Why buy a mass produced contract bed when you can get high quality handmade?
Here at Millbrook Contract Beds we take our bed making very seriously. While we understand that during tougher times for the hospitality industry it is important to save the pounds, we do not feel that compromising on quality is the answer.
So in this blog today, we thought we would write a few words about what we feel is most important when it comes to the craftsmanship found in a handmade contract bed, when compared to something that is mass produced.
When it comes to the hospitality industry, customers are always right! Well, okay we all have times when we feel they aren’t but let’s be honest here, we usually know that while sometimes it’s easy to feel that a customer is perhaps being a little ‘difficult’ there are others that want to give enough good feedback so that changes can be made for the better.
In short, if you want to save money on a contract bed, you’ll never do it by going for the cheapest option. It’s often very difficult to have a long-term plan when budgets are at an all time low, but if you buy a cheaper contract bed, there’s a good chance that it won’t be around in a couple of years, let alone the typical seven.
Traditional ideas about quality and craftsmanship may seem outdated, but perhaps when it comes to contract beds, it’s the one thing that still requires it. A mass produced bed will not go the distance, with no skilled human being checking all the stitching and detail for you.
With this in mind, we know that guests want good sleep – and while we also know that good sleep forms part of a healthy lifestyle, it also makes guests a lot happier.
Our pocket spring is probably the core of our very best quality sprung beds, whereby each spring is placed in to its own individual pocket and sewn in a way that means it is kept separate from the other springs. This basically means no roll-together.
A mass produced bed will not be quite so accurate, and you will find on occasion that you do unfortunately get roll-together and thus a good chance that someone’s night’s sleep will be affected by it.
Hand-side stitching in our complete range features traditional hand-side stitching which basically secures the outer springs to the border at the top and bottom, preventing any kind of roll out. This is the element of our production that is the most labour intensive as it involves a lot of skill from our own craftsmen. Only senior upholsters using traditional long needles and twine to make borders and edges stronger. If you imagine a hundred guests a year sleeping in the bed, you can see why that hand stitching is so important from a durability perspective.
If you are looking at something that is mass produced, then there is no highly skilled upholsterer and a machine instead, which will not offer half the care and attention that a professional can.
It may also surprise you perhaps to see that even our budget ranges offer the same superior quality to buyers, so even where money needs to be saved you can end up with the best of both worlds at Millbrook Contract Beds..
Yes we’re passionate about our beds, because we feel that hand craftsmanship and superior techniques in the manufacturing of our beds is what makes us a good choice when it comes to buying them.
If you would like to learn more about us or the beds that we make, then please CONTACT US or take a look our CONTRACT BED RANGE to see what we can offer.
Improve your star rating with the finest contract beds
For hoteliers, the star rating is of vital importance when marketing the business to potential guests. The star rating is a general indicator and reflection of the quality of the hotel itself, although individual circumstances must be taken into account.
The mainstay of any star rated hotel is the contract beds that are available to suit guest expectation and requirements.
The Five Star seal of approval
The Economy class of one-star hotels is essentially a no-frills deal. The rooms are usually small, the decor is functional and they generally cater to the budget travellers.
The Value class of two-star hotels are again, basic accommodation, perhaps offering private bathrooms and television, but all in all, limited amenities.
The Quality class of three-star establishments begin to take on a greater emphasis on a satisfying guest experience with on-site dining, additional hotel services such as baggage assistance and the guestrooms are certainly more extensive in what they offer to the guest.
The Superior class of four-star hotels offer concierge services, conference rooms, valet parking etc. But their stronghold are their luxury rooms with the added benefits of stylish furnishings, an extensive variety of amenities and most importantly of all, fine quality, high standard beds and bedding.
Finally, the Exceptional class of five-star hotels are considered the finest hotels in the world. They offer the highest possible standard of service with the embellishments of interior design stylistics, grand architectural aesthetic, an abundance of gourmet cuisines for fine dining and a fast track, 24-hour room service. The recreational facilities can be anything from friendly tennis courts to sprawling golf courses while the luxurious spa centres exemplify relaxation. But the guestrooms are the real prizes at five-star hotels. They are comprised of premium bedding with everything from high-speed internet access to widescreen TV’s and DVD players.
