It’s the dream of everyone to get a good night’s sleep and be fresh for the new day ahead. For some it's easy, but not for others.
Travelling is often a time when people struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Whether it’s outside noise, thinking about the day gone or the day ahead, being away from family, or just being out of one’s comfort zone or own bed.
There can be one other issue that affects whether we have a good kip, and that is the standard of the bed and the bedding.
We all have a tale of woe at some time in our lives about “the motel bed that was the worst bed ever – and not even Sleeping Beauty could get a wink of sleep on it! A night we will never forget”.
A familiar tale told through the ages. A common story that goes something like this…
Once upon a time, a motel guest parked their car outside their unit. They chose this motel because it looked like a good quality accommodation business from the street or online that suited their requirements. They opened the front door after a long day on the road, ready for a good night's sleep. They comment that they are so tired they could sleep on the floor if they had to. They look around the nicely appointed unit and like what they see. They look past the bed, then stop, and look back as something catches their eye.
“Does the bed look saggy? It does. It is!”.
To their horror, the bed is sagging in the middle and looks as though it was purchased in 1989. Albeit very disappointed with the look of the bed after the long drive, they don’t say anything to management and proceed to toss and turn all night, resulting in the worst night’s sleep they ever had.
The next day they leave the motel vowing never to return. Now armed with a story for the ages, of how horrible their sleep was at the 'XYZ Motel', in the town of 'Any Town Australia'. Then ensues a lifetime of bad publicity for that motel whenever the opportunity arises.
Over the past 28 years of motel brokerage and who knows how many motel inspections, I still cringe when I walk into a motel unit with a potential buyer, only to see a beautiful room spoiled by a bed that should have been upgraded ten years ago. By the way, I am not the only one who notices.
One of the first things potential buyers of a motel does when they enter a room is lift the bedspread to check the mattress, sit on the bed and inspect the bedding. If the bed is sagging and well past its use-by date, immediately the potential buyer becomes concerned about what else in the property needs to be replaced.
Often one of the first things asked is, “when were all the beds last replaced"? Not an easy question to answer as generally beds are replaced as required, not all at once. Nevertheless, they are asking a question they already know the answer to. Too long ago.
As anyone within the motel industry knows, one of the fundamental items of a motel unit is a good quality bed. Without this, you may as well throw away the smart television, quiet split system air conditioner, free wifi and all the other goodies, because that bed has now done more damage than any of these items put together. When that guest tells one of his friends not to stay at that motel because they will not get a good night's sleep, the cost to replace that bed now seems like a drop in the ocean compared to the potential business lost.
Beds can be easily replaced (at a cost of course) regularly, rather than when the sag in the centre appears. To a guest, a bed is the be-all and end-all. It can be the difference between a motel getting the best free advertising or if a bed is not up to scratch, the worst.
To a potential buyer of a motel business (who is reasonable in nature), it is not the be-all and end-all, but it is a warning sign of potential issues. Even though they are easily replaced, it is a concern that such an important item within the complex has been neglected. Human nature makes a buyer wonder what else is not up to scratch if one of the most important items - the beds are in poor condition.
The difference between a good quality bed and one ready for the scrap heap cannot be overstated, and no one can be fooled by a poor bed dressed up to look five-star-rated. Regular replacement of bedding not only ensures happy guests but (silly as it may sound) come sale time, can help to play a role in achieving a successful sale.
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