Fall 2008 Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ) by Ingrid Thorson

Fall 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 2, Issue 4

innkeeping quarterly

smart reading for smart innkeeping

Getting the

Business Traveler page 5

13 What Would You Do?

Innkeepers respond to difficult customer service scenarios

20 The Importance of Pricing, Part 2

Entrepreneurial Pricing for Innkeepers

36 Risk Management

Fire Safety Basics for Inns

Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Fall 2008 • Volume 2, Issue 4

innkeeping quarterly

smart reading for smart innkeeping

feature articles 13

What Would You Do? An inside look at innkeepers’ responses to customer service scenarios

The Importance of Pricing, Part 2: Entrepreneurial Pricing for Innkeepers

departments

cover story

Getting the Business Traveler

Key Notes

Innkeeper 2 Innkeeper

2009 Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show

Food Glorious Food

Risk Management

By The Numbers

PAII News and Information Center

Inn Sales

Advertisers’ Index

N EW

Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ), is PAII’s quarterly periodical. PAII has been dedicated to fostering the knowledge and expertise of keepers of the inn for nearly 20 years. In line with this mission, each issue of IQ features members of the innkeeping community and covers topics that are important to those in the innkeeping industry: real estate, food, finances, customer relations, operations, marketing, and more. IQ: smart reading for smart innkeeping Professional Association of Innkeepers International www.paii.org • 800.468.PAII © 2008, Professional Association of Innkeepers International

innkeeping quarterly

IQ smart reading for smart innkeeping

About IQ: IQ is published quarterly. Subscription is included in the price of PAII membership. Editorial comments and suggestions are welcomed. To contribute, please contact Ingrid Thorson, 856-310-1102, Ingrid@paii.org. Editorial Office: PAII, 207 White Horse Pike Haddon Heights, NJ 08035 IQ Staff: Contributing Editors: John Felton Laura Middleton Ingrid Thorson Joan Wells Contributing Writers: Greg Harrington Jay Karen Rosie Ray Liza Simpson Holly Stiel Design: Imbue Creative Advertising Sales: Marlene Sapir PAII Staff: Jay Karen President and CEO Michele McVay Director of Education & Events Marty DeLuca Bookkeeper Laura Middleton Communications Coordinator Marlene Sapir Vendor Services & Sales Ingrid Thorson Marketing & Communications Manager

Correction: On page 28 in the summer issue of IQ, credit for the photograph should be Jumping Rocks, Inc. We apologize for the oversight.

Key Notes When Lobbyist is Not Such a Dirty Word

n this highly-concentrated year of politics, the word “lobbyist” gets thrown around as a dirty word. I’ve long contended that “lobbyist” is only a dirty word if the lobbyist in question is working on a cause that you don’t support. Most trade associations are lobbying groups in one way or another. While some might not have a registered lobbyist working the halls of Congress, nearly every association serves as an advocate for the voices of their respective industries. PAII is no different, and the latest advocacy issue in innkeeping has been engaging TripAdvisor to consider important changes to their web site. TripAdvisor apparently has over 200,000 businesses under review on their web site. The percentage of that universe represented by the innkeeping industry is certainly in the single-digits, and to boot we are not a reliable source of bookings through TripAdvisor’s “commerce partners” like Expedia.com. Translation: While they definitely know we are here, they haven’t adequately considered the unique needs of our segment of the lodging and travel world when building site features and policies. Yet, these site features and policies have an indisputably large impact on the lives and businesses of innkeepers. I took the message of our industry to the leadership of TripAdvisor, and I was warmly received at their headquarters office outside of Boston in September. My modus operandi when appealing for change is to rely on reason and logic, which were to be found in spades in the 300 stories submitted to our office by innkeepers all across the continent. Most ideas and requests I presented were just plain good sense kind of stuff they should consider for all lodging properties. I urge all IQ readers

to visit my blog at www.innkeepingblog. com to read the rather exhaustive report of what I brought to the table. My plan is to visit with the appropriate leadership of TripAdvisor constantly and work on the issues that seemed to have been met with agreement or consideration. I’m bringing this up in my quarterly column, because during this economic downturn, we talk to many innkeepers who are more closely scrutinizing their membership in associations like PAII. With each member who doesn’t renew his or her membership, PAII becomes that much less capable to tackle such important issues. We might not yet have a fantastic B&B directory leading consumers to your doors, but we are taking on issues that certainly have a dramatic economic impact on your business. That is worthy of your support in the form of membership. Now is not a time to pull away from your trade association. Stay in the game and off the sidelines. Better yet, talk to your peers about joining or rejoining the “new PAII.” I’m amazed at how important and alive word of mouth is among innkeepers. Just like you need your customers to tell their friends about you, we need you to tell your friends about PAII. There is too much at stake in the innkeeping industry to not be a member of PAII and just hope someone takes on the important issues. Do you feel like you’re being lobbied? I hope you don’t think it’s a dirty word this time. Best of luck to you this season.

Jay Karen President & CEO

Using 401(k) or IRA to Pay for Capital Improvements By Rick Newman, Managing Partner of Commercial Capital Network, LLC www.bedandbreakfastfinancing.com • E-mail: ccnllc@gmail.com

ew innkeepers realize that they have the ability to use retirement assets to pay for improvements to their property. Most innkeepers believe that there are only two options available to them if they want or need to access capital from their 401(k) or IRA. Borrowing from a retirement account, while still employed with the employer who established your 401(k), may solve a short term objective but it will require a return of the principal with interest. Early withdrawals on the other hand, are subject to pre-distribution taxes and penalties.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which created the IRA in 1974, places surprisingly few restrictions on how retirement money can be invested. Except for life insurance or collectibles — such as artwork or coins — retirement funds can be placed in just about anything. Tens of thousands of investors have switched their retirement savings to self-directed accounts since the stock market correction of 2000 and 2001. By some estimates, 3% of the $3.5 trillion held in IRAs is now in alternative investments — and the number is growing. THE GOOD NEWS: A Self Directed 401(k) can be structured to conform to IRS Regulations, these regulations must be followed to the letter and ALL requirements must be satisfied to have a plan that is fully compliant. Here are the four of the basic elements to the plan:

Step One: A fundamental requirement to this program is that a C Corporation must hold title to the real estate asset. Therefore, if title is held in any other manner, the title can be transferred into a newly formed C Corporation.

Step Two:

The new C Corporation sponsors a new Self Directed 401(k)

Step Three:

Retirement funds from existing IRA/401(k)s are rolled into the newly formed 401(k)

Step Four: The new 401(k) purchases stock in the new C Corporation giving the Corporation the cash it needs to improve or expand the inn. The new retirement account may purchase as much as 95% of the stock, providing the necessary capital for improvements; the new retirement account actually purchases the stock of a company you control, much as if your IRA or 401(k) were to purchase shares in a publicly traded company.

In a nutshell, the new self directed retirement account purchases the stock a company you control, much as if your IRA/401(k) were to purchase shares in a publicly traded company. You avoid penalties and taxes on early withdrawals and eliminate the need to pay back principal and interest which ultimately increases the total debt that must be serviced. Why borrow the funds when you can invest in your retirement funds in an asset you control?

To arrange for a review of your plan options please call…1-570-595-2120

5 INN Business: Selling the Corporate Client by Rosie Ray

hat am I? A B&B? Urban inn? A hotel? The questions are always there in our business: Do I compete with the hotels or is my business serving a much smaller market? How can I compete with all of the services of the Ritz Carlton or the Hampton Inn? In times of change, we go through the stress of really wondering who and what we are and where our market is based. The word is out — you are all of those kinds of lodging properties — and you want all of the business that business can give you. How do you make it happen in your market? I offer a case in point: “Good morning, Mansion House! This is Rosie and how can I help you?” “This is Steve Colgate and I have one of your business cards. I’ve had it for a long time but I don’t remember where I got it.” “You got it from my husband who left it at your booth at the sail boat show two years ago and probably this year too! I hope you are calling to put some of your clients at the Mansion House.” “Well, you know, I have had agreements with Hotel A and Hotel B and I have real problems — especially during high season with them turning my clients away when they overbook their rooms. I’ve had it with them. What is it you do? I need some rooms.” This was the introduction to a major client of mine, Steve and Doris Colgate from Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School and the Learn-to-Sail Sailing Course in St. Petersburg, Florida. We successfully worked as a team to the

benefit of both companies. His call was for one thing: accommodations for his clients—guaranteed. The Mansion House not only provided Steve with guaranteed rooms when needed and a room to use as a classroom for three hours per day, but also we established a mutual system of advertising, public relations, and good business practices that helped each of us succeed. We offered Steve a guarantee of a minimum of two rooms per week, for two to four people, for three to four nights, released with a phone call if the inn needed the rooms and they were not filled 30 days beforehand. In addition, we agreed: ●● A separate rate for twin or king beds — our most expensive rooms. ●● A year-round rate. ●● Exclusivity to the inn for his clients — no more hotels for them. ●● A link to the inn’s website from Steve’s company websites and use of its PR and advertising firm for anything needed to solidify the business potential. ●● Advertising in the catalogs for all of the international sites where sailing classes are held, listing our inn as the accommodations and classroom. ●● Flexibility for the inn when major events in town might fill the rooms 90 days ahead. ●● Payment for the rooms by invoice before or on the day the guest checked in. Finding business travelers is basic Sales 101: prospecting, qualifying, meet-

ing their needs, and closing the sale. As an innkeeper, you might think you are not a salesman, but the fact is that everything has to be sold, and you are probably acting as salesperson every day: ●● Prospecting for business. Location is everything. We read about Steve’s school at a sailboat show and kept leaving our cards for him to call and talk to us. Finally, after two years, he did! There has to be something that draws business travelers to your area. There was a world-renowned doctor in my town. Patients came from all over, staying three days on a first visit and weeks on the next visit. Capturing those travelers started with the family of a patient from Minnesota looking for a room at a motel rate. By working with the family to accommodate their needs, we were able to develop a long and successful partnership with the doctor. ●● Qualifying the prospect. If you can meet the needs of business travelers, they will stay with you. If you can exceed their needs, you will have a customer and friend for life. From my own business traveling experience when I sold computers to airlines, diversified financial companies, and banks, I would typically stay in the same place every time I visited a particular city because of what the hotel/ inn did for me — the business traveler. In my opinion, business travelers expect very little (see page 7) and tell innkeeping quarterly

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everyone about the experiences they have on their road trips. Selling them on using your product. Meet or exceed their needs, price the rooms to be competitive, offer to do small things that mean a lot to a traveler, and ask them to keep coming back. Work with their travel departments or agents to get more clients from their company. Confirm with an agreement that is mutually beneficial for both parties.

When evaluating your competition, every business has to take a critical look at itself and pick out its strengths and weaknesses compared to current trends and competition on all levels: local, national, and global. If the dollar is weak against the euro, U.S. companies will hold meetings in the United States. If gasoline is expensive, a corporation will hold its

innkeeping quarterly

regional meetings locally. Do you have meeting space? A restaurant license? Can you handle a group of 20 or 30, including food, rooms, and meeting space? If you can, you can start increasing your business traveler revenue. Business and Leisure Travel: Different Markets What the business customer needs from an inn often is different from what the leisure visitor wants. The most important thing I found I could do for my corporate clients was to make their travel as painless as possible. Inns such as The Beall Mansion in Alton, Illinois, have developed their websites around the two types of guests: business and leisure. Owners Jim and Sandy Belote said, “We set up our website to link to a business clientele page so business tra velers know we are serious about them.”

