Own a hotel in Blackpool? In this time of a recession, it is more crucial than ever to tighten your belts, so read out top 10 tips on saving money as a hotelier.

Our recommended top ten tips to save money as a hotelier;

Consider buying a garbage disposal unit (also known as a waste disposal unit) for the sink to reduce purchasing bin bags from the council. Switch radiators off in the rooms where guests are not staying. Put a polite sign up asking guests to turn off electrical equipment including the main light when leaving the rooms. Install an integrated keycard system for the door locks and electrical equipment, automatically turning off all electrical equipment when the guest leaves the room. Ask guests to reuse towels as they would at home thus saving the environment. Put an online booking system on your website. Use a free service such as the Hotel Services System with no commissions or upfront costs. Cook breakfast to order, minimising food wastage. If running a small hotel, don’t do it all yourself. Employ staff so you have time to concentrate on advertising, and selling more rooms. Make sure the building has energy light bulbs, timers on hallway lights, loft & cavity insulation, double or triple glazing, energy efficient boiler and radiators. Shop around for your stock. The trade suppliers are not often the cheapest, and the chain supermarkets can be better for low volume alcohol especially when deals are on.

We are planning on another top 10 tips next week if this article proves popular, so please leave some feedback or recommendations.

The Blackpool Hotel industry is under fire at the moment with proposed changes to redevelop areas of Blackpool. If approved, roads such as Crystal road and Shaw road in South Shore Blackpool will be demolished and the area re-classified for new businesses or housing. Why are the Blackpool Council shooting themselves in the foot by reducing the town’s capacity for guests?

Well we are no longer in the 1950’s and people do not rent swimming costumes on the promenade anymore. Instead, we have families coming for a day trip or a short break and the volume of holiday makers, although high in numbers against other resort towns, does not warrant the large number of hotels (which run into the thousands!) that Blackpool has on its books.

Why some hotels and not others? Unfortunately, the council cannot change its mind because one hotel on that street decides to stay and is doing a storming trade. Hopefully if the system is fair, they will usually receive a more than fair offer leaving the owners to consider their future about possibly buying another hotel.

For the visitors of Blackpool, the downside is that they will be exposed to continuing development of buildings, sea defences, road layouts for the foreseeable future, but as they walk around the corner, hopefully they will appreciate a new completed structure in front of them.

I would argue with anyone who says that Blackpool does not need this work. To be honest I would love to know where the money has been spent by the council since the boom years of the 50’s. Why is our comparable sister Brighton not in the same position as us? We can’t put it down to the fact that Brighton is closer to London alone?

The website for Reblackpool is designed to explain the various development stages that are in place. For sure some Blackpool Hotels will be closed down and new ones opened increasing the competition, however what it should do is bring an extra boost in trade as new developments entice businesses, new events and new types of guests as well as cater for the existing ones.

Hoteliers that are in the mind set that this should not happen I would love to discuss with, as what is the alternative?

The options you have available include;

1. Hosting your own system remotely.

2. Hosting your own system locally.

3. Using a hosting provider remotely.

4. Using a 3rd party system.

These may seem complicated but to explain;

Option 1. This is a product you host usually in the same place as your website (but doesn’t have to be). For this you usually need a web host that provides a database service. The most common products use MySQL and will require some technical knowledge to implement. There are free systems available but unless you are very familiar with databases and IT in general, be careful as you will likely not have technical support from the producers. Also note that it is recommended that you get an SSL certificate if you plan on taking credit cards.

Option 2. This is an old fashioned type of system and not recommended. The booking system is installed on a PC in your hotel which is connected to the Internet. The downside to this system is that you need to leave your machine switched on 24/7 and have an active and quick connection to the Internet. Again you may need an SSL certificate.

Option 3. These are companies that host the system for you and take away the technical questions you may have from the options above. The downsides are that you have no control over the company running the service and the cost to use the service. You may also be limited on the look and feel of the booking system.

Option 4. These are an availability calendar installed on your website which links through to your availability on another website. The advantage to this system is that you have availability linked in two places at once, meaning that you have one less system to update. The downside can be the cost. Some providers charge 6% for every booking you make on your own website, plus extra if they sell through other on line providers. There are some free providers again out there so do your research to see if they suit your needs. Note, again you maybe limited on the look and feel.

This is only really a taste about this subject but it really requires that you speak with a professional to get some impartial advice.

