Our Members Speak Out

Holiday special: We have a special treat for you in this issue—it’s the innkeeper version of  ‘Twas the Night before Christmas.” 

Yelton Manor at Christmas.

Question for our February issue:  What are your favorite getaway experiences? When you leave the inn, do you stay at other B&Bs?  Prefer hotel anonymity? Cruise ship pampering? If you haven’t been on vacation in a while, at least share your fantasy escape!   Let us hear from you!

Our spam filter apparently ate the responses to our last question, which asked: “Do you have any inspiring, poignant, or humorous hurricane, fire, or other disaster stories to share? “  If you responded to this question, please resend your comments to Sandy.Soule@BedandBreakfast.com, and accept our apologies for the inconvenience.

Email your responses to Sandy.Soule@BedandBreakfast.com. If we publish your comments, we'll thank you with a $25 credit in our Featured Properties Auction program!  

Twas The Night Before Christmas....

Adapted by Elaine Herbert, Yelton Manor B&B, South Haven, Michigan, with apologies to Clement Clark Moore 

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the inn,

Not a guest was registered, you could hear a dropped pin.

Two lousy days off in a calendar year,

It was my full intention to hold this day dear.

I stretched and I yawned as I tuned to the quiet,

Of no need to cater to some fat lady's diet.

I booted the 'puter to check what would matter,

At B&B dot.com or the PAII forum chatter.

There I was in my snuggies and old Manor cap,

With no need for food prep or pre-check-in nap.

At ease at the keyboard my fingers did fly,

To see if friends of the inn-biz stopped by.

Though the wind did howl, piling lake-effect snow,

A wondrous site loomed in the 'puter screen's glow.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a java-streamed sleigh pulled by red-nosed reindeer.

With a red-robed driver so perky and quick,

I knew in a moment…it was St. Innkeeper-Nick!

He was rosy and happy and perfectly quiet,

And clearly no threat for the Atkins diet.

He wore a stained old apron and his hair was askew,

But he whirled through the kitchen and knew what to do.

He could juggle all tasks from the least to the most,

As he mixed up the muffins and slid in the toast.

His right hand cracked eggs, and his left hand set table.

And I gasped as I marveled at what he was able.

He never complained as he tirelessly worked.

He looked happy and blissful as the coffee was perked.

On phone, on plunger, computer, front door,

On vacuum, on laundry, on clean kitchen floor,

On blankets, on robes, TP tucked and sealed,

On bacon, on Splenda, on omelets congealed.

He made reservations, he handed out maps,

He won all his chargebacks, he checked Super-Statz.

More rapid than eagles his hands did the chores,

While making small talk with insufferable bores.

And just as I wondered and doubted my eyes,

And considered this all rum and eggnog lies,

I spied on his belt a 24-hour beeper,

And I knew he was truly a Santa Innkeeper.

But whoosh, in only one simple mouse click,

Away flew the reindeer with my Innkeeper Nick.

As he flew off the screen he said to me plain:

Merry Christmas to innkeeps…

And to all the insane!

Elaine Herbert, Yelton Manor B&B, South Haven, Michigan

This Month's Sponsor

Online Trade Show

Click to visit our newest vendor members:

• Bath Plus Inc.
• Clawfoot Supply
• Earthly Delight Soap
• Big Kahuna Hawaiian Coffee
• Northwest B&B Inn Consulting
• B&B Team Realtors
• Innkeeping Specialists
• New England Inn Brokers
• Association Management Services
• DVTour.com

More vendor info...

Gift Certificates

BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates have changed to an electronic format. Funds for redeemed certificates will be transferred directly into your bank account within four business days! No more certificates to mail! Don't miss out! To join the 3500 participating inns, just log in to your home base with your property ID and password, or click here for more information.

Traffic statistics

Log in with your property ID and password for details on the number of page impressions and click-throughs your B&B has received as a result of all BedandBreakfast.com online marketing, including property listings, Featured Property, and Inn of the Month advertising. More information

Member Information

To update your entry, post specials, and renew your membership, please log in with your property ID and password. Can't remember your password? Click here, then enter your property ID and we'll email it to you. Don't like your password? Once you're logged in to Home Base, just click "Membership," select "change password" (#7 in dropdown menu), and choose another that's easier to remember. More information

Inns for Sale

"We advertised our B&B in your Inns for Sale section in January, and started getting inquires a week later. In February, a couple came from Florida to visit us in Cat Spring, Texas. We made a deal, and they begin officially on April the 5th as the new owners. What you are doing really works." Sunny and John Snyder. Email us today and we'll put you on our special offer mailing list. Read more

Online Bookings

Taking real-time, online reservations is the most effective way to transform your Internet presence from an informational resource into a 24/7 sales engine.  Read more

Innkeepers Information Center

Need more info? You’ll find lots of educational articles on our site for your convenience.

•  Resource Library
•  Member Checklist