Our Members Speak Out
Cornerstone B&B, Philadelphia, PA
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We asked: What's your outlook on summer reservations? Do you anticipate any increase in international or Canadian visitors given the weak state of the dollar?
Question for our next issue: How do you deal with kids at your inn? Your own and/or those of your guests? Do you welcome children without restrictions? On a limited basis? Not at all?
Email your responses to InnkeeperNews@BedandBreakfast.com.
If we publish your comments, we'll thank you with a $25 credit in our Featured
Properties Auction program!
We're not too strict about deadlines for this column, and are delighted whenever an innkeeper carves a few minutes out of a very busy day to share thoughts and a experiences. For this issue, we offer you a grab-bag of responses:
Summer reservations
"We are located in Philadelphia, one of our nation's most historic and culturally rich cities. The summer is looking good! Last year I was booking reservations two weeks out and sometimes just the week and day before. I never knew if I was going to make my "numbers." Since the beginning of the year, I have been booking reservations two and three months out. What a relief!! We have met or exceeded our monthly projections for each month this year (knock on wood).
"With respect to international bookings, due to our proximity to major universities and hospitals, at least half of our guests are international. We have a world map on our breakfast room wall where guests insert pins next to the cities where they live. We have 156 different international cities represented with pins, and we have only had the map for five months. I would definitely say that Philadelphia's economy is improving and that tourists are coming to Philadelphia and staying in area B&Bs."
Nadine Hermann and Dave Meade, Cornerstone B&B, Philadelphia PA
"Our bookings are up at the inn this year so far. A lot of weddings going on in the area so we get many guests from that. No matter what the economy is doing, folks are always getting married! I worry about the high price of gas, and am concerned about the possible effects, but it seems people will always find a reason to travel, for which I am grateful! Best of luck to my fellow innkeepers for a busy summer season!"
Buddy Marcum, Inn At Long Lake, Naples, ME
Top Ten Reasons I like being an Innkeeper, Continued
Top Ten Reasons I love being an Innkeeper:
1. Being a stay-at-home mom, and being my own boss.
2. Having our guests bless our lives … when they write in our journal, that is special. You never know how may you touch someone's life.
3. Showing off our little piece of frontier history and cottage garden. I love it when they say,"wow!" when they peek through the front door window.
4. Exchanging stories with the interesting people we meet.
5. Making someone's stay really special. Helping to build relationships, bringing couples much needed time away, and reducing stress.
6. Having fun with guests who are on a surprise getaway. Through their husbands' planning, these wives enjoy a special birthday or anniversary night in a beautiful historic place with their love. The roses, cheesecake and card are all a part of our romance package and I feel like Santa's elf (giggle).
7. Decorating and gardening is even more fun when the costs are tax-deductible ... wish I knew about this perk sooner!
8. Having my own little antique cottage. We have birds & bunnies that visit … Watching the sunset with the guests …
9. Front porch visiting …
10. Playing "tea party." Guess I never really grew up!
Michelle Doss, Miss Lissia's Plantation, Water Valley, TX
Top Ten Reasons I love being an Innkeeper:
1. Meeting really nice and interesting people, some of whom are now become longtime friends … who keep coming back.
2. Listening to my guests talk about their lives and interests and learning from them, and vice versa.
3. Cooking hearty breakfasts and often receiving comments such as "I won't need lunch now." or "I won't eat again today."
4. Relating the history of the area where I live.
5. Having guests play with my dogs, who love both the attention and also the leftovers.
6. Hearing guests say that my B&B and its location are beautiful.
7. Reading the many wonderful comments in my guest book.
8. Receiving thoughtful remembrances from many guests.
9. Taking photos of my guests with their digital cameras.
10. Hearing my guests say, "You really made us feel at home."
Ellen O'Neill, The Grubstake B&B, Buchanan, VA
Encouraging repeat & referral business
"When return visitors make reservation, I offer them the option of upgrading to a more expensive room (if available when they arrive) at no additional expense. I have never had a refusal and this gives the guests a taste of the more expensive accommodations. They book the better room the next time or tell friends about the upgrade and recommend us."
Nila Haug-Golden Haug-Iowa City, Iowa
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