The B&B Team

Full Service Inns – Time for a Renaissance

May 16th, 2013 by janet-wolf

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Food Glorious Food at Restaurant Verterra, The Inn at Weathersfield, Vermont

Picture a beautiful pristine Inn, beautiful surroundings with comfortable first class lodging then…add a dining component to this picture and what do you get? What we call in our industry, a full service Inn. Urban or country, food and lodging have always gone hand in hand. After indulging in a meal featuring locally sourced food that reflects the culture of the Inn’s location what could be more inviting than to retreat to a cozy guest room just steps away. Today’s traveler is often seeking a culinary experience along with their lodging. It completes the package.

The culinary travel trend is exploding. Full service Inns need to capitalize on this explosion, big time.

Take the example of The Inn at Weatherfield in Vermont. This property had a flourishing and successful restaurant and Inn business thanks to the former owners Jane and Dave Sandelman and Chef Jason Tostrup. The B&B Team recently transferred the Inn to new owners Richard and Marilee Spanjian. They have taken an already successful Inn to another level and the view looks great! I had the privilege to interview Marilee and ask what’s new and cookin’ at the Inn.

Private Dining in The Inn at Weatherfield's Wine Cellar

Private Dining in The Inn at Weathersfield’s Wine Cellar

Question: “New England’s Premier Culinary Inn” is your new brand modifier. This is a very gutsy goal, has this been your goal from the beginning?

Answer: We didn’t just want to say ‘Culinary Inn ’and our goal is for Weathersfield to be New England’s Premier Culinary Inn, so why not go for it.

Question: Your new specials are very cleaver. Especially ‘The Guinea Pig Club’, Chef’s Choice-$8 plates keep coming until you say ‘Uncle’. How has the response been?

Answer: The name is intriguing and it is really starting to catch on. Chef Jason and the kitchen staff really love it too. They can be creative, it really thumps their energy. We chose Thursdays for this special because we found the diners on that day tend to be really adventuresome.

Question: I also was intrigued by your ‘Vitality Fix’, tell me more about this concept.

Answer: Chef Jason came up with the idea. This menu option covers all the bases. It is vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free! More people are commenting how they like the fresh way of cooking and the way it makes them feel after their meal.

Question: What are some of your future plans?

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Pasta Cooking Class with Chef Jason

Answer: Our new cooking school will be called ‘Hidden Kitchen’. This is named in memory of my late mother’s restaurant in California. They will not be your typical cooking classes. Chef Jason will teach about sustainability, eating fresh, how to prepare the fresh food and create your own dish and not rely on a recipe. We also will have a two day hands on cooking adventure package that includes visiting our local farms with Chef Jason. An outdoor kitchen set right by our vegetable and herb gardens is also in our plans.

Thank you Marilee. She sounded so excited and energized while I was talking with her. Love the enthusiasm.

Chef Max Mattes knows where some of the vegetables come from at Pilgrim’s Inn, right in their own back yard

Seared local scallops and a crisp Pinot Grigio at Pilgrim’s Inn, what a way to end the day

The Pilgrim’s Inn in Deer Isle Maine is a true country Inn with true local flavor. Culinary travelers like to know where they are as well as where the food is coming from. With the Whale’s Rib Tavern’s rustic historic post and beam dining room and a very warm inviting pub, you know where you are, the coast of Maine! Deer Isle, on the eastern edge of Penobscot Bay. Lobster is caught just off the rocky coastline as well as clams, mussels and oysters, oh my! And, the folks that bring in the catch may be sitting in the pub next to you enjoying one of the Tavern’s popular house ground burgers! True local flavor.

A True Country Full Service Inn

Owners Tina and Tony have just posted a blog about their ‘Farm to Table’ approach and the challenges it presents. Take a moment to read this blog, great information on the area and farming community. And what a great coastal community it is, natural beauty with countless coves and inlets with lots of privacy, a great place to own a business and call home. The B&B Team is privileged to offer this true and spectacular country Inn for Sale.

The B&B Team believes a successful full service Inn should focus their business on both the lodging and food equally. Neither business should take the back seat. Both of the full service country Inns featured in this post have spectacular guest rooms and top notch amenities. It completes the package. Stayed tuned for my next blog where I reveal the author of this quote.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: culinary travel, Deer Isle Maine, farm to table, full service inns for sale, Pilgrim's Inn. travellers, The B&B Team Inns for Sale, The Inn at Weathersfield
Posted in Food & Beverage | No Comments »

How to Accomodate Travelers With Allergies

May 9th, 2013 by janet-wolf

Yes, spring is in the air and so is Ah-choo!

