Insufficient research is one major contributor to business failure. Your B&B dream is only the first step toward your business. You need to conduct lots of research before putting any significant money into a B&B. You will learn about the ups and downs, what rules the government will enforce, your customers, how to find professionals and suppliers, and how to come up with interesting marketing ideas. Conduct your research near and far. I’ve seen a lot of innkeepers lose their inns and their retirement savings because they didn’t do enough research before starting their businesses.
Do research on your market niche and target audience to see if your idea is solid and meets a need, or if it’s just an illusion (an idea that doesn’t have a time yet). Also accommodate your personal needs in your B&B concept. Think about what you need in a community: grocery stores, schools, movie theaters (and other types), bowling alleys, discount stores, and people. What keeps you ticking? Answers to these questions shape your location options. Analyze uncontrollable environmental factors which include:
Why you should do market research before you buy your B For your bed and breakfast research, interview questions will cover business issues, the type of guests who stay there, where they come from, marketing, income sources, rules, costs, upkeep, and how happy the innkeeper is with the business. I’m going to provide sample questions from each area for the purpose of this article. Getting a Handle on the Nuances of Implementing Your Idea, an ebook, has a longer list of questions that you might want to ask.
Some questions you are going to ask will be just of the selling innkeeper. Others, on the other hand, can be asked of a variety of people in the community. Here are some of the questions to ask in a broader scope than just the inn. Of course asking the innkeeper these questions will provide valuable information too.
Questions that are generally able to be answered only by the selling innkeeper are more B&B specific. Here are some sample questions for that line of questioning.
Strive to develop questions that are open-ended to illicit long, informative answers. There’s often more to the answer than just words, so pay close attention as it’s given. Closed-ended questions are good for getting facts, and you might want to ask the same question in different ways to see what you can learn.
Always ask the person you are talking to when the best time to interview them is. Offer to take them out for coffee or lunch. Be sensitive to office hours and any conflict of interest your interview might have. Ask if you can record the interview; don’t just assume it’s ok. Stay focused, but don’t forget the human interaction and have fun.
Your questions can get answers from people, but also resources. The library and internet are two good sources, but don’t stop there. Talk to B&B associations, hospitality research firms, and other lodging properties.
Conducting research and asking lots of questions will contribute to the success of your bed and breakfast. Learn to ask not only the easy questions, but difficult interview questions ones too. You may be glad you did.
Interviewing for an innkeeper position? As the face of hospitality for a hotel or bed and breakfast, you’ll need to demonstrate your customer service skills business savvy, and ability to gracefully handle any curveballs tossed your way. While every innkeeper interview will be unique, there are some common questions you’re likely to encounter. Let’s look at the key questions hiring managers ask aspiring innkeepers along with tips for crafting winning responses.
Why Do You Want to Be An Innkeeper?
This open-ended question allows you to share what drew you to this hospitality-focused role Interviewers want to understand your motivations and passion for the job,
In your response, speak to:
- Your enthusiasm for hospitality and helping travelers feel at home
- Aspects of the innkeeper role that appeal to you (e.g. customer service, operational management, creating memorable experiences)
- Specific skills and strengths you hope to apply as an innkeeper
Frame your answer around your genuine interest in the position. Tell us about any stories or events that made you want to become an innkeeper. Convey your people-focused attitude and service mentality.
How Would You Handle an Irate or Difficult Guest?
Inevitably, even the best innkeepers will encounter challenging guests. Interviewers want to see how you’d maintain professionalism and resolve issues during stressful guest interactions.
In your answer, highlight your customer service skills:
- Stay calm and listen carefully to fully understand the guest’s concerns
- Express empathy while apologizing for any inconvenience caused
- Clarify the situation and offer solutions tailored to the guest’s complaint
- Follow up to ensure the guest feels satisfied with the resolution
Convey your ability to de-escalate tensions and transform disgruntled guests into satisfied customers. Share examples of how you’ve tactfully handled difficult situations in past hospitality or customer-facing roles.
What Are Your Strengths as an Innkeeper?
This question lets you show off your best hard and soft skills that are relevant to the job. Proactively articulate the value you’d bring to the inn.
Skills to mention can include:
- Communication abilities – you’re personable, friendly, and a skilled active listener
- Multi-tasking and time management strengths to juggle various duties
- Attention to detail regarding guest preferences and high service standards
- Problem-solving abilities to think quickly and resolve any issues
- Leadership and teamwork skills to motivate staff and foster collaboration
Back up your stated strengths with specific examples. You might share how you built rapport with guests at your previous job or improved processes to streamline inn operations.
How Do You Handle Guest Complaints and Requests?
Innkeepers need to be flexible and willing to accommodate guest requests whenever possible. This question tests how you balance hospitality best practices with the feasibility of specific asks.
In your answer, speak to:
- The importance of listening to understand the root of the guest’s complaint or request
- Making the guest feel heard and valued, even if you can’t meet the request
- Aiming to find a solution or alternative that satisfies the guest
- Knowing when to involve management if a request is unrealistic or unwise
Provide examples of how you’ve gracefully handled unique or difficult guest requests. Demonstrate your commitment to finding a “win-win” whenever possible.
What Strategies Would You Use to Increase Bookings During Slow Seasons?
Running an inn often means coping with predictable ebbs and flows in occupancy rates throughout the year. Interviewers want to know how you’d creatively attract guests even during typically slow periods.
Discuss initiatives like:
- Dynamic pricing structures to incentivize booking during off-peak times
- Targeted marketing campaigns and seasonal packages or promotions
- Partnerships with local attractions, restaurants, or event spaces to boost interest
- Focusing on excellent customer service to encourage repeat visits and referrals
Back up your strategy with examples of successful initiatives you’ve implemented in past hospitality roles. Highlight any data demonstrating the impact of your efforts.
