"Room 9: Canopy bed, large room."

This type of short room description is more common than one would think. Taking a look at the room above, guests are more likely to make a reservation after reading:

"As you walk into the Canopy Suite, it feels as if the sun shining through the room’s two large windows personally welcomes you to a cozy and relaxing stay. When was the last time you could relax and read your favorite magazine uninterrupted? The queen-size canopy bed is as comfortable as it is inviting, covered with an elegant cream jacquard comforter with matching shams. The front window overlooks pasturelands back dropped with tranquil mountains. After watching the sunset, relax in your own private deep-soaker tub."

When visiting your website the first thing to catch a guest’s attention are your room pictures. They then want details to assure themselves that the room contains the desired amenities. Creative room descriptions finalize their decision to stay with you. It’s not easy writing room descriptions, especially since there is a creative element involved. However, time and time again, we have seen a significant increase in occupancy as room descriptions are transformed from a handful of words to exciting paragraphs.

For this article, we came up with a list of questions to help get your creative juices flowing. As an innkeeper, you should be involved in the process since you understand why guests stay in your rooms. Schedule time during the slow part of your week to visit each room. Get comfortable. Relax. Maybe bring along something refreshing to drink or snack on. For a printer-friendly version of the questions below, click here. Print a page for each room.

We want to thank Jim Armstrong Photography for providing us with the beautiful room picture found at the top of this article. Let’s get started by answering the following questions about the room.

List everything in the room. What are the amenities?

Queen-size canopy bed with cream jacquard comforter, 20" TV/VCR combo, 4 brass lamps, 1 painting, magazines, two white and cream stripped sitting chair, floral covered chest, painted armoire (not in picture), plants, tables, flower wallpaper, red and gold rug, white and gold two drawer dresser, wood night stand, plush cream carpet, two floor-to-ceiling windows, matching flow drapes, yellow flower wallpaper, private bathroom with tub and shower (not in picture).

What verbs and nouns describe this room?

Cozy, Elegant, Yellow, flowers, peaceful, relaxing, comfortable, large, classic, and warm.

What is the view like?

The front window overlooks a large pasture with mountains. The yard is visible from the side window.

Why do guests like this room? What do you like about the room?

They love the canopy bed. This room is more elegant than what you find at home. The bed is higher than most beds.

What is the name of this room?

Room 9. If you use room numbers, you might want to consider creating unique room names. Guests remember room names more than they do pictures. It is an excellent branding opportunity. Maybe a good name for this room would be "Canopy Suite".

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…

Once you have answered all the questions for a room, try to come up with a two to four sentence paragraph. Make sure to include your amenities. If you struggle with writing, try to recruit someone to help. Keep in mind that you are marketing or selling your rooms to potential guests, so liven it up. The paragraph should have at least 50 words and no more than 300 words. Don’t go overboard. The last thing you want is for a guest to show up and come back to the front desk feeling they have been misled. Thesaurus.com is a great resource for finding creative words. Make sure to check your spelling and grammar in a word processor. If you don’t have one, Open Office is a free office suite comparable and compatible with Microsoft Word. Read your descriptions out loud to yourself. Have a handful of your friends review your work.

After finishing your new room descriptions, update your website and any listings you subscribe to, as well as your online reservation system. Where possible, it is preferable to have the room picture and room description on the same page.

We can’t over emphasize the need to take the right amount of time and effort for each room description.