From time to time The B&B Team publishes articles we feel are relevant to the innkeeping community. Innkeepers often share information about their ever increasing number of guests with food allergies. This is a very popular thread on the PAII Forum. But what about guests with air born allergies? The following article by Elise Redmann addresses this issue with some great advise and workable tips. Read on.

It’s allergy season, and the recent surge in hypoallergenic lodging alternatives means that American lodging consumers, already more scrupulous than ever about spending their hard-earned dollars, are also less likely to tolerate anything but pristine conditions. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that 60 million people, or one in five, suffer from one or both conditions, but just one guest sacrificed to dust and mites is too many in any industry as competitive as inn-keeping.

The following tips are some of the easiest, and most necessary, to allergy-proofing your inn. It may be best, however, to contract a professional service Like Pure Solutions or Green Suites Hotel Solutions when hosting severely allergic or asthmatic guests. You can help keep everyone else sniffle-free with the following steps:

Dehumidify: Mold and dust mites are among the most common (not to mention unsightly) allergens, and both thrive in damp conditions. Invest in a dehumidifier and be sure to change the filter regularly, so that the machine itself remains free of potential irritants.

Decimate Dust: Dry dusting merely redistributes accumulated dirt and dust throughout the air; use a damp duster instead. Blinds and shutters are more hygienic than curtains, which trap dust and mites in their folds. Installing or refurbishing hard flooring, whether wood, tile or synthetic, will also make rooms easier to clean and less hospitable for mites; if carpet is inevitable, a vacuum with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter will help cleanse the air of minute particles. Non-HEPA filters can actually trigger allergy and asthma attacks by recirculating dust throughout the room.

Clean Green and Fragrance-Free: Earth-friendly and fragrance-free detergents and cleaning products are far less likely to irritate sensitive skin than conventional products, and green housekeeping is attractive to an increasingly broad market demographic. Just don’t go overboard: flowers and plants themselves can trigger hay fever, and the water necessary for their upkeep humidifies the air.

The mitey dust beast

Be Superficial: Encase pillows, mattresses and comforters in hypoallergenic covers made from densely woven microfibers that prevent dust mites from passing from pillow to skin. Launder everything at a minimum temperature of 140° F to kill mites. For a truly pristine environment, bacteriostatic sprays can shield the most sensitive guests from all surface irritants and allergens.

Clear the Air: Severely asthmatic and allergic guests may require medical-grade air purifiers to eliminate all potential pathogens, while heating and cooling systems should be regularly maintained and disinfected. Smoking should be verboten and pets should be forbidden when possible: smoke permeates every surface it touches and lingers far longer than it is visible, and it takes 30 days and other purifying measures to remove all pet dander and pet-born allergens.

Elise Redmann writes about hotel management and hospitality for U.S. News University Connection. You can follow her on twitter @EliseRedmann

Thank you Elise. I believe that innkeepers could easily implement some of these practices. Following through to make sure your guests are informed of your efforts is essential. List your practices on your website, blog, Facebook, confirmation letter, guest information book…spread the word. Clean and green!

Thanks for Listening

Janet Wolf

Tags: Allergy-proof, cleanliness, Elise Redmann, hypoallergenic, PAII, spring is in the air
Posted in Innkeeping Business | No Comments »

Giver, Taker, Matcher – Which One Are You?

April 26th, 2013 by janet-wolf

I recently came across a video interview with Adam Grant who talks about his book Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success. Adam Grant is a Wharton School of Business professor, a very young and popular one, a sort of rock star professor. You may have seen him being interviewed on the Today Show recently. Let’s look at how his concept can relate to the business of hospitality and your success as innkeepers.

His theory is there are two personality extremes: the takers and the givers. The takers are the people who; “Get as much information from you as they can get without contributing anything if at all to the interaction. The takers will take the most direct path to achieving their own goals. The givers are always looking to give advice, provide mentoring or sharing knowledge without expecting anything in return.” He goes on to say that there is balance between these two extremes that we should try to achieve. He calls these people matchers. Most of us fall into this category. A matcher is somebody who tries to maintain an even balance of give and take. “If I help you, I expect to be helped in return. They keep score of exchanges, so that everything is fair and really just.” Now the important question, who among the two extremes tend to be more successful in business?

