Marilyn Bushnell and Associates
Glamping, Event Venues, Adventure Tours, Restaurants, Spas, and more!
“Bed and Breakfast” has come to mean many different things to different people, so perhaps we should start by saying what we do NOT mean by that term: a short-term vacation rental (STR). These types of properties have exploded in popularity over the last 10 years or so and have created a lot of confusion in the marketplace of guest experiences (and online searches). While they certainly fill a market need, there is a world of difference between a property that is professionally run, managed, and regulated as a business and one that is not. For more information on that, please refer to our FAQ page.
We also use the term “Boutique Lodging” to describe businesses that provide lodging and hospitality to their guests, usually as a carefully curated experience. Sometimes that’s located in an historical building that has been carefully restored to its former glory. Sometimes it’s a purpose-built resort, or a large estate, a collection of cabins or treehouses, or a glamping facility.
Recent research shows that Millennial and Gen-Z travelers in particular are willing to spend substantial amounts of money to engage with what’s being called “Experiential Hospitality.”
Many of these businesses also provide additional facilities and services for their guests that help transform “a clean comfortable room” – and often some form of breakfast – into an awesome experience that their guests will remember for a lifetime. Those same service and facilities also provide additional revenue opportunities for the business – here are just a few of the things we’ve seen recently:
Spas
There are countless ways to experience the peace and relaxation of therapeutic massage and other spa services at bed and breakfast inns. Some properties will offer in-room services, others will have one or two dedicated treatment rooms, and some will even have separate, stand-alone facilities with all of the amenities one can imagine for a full day of pampering. This also represents one of the more profitable extras that lodging properties can offer to their guests.
Wedding Venues
Destination weddings and elopements are another popular service offered by many boutique lodging properties. These can range from a simple ceremony for two in a private garden to hosting large and elaborate gatherings in a dedicated facility…it all depends on the types of experiences that you want to offer your guests. They also represent another excellent way to generate extra revenue.
Event & Meeting Spaces
Similar to weddings, events and meetings are also a good way to attract overnight guests to those facilities that have larger gathering spaces. There are a number of retreat organizers that are constantly on the lookout for new and alternative venues.
Adventures
Adventure tourism and immersive experiences are some of the fastest growing segments of the travel and leisure marketplace. Agri- and Eco-tourism have taken off in European markets and are now becoming more popular here in the US as well. Glamping and dude ranches combine lodging with additional activities that are often purchased as a complete package, while rental cabins and lodges often offer additional products or services as high-margin à la carte add-ons.
Wineries & Breweries
There are a growing number of hospitality properties that are co-located with wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Sometimes they are independent businesses, others are fully integrated into the production facilities. Often they offer tours, classes, and of course, samples!
Restaurants
The Country Inn (as they were once called) is still a popular option, particularly in more rural environments where dining options can be limited. Sometimes the food service facilities are leased to restaurateurs, other times they are integrated more closely with lodging operations – even to the point of offering in-room dining like full-service resort hotels. Staffing is key to efficiently managing these types of operations.