Instead of being very structured about arrival and departure times, for example, Jim and Sandy make it easy for business travelers to enjoy everything their B&B has to offer without having to adhere to the inn’s schedule for leisure guests. They feature a self-serve express continental breakfast available 24 hours a day for the business traveler on the go. “The last thing most of our business travelers want is a full breakfast,” the Belotes said. “They do want quiet, complimentary Wi-Fi, expanded cable television, a flexible cancellation policy, and something more than the typical hotel/motel décor, smells, and experience.” Make Booking Easy For business travelers, booking travel is part of the job — not a fun task, as it can be for leisure travelers. (continued on page 8)

Best Practices for Attracting Business Travelers…

…AND KEEPING THEM

by Rosie Ray

To attract and keep business travelers, innkeepers must pay attention to details that might otherwise be underestimated or overlooked. Here are some critical points to keep in mind to make your inn business-travel friendly:

■■ Make Booking Easy. Business travelers and those who often make their reservations do not want to navigate lots of flash and fluff on a web site before hitting the button to “Book a Room.” Often, they need to make a room reservation just a nano-second before their next appointment. The easier it is for them to book, the more likely they are to do it. ■■ Keep House Policies Flexible. Your house policies may be geared to leisure travelers, but they might discourage business travelers. Check-in, check-out, and cancellation policies; breakfast serving times; building access; and credit card acceptance all need to adapted to the special needs of business travelers. For example, you might want to serve your lovely breakfast at 9 a.m., but a business traveler likely will be long-gone by then. Give her the option of a fast continental breakfast on her schedule. ■■ Get Rated by AAA/Mobil. Receiving a rating by these agencies may not be easy, but it is necessary for credibility in the corporate travel world. It separates you from the ordinary inn. ■■ Develop local partnerships. For example, work with local gyms and golf courses to secure access for your guests in lieu of having your own on-site. ■■ Work with travel agents and GDS. Many business travelers still make their reservations through travel agents; if you do not work with travel agents, you will not get their business. Similarly, many business travelers look for lodging reservations through the major global distribution systems (GDS) used by the major airlines and hotel chains. (More details on Page 8) ■■ Search engine visibility. Many business travelers, like leisure travelers, will find your property on the web through search engines. Make sure you have done everything you can to get the best position. ■■ Commissions. No one likes paying commissions, but refusing to pay commissions to travel agents and GDS systems can be short-sighted. Even if it costs up to 55%, it can be worth every penny you get in occupancy — and you can still get your rack rate. ■■ Work with the competition — hotels. When hotels overbook, they have to “walk” their overbooked guests somewhere else. Your inn should be that place. At Cobblestone Manor in Auburn Hills, Michigan, owners Heather and Paul Crandall said: “Having area hotels ‘walk’ overbooked guests to us has been a real blessing. The guests often arrive late in the evening; are usually exhausted, and are always very irritated. This is an exceptional opportunity for us to be the heroes! If it is necessary to reduce our rates to get the business, we are happy to do so if we have the room available. We are confident of having a walked business guest return to our inn once they’ve stayed the first time.” ■■ Computer access. Your entire property should be accessible for wireless networking, or at the very least one or more dedicated guest computers should be available in a common area. If you advertise Wi-Fi in the building but the guest cannot get online in the room, you might lose the business traveler as a customer. ■■ In-room amenities. Business travelers tend to expect the same amenities they find in any hotel room: television with premium cable channels, alarm clock, high-speed internet access, radio, docking station for electronic devices, desk with a lamp, two bedside lamps on bedside tables, comfortable chair, private bath (with shower preferred), king or queen bed, simple bedding including at least four pillows without pillow shams, pad of paper, pen, and a sweet treat beside bed.

■■ Late-night assistance. Even more than leisure travelers, business travelers often need to check in during the late evening. They will expect someone to be there to help meet their needs. ■■ Concierge services. B&Bs pride themselves on offering the same, or even better, level of concierge services than any hotel. Business travelers need and expect these services, so be prepared to help business guests make restaurant reservations, find that special place to relax, secure hard-to-get tickets to a play or concert, or even get to the airport. ■■ Bathroom practicalities. That antique claw-foot tub, along with a sign telling the bather not to get water on the floor, may be quaint and lovely. However, if there is no holder for amenities, or no shower, the guest may not get the bath she wants. ■■ Frequent-stay programs. Many business travelers look for credits or rewards for their loyalty. Working with systems such as InnPoints Worldwide can make your inn visible and attractive to business travelers, if you are willing to accept the system’s requirements. ■■ Make it “her” room. For frequent guests, keep track of their preferences for pillows, bathroom items, blankets, and other items. Nothing is more pleasing than to get a call from a guest asking to reserve “my” room — because he considers it his home away from home. ■■ Late-night pantry. Consider stocking sandwich fixings, fresh fruit, soup, cookies, and cold cereal and milk in a pantry so guests can help themselves when they arrive late at night. Even better, prepare them dinner or save something for them if they are arriving late. ■■ Show you care. Check with a frequent business guest before you rent out the entire house. Be sure that the dates you’re looking to rent out the entire house do not conflict with a scheduled trip for your frequent business traveler. Again, per the Cendant study, “if business travelers are able to pre-book most elements of their trip and have information and real-time updates pushed to them based on their preferences and itineraries, they have more time to accomplish what they need to do — eliminating many of the difficulties associated with business travel.” ■■ Year-round pricing. During high or low season, offer the same price year-round for business travelers, with increases as needed. ■■ Complimentary services. If a regular business traveler needs to use your inn for a meeting, consider providing the space for free. Or provide business travelers free use of the laundry and other services. Cobblestone Manor offers free laundry services to a business traveler who has been on the road for a long time and inquires about laundromat locations. “Having laundry washed, dried, and folded in-house is a complimentary service that will not be found elsewhere,” owners Heather and Paul Crandall said. ”Whenever there is a small service we can offer that is not expected, we know we have an opportunity to stand out and excel.” ■■ Give them services and space. Provide meeting space, meals, and get out of the way for business groups to enjoy the best privacy and least expensive venue. With catering lunch and dinner, having a Murder Mystery team building play, or setting them up for a cruise, this is the best revenue stream you can get. ■■ Store their stuff. Give regular business travelers storage space for personal items they need week-to-week so they do not have to pack as much as they travel.

innkeeping quarterly

8 They Can Distribute Profits To Your Business by Rosie Ray

ost hotels wouldn’t stay in business without Global Distribution Systems, but chances are that many innkeepers have never even heard about them. Known by the acronym GDS, these systems are electronic supermarkets that link buyers to sellers and allow reservations to be made quickly and easily. The four largest systems are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan. All started as airline reservation systems for travel agents, but have since expanded into other travel fields, including booking hotel rooms. Since the advent of the internet, new web-based services, using some of the technical attributes of GDS, have become popular with the public and have taken much of the business from travel agents who rely on GDS. Among the best known are Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Global Distribution Systems are somewhat like cooperatives that service multiple users. When I had my business, I used InnPointsWorldwide.com as my entrée to Amadeus, Sabre, Covia, Travelocity, Orbitz, AAA, and other airline and car reservation sites. Innkeepers also can use companies such as BedandBreakfast.com to make their properties accessible through Expedia and other services. When you participate in these big dollar systems as a small business, it is easy to overbook if you do not keep tight control over the inventory that you give to them. The commissions can be high, generally 20 percent or more, but it could be worth the expense. At the Cobblestone Manor, Auburn Hills, Michigan, Paul and Heather Crandall agree that by using a GDS system you “receive business reservations from Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and other Internet booking engines.” The inn has a different cancellation policy for business travelers that allow cancellation within 48 hours versus seven days for leisure travelers. The Crandalls say, “Even with a 48-hour printed policy that is also verbally reviewed, it still requires common sense to determine whether or not to exercise this policy. We discovered a long time ago that it is possible to lose a very profitable business traveler if we charged for a late cancellation. Unlike staying at an anonymous hotel, they perceive us as friends.” It should be noted that when you use a GDS, you are charged a fee for a reservation even if it is cancelled. In my business, I charged the customer the cancellation fee the GDS charged us and, as the Crandalls also found, guests did not object to this.

innkeeping quarterly

According to a survey of business travelers posted on Consumeraffairs.com, the report said, “when consumers travel on business, they increasingly expect tech nology that allows them to do more than self-book air, hotel, and a rental car online…56% of business travelers said that logistical challenges such as knowing where to go at their destination after arriving, changing travel plans on the road or finding a good place to eat were the most difficult to manage while on a business trip.” Do not believe that in-house or independent travel agencies are disappearing. According to the Cendant survey, “there appear to be opportunities for travel management companies, online or otherwise, if they can implement new technologies and features that fit directly into the business traveler’s workflow and take advantage of familiar desktop applications and the increasing quality and use of portable electronic devices.” Innkeepers are now seeing bookings through virtualcities.com on their PDA or cell phone. Instant messaging, blogs, cell phones and iPhones, personal digital assistants such as Blackberry, calendar programs and other instantaneous access to an inns’ offerings will eventually eliminate the website as we know it, according to the Cendant survey. Travelers, the survey said, are “booking and managing more elements of a trip in one location — things such as restaurant reservations, event tickets, car service, international cell phone rental, at the same time as booking air, car and hotel reservations.” Offering services such as late-arrival, light dinner, pickup and return laundry service, dinner packages at local restaurants, use of meeting space, late check-out, early check-in is an excellent way to cater to these business guests. Finding a Winning Strategy The winning strategy for finding and retaining the business traveler will be evi-

9 dent through facts about your business that you communicate through your website and printed marketing materials, personal one-on-one commitments, and referrals and recommendations through sites like TripAdvisor. Following are some of the steps involved in getting corporate clients interested in working with your inn. It is not a matter of competing with the Hampton or Holiday Inn. It is a matter of having the right things at the right time for the right client and telling them about it. Everything has to be sold and it gets down to basics for a room of any flavor: Solving the Problem —When he called me years ago, Steve had totally lost confidence in the ability of the hotels he had been working with to meet his needs on a day-to-day basis. Their lack of consistency in honoring their agreement to provide rooms when Steve’s students ar-

rived was typical, especially in a resort area. My inn made him a guarantee, put it in writing, and then provided services that went way beyond what he needed and wanted. Location —The single reason why a visitor is looking for a room is location. It is everything. Whether you are in a lovely countryside area or in downtown big city, there must be a company, an event, or an attraction bringing people on a regular basis. You can have the loveliest inn in the state, but if it is not in a place where business people visit, you will have to be very creative to get business traffic during the week. Price — Room rates are a secondary factor. For example, a traveler wants to stay downtown because he has a meeting at a hotel on the river. However, room rates downtown are 50 percent higher than at the motels on the highway. He

might still pay the higher rate if he considers the cost of driving 40 minutes and paying for parking downtown. Collaboration —All business events are planned to bring people together — whether it is a lawyer with a client, a doctor with a patient, or a corporation with a buyer or vendor. One of the easiest ways to learn about who is meeting with whom is through the local organi zations that specialize in attracting travelers, including convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, and tourism councils. Room Blocks/Meeting Space — In the town where Steve had his classes, there were 264 rooms at the “Best Hotel” down the street and their meeting room held 1,200. The hotels where he had agreements in the past were 600 and 80 rooms, respectively. There were 42 B&B rooms. Being pro-active versus reactive