A real greedy taker

The professor did extensive research and came up with some very interesting conclusions. “Givers are overrepresented at the top as well as the bottom of most success metrics. But they are also overrepresented at the bottom.” Reason? The givers put themselves at the risk for burning out. Ahh, does this sound familiar? Professor Grant says; “Many givers confuse being helpful or being generous with being available for every person and every request all the time.” We all know innkeepers like that; you may be one of them. I know I fell into that extreme end of the giver spectrum in my first months of innkeeping. We physically cannot be available 24/7 and be everything to every guest. This is the perfect recipe for burn out. Many of The B&B Team’s “Better Way to Learn Innkeeping” seminar attendees often comment, ‘I hear that innkeeping is a 24/7 job.’ We tell them that if that is the case, those innkeepers that tell you that are not running a successful business. So the next question is how do you erase the 24/7 mentality and balance your business to avoid burn out?

It really comes down to protecting your time and yourself. Your guests, your partner, your Inn are important and so are you. If you are constantly giving all your time and energy to your guests there will be nothing left for anyone else, including the business of running your Inn. You can be helpful and generous of your time and still have time for yourself. Really!

Professor Grant says; ”I think that we need to work with people who fall in the giving end of the spectrum to help them set clear boundaries and determine, ‘Okay, how am I going to help most of the people most of the time?’ He came up with what he calls the “the five minute favor’. “ Instead of just helping everyone all the time, ask, “Can I offer something of unique value to this other person that will take me five minutes or less? It’s basically about finding high benefit to others, but at low cost to the self.”

Example: Try making a game of it. ‘The 15 Minute Turn Around’. Can you turn a grumpy guest into a satisfied guest in 15 minutes? Rick and I used to bet each other to see which one of us could turn a guest around the fastest during the check-in process. It was fun and it usually worked. But we all know that some guests are high maintenance and whatever you do they will never be satisfied. They are most likely the real greedy takers of the world. These guests are time suckers and will drain your energy and try your giving nature. Remember what Professor Grant says, they are people who will get as much information out of you without contributing anything in return. Not even a ‘Thank You’. The extreme takers are difficult if not impossible to win over and they will probably not be repeat guests. Acknowledge them, treat them well, smile and keep your cool.

We all need some balance in our lives

I believe that innkeepers in general fall more at the giving end of the spectrum but must balance their time like a matcher to be truly successful for the longest period of time. “Oftentimes givers put themselves at risk in the short run. But in the long run, they end up building the kind of social capital that’s really important for success in a very connected world.” Yes you may have days when your guests suck all your energy out of you and you don’t think you have anything left to give. But then a guest you have connected with and have created a great relationship with calls and makes that repeat week long reservation for the fourth year in a row. Or one of your grumpy complaining guests you thought you would never see again calls and wants to get married at your Inn because they had such a wonderful experience. That’s what it’s really about isn’t it?

Thanks for listening

Janet Wolf

Tags: Adam Grant. Wharton School of Business, Better Way to Learn Innkeeping Seminar, Give and take, The B&B Team
Posted in Innkeeping Business | No Comments »

Eureka Springs – A Town Worth Discovering

April 10th, 2013 by janet-wolf

Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Bridgeford House Bed and Breakfast

Did you know there are over 26 towns in the U.S. named Eureka or with Eureka in the name? Also a few scattered in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But there is only one Eureka Springs and that is in Arkansas my friends.

Eureka! The word comes from the ancient Greek, “I have found it”. We also equate the word with a “great discovery”, like the discovery of gold in California or the cold water springs in Arkansas. Like most springs throughout the world, these springs were believed to cure certain ailments. First known to the Native Americans and then ‘discovered’ by the Victorian-age health seekers. People flocked to the area and eureka, a resort was born. Last year we visited Eureka Springs before the PAII Conference in Little Rock. We were blown away. Quaint and bold historic buildings line the downtown streets that curve and wind upwards, down and around. We had so much fun driving and did get a bit lost and so did our GPS, but what the heck. The locals were helpful and gave us directions with a friendly knowing smile. This resort town is known for its restoration and preservation so you know the B&B’s are among the best examples of the historic Victorian architecture that has been so lovingly preserved.

Take a look at the Bridgeford House Bed and Breakfast. What a beautiful painted lady! The B&B Team is offering this charming inn for sale. You can’t get any better than a property in great condition with lovely features in a destination location that attracts people from Tulsa to St. Louis to Ft. Worth, to name just a few. Believe me, this is a great place to discover if you haven’t already.

