Testimonials
We have worked with thousands of properties since 1984, and below are just a few of the many testimonials we have received.
Innkeeper Reviews of the B&B Team
Going above and beyond client expectations to help our Innkeeping clients is our goal. The result is clients who meet and exceed their personal and professional goals. On this page, we provide innkeeper reviews of our consulting, services and seminars for the bed and breakfast inn and related distinctive lodging markets.
Innkeeper Reviews of Our Consulting and Brokerage Services
“Buying an inn and learning the business is not an easy thing. As graduates of your “Better Way to Learn Innkeeping” and having your continued support throughout the years, you and The B&B Team helped us accomplish things we never thought we could do. Selling an inn is also not an easy task and can be a lengthy process. Our successful business was a reflection of the information we learned from you, resulting in selling our property within 9 months of listing it! Thank you for helping us live our dream.”
-Ray & Melissa, former owners of Steeles Tavern Manor
“Thank you SOOO much for coming to Eureka and listing The Woods with The B&B Team. I couldn’t have done it without you guys! When it comes time in the next couple of years I will be calling again to list my other property. Til then, take care and again, thank you. God bless.”
-Frank Green, former owner of The Woods Treehouse Resort, Eureka Springs, AR
“We want to thank you for helping us through the process of becoming innkeepers and for, ultimately, locating the perfect inn for us. Although we probably could have muddled our way through buying an inn, we know we would never have had such a successful experience without your guidance. The B&B Team played an essential role in our journey; THANK YOU!”
-Ed and Connie Binot, Cuthbert House Inn, Beaufort, SC
“Having just viewed the email with the announcement of the sale of our inn, we want to thank you for all your support along the way. After trying several other realtors we finally came to the right place, with you and your colleagues bringing to us the qualified buyers and managing the often convoluted sale process. We will and have recommended you to other innkeepers and will hold you in the highest regard professionally and personally.”
-Marcia and Laurence Austin – Retired Owners and Innkeepers, Holidae House, Bethel, ME
“It’s been a pleasure working with you. Your calm and level-headedness came in handy during the lengthy process. I would recommend you and your company in the future.”
– Doug Kelly, former owner of Esmeralda Inn, Chimney Rock, NC
“We’re great! Frazzled but getting the hang of it, I think. The team just left so now we have truly left the nest! They were amazing and we feel like friends and were sad to see them leave. We already have the no vacancy sign out for tonight! Sold out for Fri and Sat with only a few rooms to rent tomorrow. Amazing. And you and Jan made it all possible. THANK YOU.”
– Siobhan and Katja, Towne Motel, a boutique hotel in Camden, Maine
“Thank you for this information and feedback. I will review further with my husband. It is great to see what a fantastic and comprehensive job you do for clients.”
– Nancy H., Virginia
“Thank you for all that you did for us regarding the sale of our inn. Your expertise took us in the right direction so that we priced and marketed the Halsey House well.”
– KC Christopher and Mitch Clarke, former owners of Halsey House B&B, Trumansburg, NY
“Just wanted to say thanks for all your guidance – our year is going great and we are implementing what we discussed when you came here last year. We are at 92% occupancy for the next 14 days – and it’s MARCH not October. Our occupancy rate for the total month is at 75%. I remember that you said we should increase our rates when we get to this level, so up they went today. Hunt Country has new paint color and a new king size bed! It looks so wonderful and should really help us in booking that room. Thanks to Peggy for all her help.”
– Kathryn Bundy, Foxfield Inn, Charlottesville, Virginia
“Many thanks for all your help. We could not have done this without The B&B Team. We have really hit the ground running. Yesterday was closing and this weekend we have 7 of 10 rooms full for the weekend. We haven’t sat down yet. What an adventure!”
– Jim & Marcie Townsend, Stonecroft Country Inn, Ledyard, Connecticut
“Things are going very well, and I credit that two day session with you two for most of it!”