How Do You Prioritize When Handling Multiple Guest Requests?
Juggling the needs of multiple guests while managing daily operations is par for the course as an innkeeper. This question reveals your ability to multitask and make sound judgement calls.
In your response, convey that you:
- Assess urgency and potential guest dissatisfaction to prioritize critical requests
- delegate less time-sensitive tasks to staff
- Track all guest requests to ensure timely follow-through
- Check in frequently with guests to manage expectations and update status
Providing an example of a time you successfully prioritized multiple competing tasks can back up your approach.
How Do You Resolve Conflicts Between Staff Members?
Innkeepers often serve as de facto HR managers, handling any interpersonal issues that pop up amongst staff. Interviewers are gauging your conflict management and leadership skills with this question.
In your response, share how you would:
- Have one-on-one conversations to understand all perspectives of the conflict
- Remain objective and refrain from assigning blame
- Find solutions that satisfy all parties and avoid future conflicts
- Monitor the situation and check in with involved staff periodically
Highlight any successful conflict mediation examples from previous team management experience. Position yourself as an approachable but fair leader.
How Do You Handle the Pressure of Peak Seasons?
From summer tourism season to holidays, innkeepers need to operate smoothly and provide exemplary service even during their busiest times. Interviewers want to confirm you can handle the stress and workload during rush periods.
Discuss strategies like:
- Planning ahead for staffing needs to ensure sufficient coverage
- Creating checklists and tracking systems to stay organized
- Focusing on efficiency without compromising hospitality
- Proactively communicating with guests about high volume
- Implementing stress management techniques for yourself and team
Convey your experience thriving under pressure in past roles. Share examples of how you encouraged staff morale and maintained standards during past busy periods.
What Are Some Innovations You’d Make as Innkeeper?
Today’s travelers have high expectations shaped by leading hospitality brands. Interviewers want to know how you’d take a fresh approach to delighting guests.
Possible innovations you could suggest include:
- Leveraging technology to streamline booking and communications
- Curating local experiences and partnerships to deepen guest engagement
- Refreshing room décor or amenities to align with current tastes
- Creating customized guest packages based on occasion or interests
- Updating sustainability practices to reduce the inn’s environmental impact
When suggesting innovations, keep feasibility in mind, and tie ideas back to how they’d improve hospitality and satisfaction. Share how you’ve pioneered impactful changes in past roles.
How Do You Manage Inventory and Supplies?
While not the most glamorous duty, inventory management is a key part of running an efficient inn operation. Interviewers want to understand your process for tracking and replenishing essential supplies.
Discuss tactics like:
- Maintaining a detailed inventory management system
- Monitoring consumption rates and setting par levels for reorders
- Using FIFO (first-in, first-out) to optimize food and beverage inventory
- Implementing eco-friendly practices like buying in bulk and reducing waste
- Partnering with reliable local vendors to ensure consistent supply
Convey your diligence, organization, and business acumen. Share related successes from past innkeeping, restaurant, or retail roles.
How Do You Handle Emergencies or Crises?
While you hope to avoid them, crises are an inevitable part of innkeeping. Interviewers want to confirm you can respond swiftly and professionally when emergencies occur.
Highlight how you would:
- Remain calm and quickly implement emergency response plans
- Prioritize guest and staff safety above all else
- Proactively communicate to keep all stakeholders informed
- Work swiftly to resolve the issue and restore normal operations
- Analyze the incident afterwards to identify process improvements
Providing an example of how you managed a past crisis or emergency can demonstrate your preparedness. Focus on the organized, collaborative approach you took.
What Skills From Your Past Roles Make You Qualified as an Innkeeper?
This open-ended question allows you to make connections between your past experience and the innkeeper role. Pick 2-3 of your strongest qualifications and skills to highlight.
Relevant experiences can include:
- Customer service skills honed in past hospitality roles
- Event planning or coordination experience
- Team leadership and management abilities
- Operations, budgeting, or inventory management knowledge
- Marketing campaign development and execution
Tie each qualification back to how it would enable you to thrive as an innkeeper. Provide examples of major achievements or contributions from related roles.
Do You Have Any Questions for Me?
Never let an interview conclude without asking 1-2 thoughtful questions. This demonstrates your engagement and interest in the role.
Smart questions to consider include:
- What hospitality philosophy or values guide your inn?
- How is performance measured and success defined for innkeepers here?
- What training and onboarding support is provided for new hires?
- What opportunities
Top 7 Premier Inn Interview Questions and Answers
FAQ
What traits does an innkeeper need?
What are the duties of an innkeeper?
What does it take to be an innkeeper?
What does an assistant innkeeper do?
What does an innkeeper do?
Stepping into the role of an Innkeeper is like becoming a master of hospitality. You’re not just overseeing the operations of an inn, you’re creating memorable experiences for your guests. Your ability to juggle everything from reservations and customer service to managing staff and maintaining facilities will be key in this role.
What do interviewers ask a storekeeper?
Interviewers ask this question to gauge your understanding of the role and to assess whether you possess the necessary attributes, such as attention to detail, strong organization, multitasking, effective communication, and problem-solving abilities, all of which are vital to thriving in a storekeeping position.
What do Interviewers look for in an inn manager?
The interviewer wants to assess your ability to maintain this high level of service amid the hustle and bustle of managing the inn. Additionally, it gives them insight into your organizational skills and your ability to multitask without compromising on the quality of service.
How do you answer a housekeeper interview question?
In this video, Holl, a career coach at Indeed, explains how to best answer the tricky interview question, “Tell me about yourself.” When an individual or company is hiring for a housekeeper position, interview questions tend to focus on determining a candidate’s work ethic, ability to follow instructions and necessary skill levels.