5 Ojo Inn Bed and Breakfast

5 Ojo Inn Bed & Breakfast is another of our listings that is unique and radiates Eureka Springs hospitality and charm. The property includes two homes and two cottages with rooms that have been remodeled and re-branded and a new marketing presence in 2012, this B&B is poised for the next phase of its growth.

Rick, Peter, Peggy and I had a great time. After touring the Inns and getting acquainted with the innkeepers, we all went to town. We had dinner at the Grand Taverne at Grand Central Hotel, a classic historical hotel with the classic dining room to match. Later that evening we were surprised to hear a familiar voice coming from the grand piano. ‘Do You Believe in Magic?’, wow, Jerry Yester from The Lovin’ Spoonful. There is a wonderful purity to his voice and when he sang this song it was like he was singing it for the first time. He plays there twice a week when he is not touring. Some of you may ask, who? The Gen. Xers at the Bridgeford House breakfast table the next morning certainly did! It was quite funny to see their blank faces while we were excitingly talking about our celebrity siting.

Jerry Yester playing at the Grande Taverne in Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs really is a town for all ages, not just for us baby boomer Lovin’ Spoonful crowd. It is known for its eclectic shops, booming artist culture, restaurants and nightlife, and oh what nightlife! Places like; Voulez-Vous Lounge with jazz, champagne cocktails or classic drinks and a bit of burlesque. How about the Pied Piper Pub and Cathouse Lounge? (Yes Eureka Springs has a very interesting sorted history that involves underground tunnels). Walk or take a taxi back to your quiet B&B. Fun, friendly and safe. The Eureka Springs promise. There are many finer dining restaurants and the innkeepers of 5 Ojo have rated their favorites on their website. Gaskins Cabin Steakhouse is one that is at the top of their list.

Gaskins Cabin Steakhouse-beautiful!

The area is also a destination for recreation with access to two lakes, zip lining in the Ozarks and the Great Passion Play performed in a grand outdoor theatre. As they say, something for everyone.

Springtime in the Ozarks. Photo by Edward Robinson

Looking for a great location for a B&B and a great lifestyle? Check out the Bridgeford House and 5 Ojo. You couldn’t ask for more beautiful places to settle down into your new innkeeping life. A great discovery, a great place to live!

Tags: 5 Ojo Inn Bed & Breakfast, Arkansas, Bridgeford House bed and breakfast, Eureka Springs B&Bs, Jerry Yester, The B&B Team Inns for Sale
Posted in Better Way to Buy and Inn | No Comments »

Deluxe Cabins-Options for Innkeepers and Guests

March 14th, 2013 by janet-wolf

1950′s Virginia Motor Court Cottages two miles west of Waynesboro

Yes…this is a cabin in the woods

The roadside motel or cottage court of the 1950’s and 60’s is a tribute to Americana. Merge nostalgia with modern guestroom amenities and what do you get? The Iris Inn’s newest lodging option, cabins designed just for a couple’s getaway. Innkeepers Dave and Heidi Lanford have created what they call a ‘contemporary adult tree house.’ The Iris’s Inn’s location overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is the perfect spot for these luxury cabins. Imagine your personal hot tub in your personal screened porch, step through to the bathroom with heated floor and two person rain head shower. This ain’t your grandmother’s tourist lodge auto camp roadside cabin-cottage, that is for darn sure.

Dave doing what he loves!

After all this relaxation and activity?! If you have the energy, you can walk up to the main lodge and have a glass of wine with ol’ sourpuss Dave. You can see from this photo that he just hates his job!

Heidi and Dave were inspired to add their luxury cabins by innkeeper friends Melissa and Ray Alexander, innkeepers of neighboring property Alpine Hideaway . Their luxury secluded cabins are perched atop the Blue Ridge overlooking the Shenandoah Valley’s green fields and blue mountains. Perfect for a romantic cocooning getaway, as we all know Virginia is for Lovers. Another inspiration was the fact that these units are very profitable for the Alexanders and will surely be for the Lanfords. Both couples are clients and seminar graduates of The B&B Team. Success, we love to see it, especially for such nice and smart innkeeper clients and friends.