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10 and meeting the needs of business travelers means knowing what is going on and when the hotels will be overbooked. Rather than get the “walk” rate, they can get the “rack” rate. When you received calls from the other B&Bs and hotels for rooms the year before, did you ask where all the people were coming from? Did you get some of the “walk” traffic from the hotels and wow them with your services? Did you invite them to reserve a room for the next year? Partnerships — Making friends with the concierge and the front desk personnel at local hotels is imperative. Telling them your rates and what you offer guests helps these hotel personnel when they are in a pinch for rooms. Have a hospitality open house and invite representatives of the local hotels for refreshments; make up an invitation to put on the employee bulletin board, and make sure to accommodate employees on different shifts.

innkeeping quarterly

Discuss with the front desk manager and concierge what the hotel’s policy is for “walking” guests. Work out an agreement to provide them with the same rate they will collect for a room from the guest that they are “walking” to your inn. Try not to think that your inn is so special that a $90 rate from a hotel for a business person is not worth it because your rack rate is $169. Think of what you can do for a business traveler who arrives at his hotel at 11 p.m., having had no dinner, only to find out that the hotel does not have the room that it guaranteed. The traveler is then shuttled off to your inn. After enjoying complimentary snacks and a glass of something to help him unwind, a great night’s sleep and wonderful shower, a television with cable, Wi-Fi without a password, the guest is very happy and ready for his meeting at 7 a.m. Unless he is a die-hard hotel type — must have the workout room, a bar, or

11 other services you do not have — the guest will be happy to come and stay with you the next time he is in town. Now, it is up to you to turn that “walk” into a repeat, or “annuity” guest. “Annuity” accounts are businesses that send people into your town on a regular basis, whether it’s every week, once a month, monthly, or a few times per year, and pay a lot of money in your area for hospitality services. They traditionally make arrangements through a corporate travel agency, which can be in-house or an independent firm. In either case, all of the billing for employee trips goes through that agency. You pay them a commission of 10 to 15 percent. After the first experience with a corporate travel agency, you should encourage them to use your inn as the “preferred hotel” in your town. This means the agency will approach you first when it is

looking for rooms — and in exchange, you will agree to preferential rates and possibly room guarantees. It may mean that you have to fill out a credit application and provide references. And it may all start with the “walk” from the hotel that can make this special designation happen. I was fortunate to have my inn as the preferred accommodation in my city for Bank of America, for example, all because of a “walked” guest. I have recently traveled through several states and stayed at many hotels and inns. I can tell you that the hotels were much more business-friendly than the inns. Take a good look at what you are offering, and if you are in a good place for business travelers, make changes to accommodate them. Look around and take inventory of rooms and events. Update your rooms and common areas to be less frilly and

more practical. Beef up your standards and think of new ways to enhance your offerings. Review your website and make it a place for business guests to do one-stopshopping for not only rooms, but also fine dining, taxi and limousine service. ■ Rose Marie “Rosie” Ray, consultant to inns, interim innkeeper, author, of “SuperWomen Do IT Less….,” and, computer techie, and retired owner/operator of a highly-rated inn. Before buying Mansion House in St. Petersburg, FL, she worked in the computer industry as a systems analyst and sales executive to airlines selling reservation systems and to diversified financial industries for 37 years. At her inn, business-to-business marketing and service was responsible for its success for 10 years. InnFocusMeetings. com was started in 1999 to meet the need for intimate meeting space in St. Petersburg. She is a member of PAII, bbonline.com, NAFE, BPW.

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13 What Would You Do? An inside look at innkeepers’ responses to customer service scenarios by Holly Stiel Editor’s note: In July, the staff of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) posted three scenarios on PAII’s online forum. The purpose was to encourage meaningful and honest innkeeper responses to potentially uncomfortable customer service situations and to have a customer service expert weigh in on the innkeepers’ responses. As innkeepers, you are in a position to deal with various events that call upon your utmost customer service skills. After receiving innkeeper responses, we enlisted the opinion of customer service guru and former PAII Conference Keynote Speaker, Holly Stiel, owner of Thank You Very Much, Inc. After looking at the scenarios and the online-generated responses, Holly said that “the balance of managing the business and everyone’s [guests, employees, ourselves] emotions is indeed a challenge. This emotional aspect makes it impossible to come up with black and white solutions that work for everyone, every time.”

SCENARIO 1 ou’re adding the finishing touches to your breakfast entrée when you notice that there is a sweater, newspaper and glass of juice saving three prime spots at your breakfast table with only two guests actually sitting at the table. They tell you “they’ll be right down.” However, you know that “right down” could mean 45 minutes. How do you handle the situation knowing this could be unfair to your other guests who may want to sit at this location? What do you do to accommodate the seat savers, the three people

coming “right down” and the random guests looking to sit at that location? If possible, dining tables should be large enough to accommodate all guests at one seating. This eliminates the problem of guests having to wait for a seat, and reduces stress on the innkeeper. In the situation described, a gentle reminder that “due to limited seating, guests are served as they arrive at the table” might suffice. — Susan Sweetland, Artful Lodger, Clinton, NY Guests often will tell us where they prefer to sit for breakfast — sometimes they tell us when they check in and other times they come down early in the morning to “save” their seats. I simply and quickly make a sign, for example, “Reserved”. Experience has taught that some guests are not prompt or fast eaters. If the reserved seats were at a common breakfast table, I would select two of the three saved chairs/places at the table and make the reserved sign, then tell the other guests that some guests have been delayed. — Dottie Musser, Bradford Place Inn & Gardens, Sonora, CA I would do nothing. Have enough seats for everyone — let them hold the seat because “right down” could also be 5 minutes or less and you could end up moving the entire group of 3 to a location they do not like or splitting up 3 people that want to sit together. — Joyce Schulte, Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn, Seattle, WA

Holly Stiel: Ideally, it would be best if there were enough chairs for everyone. This way the problem would be moot. In reality, I imagine this solution is not always possible. If this is a constant problem I would head it off at check in. Literally tell guests that it is not possible to save seats at breakfast. Tell them that it is a first- come-firstserve basis, or that you take reservations for a certain time. So many issues can be solved through clear communication. You can even tell a story about guests saving seats and then others had nowhere to sit. They’ll “get it.” So many times we expect people to behave in ways that we have never expressed. This is true for our employees, spouses, friends, and children as well as our guests. BE CLEAR. Clarity is a rare communication tool. Tell guests at check in, have it written in the guest materials, and remind them at wine hour. I stayed at an inn in Iowa where the guest information was not only clear, but also it was written with warmth and humor. The most important thing here is not to be stern, but to be clear. SCENARIO 2 our weekend guests, Jim and Mary Smith, just arrived at your inn… carrying a BABY. You love babies, but your inn is not equipped for them— no cribs, no highchairs, and no soundproof walls. Jim and Mary tell you that the baby will be no problem to the other guests and will just sleep in bed with them. The baby is small and probably doesn’t sleep

*Responses edited for publishing. To view responses in full, visit www.paii.org and go to the membership forum. The PAII membership forum is a member benefit only available to current PAII members.

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14 through the night without crying. How do you handle this situation with Jim and Mary and your current guests? I would say, “Jim and Mary, I am so sorry you did not mention you were bringing your baby, but our website clearly states we do not accept children and we are not prepared for your stay. We do not accept children for the comfort of our guests, but most importantly, we do not have a crib available for the safety of your child. I will be more than happy to call a neighboring inn that accepts children.” —Hoyt Dottry, Walnut Lane Inn, Lyman, SC I’d show Jim and Mary where a common area that will disturb the fewest guests

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is located and direct them to go there when the baby gets noisy. —Mike Venturini, Munro House B&B & Spa, Jonesville, MI We do not take children under 12 especially on the weekends, and as per our reservations and confirmation, I just can’t do this. Can I find you another place to stay or what do you suggest? I’ve had this happen twice in the 6½ years we have been here and both times they said they didn’t think I would mind. But as I expressed to them nicely, it’s just the rules/policies and I have other guests it affects. —Twyla Sickmiller, Maxwell House Bed & Breakfast, Mount Airy, NC We state up-front on the paperwork and include wording such as two adults (one king

bed), no children and no pets. We charge for children no matter what the age. This usually discourages people with babies. We also state children over the age of 8 are welcome. For us this is a liability issue. Our accommodations are not kid friendly and the pool and spa are uncovered. —Barbara & Duane Robinson, Indian Peak Ranch Mountain Top Hideaway, Mariposa, CA I understand in California, that we are not allowed to discriminate against children. If we have a room with just one queen bed, is it acceptable to state that we cannot accommodate children? All our rooms have only one queen bed, but are large enough to accommodate a raised airbed, and we have accommodated families. Fortunately,

15 our rooms are sound- proofed. With our location, I don’t have any place else to refer them to except the motel back down the hill in town. —Jan Brosseau, Inn at the Pinnacles B&B, Soledad, CA Interesting! Here in Connecticut we have fire code restrictions that limit the number of guests per room and the number of guests overall. I believe these restrict B&Bs, inns, and hotels to no than four bodies per room. For B&Bs, it’s a maximum of six guests total unless you want to meet strict fire codes, which can include sprinklers and two egresses from each room. We ask every booking guest the same thing: “This reservation is for 2 peo-

ple?” When they say “yes,” we respond “May we have the second person’s name.” If they hesitate, which they rarely do, we explain we want to know so we can get a head start on learning names, which is true! This uncovers the occasional baby smuggler although we’ve found that most people ask up front. We also have it on our website which helps. —Jim & Sandra Wright, Another Second Penny Inn, Stonington, CT Holly Stiel: Obviously, this scenario uncovered some emotions. The part I picked up the strongest in everyone’s responses was the hope that future guests actually take the time to read your web site! Some people may do this, however my experi-

ence tells me that people don’t read. Most of us are too overwhelmed with information, or simply don’t care about your rules and restrictions. If you are depending on the fact that your guests are reading your web site and then following your rules, you will most likely be disappointed. Whether or not you choose to operate your inn by allowing children or restricting them is unimportant. What is important is how you communicate this to your future guests. You should do this as you are taking the reservation. You can state your policy as a fact: “Our inn is a child free zone.” Then you can ask, “Were you planning to travel with any babies or little children?” If they say yes, you can

