Want more return guests? Start listening to all feedback—not just star ratings.

In this episode I’ll show you how to gather, analyse and use guest feedback to elevate your B&B experience.

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If you’re a B&B owner or manager, you already know reviews matter. But what if I told you: guest feedback—not just reviews—can be your secret weapon for shaping an experience that keeps people coming back? Today we go beyond reviews, digging into feedback of all kinds, and share a great tip at the end that might just transform your guest experience overnight.

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Why Feedback Matters (More Than Just Star Ratings)

Have you ever wondered what separates a good stay from a memorable one? Often, it’s the small little moments—“the bed was super comfy,” “we loved the local jam,” or “the check‑in took longer than expected”—pieces you’ll only hear in feedback, not always in public reviews.

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Feedback (from surveys, comment cards, conversations) gives you insight you can act on. According to GuestRevu, feedback helps you understand where your guests’ expectations are being met and where they fall short — so you can adjust operations, allocate budget, improve staff training.

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From the research “B&B Customer Experience and Satisfaction” (Mengke Jia et al.), some of the key dimensions that affect satisfaction are: dining, employee attitude, amenities, cleanliness, value, family‑friendliness.

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Gathering Guest Feedback Effectively

Here are practical ways to collect feedback beyond just public reviews.

1. In‑stay or exit surveys
Keep these short (7‑10 questions at most). Ask who they’d recommend your B&B to, what surprised them, what didn’t go as expected. Order the questions logically: first impressions / arrival → room comfort → breakfast/service → check‑out.

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2. Comment cards / conversation
Sometimes guests mention things casually: “The pillows are too soft,” or “We’d love more local options at breakfast.” Make sure staff are trained to ask: “Is there anything we could improve before your check‑out?”

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3, Online feedback & monitoring
Track reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Google, but also social media mentions and DMs. Combine them with your internal feedback so you see patterns.

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4. Staff debriefings
After busy periods, bring team together. What were common guest comments? Any complaints recurring? What positive feedback stood out? This helps staff feel involved and makes change easier.

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Analysing Feedback to Find What Really Matters

Collecting feedback is just step one. To shape experience, you must pull out insights:

• Look for trends: If many guests comment on room temperature, or pillows, or breakfast variety, that signals something to act on.

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• Quantitative + qualitative: Numbers tell you how often something comes up; open‑ended comments tell you why it matters.

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• Prioritise actions: Some issues cost more to fix (e.g. structural changes), others less. Weigh guest impact vs cost/time.

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• Communicate changes: Let guests know you’ve listened. E.g. “We’ve upgraded pillows,” “We’ve added more local produce to our breakfast menu.” It builds loyalty.

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Turning Feedback Into Guest Experience Wins

Here are ways to use the insights:

• Custom‑tailor offerings: If many guests say they like local food, partner with local producers, offer tastings. If guests mention early breakfasts, maybe offer an early‑bird option.

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• Improve staff training: E.g. customer engagement, responding to requests, noticing small cues. Sometimes guest satisfaction depends more on staff attitude than amenities.

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• Optimize physical comfort: Cleanliness, noise, bedding, lighting—these are repeatedly noted in studies (B&B satisfaction research) as high impact.

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• Refine marketing messages: If guests often praise “peaceful garden,” “friendly family feel,” use those in your promotional texts and photos.

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Great Tip You Can Use Tonight

Here’s the simple strategy: “Feedback Focus Weeks.”

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Pick one aspect (breakfast, bedding, check‑in, etc.) every few weeks. For that week:

• In your survey/add card/in conversations, ask two special questions about it.

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• Observe and record guest comments.

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• At end of week, meet with staff and list what’s been said.

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• Decide on 2 small changes and 1 longer‑term improvement based on that feedback.

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This builds momentum and shows guests you listen. Even small, visible improvements make people feel their voice matters—and that converts into better reviews and repeat bookings.

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How This Ties in with the Build Your B&B: From Dream to Doors Open Course

In the “Build Your B&B: From Dream to Doors Open” course we talk about collecting meaningful data, defining metrics that matter, and creating continuous improvement loops with your team. This feedback‑driven approach is a core component. It’s not enough to ask for feedback—you need systems to act on it, review, adjust, and communicate.

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Before the scones… before the smiles…
There’s a strategy.

“Your B&B Starter Blueprint” download gives you the 7 steps every owner needs.

Free. Practical. Charming—just like your future inn.

Get your copy now! You can find a link in the show notes.

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What’s one recurring piece of feedback you’ve heard from guests that you haven’t addressed yet?

I’d love to hear – leave a comment!

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Here Are Your Key Takeaways

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In Conclusion

We’ve explored how guest feedback—beyond public reviews—can reshape the experience you offer. From collecting feedback via surveys, conversation, comment cards; to analysing trends; to turning insights into real changes. When you apply this methodically you’ll see improvements not just in satisfaction, but in repeat bookings, staff morale, and in how guests talk about you to others.

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Imagine guests returning because they know you truly listen. Because when they say, “The pillows were perfect,” or “Breakfast felt like home”—you made those little details happen. That’s emotional benefit right there.

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For more help putting this into practice, check out the “Build Your B&B: From Dream to Doors Open” course—it goes deeper into operational systems, guest experience design, marketing, and more.

https://courses.keystonehospitalitydevelopment.com/course/mastering-bb-management-comprehensive-guide-to-starting-running-and-growing-your-bed-breakfast-full-course/

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If you liked this episode, you also might like “Is Your Bed & Breakfast Meeting Today’s Guest Expectations” episode 58.

https://bedsbreakfastsbusiness.com/2024/11/is-your-bed-breakfast-meeting-todays-guest-expectations-058

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