Use of kitchen in a B&B

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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

I completely agree with Nemo - like her I'm not here very often these days but when I do pop in and find the same old same old stuff going on I'm afraid I just sigh and get ready to go again. There's a difference between stereotyping and gentle comments on how different people from different countries are from each other. What I see on here is the latter, which is useful and a way of helping people to be welcoming to people of different nationalities.

On the kitchen issue, I do believe that times have changed and to attract B&B guests these days - apart from single nighters - it's necessary to offer some means for them to make drinks and put together simple meals. I say that as someone who did B&B and then chambres d'hôtes for 18 years in total, during which time we saw habits and expectations change. And mine have changed too - I'll now never stay anywhere where I can't cobble together something to eat and drink for longer than a single night. I can't afford to eat out every night - nor do I want to as I can't often eat in a restaurant the kind of food that I cook for myself and keeps me healthy and happy.

We created a summer kitchen for our cdh guests, which was very much appreciated. The average length of stay doubled from 3 nights to 6 or 7, so it was completely worthwhile and so appreciated by our guests.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Sam V wrote: I like a cup of coffee when I wake up. Sorry to offend
I am deeply offended Sam!
It's tea for me. Milk, no sugar.
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Ecosse
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Post by Ecosse »

COYS wrote:
Sam V wrote: I like a cup of coffee when I wake up. Sorry to offend
I am deeply offended Sam!
It's tea for me. Milk, no sugar.
How dare you, Coys. I am so offended... NO milk!! :D

On a more practical note, by having a kitchen, we're the only local B&B that is (nearly) full during the low season, so if you can (and I get that it's not possible in every establishment), I would recommend installing a wee kitchen.

Furthermore, twice this week, we had guests wishing to boil a kettle, or use their espresso machine in their room. I 'get' it - on our last hotel trip, we found no kettle in our room, so we went out and bought one so I could enjoy my nightly 8 cups of tea, but unlike the melamine-encased hotel room we stayed in, our gite is all old Savoyard wood, which marks easily. Had we not had a kitchen, I would have felt awkward asking our guests not to use their appliances in their rooms, but with the kitchen, I could direct them to a more suitable location without causing offence.
Pirou
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Post by Pirou »

casasantoestevo wrote:Ever considered that maybe people who have your problems are not the same for everyone? It is the same as classing everyone from a country into the little boxes. It is like saying if you drive such and such a brand of car your are a certain character. A really futile exercise.
I think this is all going a bit twilight zone now. If I'm understanding that point and reading back, I'm pretty sure it was clear that I spoke for myself and my routines while pointing out I was not unusual. I stand by that.

I'm happy to agree that pigeon-holing is a really futile exercise but you do realise don't you that this :
casasantoestevo wrote:We have excellent beds and we have never had someone waking up at that sort of time. This is a relax and rest location not time to get up for work one.
- is pushing all your guests into one, over-crowded pigeon-hole. So you are doing exactly what you accuse others of.

And that said, that's me done with this topic except to say that French Cricket, I wanted to mention you with Nemo yesterday as a Hatter whose opinions I trust and actually aspire to be :oops: (then I thought it was unfair as there are lots of other quality Hatters too). But since you are here I will take the opportunity to say when I was delving into the mists of L M H a few years ago, I found one of your posts which said how the best hosts have a generosity of spirit towards their guests. That phrase really struck a chord with me when I read it. It has stuck with me because I printed it out stuck it on the base of my screen. And your website is one of the best I've seen.

And now I'm gone. (Only from this topic, not L M H!!)
Tournesol
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Use of kitchen in B & B

Post by Tournesol »

So far (our first season) we have only had on-nighters so not really an issue. I myself wouldn't stay anywhere without tea-making facilities, I must admit, so we have put those in both rooms. We are on a tight budget so the only coffee maker is in the dining room for them to help themselves, with instant sachets of ccappuccino and hot chocolate along with the teabags and tisanes in their rooms. I have handed them cold-from-the-fridge bottled water when they arrive and explained that the kettle can be filled from the bathroom.

Regarding stereotyping/pigeonholing, I asked our first French guest what French people usually like for breakfast and she surprised me by saying they mostly prefer their croissants/pain au chocolat cold, when I had been thinking I would naturally strive to have them just out of the oven when they come down for breakfast!

We are on the lookout for a cheap fridge to put on the landing that guests can get milk from or store anything they have with them as most seem to be on a stopover from a long car journey. At the moment we will store their food for onward journey in our second fridge in the garage and also freeze their ice blocks for them.

We also offer a simple evening meal so they can either eat in with us or spend a little more at a local restaurant.

So far so good, but kind of dreading a July booking for one night with 5 people in one room and 2 in the other. Hoping to be honest that they don't all ask for an evening meal and a cooked breakfast! :lol:
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Cassis
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Post by Cassis »

Some, but not many, chambres d'hôtes offer kitchen facilities, or a "coin cuisine". Most don't have the room for it even if they wanted to.

Maybe some people would like a kitchen to use, but as a guest I wouldn't want the smell and mess of somebody else's food wafting around the guest areas or my bedroom.

We've a guest sitting room with tea & coffee facilities, and that's it. Nobody is allowed in the kitchen, but we'll put stuff in the fridge and swap ice blocks if people want, and we'll provide cutlery, cutting boards etc. for picnics.

People are welcome to use the terraces, gardens and summer house for picnics but we don't provide barbecues - it's a chambre d'hôte, not a gîte, and in all our time here only ONE set of guests have asked for a BBQ. It was a group in our first year, and the mess and hassle was so bad that we decided not to allow it again.

This is what works for us, other people will do it differently. There's no "one size fits all" answer to the question, you do what suits you. Your house, your rules. :)
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