What should a new bed and breakfast owner do in the first months?

A bed and breakfast is sold with a house, a routine and a reputation, and guests often book because of the hosts. When the hosts change, guests notice. The first months are about earning the same trust the previous owners had, while you learn how the place actually runs from morning to night.

Honour the bookings already made

Get the booking calendar, the deposits taken and the details of each reservation at closing. Guests who booked the previous hosts still expect the room, the rate and the stay they were promised. Contact them in your first week, introduce yourself and confirm the details. Check with your lawyer how deposits were handled in the sale.

Keep the breakfast and house routine

Breakfast is the product. Ask the previous hosts for the menu, the dietary requests on file and the suppliers they used. Keep serving the same way until you understand what guests praise. Then change one thing at a time. The same goes for check-in times, the guest book and the small touches people mention.

Answer reviews that name the old hosts

Past reviews will mention people who no longer run the place. Reply to new reviews politely and by name, and do not dispute older ones. If a booking site lists the property under the previous hosts, ask the site how to move the account, and keep the listing active during the change.

Learn the seasons before you change anything

Keep notes on which weeks fill, which rooms guests ask for and when you most need help. After a full year you can decide about renovations, rates or new services with your own evidence instead of guesses. Take a break when the calendar allows, because hosting is tiring.