I’ve just read an article, published by the BBC, about travellers increasingly choosing to return to the same places again and again.

Instead of trying out new destinations, many travellers are finding comfort in returning to the same places, knowing what to expect, feeling safe, and being confident they will enjoy their stay.

This could be great news to B&B owners!

As a former B&B owner, I used to love welcoming repeat guests. Around 70% of my bookings came from guests who had stayed with us before, which told me a lot about what people really value from a bed and breakfast stay.

In this post, I’ll look at why repeat guests matter so much to B&B owners, and share some practical ways to improve your chances of guests returning.

Why people like to return to the same B&B and holiday destination

The article described people returning to the same towns, cafés and hotels year after year because familiarity removes effort and uncertainty.
In a bed and breakfast, that usually shows up in very practical ways.

Guests:

• book the same room
• come back at the same time each year
• already know how breakfast works
• know where to park
• and feel relaxed from the moment they arrive

They are not avoiding new experiences. They are choosing a stay that feels simple and predictable. And for many guests, that is a huge part of the appeal of staying in a small, independent bed and breakfast.

Why repeat guests mattered so much to me as a B&B owner

When I was running my B&B, I genuinely loved seeing familiar names appear in the booking system.

Even after 17 years of running a B&B I’d get a bit nervous when a new guest booked in. Would it meet their expectations? Would these be the demanding guests that left a bad review?

Repeat guests made the whole stay that much more relaxing. Guests knew exactly what to expect and I usually had a good idea of what mattered to them before they even arrived - I usually knew exactly what time they’d arrive and what they’d order for breakfast!

And my relationship with them was already in place. As an introvert, it took a lot out of me, especially in the busiest season, welcoming complete strangers into my home and getting to know them. You may be thinking what on earth was I doing running a B&B when I was introvert - I have a blog post all about that >> Can you run a B&B if you're an introvert?

Attracting new guests to your B&B is not cheap. If you’re using the online travel agencies such as BOOKING.COM, you’ll be paying a hefty commission for each guest that books with you.
Repeat guests will hopefully, although it’s not always the case, book direct with you, saving you commission and allowing you to reduce your bed and breakfast marketing costs.

Why guests choose the same B&B again

The article I read made a simple but important point:

When people feel overwhelmed in everyday life, they look for places that feel safe and easy.

That applies perfectly to small accommodation.

Your guests are not only booking a bed for the night. They are booking reassurance, familiarity and a break from decision-making.

That is why the unglamorous parts of running a B&B really matter:

• clear arrival and parking instructions
• a consistent check-in process
• reliable communication
• and a calm, organised experience

While knowing where to park is not the main reason guests return, it’s one of those small details that reassures them and removes some of the stress around travelling.

The welcoming B&B owner

Of course, with a B&B, I feel one of the most important reasons guests return is the B&B owners themselves.

I was recently reading the reviews of a well-established, highly rated B&B that had been sold. It had a strong level of repeat business and many of the recent reviews were from returning guests, who nearly all mentioned they were a little apprehensive about what the experience would be like with new owners.

Luckily, the previous owners had done a thorough handover and none of the repeat guests were disappointed.

If you’re buying a B&B, it’s important not just to understand how the heating works or what’s served for breakfast, but also the level of customer service the existing owners provide and what your guests’ expectations already are.

What repeat guests actually value in a bed and breakfast

I think if your guests like you, and the welcome they receive, you are already a long way towards turning them into repeat guests.

From running our own B&B, I found that what brought guests back was usually the simple, practical things done well.

In particular, repeat guests value:

• consistent customer service
• problems being dealt with calmly and professionally
• the same standard of room each time
• knowing exactly what to expect at breakfast
• being able to relax into the stay rather than work things out
• and being recognised properly when they return

Those small details build trust.

And trust is what turns a good first stay into repeat business.

How to turn first time B&B guests into repeat guests

I think the key to turning first-time guests into repeat guests is creating a B&B that meets exactly what they’re looking for in a bed and breakfast, and then goes on to exceed their expectations in small ways.

Which is exactly what I cover in the online Complete Bed and Breakfast Course in detail!