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16 refer them elsewhere; if they say no, then take the two names, as suggested, and make the booking. In your discussions with guests, avoid using the word “policy.” It can have the opposite effect of making an emotional issue with people. When you send the confirmation, mention the childfree nature of your property as a reminder. I would think that the majority of people want to have an experience where they are welcomed, so they will personally not choose to arrive with their family when they have been clearly told that it is not a family-friendly place. If people still show up with a baby, at that time, each individual Innkeeper will make a choice, depending on the specific monetary, occupancy or legal circumstances. If you know that you have absolutely communicated to them that babies

are not welcome at the inn, you can choose to refuse them a room without guilt. Hospitality is a business built on shades of gray; it is not a black and white industry. Just make sure that when you are telling people “No” that you remember to have empathy, and if possible give them alternatives. Remember, being right is the booby prize. SCENARIO 3 hile vacationing at your inn, four of your guests go on a wine tour in your town. They follow the wine tour with a pub crawl and eventually— after hours of drinking, end up on your doorstep. Naturally, the libations have made the guests louder than usual, clumsy and downright bothersome to your other

guests. The foursome would like to continue their partying on your property into the wee hours of the night. How do you approach them and how do you handle your other guests who have complained? I had this situation once with a wedding party. They all but shook the house when they returned from a night of partying and I immediately went out front and said “good evening” in a rather sharp tone. They were beginning to settle down in the living room for more partying and I advised them “I am sorry, but it is after midnight and we have other guests in the house, so it is time for everyone to say goodnight.” They were not happy, but I did not care. We had other guests to consider and it was my bedtime too. The next morning they said they were sorry and were fine. —Hoyt Dottry, Walnut Lane Inn, Lyman, SC

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17 As I see it, there are two lines of defense for the innkeeper: loud and disorderly conduct law, and liquor laws. With regard to liquor law, know the law in your state, province or local jurisdiction and get clear on it whether your inn has a liquor license, liquor liability insurance. As for loud and disorderly conduct, one warning stating the consequences would be in order at my inn, depending upon the time of the day or night. If drinking and loud behavior continued, then I would simply call law enforcement. It could be argued that the liability for issues caused by misbehaving guests rests with the inn. Ideally, as innkeepers we should set the decorum of our inns, which if done well, communicates to guests that we are “in charge.” I think it is a good idea to graciously post the inn’s liquor/wine policy. I have my inn’s policy posted on my web site and it is nicely framed on the hospitality buffet. There

is also a one-line summary in each guest room included in the welcome notes. The posting seems to set a gracious tone and it also gives me legal rights. —Dottie Musser, Bradford Place Inn & Gardens, Sonora, CA I’d direct them to an area of the house that would disturb the fewest guests and remind them that there are other people in the house. Then I’d pop a cold one and join them. I would control any potential disruptions and I’d have a good time with my guests. By taking control of the party and moving it to an appropriate area, I would eliminate any potential complaints from other guests. —Mike Venturini, Munro House B&B & Spa, Jonesville, MI I would close them in the living room; remind them that there are other guests sleeping and that they should be quiet. I would

stay up to make sure they did nothing foolish; give them a half hour or hour to see how it all went. If it was really too loud, I would ask them nicely to call it a night because there are other guests who could be disturbed. Often, they settle into the living room and the partying calms way down. Now back “home” at the inn, they soon get tired and start going to bed. —Joyce Schulte, Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn, Seattle, WA Holly Stiel: Once again, this is a personal decision. I thought the innkeepers’ answers all had merit. If this is usually a problem for groups and you can afford to avoid group bookings, do so. If you cater to groups, then have a safe place for the party to continue that doesn’t disturb other guests, or insist that they book the entire inn. (continued on next page)

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18 Alcohol brings a very different aspect to everything. Stating your “policies” (Please don’t use that dreadful word. It’s great to have policies just don’t call them policies.) or the state liquor laws means nothing to an inebriated person. Using empathy and alternatives is similarly unsuccessful. Trying to reason with drunken people usually doesn’t work. You have

two choices, give them a place to party and “hang out” with them as suggested or lay down the law and tell them they either have to knock it off or leave. Holly Stiel said all three of these scenarios, and the innkeeper responses to them, demonstrated common features. “The pitfall of being right is that you win the booby prize,”

she said. “The balance in hospitality is to work within appropriate guidelines in order to successfully operate the inn, while maintaining a welcoming and comfortable experience for guests.” For each of these scenarios, it is not what you say and do, but how you say and do it, that will affect the outcome. ■

Holly Stiel, M.A. is a pioneer in the field of customer service. Stiel’s hands-on experience enriches her powerful presentations. This is what sets her apart from other speakers and trainers. Even in a profession defined by superlative service, Holly Stiel stands out as an authority and pioneer in the field of concierge services. More than 25 years ago, Stiel became the first American woman to be admitted to the exclusive Les Clefs d’Or Association for concierges. She recently received the association’s Lifetime Achievement award for her broad contributions to her profession. It has made Stiel one of America’s foremost authorities on service and hospitality.

innkeeper A Family Affair...

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One of “our” daughters got married last month. It was not only amazing, but quite an accomplishment. Innkeepers from all over the country traveled to the Swiss Woods Inn in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to be part of a “family” celebration — not as guests, but as the staff that would prepare, cook, and serve delicious food for the daughter and new son-in-law of fellow innkeeper, Debbie Mosimann. Phyllis Murray, Montford Inn, Norman, Oklahoma; Betty Gladden, Interim Innkeeper, Alameda, California; Liza Simpson, Interim Innkeeper, Park City, Utah; Peter Glaubitz, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania; Susan Sternthal, InnStyle, Perkasie, Pennsylvania; Lynette Scofield, William Henry Miller Inn, Ithaca, New York, Kathryn White, The Beechmont Inn, Hanover, Pennsylvania, and myself from Waitsfield, Vermont were all in attendance. You may be wondering who all of these folks are, besides fellow innkeepers. Well, they are a compilation of PAII board and advisory council members — all people who met through PAII and show their love of this industry through their volunteer work at PAII. Being an innkeeper can be lonely. Yes, if we do our jobs well, we have many people pass through our doors. Some guests have become friends, others I am so familiar with, they feel like family. But in reality, none of them really know what it’s like to run the business and live the life of an innkeeper. Fellow innkeepers do though. When Debbie started spreading the word that her daughter planned to have her wedding reception under a tent amidst the

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by AnneMarie De Freest, The Inn at Round Barn, Vermont, guest columnist

garden of the Swiss Woods Inn, we all could hardly wait to be there. What a week it was. We were all together and it wasn’t a PAII conference! I feel blessed not only be an innkeeper, but also to be part of an innkeeping family. I started my innkeeping career more than 22 years ago when I was just 23 years old. I remember going to my first PAII conference by myself and being terrified. I was soon adopted by a couple of innkeepers from Maine named Rick and Bev. They made sure I sat with them at lunch and even insisted that I join them at dinner. I was never alone again because my innkeeping family always greeted me with big smiles and warm hugs. As I hugged my fellow innkeepers goodbye after our long wedding weekend together at Swiss Woods, I realized that being an innkeeper is much more than my occupation; it’s a big part of who I am. As a member of the Board of Directors of PAII, I’d like to invite you to join me at the next gathering of innkeepers, and those that support the innkeeping profession, in Atlanta, Georgia [March 30 – April 2]. As for that gang that gathered at Deb’s to celebrate the marriage of one of our ‘daughters”, all I can say is that I am so thankful my cooking didn’t burn down the Swiss Woods Inn! I will see you at our next “family reunion” at the Innkeeping Conference and Trade Show in Atlanta. ◆

20 The Importance of Pricing, Part 2: Entrepreneurial Pricing for Innkeepers by Jay Karen

n the last issue of IQ, I wrote about the dramatic impact your pricing decisions have on your bottom line, the dangers of price-cutting in an attempt to fill rooms, why booking a stay at a bed and breakfast doesn’t follow the normal laws of economics, and the concept of entrepreneurial pricing. I also touched on the fact that consumers rely on you, the innkeeper, to tell them what the right price should be. This piece offers some tactics and ideas to go along with your new entrepreneurial pricing method. In sum, entrepreneurial pricing means you are experimenting with pricing options, being a leader in your market (rather than following the crowd) and basing the price on the kind of inn you are or want to be in your market (rather than based on the costs involved in running your inn). Innkeepers have generally been fairly conservative and have stuck to fairly simple pricing methods, i.e. “the Garden Room goes for $150 between May and October.” I believe there is plenty of room for change and flexibility that will ultimately boost your bottom line number. Before I dive into some ideas, I want to share a couple quotes and citations that bolster my argument that price cutting to book more rooms simply won’t yield the results you hope for. At a New York University conference on lodging this summer, Randy Smith, who publishes the highly acclaimed Smith Travel Research reports, said: “There is no ininnkeeping quarterly

dication that discounting is a successful strategy to maintain or improve profits.” Randy Smith should know; his monthly research is the gold standard for measuring what’s happening financially in the hotel market. In addition, researchers at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration published a study indicating that “hotels in direct competition make more money when they have comparatively higher prices and do not undercut competitors by discounting rates to fill rooms. The data shows that those hotels which dropped their relative prices did capture market share from the competition, but they did not gain higher RevPAR (revenue per available room).” In other words, discounting brought more business but not necessarily a higher profit per room. Now that you’re thinking a little more liberally and confidently about your approach to pricing, let’s consider some ideas. Rack Rate Rack rate is the same as “manufacturer’s suggested retail price.” No one REALLY pays the MSRP price anymore, right? In today’s environment, consumers rarely expect to pay the same as the next guy. There’s no better example of this than when sitting on an airplane; you just know everyone around you paid different prices for their seats. This is no different than staying at a bed and breakfast. To your advantage you have different rooms, which can all

be priced differently. Why not stray from the one-price, rack rate model to a variable approach? Offer better pricing for those who book farther in advance, rather than provide an incentive in the form of a discount to those who wait until the very last minute to make a reservation? With the reservation software now available on the market, you have the ability to change prices as often as you like. And if you change prices of your rooms as time goes by, be sure to mention that the price goes up as the check-in date gets closer. The only real value of rack rate these days is to serve as a price cue to those scanning your web site. In other words, if you still indicate price ranges for your rooms on your site (i.e. $125–$175 for the Garden Room), the only thing it really does is communicate to your visitors if you’re high-end, middle of the road or the economy B&B. You might consider removing those price cues next to the room descriptions and just listing the prices on your booking calendar. Let web site visitors make their value judgments at the very end — after they’ve reviewed all the wonderful photos, amenities and trappings of staying at your inn. Churners You should ask yourself if you are caving in to the demands of customers who assertively pressure you to lower your rate

21 because “the other guy down the street is $20 cheaper per night.” Donald Potter calls these customers “churners,” because they will “change suppliers as frequently as they receive a price offer lower than the one they currently pay.” Potter says churners are unprofitable, because they simply don’t stick around long enough to warrant the time and effort you put into them. They are simply shopping on price, and I’m willing to bet that less than 5% of your total customer base is made up of these churners. Be careful not to set or change your pricing structures on account of a few vociferous voices. The Number 9 Ever wonder why retail prices always end in 9? According to Anderson and

You should ask yourself if you are caving in to the demands of customers who assertively pressure you to lower your rate because “the other guy down the street is $20 cheaper per night.” Simester, simply ending your prices with the number 9 can elicit remarkable responses. In a study involving a women’s clothing catalog, they say “we were able to increase demand by a third by raising the price of a dress from $34 to $39.