– Beth Colt, Woods Hole Inn, Massachusetts
“Today is Thanksgiving Day and I am very thankful for what we have, including friends like you. It was a pleasure meeting you both and I reflect back on some of the points that you gave us about our Inn. Some of the ideas have helped us make the Inn a better place and also gave us the knowledge that we were actually doing something ‘out of the box’ in Bruce, MS. Thank you both for being a part of that.”
– Paul Tyler, Cart Barn Inn, Mississippi (R.I.P.)
“Just wanted to send a note of thanks for your help. Your calm demeanor and rock steady approach surely got us through the toughest parts of selling an inn. We particularly appreciated your careful screening of potential buyers. Every buyer we met was qualified and a verified prospect. Our biggest concern about the process was that we would be deluged with ‘tire kickers with a dream’ – and that was certainly not the case. We appreciated your professionalism throughout the process, from the initial business analysis to the final days of negotiation before the closing. Thanks for the help, great positive attitude and of course your wicked sense of humor. Next time we need to sell an inn, we’ll give you a call!”
– Jane and Dave Sandelman, former owners of The Inn at Weathersfield, Vermont
“We can’t believe it has been a year since we signed the initial papers to purchase our property. As the old saying goes ‘Time flies when you are having fun.’ And we would not be in the position we are today if it wasn’t for The B&B Team. The team provided us much needed guidance and support along our journey and led us to our dream as Innkeepers. The B&B Team’s Aspiring Innkeepers Class has all the right information to start your life as Innkeepers and small business owners. Our entire business is a reflection of the information we learned from them. And our Inn purchase process was incredibly smooth due to the team’s experience and knowledge of the business. This is the team you need to connect with if you want to be successful in starting your dream of owning an Inn. Thank you for making it all happen for us! We look forward to working with The B&B Team in years to come!”
– Ray & Melissa Alexander, Steeles Tavern Manor Bed & Breakfast and Alpine Hideaway Cottages, Virginia
“The B&B Team listed and sold English Meadows Inn for me after approx. 20 months on the market. I think The B&B Team is very strong in financial analysis and market analysis and their methodology for setting a price makes good sense. In my transaction, The B&B Team wound up representing both the seller(me) and also the buyer as The B&B Team brought the buyer to the deal… The Inn was well marketed. The marketing package they put together was very professional and complete (you might want to ask to see the one they did for me) and I think it gives buyers an excellent qualitative and quantitative view of the property. The B&B Team kept the transaction on track and brought it to a successful closing. The B&B Team have quite different styles and personalities, but they collaborate well and make a strong team. They are easy to deal with and are committed to their clients. If I had it to do over again, I would definitely choose The B&B Team to manage the transaction.”
– Bruce Jackson, Maine
“We would like to say that The B&B Team was the best thing about selling our Inn. He was extremely professional and knowledgeable in every step of the process. We never regretted paying the upfront fees because we felt that it was fair. Once we saw the marketing plan and portfolio you put together for the sale of our Inn we were confident we had made the right decision. We were very hesitant sellers (a few times) but you made the whole process a very pleasant and easy experience. We love retirement!”
– Bill and Eileen Hoernlein, former owners of Steeles Tavern Manor Inn and Alpine Hideaway Cottages, Virginia
“Previous broker was selling a dream. You are helping me be successful in my business.”
– Donna from Texas, new owner of Captain Peary Inn, Fryeburg, Maine
“One of the things I have always appreciated about you most is that you do what you say you will do. Thank you so much for the time you spent with us yesterday. I truly appreciate your effort to get the original report to us as quickly as you did, and this follow-up is beyond perfect. Words are hard to find that describe our respect and appreciation for you.”
– Dave and Heidi Lanford, Iris Inn, Virginia
“It is very comforting to know that we can continue to reach out to The B&B Team for support and very much appreciate your offer to be involved in our marketing efforts. Your Team is the best and we continue to wish you all the best as well. Certainly will keep you updated on our progress on all fronts.”
– George and Mary Anne, Brass Lantern Inn, Vermont
“Wow, your feasibility report was illuminating. I want to talk to you about it so I can continue on this learning curve. Thank you for your professional work.”
