne and got some takers. But because we put it in after the guests head out for dinner, we'd have to wait around and see them leave then get into their room and set it all up. It became more of a problem taking up my dinner time. So instead I raised the rate of all rooms by $5-10 a night and now purchase truffles wholesale and have a plate in each room with a welcome note. Guests love them and it's a great welcome amenity - it doesn't cost me any extra because I added it into the rate increase. With food cost and tax increases every year, if I'm going to add an amenity then I have to charge for it or I make less and with 2 kids heading to college I'm not about to go backwards in my earnings..

Do you do the truffles every day or just for the holiday weekend?
.

I put a plate in each guest room the day of arrival with a note from us that welcomes them and it has 8 truffles, 4 different flavors. Guests love them. I also put out plates of cookies in the dining area … cookies and hot cocoa or coffee in the afternoon is a hit with all of my guests.
.

I just have a basket of 2 bananas, 4 or 5 apples, and a couple pkgs of snack crackers on the dresser or mantle and a dish full of kisses on each dresser.
Got some Dove hearts on sale yesterday so will add those to the candy dish for our innmates from way up north who are coming in tomorrow.

 

[Lee2014]

We used to have add ons for chocolate and champagne and got some takers. But because we put it in after the guests head out for dinner, we'd have to wait around and see them leave then get into their room and set it all up. It became more of a problem taking up my dinner time. So instead I raised the rate of all rooms by $5-10 a night and now purchase truffles wholesale and have a plate in each room with a welcome note. Guests love them and it's a great welcome amenity - it doesn't cost me any extra because I added it into the rate increase. With food cost and tax increases every year, if I'm going to add an amenity then I have to charge for it or I make less and with 2 kids heading to college I'm not about to go backwards in my earnings..

Do you do the truffles every day or just for the holiday weekend?
.

I put a plate in each guest room the day of arrival with a note from us that welcomes them and it has 8 truffles, 4 different flavors. Guests love them. I also put out plates of cookies in the dining area … cookies and hot cocoa or coffee in the afternoon is a hit with all of my guests.
.

I just have a basket of 2 bananas, 4 or 5 apples, and a couple pkgs of snack crackers on the dresser or mantle and a dish full of kisses on each dresser.
Got some Dove hearts on sale yesterday so will add those to the candy dish for our innmates from way up north who are coming in tomorrow.
.

I just have a basket of 2 bananas, 4 or 5 apples, and a couple pkgs of snack crackers on the dresser or mantle and a dish full of kisses on each dresser.
Got some Dove hearts on sale yesterday so will add those to the candy dish for our innmates from way up north who are coming in tomorrow.

Wait a minute! I didn't hear about a gathering! Now you are going to make us all guess who who's!

 

[gillumhouse]

We used to have add ons for chocolate and champagne and got some takers. But because we put it in after the guests head out for dinner, we'd have to wait around and see them leave then get into their room and set it all up. It became more of a problem taking up my dinner time. So instead I raised the rate of all rooms by $5-10 a night and now purchase truffles wholesale and have a plate in each room with a welcome note. Guests love them and it's a great welcome amenity - it doesn't cost me any extra because I added it into the rate increase. With food cost and tax increases every year, if I'm going to add an amenity then I have to charge for it or I make less and with 2 kids heading to college I'm not about to go backwards in my earnings..

Do you do the truffles every day or just for the holiday weekend?
.

I put a plate in each guest room the day of arrival with a note from us that welcomes them and it has 8 truffles, 4 different flavors. Guests love them. I also put out plates of cookies in the dining area … cookies and hot cocoa or coffee in the afternoon is a hit with all of my guests.
.

I just have a basket of 2 bananas, 4 or 5 apples, and a couple pkgs of snack crackers on the dresser or mantle and a dish full of kisses on each dresser.
Got some Dove hearts on sale yesterday so will add those to the candy dish for our innmates from way up north who are coming in tomorrow.
.

I just have a basket of 2 bananas, 4 or 5 apples, and a couple pkgs of snack crackers on the dresser or mantle and a dish full of kisses on each dresser.
Got some Dove hearts on sale yesterday so will add those to the candy dish for our innmates from way up north who are coming in tomorrow.

Wait a minute! I didn't hear about a gathering! Now you are going to make us all guess who who's!
.

I do not remember Harry's anon. They are from WAY up north and have not been on in a while. I do not think you would know them - you are too new. Returning home from relaxing in the WAY south. This from their last visit.

 

[happykeeper]

Well JB- I have not read the other posts, so I am not sure what gems lurk in the wise thoughts of this group. What I can say is that adding value is not the same as giving things away and that building amenity costs into your rate only works if you actually follow a prescribed formula that will generate more revenue from having done it. A further thought would be that when you have a set of amenities that are included in your price point, anything else that you do should have an amount attached to it.
This isn't a right or wrong answer. It is just one business strategy.

 

[Lee2014]

We do give away too much - each. and every. day!

That said, after I tried to sell my add on's for this last weekend with no takers, I decided that since I made a 2 night requirement and raised my rates $10 per night I would do a little something in each room.
Nothing overly expensive brake down for each room: 1 Valentine balloon, 8 heart shaped chocolates placed in a heart shape on the bed, 4 chocolate covered strawberries given at check in.

Cost: balloons $1 each
Chocolates under $5 (no they weren't the best, not for 'free')
Strawberries: under $5 for the berries & chocolate (first of our local berries were out, yummy too as there were enough for us to have a couple too)
All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it..

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,
.

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,

Yes, lots say they loved it and will be back, will tell their friends, etc. They rarely carry though. Takes a combination of promotion and luck to get new ones coming in.
.

All the guests were surprised and very thankful with many stating they would come back. I very seldom get bookings as they depart like Mort. I just have to hope they mean it.
Me too,

Yes, lots say they loved it and will be back, will tell their friends, etc. They rarely carry though. Takes a combination of promotion and luck to get new ones coming in.

Our music fests goers book as they go out and the family reunion, but that's all.... Mort, you know we are all jealous as can be!
.

Our music fests goers book as they go out and the family reunion, but that's all.... Mort, you know we are all jealous as can be!

One weekend in Dec about 5 rooms rebook. Valentine's day it's 3 rooms. (Altho we might get another because they really liked the changes to 'their' room.)
We've got some summer people and some Christmas shoppers, too.
It is nice. What's really nice is to hear this when they book, "we've tried 3-4 other places in town, but we're coming back here!" (And I'm sure the other inns hear the same thing.)
.

I love the story when one guest saw that last weekend was a music fest. "Oh, we should come back for that next year." My aunt said, "Well, I only have two rooms available for that weekend next year, so if you want it, you better not wait." as the guests' mouths drop open. "But, but that's a year away....!"