Within the cycling (and hiking) community there is a great divergence of people, and hence their needs. For some it's all about the bike, for others, the bike is just a means to an end. Personally, a good breakfast is probably the most important (I do like my food
).
On the assumption that you've got a suitable location in mind (and location is vital) the next challenge is getting the message out. These days that will mean being very familiar with the online options - AirBnB, Booking.com etc. In the early days at least, it will be very important to utilise these effectively for you - and other means of making (and keeping) contact with customers and potential customers.
The advantage of so much online is that it is relatively easy to seek out inspiration and learn from what others do well (and not so well). I think it's time well spent to look for similar style properties to what you want to do and check out the reviews. Look for the details that made an impression - good or bad.
If you don't already have contacts in the business I'd strongly recommend seeking out similar operators in other parts of the world (where you're not a threat) and build a relationship to get the inside track.
Trade organisations would be a good source of information as would any local development organizations.
A good accountant, especially in the early days, could well pay for themselves and keep you focused on what is important rather than dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s.
Finally, it has to be said that Covid has brought many challenges (and opportunities!) that we still can't see an end to. Nobody knows what the next number of years are going to look like. If you'll be depending on the B&B for income it would be a very good idea to stress test your projections and figures.
You have the opportunity to start something new in your retirement and meet interesting (and presumably like-minded) people. Done properly, it could become more like a hobby than work!
Best of luck!
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