Alpine Hideaway Cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia

A classic 1950′s motel renovation Palm Springs style

Another trend is the growing number of “boutique motels”. Vintage motels in destination locations that have been transformed into unique properties. Take the example of the Orbit in Oasis, a trendy desert motel in Palm Springs CA. The mid century modern craze is alive and well at the Orbit with poolside breakfast, cruiser bikes and cocktails at 5. Soft jazzy Sinatra background music poolside and warm desert breezes complete the picture.

Searching for lodging properties with cabins, cottages, motel units? Look no further than The B&B Team Inns for Sale. We have some great properties in pristine condition as well as properties ready for a transformation. We can help you. Properties from the Pacific Northwest in Washington state, the Blood Mountain Cabins in Georgia, and Virginia to the mid-coast of Maine. Great destination locations.

Luxury Cabins in the Columbia River Gorge Pristine and available

Luxury Cabins in the Columbia River Gorge, Washington state. Pristine and available

Abbington’s Seaview Motel & Cottages in Mid Coast Maine offered for Sale. Transformation opportunity, you bet!

The fact that the B&B experience can be offered in different style properties is exciting and offers guests options when choosing their lodging. The opportunity for innkeepers to add to their business by adding cottages or cabins or transforming a mid-century motel is also exciting. Whether deluxe or rustic, we all like options and the single unit cabin-cottage option is a great way to give your guests the choice to experience the intimate cocooning getaway. The boutique motel option may offer more of a communal experience but the accommodations can be personable and memorable even if a bit cozy. The opportunities are out there, take the plunge.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: Alpine Hideaway, boutique motel, cottages, deluxe cabins, inns for sale, Iris Inn, Orbit oasis, The B&B Team, Virginia Inns
Posted in Market Trends | No Comments »

Is Fine Dining Dead?

March 5th, 2013 by janet-wolf

Executive Chef Jonathan Cartwright
The White Barn Inn

The fine dining experience, is it dead, should it die? This question comes up often when we talk to innkeepers, chefs and restaurateurs. An article written in 2009 by food and travel writer Anya von Bremza asked a similar question, Should Fine Dining Die? This article is five years old but the question is still relevant and worth the debate. Are the white tablecloth restaurants an endangered species? In the past number of years we have seen many fine dining restaurants diversify. Take the example of The White Barn Inn Restaurant in Kennebunk, Maine, AAA Five Diamond, Forbes 5 Star Dining, the list goes on. Described on their website as;”candle lit crisp white linen tables and classic views, your romantic gourmet retreat for that special celebration.” They are the ultimate in a fine dining experience, jackets for men required. But just this winter they started offering their ‘Winter Bistro’. They describe the experience as follows: ‘The Winter Bistro features the culinary excellence experienced time and again by our guests, but provides them with a lovely alternative to our legendary prix fixe menu. Guests can choose to dine from our al a carte bistro menu, in our picturesque Bistro dining room.”

The White Barn Inn Restaurant

And guess what, jackets not required! They have set aside an area in their dining room that is less formal yet still creates the same ambiance and the same great service. They are not devaluing their brand in any way, they are offering a choice. The trend towards less formality and lets’ face it, lower pricing has created a demand. According to author Anya many people today …”would rather go to their local gastro pub and order heritage pork belly.” I recently talked with Executive Chef of The White Barn Inn, Jonathan Cartwright. He says the Winter Bistro has been well received by locals as well as inn guests. I asked him if he sees an increased demand for simpler food in a more relaxed atmosphere. He says that the dining public has evolved and we are now a nation of true foodies. He pointed out that The White Barn will always keep the tradition of a special occasion dining choice. He also pointed out that it is always a challenge to keep current, even in our small towns of Kennebunk/Kennebunkport the choices for dining have increased tremendously just in the last few years. Locals and visitors have more choices now. I agree, even if we choose the less formal restaurant in town or the Winter Bistro alternative we still want great food, great service, great atmosphere, in short, that total dining experience without the ‘fine’ attached to it.

Luke Iannuzzi’s Dinnerware

The Comman Man Restaurant, Sugarbush Vermont

Recently Rick and I had a really great dining experience with incredible food and service at The Common Man Restaurant in Sugerbush Vermont. The dinnerware they use is unique, custom hand thrown pottery made by a local potter and innkeeper Luke Iannuzzi at the Wilder Farm Inn. Everything else offered at the restaurant is also locally sourced. Chef-owner Adam Longworth stopped by our table and talked with us and the other guests about their dining experience and answered questions about his background and vision for the restaurant. If delivering that crucial sense of emotional authenticity is the haute cuisine and fine dining experience of the future, Chef Longworth has perfected it .