The foundations are simple:

• be clear about who your B&B is for
• get all of the basics right - comfy bed, hot water etc.
• set expectations properly before guests arrive
• deliver a calm, organised stay
• Throw in a few unexpected extras - whole lemon drizzle cake and homemade shortbread anyone?
• Get them to opt into your email list
• and make it easy for guests to book direct next time

Marketing to repeat guests

If every guest who said to me, “We love it here and we’ll definitely be back”, had actually returned, I’d have had a full B&B all year round and no need to do any marketing at all!

But people do forget.

We’ve all done it ourselves. We’ve come home from a lovely stay saying, “We’re definitely coming back”, and then life moves on. It isn’t that we didn’t mean it at the time. It’s just that the memory fades and something else catches our attention.

That’s why one of your roles in marketing as a B&B owner is to gently keep reminding guests about the good time they had with you.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s important to encourage guests to join your email list. But it only works if you actually stay in touch.

Your emails shouldn’t just be sales messages. They should reflect what it feels like to stay with you.

In my own newsletters, I would usually start with something simple and personal. A walk down the lane with the dogs and spotting a new patch of snowdrops. A potter around Ludlow followed by coffee and cake at my favourite café. Or a great meal at the local pub.

They acted as gentle reminders of the sorts of things guests had enjoyed during their stay, and why coming back would feel easy and familiar.

You can also use social media to achieve the same thing. Encourage guests to follow you - a link in your email, on your website or a postcard you give them as you leave.

Use your social media to recreate the experience of staying with you, not just one long sales pitch. That walk up the lane, a photo of a great meal at a local pub, or a snapshot of your garden can all remind guests what it feels like to stay with you.

Why consistency beats novelty for repeat guests

It’s easy to feel pressure to keep changing things, such as new décor, new layouts, new breakfast ideas and new processes.

Small improvements are healthy. I used to welcome one set of repeat guests every year who said they loved spotting the little changes I’d made since their last stay. But those changes were always based on guest feedback. For example, I replaced a single coat hook with a row of four to cope with all the different coats people bring that they might need on a British holiday, and I added a footstool to a room after guests said it would make sitting on the sofa more comfortable.

What mattered was that these were thoughtful improvements, not change for the sake of it.

If you’re thinking about making bigger changes to your B&B, put yourself in your repeat guests’ shoes and try to imagine how they might feel about it.

Better still, ask a few of them next time they stay with you.

Repeat guests come back because the experience works. They value reliability and consistent standards far more than novelty.

Helping repeat guests keep their stay feeling special

The BBC article made an interesting point about repeat travel. When people return to the same place again and again, our brains can become less responsive to the same experiences over time. In simple terms, the “reward” feeling can dull slightly if everything is exactly the same on every visit.

That doesn’t mean repeat stays stop being enjoyable. In fact, returning to a place that already feels safe and familiar can still be very relaxing, especially when life feels stressful. Guests are still stepping away from the routines and pressures of everyday life.

What really helps is adding a small sense of variety alongside that familiarity.

For a B&B, this is a simple opportunity.

You can help repeat guests get a fresh experience without changing what already works in your business. You can do this in person, in your email newsletter, or on social media:

• suggesting a different walk, beach or village to visit
• highlighting a new café, pub or restaurant nearby
• mentioning a local event that wasn’t on during their last stay
• or simply asking what they enjoyed most last time and offering a new idea to build on it

Your B&B can stay consistent and reliable, while the days out and experiences around it provide just enough novelty to keep each visit feeling special.

One simple action you can take this month to increase repeat bookings

So what can you do to improve your chances of your guests becoming loyal, repeat fans?

Pick one small, practical thing you can do this month that will directly improve your chances of welcoming repeat guests later this year.

For example:

• tidy and update your post-stay email so it feels warm and personal, not automated
• add one short question to your checkout chat, such as “Is there anything we could make even better for you next time?”
• make sure every guest is clearly invited to join your email list
• plan out your B&B email newsletters for the year
• read through your reviews and identify all of the things youre guests love about your B&B and think about how you can talk more about these on your socials and in your newsletter
• or spend half an hour checking that your arrival and parking instructions are genuinely clear for someone who has never stayed before

None of these take long. But each one quietly improves how guests remember their stay. And that is what turns a nice visit into a return booking.
If you’d like to go deeper, you may also find these posts helpful:

Why I love to get repeat B&B guests

10 ways to get more repeat business at your B&B