Three in a bed - What do you think?

[Der Alte Fritz]

As an advert for the UK hospitaility industry, the new Channel Four TV series is sadly lacking. They may think it good television to make fun of the various B&B owners but their portrayal of the various destinations has been dismal. Blackpool apparently is just the Tower, Skegness a seal rescue sanctuary and Dorset a model village seemingly dating from the 1950s. A 30 second voice over in a patroniusing tone of voice lets you know that any of the TV luvvies and London 'people in the know' would not be caught dead there.

The TV production company Studio Lambert is more interested in showing class and social differences and in setting up contrived 'reality TV situations' than in helping promote almost half Britians accommodation in the middle of a recession.

The only area of life that has not been exposed to the cameras glare is television itelf. How about a reality television programme about the going on at Channel Four - now that would be interesting televison!

[joyce_taylor]

Last week when they were in Northumberland they did us proud and the B&B owner was great it will have done our area no harm at all but I agree the programme makers are trying to cause arguments to make `good tv`. However it should be proving to the public that it is safest whatever type of accommodation you are trying to book to book a VB inspected property as most of the non graded B&Bs on this series have been shocking.

[Sue: White Horse Walking Holidays]

My locality featured in the 2nd episode - Avebury. It does seem that The Lodge's owner was rather misinterpreted and I heard he suffered some abuse from the gay community after the show.
I thought the couple from Northumberland were lovely and the whole area seems delightful.
The formula seems to be: 1 posh, expensive or posey place (not necessarily bad!), one run by somewhat off-the-wall people and one which is really cheap run by 'salt of the earth' people who charge very little and runa spotless place. it's certainly not 'like for like' at all.

[The_Sanctuary]

We watched episode two (I think), which featured the Lodge at Avebury, not far from us. I guess if you are in the middle of the Avebury Circle, it's Location, Location, Location. So good luck for him if people are willing to pay £250 per night for unrated accommodation. But we only charge £65 per night for four-star accommodation, the same as his neighbouring B&B's. So are we seriously undercharging or is he seriously over-charging?

[Sue: White Horse Walking Holidays]

We watched episode two (I think), which featured the Lodge at Avebury, not far from us. I guess if you are in the middle of the Avebury Circle, it's Location, Location, Location. So good luck for him if people are willing to pay £250 per night for unrated accommodation. But we only charge £65 per night for four-star accommodation, the same as his neighbouring B&B's. So are we seriously undercharging or is he seriously over-charging?

Obviously there's a premium to stay somewhere like that and people must be happy to pay it or they wouldn't do so. But it does seem way over the top to me. I charge £70 per night for a double (4 star) which is roughly the same as others around here. I think we all range between £60 and £80.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Well they came to Rye, showed everyone around and then filmed one lady saying "Where are all the shops - don't they have any?". The Chamber of Commerce must have been hopping mad as that is what Rye is all about - funny old shops that you do not get anywhere else any more.

As to pricing, your price is determined by property prices, your area and the demand and the type of guest who wants to come to the area. In somewhere like Skegness, even the hotels are under £100 a night because they cater for a elderly less well funded population and they attract a small number of visitors. So I am not surprised that the wonderful guest house run by that great couple could only charge £50 a night. Likewise down here in the south east of england close to London, £120 a night is usual and the hotels charge £175+. This is the top end of course. Like in Blackpool, if you have a range of different guest types then you get a range of establishments, in Blackpools case you can get a room for £12 a head ranging up to over £100 a room which is where you different levels of rating (or none at all) come in.

But really £250 a night is central London 5 star hotel pricing.