By comparison, changing the price from $34 to $44 yielded no difference in demand.” The authors report that the effect works beyond just clothing categories, but might be less effective if all of prices end in the number 9. Innkeepers might want to consider experimenting with rounding some of your prices to the next 9 and see what happens. What’s Your Sign? Anderson and Simester also remind business owners and managers that sale signs are still the “most straightforward of the pricing cues.” They report that their own tests with mail-order catalogs “reveal that using the word ‘sale’ beside a price (continued on page 25)

innkeeping quarterly

Innkeepers come to the Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show to: Get the most progressive and in depth education available • Growing Your Business in Tough Economic Times • Latest in Online Technology • Dealing with Unreasonable Guests • Reputation Management • And Much More…

2009

Receive unsurpassed networking opportunities with your peers Attend the industry’s largest trade show Re-energize your love of innkeeping

Hosted by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Register now! www.innkeepingshow.com EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Keynote Speaker: Dennis Snow, customer service expert and author of Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service Creating World Class Service: When dealing with difficult or unreasonable guests

World-Class Service is not simply a matter of smiling employees who say “please” and “thank you.” Everything your customer sees hears or touches impacts their experience. “Everything speaks.” Dennis will highlight how delivering world-class service requires careful orchestration of the entire customer experience with a focus on dealing with difficult guests or unreasonable requests. This inspiring general session with take you on a journey of discovering the key points of contact that make or break the customer experience, will show you how to elevate a customer experience from the ordinary to the extraordinary, and the customer service processes that make service excellence “business as usual” all the while offering strategies for keeping your cool.

Super Sessions including: Peter Yesawich, Chairman & CEO, YPartnership

You need to be able to get in the heads of your guests and future guests before they come through your doors…and even before they visit your website; Peter, using data from his highly-respected National Leisure Travel Monitor, will be sharing with innkeepers the most valuable and salient information on consumer trends that will be impacting our segment of the hospitality and travel worlds. 22

Just a few of the workshops: Marketing • Driving Opportunities in the Regional Drive Markets • ROI is King — Return on your Marketing Investment Strategy, Legal & Financial • Profitable Performance Strategies • The Latest on Lawsuit Protection and Liability • From “Yes” to Success: The Closing Process from Agreement to Transfer Food Glorious Food • You Can’t Eat What? Guests with Special Diet Restrictions. • The Latest in Innovative Turn Down Treats • As Local as it Gets — Showcasing your Local Resources Technology • Emerging Technologies • Becoming Googliscious • Video Presentations for the Web Operations (including you and your staff) • Turn Around Turn Over: How to keep the best employees • Handyman 101 • Handling Cancellations: Outcomes that everyone works for

The GREAT Innkeeper IDEA FAIR! We are bringing back this wildly successful event to the Innkeeping Conference and Trade Show for the 2nd year as part of our Wednesday evening Dixieland Delight event!

Wednesday evening, April 1st

Get the BEST ideas for your inn.

You will leave this fantastic event with fabulous, usable, proven ideas from other innkeepers. Prior to the conference, innkeepers from all over the country are submitting their best ideas for successful innkeeping. The top 10 ideas will be presented by the author of each idea in a fast-paced, game show format during the PAII Wednesday night party. You and the rest of the audience will choose the winners, who will receive incredible prizes! The Great Innkeeper Idea Fair contest is open to all PAII members. For more information on submitting

an idea go to www.innkeepingshow.com.

Sponsored by Select Registry

This year look for sessions with the problem buster’s symbol where you will have the opportunity to ask lots of questions and includes dynamic audience participation.

Breakfast Throwdown Challenge Tuesday, March 31 • 7:00am – 8:00 am

Join us for an event which is sure to kick off your morning with zany, fun filled excitement! You get to partake of the prepared breakfast and get to be the judge! We are accepting applications for the innkeeper who will compete against a surprise Professionally Trained Chef. The theme of this first premier competition is “this ain’t your Mama’s French Toast”. To be considered you must be a PAII Innkeeper with no professional culinary training with the exception of your own inn

experience, have an original recipe that you are willing to share, aren’t shy in front of a crowd — you will be required to make your masterpiece on stage…and we’re looking for creative and delicious! Please visit www.innkeepingshow.com to fill out the application. Applications must be received by January 2, 2009. Finalists will be announced by early March. Full breakfast is served and includes samplings from both chefs so you can vote!

See next page for MORE!

Pre-Conference Workshops Aspiring Innkeeper Workshop

Monday, March 30, 8am – 5pm (extra fee)

Spend an exciting day with highly experienced innkeepers and industry experts exploring innkeeping as a career, as a potential business opportunity and your dream come true. Our experts will provide a solid baseline to support your decision process. We will cover everything from acquisition and valuation to marketing and day-to-day operations in a fast paced, fact filled, fun day focused totally on aspiring innkeepers like you.

B&B Association Leadership Workshop Monday, March 30, 10am – 5pm (extra fee)

Join your peers from across the country for a day of enlightening discussions and informative presentations designed specifically for state and local B&B association leaders. The agenda will focus on association management and leadership topics, as well as issues the group wants to discuss. The day is aimed at helping you run a more successful association.

The Power of Couples in Business Together Monday, March 30, 1pm – 5pm (extra fee)

This workshop is PAII’s answer to your requests about bringing an element to the Innkeeping Conference & Tradeshow that allows innkeepers to take some time out for themselves…something that you rarely have the chance to do. This interactive workshop will focus on the practical; accepting vulnerabilities, mistakes, constructive conflict and apology, recognizing differences, and establishing equality and enjoyment. We have shared with the presenters the top three challenges you face when working with a spouse or loved one and the program will be built specifically on what our members shared. The team that will be presenting have been successful life and business partners for 30 years, working in collaboration with their clients to produce lasting results in the areas of leadership, relationship, communication, conflict resolution and gender issues. They have good friends who are innkeepers which precipitated PAII matching up with them. They are experts in working with entrepreneurial individuals including couples and families to cultivate strong relationships and clear communications while developing thriving businesses. They are committed to and have asked if they can reach out to members who work with spouses and loved ones as part of their research in developing this program. Nancy Miriam Hawley, LICSW is a founder of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, Inc., the organization responsible for writing the best seller Our Bodies, Ourselves (New York: Simon and Schuster, translated into 18 languages; updated 2005) and Jeffrey R. McIntyre, LMFT is a leadership coach to business owners and executives and an instructor in family and couples’ therapy at the Harvard Medical School. This pragmatic and interactive workshop will include lecture, exercises, and discussion.

The Biggest and Best Trade Show for the Industry 11:30am Tuesday, March 31st through 12 Noon Thursday, April 2

This Trade Show is always more than just a place to find products for your inn. From the moment the hall comes alive with Tuesday’s Grand Opening and continuing for two and one half days, you’ll enjoy networking and doing business with nearly 100 vendors who cater to your industry. Many exhibitors offer show specials than can save you money.

For Complete Details and to Register: innkeeping quarterly 24

www.innkeepingshow.com

25 (without actually varying the price) can increase demand by more than 50%.” I’ve looked at hundreds of bed and breakfast web sites, and I can’t recall once when I saw a sale sign in the same area where rooms are described and priced, or on the booking calendar. If I was looking at an availability calendar for the evening of November 2, and I saw a little image that said “Sale!” next to one particular room, I surely would consider the option more than I would have without that little image. Engage your web designers about how you can insert some sale signs on your web site. Be sure the sale signs are right next to the actual product. And be sure to track the results by comparing the bookings of rooms on “sale” versus those that are not. This may work, or it may not, but it might be worth trying, particularly for off-seasons.

If you change your prices slightly over time, you will not likely hear an outcry from new or former guests. Slight changes in pricing rarely get noticed, especially by infrequent users. Communicate When you change your prices, or when you’re pressed to change your price, be prepared with your own stories and anecdotes. If you change your prices slightly over time, you will not likely hear an outcry from new or former guests. Slight changes in pricing rarely get noticed, especially by infrequent users.

But if you make a dramatic price change, be sure to have a response ready —and it’s ok to be honest. I knew a golf course owner in Des Moines, Iowa, who was simply tired of getting beaten up by customers wanting him to discount and match the price of lower-priced competitors. So one warm weekend in June, he parked a $45,000 fairway mower right next to the first tee and put a big price tag on it. In addition, at his register he posted a pie chart that showed how much he paid in property taxes as part of his annual expenditures. Both actions raised several eyebrows, but the onslaught of “churners” was curbed, at least for the time being. That was a bit dramatic, but innkeepers need to have your own tales to tell. “If we lower our prices, we wouldn’t be able to serve the organic coffee, local farm-fresh eggs and granola that we offer you each morning.” That’s

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Pricing Strategy

Put to Use

Diane and Ron Emineth, innkeepers at Sandlake Country Inn in Cloverdale, Oregon made the decision to both round up the room rates and try their hand at yield management. Diane said, “For me personally, the biggest change made was to get rid of the one room rate per room and instead, put a range of rates, thus allowing me to do a little ‘yield management’ which in the past I didn't think really worked for a small bed & breakfast,” said Diane. “It was actually much easier than I had anticipated. The reality is that for the few minutes it takes to update my online reservation system (Webervations) it's certainly worth it.” Diane also mentioned that the 4-bedroom inn has never had off-season rates because of its continual stream of business. She keeps the same rates all year around and would only raise them, never lower them. This pricing strategy works for Diane because, “I'm one of those innkeepers who doesn't want to be perceived as a discount place to stay. I feel comfortable using this "range" because I'm not ever lowering my price. My bottom range is where my rooms were priced before the summer, yet now the guest who is shopping around will have a "perceived value" mid-week and most weekend days because I'm not charging them the top of my range except when I'm almost full.” Her Strategy: In her price range, she used the lowest rate she would rent the room and then chose a high rate of $10 more than she had ever charged per room. Whenever she had 3 rooms filled (in the 4 bedroom inn), she would raise the rate of that last room to the highest amount in the range. With a range intact, there is leeway in charging highest amount for times when rooms are in higher demand. What does this mean exactly? Below is an example of how Diane incorporated ranges she was comfortable with. ROOM 1 - $135-145* • This room has the least range because it's the smallest and has a single Jacuzzi tub instead of the double Jacuzzi ROOM 2 - $160-$179* • King bed, wood burning fireplace, double Jacuzzi tub

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ROOM 3 - $160-$179* • Queen bed, gas fireplace, double Jacuzzi tub, sitting room, dining room ROOM 4 - $180-$199* • Separate little house, fully equipped kitchen, breakfast nook, living room, gas fireplace, queen bed, double Jacuzzi tub Diane applies $160 as the low rate and will use it for mid week (Sunday-Thursday). She will keep $169 as the weekend normal rate since they almost always fill up on weekends. When Diane has only 1 room left to rent for a weekend that is when she will raise the price to the $179 rate. “By having this range, I can up the rate mid-week if I see the trend is that it's going to be a busy mid week.” Diane also said, “As soon as 3 of the rooms rent, I will immediately raise the rate of the 4th room, whether it is 2 months ahead or 1 day ahead. That room typically would have been listed in the lower or medium range and then I would bump it up to the highest range when I see it's the last one available.” The Result: Diane said, “I always filled that last room for the highest rate. Ok, $10 is only $10, but do it over and over again and it really adds up. What it really did was give me more of a sense of being able to pilot my own boat. Sure, it's a little more work to keep my online reservation system up to date, but it really gives me a sense of empowerment and I feel great because I know that I'm getting the real value for that room.” The inn was extremely busy this summer, so Diane and Ron didn’t really take the time to figure out how much extra the inn was making after instating the new prices. Once they sat down and made the calculations, they were amazed to see an additional profit of $5,000, which is impressive for a four bedroom inn. Because of these simple changes, Diane was able to make up for the bad first quarter. Currently, the inn is running slightly above the revenue totals for the same period last year and Diane knows that wouldn't have been possible without the pricing changes. *Rates are based on this particular property. Your rates and ranges could be adjusted according to your business goals.