The hotels that do not manage to attain a star rating are often referred to as half-star hotels, which classify the hotels that have differing levels of amenities, property type and property-class characteristics, and varying degrees in the quality of service.
However, the class system does not mean that hotels below par with four and five star luxury hotels cannot provide fine quality contract beds for their guests. After all, contract beds are the most crucial element of any hotel room.
Millbrook contract beds offer a wide range of contract beds that have a proven track record for supplying comfort, luxury and pleasing aesthetics to the hotel and leisure industry. These contract beds help to provide the right holistic experience for guests. This guarantees to provide personal recommendations, which is the strongest arm of advertising available.
The star rated system for hotels factors in, in a very big way, the quality and comfort of the contract beds in each room. Guests expect and demand that more than any other aspect of their hotel stays.
If you are a hotelier looking to increase your bookings, or if you are indeed looking to climb that hotel star ladder and improve your quality of service, amenities and overall excellence, start in the guestrooms with the contract beds.
Millbrook contracts beds’ International collection is tailored to hotel services specifically;
The President is top of the range. It has individually hand nested pocket springs and a choice of comfort levels. Mattresses come available in standard or firmer comfort while there is a choice of base, leg and fabric options. The materials consist of quality fire retardant woven damask upholstery and extravagant fillings which include pure cotton, durable polyester and luxury pashmina. It’s not called The President for nothing. It’s fit for one.
The President contract bed
As a hotelier, of course, budget must be a consideration. If you have thirty rooms to fill with thirty new beds, you need to make an investment. The only way to increase star rating is by upping your game and the standard of the hotel, and that costs money. When it comes to the contract beds, Millbrook deals so regularly with the hotel industry that the prices and deals are incredibly reasonable. There is no need to worry about accentuated or spiralling costs if you know who to come to.
The Hotel contract bed is a popular choice for many hotels, hence its name. It has open coil spring and a deep mattress. It is the classic firm option bed with fresh, practical hardwearing 100% cotton upholstery and a choice of leg and fabric options on the divan base. Mattresses are available in the custom style of standard comfort. It is practical, comfortable and affordable.
The Hotel contract bed
A star rating means status, it means standards, it means quality, it makes people want to stay with you. If you’re a half-star looking to become a one-star or a one-star looking to become a two-star and so on, you can achieve this only by starting by developing what is at the heart of your business, and that is the guest experience. All guests measure their hotel experiences by the quality of sleep they had and the quality of the contract bed they slept in.
Are you replacing your contract bed enough?
The Sleep Council has recently undertaken some research and has looked at whether the average age of a beds life is actual shorter than as previously thought, identifying that many beds (including contract beds) lose the capability to provide adequate support after only a few years – especially if they have seen considerable use. The average life of a bed is usually about ten years, however this new research could have us looking at whether we are changing our contract beds enough. In line with National Bed Month, these new findings are helping to raise general awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep, which any hotelier knows is an essential part of good customer service.
In the hotel and leisure industry it may be difficult to assess the impact of this new information released from the Sleep Council and possibly even more difficult to know what to do. The first problem is that you may not know exactly just how old your hotel room contract beds are. For example you may have recently purchased the business and have not had access to the contract bed purchase records, or you may be a Duty Manager in charge of quality control and you were not working at the hotel when the contract beds were originally bought and furnished in the rooms. The second problem is if you find out that any of your contract beds, or perhaps even all of your contract beds, are older than seven years – how can you assess their actual quality correctly?
In today’s blog we are going to focus on how to identify these issues and give you some advice on managing your quality control.
- Firstly, take a look at all of the contract beds in the hotel / academic institution/ healthcare environment.