– Lauri from FL
“We can’t thank you enough for the help you gave us going into this season. As the numbers I already sent show, we have seen a great increase in bookings. We ended July about 50% up from 2009!! We are now even with last August, and the month is only 9 days in. We know that a lot of factors come into play to make something like this happen, but some of the biggest are the suggestions you made. The amount we paid for your services was worth much more than we could possibly say. We highly and happily recommend The B&B Team to anyone who wants to improve their business. If you ever have a potential client who wishes to speak to a satisfied customer, please have them call us. Talk to you soon.”
– Linda and Norm
Innkeeper Reviews of Our Better Way to Learn Innkeeping™ Seminar
“Thank you again for taking your time to talk with me and my wife today. I know very well how valuable time is, and you setting aside as much to talk to someone under qualified to make the purchase, is above and beyond. Your insight was very valuable– you were able to paint a very realistic picture of the goals we need to meet to make purchasing a B&B a reality.” -Jason from Georgia
“Dear B&B Team! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for a wonderful, informative, impacting and inspiring weekend! You are truly a talented, successful and AMAZING team. I learned so much from your seminar and feel prepared to take on some very ambitious goals. You covered so much in such a short amount of time…I was impressed!!!! I am sooooooooooooooooo glad I met you and look forward to continuing our relationship! You have inspired me to go for my dreams! My vision of a B&B had been in my head for 5 years! Time to get it out and make it a reality!!”
– Lisa-Marie from Massachusetts
“The seminar gave us so much to talk about on the way home and every day since. I don’t know how many other people you got to talk to before the seminar, but your suggestion of reading ‘Running a Bed & Breakfast for DUMMIES’ was brilliant. Your presentations and that book gave us a great base from which to work, and I will add as a professional communicator there are very few suggestions I would have to improve on the weekend.”
– Jay and Michelle from Pennsylvania
“I was fully prepared to come away from the session saying, ‘Well, that’s nice, but let’s be ‘real.’ Thanks to this introductory training by top pros in the field, I now see a passageway to move forward and am clearer about personal possibilities and priorities. What a bonus to know a totally cool new and diverse bunch of folks who also hold such dreams. It’s a measure of your work with us over the weekend that we now ‘see’ and believe in the B&B/Inn that each of our colleagues envisions.”
– Katherine from Maryland
“Well it has been a long time since we have met with you in Maine, but we have been working at getting an Inn since then… I also have to say JAN, JAN…..THANK YOU for those notebooks! They have helped me remember so many things about the conference, and things that I didn’t understand at the time, but do now. You all are VERY much a blessing in our lives, and we are so thankful we had a class weekend with you!”
– Matt from Washington
“What a great experience! All of my questions were patiently and thoughtfully answered. It was so nice to have both Scott and Marilyn there to provide guidance. The Bushnell are wonderful caring people, I trust them to direct me down the correct path. I can’t wait to make my dream a reality.”
– P.F from Virginia
“We wanted to take the time to thank you all for such a wonderful and informative weekend! Greg and I truly enjoyed our time…it was truly a learning experience! The time spent raised valuable questions and also helped answer many of them. We look forward to working with you in the future as we begin to move forward with planning. We have many things to consider when it comes to opening and maintaining a B&B, but we both feel certain it is something we would truly enjoy doing for years to come. Again, thank you for such a great weekend!”
– Greg and Morgen from New York
“I’m not afraid anymore.”
– John from New York
“Had a great time. Lots of fun. Unexpected element of the seminar was the younger age of participants and variety of backgrounds.” …then a few months later: “Thanks to your seminar, we are purchasing the inn of our dreams. Thanks so much.”
– Yoshio from Connecticut
“I am so glad that we attended the seminar. I gleaned more ideas than imagined and found it very helpful. I would highly recommend this seminar to anyone contemplating owning / operating a B&B.”
– Debby from Missouri
“Forthrightness/candor instilled trust which is the most valuable thing I leave with.”
– Cindi from Texas
“Invaluable. The seminar helped us realize that Innkeeping is actually not the vehicle to get us to the future we desire. Love B&B’s, but this business is not the right answer for the lifestyle we want.”