The look of the furniture and fittings in your hotel is extremely important. These furnishings give your hotel a grand look and are the focus of your guests attention. People stay in hotels that look nice, offer sophistication, and are extremely comfortable, otherwise, they usually turn around and leave. Hotel Furniture is the basis of a hotel’s reputation, it gives your guests their first impression, and is usually a glimpse of what they believe the service is going to be like. Guests already have an image of what Hotel furniture is supposed to be like for hospitality area, sleeping areas, living quarters and lodging. Hotel furniture is constructed with the highest quality materials like hardwood and sturdy metal that provides durability, but also materials that appear luxurious and elegant. The designs for hotel furniture vary from contemporary to the traditional and trendy, unique styles. This furniture is mostly made of out of high quality wood like cherry, oak, walnut, mahogany, maple and other exotic woods. The finish of the woods, metals, upholstery, leather, wrought iron, glass, Formica, and high pressure laminates depends on what the hotel furniture requirements are.

The Hotel business is a commercial business, and customers range from executives. top business class people, to families on vacation. To suit guests’ specifications and tastes the furnishings in the hotel need to be designed to their need. Richness and sophistication provides a warm welcome to the entrance and reception area of the hotel. Furniture forms the major asset for the hotel and the selection of hotel furniture should be made according to that.

Returning guests to a hotel, usually are returning because they prefer the design of that hotel furniture. Hotel furniture is designed to be profitable for the hotel and is designed according to the specifications offered by the buyer. Hotel furniture includes armoires, dressing tables, head boards, night tables, mirrors, desks, drawers, beds, sofas, restaurant furniture, bar furniture, patio furniture and tables and they are specifically designed to suit the needs of the design professionals, hotel operators and hotel owners. Hotel furniture is made specifically with the quality, craftsmanship and durability that the hotel industry needs, as well as at the price that the hotel industry needs. The hotel furniture you choose will depend on the size of the hotel furniture requirements, the manufacturers you want, and what you need to do to satisfy the needs of your clients.

Some manufacturers provide some of the finest quality materials at an unbeatable price and they build the furniture according to the needs of the buyers. The manufacturers design the hotel furniture to match the style preferred by the hotel and ultimately their guests. These manufacturers usually design hotel furniture for profit and also provide discounts among the customers to attract bulk orders.

Purchasing of furniture is the most important, or one of the most important things to think of when in the hotel business, and because of its importance, you should probably hire a professional designer to help give you the look you want. . Hotel furniture is a heavy investment and that’s just another reason that the decision should be made carefully by the hotel owners. After all this furniture is what will increase your hotel profit in the long run. Purchasing furniture that is not suitable for the hotel or that is not well made, is a waste of time and money. When shopping for hotel furniture, you should get a perfect balance between the form and function. Physical appearance is the most important aspect in the purchase of hotel furniture, but you can’t forget about comfort either. Comfort is also extremely important when buying hotel furniture.

Hotel furniture is designed to make a profit for the hotel owner, and some of the important guidelines in the purchase of the furniture is listed below.

* Hotel furniture is a significant physical appearance of the hotel, and one of the main reasons why guests continue to return. Therefore, the purchase of furniture should be made to attract customers’ attention. This furniture should provide satisfaction and comfort to the guests.

* The purchase of your hotel furniture should be based on your theme and style of the hotel and that style should be at the very top of your list when buying hotel furniture. Since furniture investment is heavy, you need to take your time in making the right decision.

* Designing hotel furniture for profit includes changing the look of the hotel into traditional, classic and into the latest trendiest style.

* Extensive demographic research should be done on the type of customers visiting your area and hence your hotel and the hotel furniture should be selected based on this specification.

* The guests and visitors of the hotel should be provided with the utmost comfort and care. The needs of the customers should be put above everything else and so the hotel furniture should be designed with this guideline in mind..

* The rooms of the hotel are constructed differently. For example single bedroom, double bedroom and master bedroom. The hotel furniture should serve the distinct purposes. They should also provide comfort and elegance to the customers.

* The hotel furniture should be designed with quality in mind, and the investment should only be made in high quality furniture from reputable manufacturers, who provide a guarantee, durability and flexibility.

Hotel furniture plays an absolutely essential role in the overall physical appearance of the hotel and presents the foundation of quality services offered by the hotel. Purchasing of the best and ideal hotel furniture is a crucial factor in the success of the hotel business.

So in conclusion, this is the area that you want to take great care in, choose the right furniture and your new hotel will be a success, but choose the wrong furniture and your hotel will be a total failure. This is something you really want to be careful about, and be a part of the decision every step of the way.