Forget the doilies, nets and crinoline lamps of yesteryear, the B&B is enjoying a renaissance in 2015 thanks to a combination of soaring staycation figures, the popularity of hit TV show 'Four in a Bed' and the rise of Airbnb.
Home and Garden on Female First
To help aspiring B&B-ers get their spare room ready for paying guests, online marketplace eBay.co.uk has teamed up with Rhona Meehan, owner of 5 star Scottish B&B Ayrs and Graces, to provide some top tips.
eBay.co.uk and Rhona have put together some top tips to inspire budding bnbers looking to transform their spare room:
- Have an up-to-date list or inventory so you can replace linen and towels regularly, eBay.co.uk stocks over 250,000 towels including those you can personalise.
- Give guests cold drinks and nibbles on arrival, so make sure you have a fully stocked fridge before they arrive.
- Invest in quality glassware and crockery (Rhona loves Waterford Crystal and Denby). Always hand-wash glasses as they will look their best for much longer.
- Create an ambience with scented candles.
- The bathroom must have a plentiful stock of quality toiletries. Rhona's top pick is Molton Brown hand-wash and hand cream.
- Make sure bedrooms have quality white linens. High thread count sheets, fluffy towels and robes are the way forward.
- Invest in a decent iron. Rhona uses a Tefal Aquaspeed iron which saves time when you have a lot of laundry.
- Good knives, a large toaster, and quality non-stick pans are all necessary to ensure breakfast can be kicked off without a glitch. When it comes to cookware, Rhona opts for solid products due to their longevity.
- Make sure your guests feel safe and secure and invest in a safe in their bedrooms eBay.co.uk has more than 5000 currently on site.
- Enjoy looking at what your guests feel the 'best bits' of their stays were and invest in a guest book, eBay.co.uk sells 12 every hour.