27 just one response you could give, with a smile on your face (of course). “Oh you wouldn’t BELIEVE how much my property taxes and insurance went up this year!” It wouldn’t always be appropriate to mention such things to customers; you can use your own intuition on when it’s right. But rest assured, many inquiring or price-critical travelers might be disarmed with a little bit of information for their own understanding. Also, be sure anyone taking reservations over the phone understands your pricing positions and philosophy. Many times it’s only the business owners who want to hold strong to certain pricing decisions, while other staff seem to be willing to cave in on price demands. Or maybe one partner wants to lower prices to gain business, and the other wants to hold the line. Whatever the case, it is very

When was the last time you sat down to create some wonderful, added-value packages for your guests, and tagging on a premium price tag for the trouble? important that as innkeepers you communicate to all your staff why you have the pricing strategies you do. Get Creative I find a bit of inspiration in a story about Nabisco as told in Donald Potter’s article on the power of price. Potter writes: “Once selling a 16-ounce box of graham crackers for $2.39, Nabisco created some

growth in this relatively lethargic market when it cut the crackers into teddy bear shapes, packaged them in single-serve bags, and charged $2.09 for just four ounces of product — a price level several times that of graham crackers.” Of course there were some costs incurred in being able to cut the crackers into small bears, but it must have paid off. Innkeepers are masters at bundling and packaging. When was the last time you sat down to create some wonderful, added-value packages for your guests, and tagging on a premium price tag for the trouble? Think beyond the old romance package (which I’m sure is still popular) and come up with some new ways to price the experience of staying at your inn. Keep in mind that you want to build in a profit margin that makes the work of bundling worth the effort. (continued, next page)

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28 Future Pricing Another tactic you should consider is fixed future pricing. Many innkeepers have small events and meetings. Do you ever ask for their future business in writing? You could guarantee a certain price for future meetings, thereby making them immune to price increases, and ask them to sign an agreement. This is no different than an association signing a contract with a large hotel for future business. The event planners and organizers might welcome the approach; knowing where their meetings will be and how much they will cost will make budgeting and planning a lot easier. Popcorn Pricing Think of your inn like a movie theater or baseball stadium. Once your guests are there, you can employ “captive audience pricing.” The price of popcorn in the movie theater is legendary and deserves

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There’s no good reason to charge $40 per pound for your homemade granola, but don’t give it away. See what gourmet granola sells for in the high end groceries, and take your cue from that. the scorn of all movie-goers, so I wouldn’t go that far. But, the point is that you have guests really enjoying themselves under your roof and they’re not going somewhere else during their stay to buy cookbooks, robes, mugs and other wonderful gift shop items. So, you could exert a little confidence with how you price your gift shop items. There’s no good reason to

charge $40 per pound for your homemade granola, but don’t give it away. See what gourmet granola sells for in the high end groceries, and take your cue from that. Data, Data, Data With the availability of some wonderful database and email marketing software these days, you should do your best to keep excellent data on your customers and try out some pricing creativity in your email marketing promotions. Instead of blasting out the same deal on a newly created package to your entire list, consider splitting your list into three separate lists. Try three different prices with those lists, and see what happens. If you only offer one price for the package to all of your customers, you’ll never really know how effective it was or could have been, because you wouldn’t have com-

29 pared it to anything. You might be surprised that more people opt for the highest priced option! ■ Sources: “Why Discounting Still Doesn’t Work,” Linda Canina and Cathy Enz, Cornell University Center for Hospitality Research, Vol. 6, No. 2 (March 2006) “Can we keep it up?” Jim Butler, ehotelier.com newsletter, July 31, 2008. “Discover Hidden Pricing Power,” Donald Potter, Business Horizons, November-December 2000. “Mind Your Pricing Cues,” Eric Anderson and Duncan Simester, Harvard Business Review, September 2003.

Jay Karen is President and CEO of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International. His blog on innkeeping can be found at www.innkeepingblog.com.

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Food Glorious Food Working with Local Food Producers by Liza Simpson

round the world, people are choosing to buy locally. They are doing so by participating in communitysupported agriculture (CSA), shopping at farmers’ markets, growing their own produce on decks and community gardens, or simply purchasing everything from wine to maple syrup to honey from local producers. People from all walks of life have come to the realization that the items on the shelves of their supermarkets travel an average of 1,500 miles from producers to stores, adding tons of carbon to our environment annually. Food purchased locally tends to be fresher, and may taste fresher, too. Supporting local food producers is one way of supporting your local economy.

31 For innkeepers, forming relationships with local food producers can be mutually beneficial. Serve local wines, then your guests can visit the winery and purchase more to take home. Farmers who provide produce often have roadside stands or offer self-pick adventures. The connection we form when we look into the faces of the people producing the food we eat is community building at its strongest. Not only is there a strong community benefit to purchasing locally, because a higher percentage of the money spent stays in the community, but also by doing so, inns and innkeepers can tap into the growing culinary tourism market. Here is a sampling of what PAII members are doing:

Dee Fagan, innkeeper at Pheasant Field B&B in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, buys berries and sweet corn from a farmer one mile from the B&B. The relationship started years ago when Dee stopped at the roadside stand. Now the farmer calls her when the crop is ready and Dee can serve the freshest produce possible to her guests. Because of the high quality of the produce, some guests stop at the farm and buy produce to take home. In the fall, Dee even gets corn shocks from the farmer to decorate the inn. Lynette Scofield, innkeeper at William Henry Miller Inn in Ithaca, New York, is lucky to have nearby two farmers’ markets. Because she knows the growers, the smaller market, which is two blocks from the inn, makes Lynette very comfortable with the safety of the produce she buys. At the Tidewater Inn in Madison, Connecticut, innkeeper Victoria Kolyvas believes in supporting local growers and businesses because “we all prosper together.” In the evenings, she offers complimentary wine from a local vineyard. The inn serves local maple syrup, which always surprises and delights the guests. Who knew it wasn’t all produced in Vermont? Of course, their coffee is not locally grown, but it is locally roasted. The roaster worked with Victoria to develop a special Tidewater Blend. She is looking forward to serving cheeses from two nearby farms that have received awards for artisanal cheeses. Innkeepers Gayle and David Darug are very involved in the local food scene. After working with several local growers from innkeeping quarterly

32 their farmers’ market and with local chefs, they found interest was so high that they formed Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance. They feature and talk about fresh and local foods at their Saturday wine dinners, In addition, they planted gardens at their Beechwood Inn in Clayton, Georgia, with culinary and medicinal plants so that guests can see what they have been served. Gayle says, “Guests love to know that the arugula was in the ground at 9:00 a.m. and on their plate at 7:00 p.m.”

Braised Yak Short Ribs Editor’s Note: If you are not in an area where yak short ribs are available, you can substitute beef short ribs in this recipe. For more information on the Vermont Yak Company, visit www.vermontyak.com.

• 5-7 pounds of Vermont Yak short ribs • 1 large onion, diced • 1 head of garlic, cut in half • ½ cup maple syrup • 2 cups water • 1 cup Vermont beer (I like medium-colored ales, but any style will do.) • 1 orange, zested, then remove the white pith and cut the peeled orange into slices • 2 whole tomatoes, cored and chopped • 2 sprigs rosemary • 4 sprigs thyme • salt and black pepper • vegetable oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the ribs with salt, pepper and oil. Sear the ribs in a large skillet on high heat, turning and browning for about eight minutes. Place the ribs in appropriately- sized roasting pan. Deglaze the hot skillet with the beer, then add all other ingredients and bring to a simmer. Pour the liquid over the ribs in the roasting pan. The liquid should about halfway cover the ribs; add a bit more beer and water if needed. Cover the pan with foil, not touching the ribs, and place in the preheated oven. The ribs will need to braise about 3–4 hours to become tender. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and set them aside. Strain the liquid and reduce it a bit until the liquid thickens. Have a rib for dinner with the leftover beer, and then pull the meat from the remaining ribs while they are still warm. Add a bit of the reduced braising liquid to the shredded meat to moisten. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

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33 On Orcas Island in Washington, innkeepers Charles and Valerie Binford are fortunate to have a plethora of local produce and cottage industry items to share with their guests at The Place at Cayou Cove. They planted their kitchen garden to specifically suit the inn’s breakfast and hors d’oeuvres needs. Innkeeper Dorothee Gossel at Inselhaus B&B in Macomb, Illinois, has purchased a share at her local CSA every year and from it receives organically grown vegetables and herbs. Her husband also butchers beef from cattle raised on their farm to serve at the B&B. Innkeeper Victoria Register-Freeman has gardens at the House on Cherry Street in Jacksonville, Florida, which are all-organic and include fifteen kinds of herbs and six types of citrus. She formed a neighborhood organization, Urbfarmers United, for urban professionals who are transforming landscapes into foodscapes. She also supports an organic farm nearby. Chef Charlie Menard at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont, wanted a way to celebrate the spirit of community generated by their participation in the Mad River Valley Eat Local Challenge. Their organic farmer, David Hartshorn, who maintains the inn’s four acres of certified organic vegetable gar-

dens, started raising yaks. So Charlie and Sous Chef Andrew “Sustainable” Davis created a signature dish using the yak meat to serve to their guests. Beer Bread Biscuits with Cheddar are topped with Vermont Yak Short Ribs (now there is a line I never expected to type!) and Late-Season Tomato Jam. All of us who garden know tomatoes are a blessing when they finally appear mid-summer, but by autumn, they can overwhelm us. Andrew’s jam recipe puts the bounty on the table at the inn year-round. The Main Street Manor B&B in Flemington, New Jersey, benefits from its location in farm country. Innkeeper Donna Arold has been a subscriber to nearby Honeybrook Organic Farm for ten years, going to the farm each week to pick up organic fruits and vegetables. The berries and herbs are pickyour-own, so Donna does. “It gives me time to decompress a bit from the business and the day-to-day of the inn, and also provides my guests with the best and healthiest locally grown goodies.” Other local farms provide the inn with their specialties, such as Silver Queen corn and wineberries. While all of these innkeepers expressed confidence in the safety of the products and produce they are getting locally,

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34 organic produce needs safe food-handling practices, just as you should with supermarket or food-service-supplier produce. Resources and Definitions:

Slow Food — a global, grassroots organization focused on celebrating and strengthening the connection between people and the food they eat. www.slowfoodusa.org CSA — community supported agriculture. A CSA is usually a farm that creates a group of members or subscribers who pay for a “share” of the harvest in advance of the actual planting. Some

Andrew’s Tomato Jam Cheddar Beer Biscuits • 2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour • 1 cup Gleason’s Grains whole wheat flour (Gleason’s Grains products are available from a local Vermont farmer who produces hearty whole wheat flour. You may substitute your own locally-produced whole wheat flour-look for it at health food stores.) • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 2 pinches sugar • 1 pinch salt • 1 12 ounce bottle of Vermont ale • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided A note on beer selection — while any beer will work, my “homebrew breads” have shown that the flavor profile comes through pretty intact, so make sure to choose a beer you like! Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the beer until the dough is fully combined. Add 1½ cups of cheddar cheese. Place the dough on floured worktable and press out until about ½- to ¾-inch thick. Using a round cutter about 1 to 2 inches across, cut out biscuits. (Cookie cutters, tomato paste cans, anything will work.) Place biscuits on a greased and floured sheet pan, or line the pan with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the dough starts to become light in weight and golden brown. Top the biscuits with the remaining cheddar and finish baking, about 10 minutes more.