– Tricia from Massachusetts
“Our new website is a product of attending the seminar in Kennebunkport last fall. I learned so much I thought it would start to ooze out my ears! Thank you again for a wonderful experience.”
– Sarah from Coburn House
“I wanted to send a quick note just to let you know how much I enjoyed the Aspiring Innkeepers workshop. I feel like I have taken a very important step in realizing my B&B goals. You two were amazing! Wonderful and knowledgeable!”
– Meaghan from FL
“The B&B Team’s seminar was not the first seminar we took to help us make up our minds on the all important decision on whether or not to buy an inn but it was by far the best! Scott Bushnell was a great instructor and well prepared for an educational weekend jam packed with quality information one needs to know before making this life changing decision. If you only take one class make it The Aspiring Innkeepers Seminar by The B&B Team.”
– Pat & Kris from Rhode Island
“Without a doubt this seminar provided us with more information than I ever expected, and I had HIGH expectations. Plus, I know I can trust you in the future steps we take, because I see your genuine passion in the industry and pride in your team.”
– Maxine from Washington
“Incredibly informative for the newbie beginning investigative work.”
– Melanie from Connecticut
“The exercise encouraging us to detail our own visions…was great.”
– Sharon from Massachusetts
“…enthusiastic, passionate, authentic, engaging.”
– Nicole from New York
“Eye opening – in a good way; a lot to take in. Informative – appreciate the sheer wealth of facts / tips. Fun!”
– Matt from Massachusetts
“Our investment was worthwhile! I learned what I wanted, expected, and needed. AND MORE!”
– Gerry from Connecticut
“Great! I now know what to look for in an inn!”
– Tom from Delaware
“Well done. I critique professional public speaking for a living — for presentational speaking you are all very effective. Again, the organization with materials was professional and helpful with lots of resources that I will actually be able to use.”
– Lauri from Florida
“Very informative. Took some of the intimidation edge off as far as feeling capable of running a B&B.”
– Kathy from Arizona
“Outstanding. I can’t imagine a better presentation of all this material within the given time restraint. Not only was this an outstanding seminar in regards to running a B&B, but so many great ideas and useful info that transcends into other career ideas.”
– Angie from South Carolina
“Very informative and will no doubt be a big help as we move toward becoming innkeepers. Jam packed — almost too much ground to cover in one weekend — rewarding.”
– Joe from New York
“Thank you for one of the best seminars I have ever attended! Not only was it professional and informative, it was fun!!! I have never spent so many hours learning something new and enjoyed myself so thoroughly in the process. It was a wonderful touch to be able to see the other inns in the area and really experience the look and feel of each. I can’t imagine anyone taking on such a life-changing endeavor without professional guidance and advice. It is very exciting to have a feel for the ‘reality’ behind the dream. I am sure that you have saved us a tremendous amount of time, and we are really looking forward to working with you as we make our dream our reality!”
– Mary from New Hampshire
“Very, very good. Nice breadth of information and interaction. Not boring or business-speak. From a skeptic, very good job. Glad we made the trip.”
– Glenn from New Jersey
“Succinct, entertaining, and full of copious, important information. Never a sleepy eye in the crowd!”
– Diana from Washington, DC
“We are members of PAII – but shall indicate this seminar is mandatory for all potential innkeepers.”
– Sandy from Washington, DC
“Very informative with how to go about finding location, what people want, how to cater to the public, marketing, etc.”
– Pamela from Maryland
“The B&B Team is great; presentations were informative and were done by experienced practitioners; lessons learned were helpful.”
– Hank from Florida
“Wow, what an incredible weekend! I have read almost every book on running B&B’s and I learned more from your seminar than I did reading all those books…Thanks so much for your help. You literally saved our bank account and our ‘retirement.’ Feel free to have anyone call us for a referral about your seminars.”
– Patti from Connecticut
“Invaluable…, a great overview of the ins and outs of the B&B business”
– Pat from New Hampshire
“Very informative and necessary in this decision-making process.”
– Leslie from Maine
“A lifesaver! We are much more prepared to purchase and run an inn.”
– Patricia from Connecticut
“Thank you for being real.”
– Eileen from Florida