- Next identify the types of contract beds you have. Are they divans? Frames? Look at the edges and general stability of the contract beds and keep an eye out for:
- Beds that look old and worn.
- Mattresses that feel lumpy, as if the stuffing has moved around.
- Beds that make noises, e.g. the sound of the springs creaking.
- A mattress that sags in the middle, causing a dip that can easily be rolled into.
- Legs that are wobbly/unstable.
- Is the mattress and bed base from the same manufacturer or are they separate items used together? Sometimes to save money, people make the mistake of replacing a contract bed mattress and not the base. This is generally not a good idea as both base and mattress combine to provide support and comfort – so you may need to look at replacing both items to ensure quality and good sleep for your guests.
Once you’ve done this little check list, it’s now time to look at how you can tell just how old your contract beds really are!
- Look for any documentation pertaining to when they were purchased. If it’s over ten years ago, then you will probably need to factor some new purchases into your budget and do some fairly rigorous testing.
- Have the warranties been retained and filed somewhere?
- Are there receipts that state the date of purchase available?
- Do any of the contract beds have labels which might give additional information about the manufacturer?
Probably one of the most common ways to discover if your contract beds are past-it is if you receive any complaints from guests. If you have more than one guest make a comment about a specific contract bed being uncomfortable or a guest telling you they did not get a good night’s sleep, a bed check should be carried out. The answers to all the above questions will help you determine whether or not any of the beds are in need of replacing. For further advice on testing the suitability of a bed see our previous contract bed blog here or contact us for some help or read our previous blog.
Once you have tested and identified any and all beds that do not meet the standard of quality and comfort, and that you know or suspect have extended past the seven year replacement cycle, it is time to plan on how you will replace and refurnish these beds whilst causing as minimal disruption to the business as possible. We will look at the solutions to these problems and potential scenarios in the second part of this blog, but please see our blogs on disposing of a contract beds and take a look at our range, to see the variety of contract beds that we offer that are economical and can fulfil a number of quality levels.
Remember, changing your contract beds in the UK needn’t be a massive hassle if you choose the right supplier and plan things.
Millbrook Contract Beds offers holistic advice to a range of clients in the UK who run hotels, healthcare establishments and academic / conference styled environments so we have a lot of experience and free advice on contract beds to offer.
What do you need to know when buying a contract bed and mattress?
In our second blog that focuses on some of the fundamental questions you should ask when buying a contract bed, you will find some really useful information that will help you identify what you need to look for when buying a contract bed or mattress.
As we’ve said before, sleep is an important factor in our lives and no more so for the service industries, where positive customer satisfaction is vital!
So without further ado, here is blog two of the series…
What do I need to consider when choosing a new contract bed and mattress?
The key things to consider when looking at mattresses or beds are:
- Budget – What kind of budget have you got and what do you need to achieve with it? Are you looking for an economy contract bed or a luxury contract bed?
- Comfort and support – Generally you need to ensure your contract bed purchase covers the comfort as well as the budget! A good contract bed will support the body at all points. It will also be very comfortable of course!
- Space – You will want to choose a contract bed that gives you enough room for movement in the room. One of the biggest criticisms that hoteliers suffer from is lack of room in a bedroom, because the bed takes up most of the space! Contract Beds from Millbrook Contract Beds come in a variety of sizes and can be provided on a bespoke size basis too!
- Buy Contract Bed and Mattress Together – While it is possible to purchase a contract mattress on its own, very often a Contract bed and Mattress are better off purchased together. This is not only a longer-term benefit but means that you won’t be left needing to buy a new base in two years while the mattress is going strong. It is also highly recommended that you do this as often a mattress and bed is designed to work together, so putting a brand new mattress on an old base will not really offer the very best comfort to guests.
So now you are armed with some basic information remember we are always happy to answer questions and offer impartial advice to you if you’re looking to buy your next contract bed.
We can work through your needs and will be happy to help you identify the perfect contract bed. We can even advise you on the disposal of your old contract beds as well so please do feel free to CONTACT US.