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This tomato jam is a truly useful condiment to have around the house. We use it as-is on our Vermont cheese boards, and it lends itself especially to creamy, brie-like cheeses. Adding some chili powder and a hint of clove makes this little sauce stand up to flavorful meats, and adding Dijon mustard will make it even heartier. Play with it and you’ll find your favorite incarnation!

• 6 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced, and drained of excess liquid • 3½ cups sugar • 1 lemon, zested and juiced • 1 cinnamon stick Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pan made of stainless steel or glass, over medium to low heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Cook for 1 hour or until mixture thickens. Transfer to sterile canning jars and process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Please be careful to follow proper canning technique and procedures. Alternatively, allow to cool and store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To assemble the hors d’oeuvres: Warm the covered casserole dish of yak meat in the oven for about 15 minutes. Slice the still-warm biscuits in half, keeping tops and bottoms organized. With a table fork place about 1 to 1½ ounces of rib meat on bottom half of the biscuit, top with 2 teaspoons of Tomato Jam, and replace top of the biscuit. With a small spoon, such as a demitasse, make a small indentation to the top of the biscuit and place a small amount of the jam on top for garnish. Stick a small parsley leaf in the jam and serve!

35 CSAs require members to also work. Go to www.localharvest. org/csa and put in your zip code to find a CSA in your area. Localvore (or locavore) — The idea that one can and should focus on using products for your own “foodshed” (think watershed). Some use a 100-mile radius as a boundary. There is a good definition on the Vermont Localvore website: www. vermontlocalvore.org/learnmore/whatandwhy.html ■

The Innkeeper’s Helper

Editor’s Note: The recipes in this article were created by Charlie Menard, executive chef at The Inn at Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont, and a founding member of the Vermont Fresh Network. They were created specifically to highlight how Charlie uses local, fresh high-quality ingredients in his meals at The Inn at Round Barn Farm. Liza Simpson, formerly of The Old Miner’s Lodge in Park City, Utah, has cooked professionally for over 25 years. She is currently serving on the Park City Council, innsitting, cooking, and selling books while she and her husband Chris and their Corgis search for their next innkeeping adventure.

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11/5/07 3:39:39 PM innkeeping quarterly

Risk Management Fire Safety Basics for Inns by Gregory Harrington, P.E.

Editor’s Note: Recently, the Inn at Danbury in Danbury, New Hampshire suffered a four-alarm fire that destroyed the barn attached to the inn, where the innkeepers lived. Unfortunately, we hear these stories all too often, so it’s important that we cover fire safety basics to ensure that you all are taking the necessary precautions to protect your guests, yourselves, and your livelihood.

ire Prevention Week is observed every October during the week on which October 9 falls — the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. (See www.firepreventionweek. org) for more information). For the owners and operators of inns, B&Bs, and other small lodging properties, guest safety must be the topmost priority, and those who accept responsibility for the safety of the traveling public must remain constantly vigilant of the threat of fire in their properties. This article describes some common fire and life safety features that fire inspectors typically look for in a lodging property. Two Ways Out Building and fire safety codes, such as the Life Safety Code® (NFPA 101®, published by the National Fire Protection Association), emphasize that occupants have more than one escape route from all living and sleeping areas, in the event that one route is blocked by fire. In larger hotels, this is accomplished by providing protected corridors that lead to multiple, highly protected exit stair enclosures. In smaller properties, however, such an arrangement is not always practical. Most inns with sleeping accommodations for sixteen or fewer guests employ a concept known as means of escape. Means of escape does not provide the same level of protection typically found in larger properties, so it is important to ensure constantly that all escape routes are properly maintained. In general, every sleeping room and living area must be provided with a primary means of escape and a secondary means of escape. The primary means of escape is usually the route that occupants use to enter a room. These are typically well maintained, but should not be ignored since this is obviously the preferred route. Doors should open easily, even when the property is secured from the outside at night. The secondary means of escape from most sleeping rooms usually consists of an outside window or a door that leads to a balcony on which occupants can await rescue. To be effective,

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secondary means of escape windows and doors must be able to be readily open ed by the guest without the use of any tools, special knowledge or effort. To evaluate an escape window, imagine waking up from a sound sleep in the middle of the night to the sound of alarms and the smell of smoke. How difficult would it be to open the escape window? If windows are difficult to open, they should be repaired. Early Fire Detection and Notification Residential occupancies, including inns, are unique in that for about one-third of the time they are occupied, occupants are asleep. With sleep comes lack of awareness, so we must rely on smoke alarms and fire alarm systems to notify occupants early in a fire’s development. Smoke alarms powered by the building’s electrical system should be installed in all sleeping rooms. They should be tested monthly, and a written test record should be

37 maintained and made available to the fire department upon request. In addition, a complete manual fire alarm system should be provided to alert occupants throughout the building. See NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code®, for details on testing smoke alarms and fire alarm systems, or consult with a qualified fire alarm contractor. Ignition Source Control If a fire can be prevented in the first place, multiple escape routes and alarms won’t ever be needed. For a fire to occur, a heat source, combustible fuel, and oxygen must be present — this is commonly referred to as “the fire triangle.” If one of the triangle’s components can be eliminated, a fire cannot start. Since lodging properties are full of combustible furnishings and other items, and oxygen is present everywhere, innkeepers should focus on controlling ignition sources. Some common ignition sources are smoking materials, candles, portable heaters, faulty electrical systems, and cooking equipment. If a no smoking policy isn’t already in place, consider one. Likewise, consider a “no candle” policy for guest rooms; while they add to the ambiance, unattended candles have been responsible for numerous lodging fires. [Editor’s Note: There are now attractive battery-operated candle-like alternatives offered by vendors at the PAII Conference and Trade Show.] Ensure the building heating system is properly sized and maintained so that guests don’t have to resort to using portable space heaters. If left too close to combustibles, a portable unit will start a fire. Ensure the building’s electrical system has not degraded over time; do not overload circuits and never use extension cords as a replacement for permanent wiring. If fuses or circuit breakers continuously trip, have the system inspected by a qualified electrician to locate and repair the source of the problem. If the kitchen has commercial cooking equipment protected by an exhaust hood extinguishing system, ensure the system is routinely inspected and maintained by qualified personnel. See NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations for details. Carbon Monoxide — The Silent Killer Although not all jurisdictions require the installation of carbon monoxide (CO) warning equipment in lodging properties, they should be provided in any inn that contains fireplaces or fuel-burning appliances including wood stoves, portable space heaters, ranges, furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, gas refrigerators, and gas lamps. In other words, all inns, since all inns have ranges, furnaces, and water heaters. (continued on next page)

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38 Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and poisonous product of combustion that, if not properly vented to the outside, can accumulate inside the building. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of about 480 people died each year during 2001 and 2002 from non-fire related CO poisoning. CO alarms should be installed outside sleeping areas as specified in NFPA 720, Standard for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Warning Equipment in Dwelling Units. Fire Safety Is All About Awareness Innkeepers do not need to be fire protection professionals to keep their guests safe; they only need to maintain a high level of alertness to potential fire causes and situations that might prevent guests from quickly escaping. Where fire protection and life safety systems are well maintained and escape routes are not blocked, there is a low probability that a guest will ever die from a fire in a lodging property. However, the possibility can never be completely eliminated, so it is the responsibility of innkeepers to do everything in their power to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. Make every week Fire Prevention Week to ensure your property does not become a fire loss statistic. ■ Gregory Harrington is a principal fire protection engineer with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) where his responsibilities include facilitating the development of the Life Safety Code and the Uniform Fire Code. He is the executive secretary to the NFPA Lodging Industry Membership Section. Prior to joining the NFPA staff in 1996, he was a fire protection engineer with the San Antonio Fire Department. He holds a Master of Science degree in fire protection engineering and is a registered professional engineer. For more information and lists of fact sheets, visit NFPA online at www.nfpa.org.

Advertisers’ Index B&B Team, The........................................................... 10 BedandBreakfast.com.......................................... 15, 44 Bushnell & Bushnell................................................... 29 Calling Inn................................................................... 11 Comerica Bank............................................................ 12 Commercial Capital Network....................................... 4 Dispenser Amenities.................................................. 37 dnj specialities............................................................ 10 Essential Amenities.................................................... 32 Essentials Design Group............................................ 35 Fullers’ Soaps................................................................ 9 George W. Gardner Associates................................. 31 Guest Tracker.............................................................. 21 Inn Consulting Partners.............................................. 28 innSPAration............................................................... 29 InnStyle........................................................................ 28 InnPayment................................................................. 17 iRobot.......................................................................... 35 James Wolf Insurance................................................ 16 Lanier, Pamela............................................................IFC LodgingResources.com.............................................. 10 Markel Insurance........................................................ 14 Merriam Insurance..................................................... 33 Mid-Atlantic Innkeepers Conference......................... 30 NPC................................................................................ 2 PAII................................................................19, 27, OBC Rentalo.com................................................................ 36 Sky V Spa...................................................................... 6 Smith, Bell & Thompson............................................ 25 TMG, Inc.— Virginia Inn Brokers.............................. IBC Turkish Towel Company, The..................................... 38 Webtools Hosting Services........................................ 16

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5 85% 44% 20

The maximum number of rooms that can be in a bed and breakfast in Annapolis, Maryland. Source 06/22/08, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.

The percentage of pet owners that travel by car when traveling with their pet. Responses collected from a TripAdvisor survey of more than 1,600 travelers, 65 percent of respondents own a pet.

The percentage of respondents that enjoy a walking vacation because they like to explore a city in depth. Responses collected from an August 25, 2008 poll done by the American Society of Travel Agents.

The number of years that a moratorium has been on any new B&Bs in Honolulu, Hawaii. Source: KITV.com, Honolulu, Hi.

by the

1 2numbers 3456 789 15.3%

The annual growth percentage of international travelers to the US from July 2007 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 2008 compared to July 2006 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 2007. Source: Pacific Asia Travel Association, www.pata.org

50%

The percentage of Culinary Institute of America newsletter readers that work with local farmers to get produce. Responses collected from a June 28, 2008 poll done by The Culinary Institute of America.

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Industry Events November 2008 22nd Annual Federation of Ontario Bed & Breakfast Accommodation’s Conference & Annual General Meeting November 3–4, 2008 Location: Stratford Country Club, 53 Romeo Street North, Stratford ON Contact: http://www.fobba.com/Delegate Registration.shtml

Select Registry Annual Meeting November 9–12, 2008 Location: Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, VA Contact: Lois@selectregistry.com

Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers of Colorado Association The 22nd Annual Colorado Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers Conference & Aspiring Innkeeper Day November 9–10, 2008 Location: Lake Shore Lodge in Estes Park, CO Contact: www.innsofcolorado.com

Empire State Bed and Breakfast Assoc.

