Find product ratings from the leading product testing organization and magazine, Consumer Reports. This is a pay site, with some limited reports available free. Good Housekeeping Institute Like Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping tests products, and reports their results in easy to read buying guides. Products such as camcorders, microwaves, and vacuums are tested. ConsumerGuide to Shopping ConsumerGuide provides product reviews, specifications, and gives you an idea of a "best buy" price for many items. Also included are new and used cars. Product Reviews, Comparison Price Shopping Services Consumer World has a whole separate section to help you find the best products at the lowest prices. Price Check will automatically visit several online discount stores and report back the price it finds at each store for the item you enter. ConsumerReview Read reviews written by consumers in major product categories such as audio, auto, photography, computers, computer games, and more.
Guest houses and Bed & Breakfasts can be extremely profitable small businesses if you impress your guests and acquire loyal, returning customers. Many guests choose B&B’s due to their cosy and welcoming feeling which is often lost on large hotels. If you feel your guest house could be cosier this winter here are a few tips on how to create the homely feel which guests simply can’t resist.First impressions count, and if you’re not fully booked an inviting entrance hall and exterior can attract last minute customers. If you have a sign always make sure it’s accurate in displaying whether you have vacancies or not. Passers-by are unlikely to come in if you have your “no vacancies” sign displaying which could lose you potential custom if you do actually have vacancies. Simply maintaining the garden to ensure it’s neat and tidy as this shows to your guests that you take pride in your guesthouse and the interior is likely to be as well-kept. Webcast, March 15th: How to Scale Upmarket with Enterprise Field Sales
Basic cleanliness may seem like a patronising tip for guest house owners, yet many hotels fall below an acceptable standard for guests. Clean, high quality hotel bedding is a necessity as comfort should be at the forefront of your B&B’s aim. Never forget the small things which need cleaning, grime around skirting boards and architraves can be easily forgotten but easily spotted by your guests. Make sure everything’s pristine and make a checklist if it helps you to remember every single aspect of the room which needs cleaning.Add a touch of luxury to your B&B rooms by laying out dressing gowns, towels and slippers for your guests. Small gestures show your guests that you care about them staying and can make them feel extremely welcome.Excellent customer service is essential, particularly in guest houses, small hotel and B&Bs. Many guests choose these options because they enjoy the personal service and often enjoy liaising with the small team of staff. Always show interest in your guests’ lives – you could ask them what they’ve been doing and what brings them to the area.
Offering tourist advice to them is a nice touch as you’ll more than likely be well acquainted with the area – have maps available on request too. If you make your guests feel at home they’re more likely to return in the future.Online exposure for your new business is essential. In order to continually increase your customer numbers, you will need to make more people aware of your new guesthouse. Using social media to promote your business can really help to spread the word of your new, luxurious B&B. Hosting competitions online can help to gain more fans and followers for your Twitter and Facebook profiles. Once you have a fan-base, engage with them to sustain their interest and post any news and events which are to take place at your guesthouse. Address your guests/potential customers personally to show you take great interest in your guests.Your main aim should be to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable in their stay. If you have good food, cleanliness and service standards you’re more likely to get returning customers.
Remember – the customer’s always right!This article was written for Business 2 Community by Stephanie Staszko. Learn more about writing for B2C. Despite what you might think, you don't have to spend a fortune to stay at a four-star hotel. A little legwork can score you cheap deals, whether you're staying at a luxury resort, bed and breakfast, or run-of-the-mill hotel or motel.With the following tips, you and your companions can trim hotel costs and enjoy a delightful getaway without breaking the bank. 30 year fixed refi 15 year fixed refi 10 year fixed refi 60 month used car loan 48 month used car loan 60 month new car loan 5 worst indoor remodels for the money5 dirt-cheap home-staging ideas6 best home fixes for the money8 fantasy island homes for saleGet the 411 on VA loans 4 of the most expensive homes for saleWealth of 8 original 'Star Wars' actors10 major retailers closing stores in 201710 countries with weird travel laws6 things the home inspector is looking for
Company is coming, and the mattress in the guest room is old and lumpy. You want to replace it fast without spending a lot on a bed that will be slept in only occasionally. And while you're persnickety about your own mattress, you might be less choosy when buying one for a guest room as long as it's comfortable for most sleeping styles and doesn't bounce your guests awake when one of them turns over. Here are the best mattresses for guest rooms from Consumer Reports' tests. All prices are for queen-size mattresses and don’t include the box spring or foundation. Innerspring from Denver Mattress Be forewarned that if you buy this mattress your guests may never leave. Take a look at the Denver Mattress Doctor's Choice, just $500. Many innersprings in our tests offer equal support for the side and back, but that support is often mediocre. This mattress is the exception. We judged its support for both side and back sleepers to be impressive, and it aced our durability test as well.
The company has 90 locations in 30 states. Memory Foam from Costco Costco’s Novaform 14-inch Serafina Pearl Gel mattress is infused with gel beads and was impressive for both back and side support. And at $800, it’s worth considering. The mattress comes folded in a box, but if you need to return it, getting it back into the box isn’t required because Costco has a generous return policy. At Sam’s Club, Memory Foam for Less Sam’s Club’s Night Therapy 12-inch Euro Box Top Spring mattress was very good for side sleepers but only so-so for back support, but its $248 price is attractive. The mattress was also very good at muting vibrations when someone shifts in bed, and it showed little wear after eight years of simulated use. See our mattress ratings and our survey-based ratings of mattress stores and brands. Our mattress buying guide is full of shopping tips, including how to get the best deal. A Sensation from Walmart Decent back support from a $360 mattress?
After the price for the Spa Sensations 10-inch Memory Foam SPA-1000Q, that’s more good news. Side support was only so-so, but at this price you could do worse. Where this one disappoints is in how hard visitors might find it to change positions due to that sinking feeling common with some foam beds, including this one, which you can find at Walmart. Sleep Number Has Your Number You don’t have to pay thousands for an adjustable-air mattress to get impressive side support and even better back support. The pricier Sleep Number i8 bed, $3,000, edged out the $800 Sleep Number c2 bed in overall performance, but you’ll pay $2,200 less without a noticeable difference in support. Trying the bed before buying will tell you if the thinner foam layer of this mattress might be less comfortable for guests. Simple Solutions from Ikea Ikea has two affordable foam mattresses that are worth a look. The Ikea Myrbacka, $550, rated very good for petite people whether they sleep on their side or back but only so-so for larger people.