I have quoted restaurateur Danny Meyer in past blogs because he is at the top when it comes to high standards in hospitality. In a recent article in Business Insider by Max Nisen, the author spoke with Danny about his view on the fine dining experience. Danny Meyer ”built his empire by focusing intensely on the diner’s experience and hospitality. For example, stiff formality is not particularly enjoyable, Meyer found. So even his fine dining restaurants are about the food and being hospitable, not decor or grandiosity. That friendly experience is just as intensely managed and thought out as a stiff and choreographed classic service might be.”

I will end with another example from a personal experience Rick and I recently had. We visited a full service country inn that has offered fine dining successfully for the past 20 plus years, but recently their dining room business has been declining, especially mid week. We made a suggestion that they may want to consider offering alternate menu choices in a more relaxed atmosphere in one of their dining rooms. We suggested that this may bring in more locals, especially midweek. This is exactly what the White Barn is trying in their ‘Winter Bistro’. Remember I said that the White Barn Restaurant was not devaluing their brand by offering an alternative dining choice. But one way of devaluing your brand is letting your business get behind the times, not keeping up with the trends. Change is a scary thing sometimes but may be necessary to keep up with the demand of today’s fickle foodie. Oh I like that…great name for a restaurant?

North Carolina Coastal Inn with Gourmet Restaurant

The B&B Team has a number of full service inns for sale. If you are an aspiring innkeeper who is considering a career in innkeeping with a full service dining component we have some great properties. Check them out.

Is fine dining dead? Those restaurants of old with flaming desserts and tuxedoed waiters may be decreasing but they are not dead or should they die! The new fine dining is more about choice. Yes we do want to dress up occasionally for that special occasion with the linen, crystal and silverware for every course…or not. Give us the choice. So whether it is white cloth or white butcher paper, we want great, innovative and authentic food. And make it fresh, local, visually appealing and presented with style and service extraordinaire. All that is ‘fine’ with me.

Thanks for Listening

Janet Wolf

Tags: Common Man Restaurant, Danny Meyer, Fine dining, full service inns for sale, Jonathan Cartwright, Kennebunk Maine, Sugarbush Vertmont, The B&B Team, White Barn Inn, Wilder Farm Inn, winter bistro
Posted in Food & Beverage | 1 Comment »

Love is in the Air

February 13th, 2013 by janet-wolf

Lemon Curd Mascarpone Ebelskiver (Filled Puffed Pancakes) with Wild Berry Topping - A Perfect Valentine´s Breakfast

Valentine’s Day Breakfast
Lemon Curd Mascarpone Filled Puffed Pancakes with Wild Berry Topping

February is for lovers…such a familiar line for every bed and breakfast that offers a Valentine’s Day special for the entire month or for the Valentine’s Day weekend. Chocolate covered strawberries, champagne and red roses and that special breakfast. Romance and s__ that’s what you sell! But what about love? I find this a good time of year to reflect on love. What and who we love.

I love old things. Old things that have been loved. I love finding old books. We have a small collection that is cherished. I especially love the books that have something left in them by the original owner. Like the original book of Bambi by Austrian author Felix Salten translated into English in 1928 I found in one of our favorite used book stores. Among its pages was a newspaper article about the young doe located in the Maine woods that became the model for Disney’s animated Bambi.

Celia Thaxter in Her Garden by Childe Hassam 1892

Or a recent book of Celia Thaxter’s poems that I found among a group of musty collections at an antique mall. Celia and her family were innkeepers of the once thriving Appledore Inn on Appledore Island off the coast of Maine. Like many old inns of this era it burned down in 1914. This book contained among it’s pages an old postcard of the Inn and a pressed flower from Celia’s beloved island gardens. I am sure these books were once loved and cherished by their owners. How long had this book been abandoned until I found it? When Rick and I go through our books from time to time to donate, the old ones stay, they are loved.

I love old houses. Our Inn was a 1813 ship captains home. I know that many of you own or aspire to own old homes that now welcome guests in their most recent renewed life as bed and breakfasts. Many of these houses have in their past been abandoned and left empty and unloved. But once they are bought and transformed into bed and breakfasts, the atmosphere becomes lighter, the rooms become fresh and welcoming and the love is apparent and well received by all who enter. The challenge to innkeepers is how to keep that love alive! All of us at the The B&B Team visit Inns from time to time that have ‘lost that loving feeling’. It may sound corny but you know what I mean. Something is missing and has left the building. We find it may take some outside eyes to help innkeepers find and rekindle their passion and ‘bring back that loving feeling’. The B&B Team and our ‘Inn Tune-Up’ program loves to play cupid. Take a look at what we offer that may help you bring the spark back to your relationship with your Inn and your business.