January 2009 Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio Tri-State Conference January 11–13 Location: French Lick Resort, French Lick, IN Contact: www.indianabedandbreakfast.org/ mem_conferences.html

Mid-Atlantic Innkeepers Trade Show and Conference January 12–14 Location: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VA Contact: www.midatlanticinnkeepers.com/ site-map.html

The Bed and Breakfast Association of Alabama’s 2009 Conference, Trade Show & Annual Meeting January 18–20 Location: Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge Contact: www.bedandbreakfastalabama.com

PA Tourism & Lodging Association InnTouch Meeting January 28 Location: Hickory Bridge Farm, Ortanna, PA Contact: www.patourism.org/inntouch

November 11–13 Location: The Thayer Hotel, Westpoint, NY Contact: www.esbba.com/conference.shtml

February 2009

Washington Bed and Breakfast Guild Annual Meeting

February 1–3 Location: Hyatt Regency Monterey, Monterey, CA Contact: www.innspireconference.com

November 17–18 Location: Olympia, WA Contact: http://www.wbbg.com/uploads/2008% 20Annual%20Meeting%20Outline%20and%20 Registration%20Form.pdf

December 2008 The Arizona Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns’ Twentieth Anniversary Celebration Conference and Trade Show December 2–4, 2008 Location: San Marcos Resort Contact: www.aabbicts.com

Maryland Bed and Breakfast Association’s Annual Meeting December 9, 2008 Location: 202 Dover Inn, Easton, MD Contact: www.marylandbb.com

CABBI InnSpire Conference and Trade Show

The Bed & Breakfast Association of Arkansas Annual Meeting February 17–18 Location: The Lodge at Mt. Magazine, Paris, AR Contact: innkeeper@lookoutpointinn.com

March 2009 Joint Missouri and Kansas Conference March 2–4 Location: Hilton Garden Inn, Independence, MO Contact: TBD

The Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show Hosted by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International March 30–April 2 Location: Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA Contact: www.innkeepingshow.com

To add your event to the calendar, contact Laura Middleton at laura@paii.org or call 800-468-7244.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! INN MEMBERS

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Mike Ahern Quiet Creek Inn Idyllwild, CA

Maria & Will Collin American River Inn Georgetown, CA

Rhonda Epstein Sagewater Spa B&B Desert Hot Springs, CA

Joanne Stevens Ward Mansion Bed & Breakfast Conway, AR

Daniel Stone Barretta Gardens Inn Sonora, CA

Doug Thomsen Orchard Hill Farm B&B Paso Robles, CA

Bill Freeland Scandia Inn Bed & Breakfast Eureka Springs, AR

James & Judy Dowling Gerstle Park Inn San Rafael, CA

Karen Kamatz Arbor House Lakeport, CA

Cathy Kuykendall Williams House Hot Springs, AR

Darcy Tunt 1801 Inn Napa, CA

Bruce Black Squibb House Cambria, CA

CALIFORNIA

Ingrid & Johannes Zachbauer Sonoma Coast Villa Country Inn Bodega Bay, CA

Thomas Ridley Brookside Vineyard B & B Napa, CA

Harold Croucher Mission Inn B & B San Juan Capistrano, CA

John Runnells Ambrose Bierce House Saint Helena, CA

Bill Matte Shooting Star B&B Carnelian Bay, CA

FLORIDA

ALASKA

Mary Richards All Seasons Bed and Breakfast Inn Fairbanks, AK ARKANSAS

Pat & Darrell Straube Orchard Hill Country Inn Julian, CA Dianne Garth The Country House Inn Templeton, CA Jack Clare Arbor Guest House Napa, CA Bethany & Greg Johns Trojan Horse Inn Sonoma, CA Stephanie & Michael McCaffrey McCaffrey House B&B Inn Twain Harte, CA Ed & Dawn Glass Butterfield B&B Julian, CA Georgia Adrian Heritage Inn San Luis Obispo, CA

John & Dianna Conner Petit Soleil San Luis Obispo, CA Rick Ellis Old Thyme Inn Half Moon Bay, CA

Carole Ballard Thurston House Maitland, FL

LOUISIANA

Margaret Brinkhaus La Caboose B&B Sunset, LA Patrick Ashton Ashton’s B&B New Orleans, LA Sherri Fontana Henry Howard House Inn New Orleans, LA Pat Kahn 1822 Bougainvillea House New Orleans, LA Carol Aucoin La Belle Riviere B&B Belle River, LA MASSACHUSETTS

Robert & Sue Alexander Belvedere South Yarmouth, MA Jeff Haley Grand View Inn Provincetown, MA MARYLAND

GEORGIA

Sabrina Stough Paradise Bed and Breakfast Catonsville, MD

INDIANA

Pensacola Jefferson Nekadesh Farm Bed and Breakfast Retreat Coltons Point, MD

Noel Detienne Southern Cross Ranch Madison, GA

Carole Dugdale Carole’s B&B Inn San Diego, CA

Michael Fierst Showers Inn Bloomington, IN

Harold Gutknecht Bella Villa Messina Healdsburg, CA

Frederick Berger White House on Park Avenue Rensselaer, IN

Guity Vakili GBB&R Ventura, CA

Linda Awand Rosemont Inn Vevay, IN

MAINE

Robert & Juanita Topper Camden Maine Stay Camden, ME Jeanne & Robert Short Victorian by the Sea Camden, ME

MEMBER BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT New Prescription Drug Program The Professional Association of Innkeepers International Prescription Drug Program was designed to give members access to discount prices on prescription drugs at nearly all major pharmacies. Being self-employed doesn’t always afford innkeepers the best health coverage, including many times weak or no pharmacy coverage. With the prescription drug card, innkeepers and their families can enjoy attractive savings. This is not an insurance program, but rather a nationwide discount program.

INTERIM INNKEEPERS

Julie Bolthuis Newcastle Inn Newcastle, ME

Tracy Brundage Aurora Leigh Bed and Breakfast Lock Haven, PA

FLORIDA

Michael Feldmann Welch House Inn Boothbay Harbor, ME

SOUTH CAROLINA

GEORGIA

Jody Schmoll Inn the Right Place Chandler, AZ

HAWAII

Dennis Hayden Inn the Right Place Chandler, AZ

MASSACHUSETTS

Dana McCready Dana McCready Innsitting Prescott, AZ

Rosemarie Ventresca-Cyr The Alden House Inn Belfast, ME MICHIGAN

Rebecca Crosby The Inn at Beulah Beach on Beautiful Crystal Lake Beulah, MI MISSOURI

Karen & Ken Kulberg Main Street Inn Saint Genevieve, MO MISSISSIPPI

Ronald Fry Devereaux Shields House Natchez, MS Carol Freels Dogwood Cottage B&B Eupora, MS NEW YORK

Cherylynn Castiglione Home Port B and B Peconic, N Y NORTH CAROLINA

Gregory Adkins North Lodge on Oakland Bed & Breakfast Asheville, NC NEW JERSEY

Amy Herberg Williams Cottage Inn Beach Haven, NJ NEW MEXICO

Judith & George Newby Sandhill Crane B&B Corrales, NM Sue Jett El Paradero Bed & Breakfast Santa Fe, NM NEW YORK

Bob Seidler Wentworth Mansion Charleston, SC TEXAS

Brian Harris Salado Yellow House Salado, TX VIRGINIA

Judith Dickinson Atherston Hall Urbanna, VA Cathi Beighe Meadow View Bed & Breakfast Harrisonburg, VA Spencer Ault Stone Manor Lovettsville, VA WASHINGTON

Beth Branshaw Westport Bayside Bed and Breakfast Westport, WA Cathryn Wiese Salisbury House Bed & Breakfast Inn Seattle, WA VENDOR MEMBERS DOWNLITE John Barrie 8153 Duke Blvd Mason, OH 45040 Ph: 513-229-6397 Ecoquest Independant Dealer Leslie Brashear 4015 Central Ct Martinez, CA 94553 Ph: 925-608-8329

Brad Steele Aiea, HI David Taylor Uxbridge, MA

Nina Esile Newburyport, MA MARYLAND

Kellye Calender Fort Washington, MD MICHIGAN

Tina Devore Macomb, MI

NORTH CAROLINA

John Harmon Charlotte, NC NEBRASKA

Anita Powley Omaha, NE NEW JERSEY

Jeanie Eberhardt Layton, NJ NEW YORK

Alex Alexander Queensbury, NY Jennifer Guilbault Waterford, NY OREGON

Ellen Bercovitz Portland, OR PENNSYLVANIA

CALIFORNIA

Betty Gladden Alameda, CA Pat Larkin Tustin, CA Kris Larkin Tustin, CA Velda Rickstrew Tustin, CA GEORGIA

Rosemary Chandler Your Hospitality Plus Acworth, GA ILLINOIS

Jenny Tomkins All Seasons Innkeeping Sycamore, IL MARYLAND

Mildred Engstrand Baltimore, MD MINNESOTA

Sharon Bromen InnTemps Inc Elk River, MN NORTH CAROLINA

Susie Zimmerman Candler, NC

Daniel McCullough Hatfield, PA TENNESSEE

Robert Ellis As If You Were There Innsitters Vineland, NJ

ASPIRING INNKEEPERS

TEXAS

Suzanne Ellis As If You Were There Innsitters Vineland, NJ

UTAH

Janice Barra Inn Sit The Ark by Janice Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

PUERTO RICO

Karen Chier Chestnut Inn Deposit, NY

ARIZONA

PENNSYLVANIA

CALIFORNIA

Jolene Macks Quite The Stir Gettysburg, PA

Dorothy Alexander College Park, GA

ARIZONA

Linensource Belicia Padilla 5401 Hangar Court Tampa, FL 33634 Ph: 813-884-6344

Carol Schnittlich Hedges Inn East Hampton, NY

Dan Weese Thomas Bond House Philadelphia, PA

Ronald McCoy Tallahassee, FL

Rosario Fernandez Ponce, PR Deni Phinney Tucson, AZ Robin Bruno San Mateo, CA Kent Giacomozzi West Sacramento, CA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Diana & Santiago Rich Washington, DC

Mary Jo and Fred Mench Smyrna, TN Diane Hackett Richardson, TX Shay Bergeron Rockville, UT VIRGINIA

Janie Irons Charlottesville, VA WASHINGTON

Bonnie Knight Allyn, WA

NEW JERSEY

SOUTH CAROLINA

Jim & Susan Bickelhaupt InnAssist Landrum, SC VIRGINIA

Patricia Jones PQJ Professional Innsitter Mechanicsville, VA

Inn Sales

)NN WITH A PAST SEEKING INNKEEPER The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is looking for a full time innkeeper to operate the historic Wolf Creek Inn near Grants Pass, Oregon. This special property offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to combine hospitality, history, ďŹ ne dining and a lifestyle unlike anywhere else. For information and compensation details, please contact: Mike Zdroy, OPRD 725 Summer St NE, Salem, OR 97301 (503) 986-0734 email mike.zdroy@state.or.us

More Inn Sales on the next page...

innkeeping quarterly

Your Ad Here! Reach 5,000 inns with a classified ad in the next issue of IQ. Contact Marlene Sapir for details at 800-468-PAII or marlene@paii.org.

Visit www.innsales.com for more listings. Do you have an inn for sale? You can reach smart innkeeping professionals by advertising your inn for sale here in the next issue of Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ). For this and other advertising placements in IQ, please contact: Marlene Sapir at 800-468-PAII or marlene@paii.org.

innkeeping quarterly