So what do you love? Your family, your husband, wife or partner (old or not!). Love you Rick! Your pets, your cherished collections. Do you love your bed and breakfast/Inn and the business of running it? Hopefully the answer is still yes. The love you feel shows in everything you do in your daily care for your property. It will also show in the value of your Inn. Once you come around to the time to sell, to let go, you want your property to be at its best. You want the next caretaker of your cherished Inn to feel the love and the value you have lovingly created. So keep that love alive. Don’t lose that loving feeling!

Quick side story. We had a guest once ask us if we could ‘guarantee romance’ with his stay at our Inn. Rick answered, “Nope, can’t do that, we can give you a nice room, great bed and all the amenities, the rest is up to you pal!

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: bed and breakfast, Inn Tune-Up, romance, Valentine's Day Specials
Posted in Better Way to Sell Your Inn | 2 Comments »

PAII Innkeeping Conference and Trade Show of Shows

January 21st, 2013 by janet-wolf

The PAII ‘Rat Packer’ Staff

Jay welcoming us all to Las Vegas, great hair Jay!

Whether this is your first PAII conference or your umpteenth, the upcoming 2013 conference in Las Vegas promises to be be quite entertaining. I know that Jay Karen and the entire staff are gearing up and making last minute plans. Take a look, here they are looking so cool, ready to take over Vegas.

There is a rumor that Jay is planning a very special welcome for this year’s conference attendees. Here is my crazy guess.

Now I know that according to the ad campaign ’what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ but for innkeepers attending this conference you will be taking some things home with you to your Inns, like knowledge, great ideas to implement, new amenities, media tools and lots of great memories. The B&B Team would like to be a part of the education that you take back with you. Peter and Rick will be presenting sessions as will Dana Moos, one of our newest additions to our team. Scott Bushnell will be in charge of Audio/Visual and room set up as well as presenting at the Aspiring Innkeeper Day. Marilyn Bushnell is heading up the coordination of Food and Beverage for the conference. But wait there is more, our latest addition, Eliot Dalton will also be there swingin with the team. Oh and Peggy Scherman and I will also be there, you’ll find us at the tables…our booth tables of course.

To top off the festivities, The B&B Team is celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year and would love to welcome all our old and new innkeeping and vendor friends at our booth on the trade show floor. Stop by and help us celebrate. So get out your bangles and beads, get ready to recharge your batteries and meet us at the Tropicana on January 28-31. Can’t wait!

Thanks for listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: innkeepers, innkeeping, Jay Karen, Las Vegas, PAII, PAII innkeeping trade conference and show, The B&B Team, Tropicana hotel
Posted in Innkeeping Events | Comments Off

Chester Vermont-Country Inn and B&B Mecca

January 16th, 2013 by janet-wolf

Chester, “the Vermont you’ve been hoping to find”

In southern Vermont lies a quiet, friendly town, Chester. The town is known for many things, it boasts of two historical districts and three villages as well as zero stoplights! Its location is idyllic, nestled on the eastern slopes of the Green Mountains in the heart of Okemo Valley, the well-known ski and year round cool resort for all. It is also known for the number of bed and breakfasts that dot the village streets and countryside. The Chester Vermont Innkeepers Association lists 13 properties totaling 125 rooms. In days of yore travelers would journey by stagecoach along the Green Mountain Turnpike that stretched between Boston and Montreal. Chester was a major stop for many a weary, hungry and thirsty traveler. Like many towns and villages in New England, Chester had an Inn and tavern that became the anchor of the Main street business district and it still stands as vibrant and welcoming as it did in those early days.

Going back to the article about Norman T. Simpson from 1982 featured in my previous blog, I quote the author; “It was near dinner time. The fire crackled and flames leaped high in the brick fireplace in the Inn. Guests and townspeople came in from the cold winter night, and stood in front of the blazing fire for a few moments before going into the formal dining room or the more rustic tavern.” This scenario has been played out numerous times in country inns everywhere, such a welcoming vision.

The fire crackled and flames leaped high

This Chester Vermont Inn with its lantern shining brightly is the gathering place for locals and travelers from away who join together around the constant welcoming hearth. The Inn features fine yet casual dining and tavern fare and has facilities for meetings and events. Yes there may be a number of restaurants and watering holes throughout the region but being the anchor, innkeepers of the Inn will always have that strong standing in the community. It is a great place to be. The lodging has been recently refurbished and rounds out the total picture.

The anchor of Main Street

The B&B Team is proud to represent this quintessential Country Inn in Chester, Vermont. Norman, in his search for country inns always looked for inns with a “distinctive personality, integrity, pride and dedicated inn keeping.” If you as an aspiring innkeeper are also searching for these qualities in a country inn or bed and breakfast we can help guide you through your search. The Okemo Valley Country Inn we are offering for sale is a prime example of the kind of Inn Mr. Simpson visited and recommended in his many travel books. The B&B Team invites you to read, learn and be inspired and join us in one of our ‘Better Way to Learn Innkeeping’ Seminars. I think Mr. Simpson would concur.

Thanks for listening

Janet Wolf

Tags: aspiring innkeepers, bed and breakfast location, Chester Vermont, Country Inn, innkeeping, inns for sale, Norman T. Simpson, Okemo Valley, The B&B Team, Vermont
Posted in Inns for Sale | 1 Comment »

Norman T. Simpson – Country Inns and Back Roads

January 10th, 2013 by janet-wolf

A Perfect Back Road

Once upon a time there was a man by the name of Norman T. Simpson. He travelled the roads of our vast country and wrote of the unique country inns he visited. He talked with the innkeepers and the guests and quoted their words of wisdom and advice. His comments were light hearted and full of witty truisms and local country lore. Each entry in his travel books are a joy to read. If you can get a hold of an old edition it is worth the find. I picked up one in a used book store a few years back for $1. My first thought when rereading some of the entries was what a great blogger he would have been! As many of you may know he was the father of Select Registry. Mr. Simpson died in 1988 at age 69 but what a legacy he left behind. He helped what was then known as a ‘cottage industry’ grow, today the bed and breakfasts and country inns he introduced to the travelling public have flourished under the leadership of Select Registry and PAII, our national organization. The rest as they say is history and the 400 inns he originally recommended have grown into thousands.

I found a wonderful article written in 1982 entitled “America turns ‘in-ward’ and Norman T. Simpson is showing the way”. Simpson was quoted in the article about when he first started his travels and writings in the mid-60′s.

“Finding real inns – as opposed to hotels or motels that call themselves inns – was a problem. Although definitions of inns vary, Simpson and other experts agree there are several common ingredients. Besides a certain distinct ”atmosphere,” derived in part from its antiquity, an inn must ”draw people together” in camaraderie and friendship.”

”You tend to find friendship replacing many of the amenities of a large hotel,” says Wayne Berens, president of Revere Travel Inc. ”The people who like to stay at country inns are also really looking for a kind of tranquility that they may not find in a large glass and steel hotel.”

‘Mr Country Inn’

Thirty-one years ago and many of these quotations could be written about today’s bed and breakfasts and country inns. I am not one to recommend living in the past. The B&B Team is a huge supporter of ‘A Better Way to Stay’ campaign. Evolving and adhering to today’s traveler’s changing needs and staying in tune with current travel trends is very important and much needed for the health and growth of our industry but… understanding the origins of our small lodging industry is also very important. Phrases like; ‘distinct atmosphere’ and ‘drawing people together in camaraderie and friendship’ and travelers seeking ‘a kind of tranquility’. Those distinctions are timeless and should never be forgotten.

Later in the article Mr. Simpson was asked which inn was his favorite. Being a gentleman and smart businessman he answered brilliantly and diplomatically.

”I refrain from choosing favorites,” he says. ”Aside from the fact it is not a very good idea, it is also a very difficult question to answer. It depends on your mood and I find in almost every case that where I am is the place I like best – whether it’s up in the Vermont woods or on the California coast.”

For him, finding the ideal country inn is ”a state of mind”. If you bring that state of mind with you, you’re going to find the perfect inn.”

Taking Norman T. Simpson’s lead and inspiration I plan to post some future blogs about some of the back road country inns The B&B Team is representing for sale. Many of which were in the original travel books by Simpson.

First posting will be about Chester Vermont. Stay tuned.

Thanks for listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: A Better Way to Stay, bed and breakfast, Chester, PAII, Select Registry, The B&B Team, Vermont
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