Spring 2010 IQ Magazine by Ingrid Thorson

IQ smart reading for smart innkeeping

Spring 2010 • Volume 4, Issue 2

innkeeping quarterly

Small Wedding The Rise of the

page 9

How You Can Benefit From This Growing Trend

14 Research Your Inn’s History There’s no telling what you might find

24 Tracking Marketing Success How to tell if your online system is working

32 Catering at Your Inn A look at where they are now

Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Spring 2010 • Volume 4, Issue 2

innkeeping quarterly

feature articles 14

Research Your Inn’s History

Building Your Business Community to Better Your Own Future

smart reading for smart innkeeping

departments 3

Key Notes

Reader’s Response

22 Industry News Beat 24 Tracking Marketing Success

32 Food Glorious Food 34 By The Numbers 34 Inn Sales

cover story

The Rise of the Small Wedding: How You Can Benefit From This Growing Trend

35 Innkeeper

2 Innkeeper

37 Industry Events 38 PAII News and

Information Center

When it comes to weddings, small is big—and that’s good news for you!

Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ), is PAII’s quarterly periodical. PAII has been dedicated to fostering the knowledge and expertise of keepers of the inn for over 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.innkeeping.org • 800.468.PAII © 2010, Professional Association of Innkeepers International

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IQ smart reading for smart innkeeping

About IQ: IQ is published quarterly. 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 Contributing Writers: Christina Friedrichsen Russ Herschelmann Katie Pate Cate Richard Dodson Liza Simpson Barry Werner Design: Imbue Creative Advertising Sales: Marlene Sapir PAII Staff: Jay Karen President and CEO Michele McVay Vice President Isabel Abreu Membership Sales Coordinator Laura Middleton Communications Coordinator Marlene Sapir Vendor Services & Sales Ingrid Thorson Marketing & Communications Manager

Key Notes TripAdvisor Business Listings Promo Ends Soon for B&B Industry

ecently we announced a new partnership with TripAdvisor that allows only innkeepers in the B&B industry to enjoy 50% off rack rate pricing for their Business Listings program. In addition, those innkeepers who are not members of PAII who sign up during our promotion (ends May 8), will get a free Silver Membership in PAII as an additional incentive. Trip Advisor’s Business Listings program allows property owners to add their phone number, an email link and a link to their own property’s web site to their TripAdvisor property page. This may seem like a minor addition to your TripAdvisor page, but it could be very meaningful in capturing bookings you otherwise might have lost. Since announcing the promotion with TripAdvisor, the PAII office has fielded numerous questions. I’m using my column this quarter to do a little Q&A about the program and how this does or does not change the nature of our relationship with TripAdvisor. Is this really worth it? Especially in 2010, here’s why I think it is in fact worth the investment. First and foremost, the price will double next year, so now is the time to give it a shot and test the effectiveness of having the added contact information and links on your TripAdvisor page — especially the direct link to your web site. To that point, you invest a lot of your marketing energy and dollars in your own web site. You want potential guests getting to your site as quickly as possible, so you have the best chance of keeping their interest high in your property. And, you know you’re going to receive the highest possible net rate when people book directly with you. It naturally follows that a visitor to your TripAdvisor page — if she likes what she sees — will have a better chance of making it to your own web site if

a link is right there in front of her. I call this the “stickiness factor,” meaning you want impressed TripAdvisor visitors to stick with you and not move on to check out the competition. Also, with this new link, you can now start tracking the amount of traffic coming to your web site from your Trip Advisor page. This doesn’t reveal how many people are viewing your TripAdvisor page, but it does tell you how strong of a referring site TripAdvisor might be. We are hearing from many innkeepers that their TripAdvisor link is among their top referring links. How does it feel to now be in bed with TripAdvisor? This one cracks me up a little, because if you know anything about running an international trade association, you know that we’re really in bed with EVERYONE in our industry! I know that sounds a little absurd, but running an association is like running the United Nations. While on one hand you have to be neutral territory for much that happens in our industry, the fact also is that everyone involved in our association is also our customer or member. At the end of the day, our core constituency is the innkeeper who runs the inn, but we also work hard to nurture a vibrant marketplace where business can be conducted. In that sense, we try bringing parties together to conduct business, but we also try negotiating advantages for both buyer and seller. In that sense, we’re in bed with TripAdvisor as much as we’re in bed with other great vendors who have been involved with this industry for decades. BUT… this partnership does NOT change the nature of PAII’s role as an advocate for innkeepers with regard to the policies and features of TripAdvisor’s web site. I still have my laundry list of items I think need to change on their site, so that B&Bs receive more appropriate levels of exposure (we’re often too hard to find), so that innkeepers (continued on next page)

Key Notes (continued) have better help in getting grievances resolved, and that the policies they put forward are fair and not damaging to B&Bs. You all know I’ve been a tireless advocate for our industry, and the folks at TripAdvisor know that’s not going to change. And here’s my little secret (shh…), now that the B&B industry is a source of revenue for TripAdvisor, there is more incentive for our friends at TripAdvisor to keep listening to and responding to our needs. It helps my cause when I travel to Boston to visit with their senior leadership! I know for a fact (from personal emails I have received) that some innkeepers are vehement objectors to even the existence — let alone policies — of TripAdvisor and other review sites. They are hoping that PAII will take a flamethrower to Trip Advisor, rather than come up with a promotion like this. To those folks I say that my modus operandi will likely always be to work with a spirit of diplomacy, candor and forthrightness — with an eye always towards cooperation — with any entity that has a great impact on the business of innkeeping.

were having a negative impact on thousands of B&Bs, we would be at their door lobbying for change. Same goes for B&B directories that are having a positive impact on thousands of inns and innkeepers — we seek and appreciate their involvement in PAII. With 32 million unique visitors each month reading reviews of properties and clicking through to make bookings, working with TripAdvisor is good business for our industry.

Will signing up for this impact my placement on TripAdvisor? No. Properties that sign up will not see any change to their Popularity Index ranking or any search results on your respective city pages. TripAdvisor’s leadership has made it clear that Business Listings is a service enhancement only and does not impact any other aspect of your presence on the site. Those who don’t sign up won’t be penalized. Those who do sign up won’t have any advantage other than the benefits that come with having your phone, email and web link under your property’s name and picture — and as explained before, I think there are some distinct advantages.

Is there any other way to get people viewing my TripAdvisor page to MY web site, besides participating in Business Listings? The only thing I can think of would be if you want to invest in sponsored links or display advertising on your own property page or on other areas of TripAdvisor. Knowing what the average B&B spends on marketing per year, this is probably way out of the question. I think innkeepers should look at this much in the way you look at investing in some of the productive B&B-specific directories in our industry. In those cases, you want folks to find you and get to your web site as well (in some cases, you’re happy to have them book directly on those directories and not even get to your site, but that’s a different issue) — and you judge your investment in the annual dues by the level of traffic and bookings you can measure in return. You should do the same here. Of course, your TripAdvisor visitors could always just open a new browser and use a search engine to find your site — and we know this happens now when visitors like what they see in your reviews. But taking that step out of the equation and letting them be one click away from your site is what you want.

Does this mean you favor TripAdvisor over the B&B directories in our industry? We favor working with any directory or other source of business that is going to have an impact on your business. There is plenty of space on the web for more than one directory of B&B properties and more than one place to leave and read reviews. If we encountered any entity — including B&B directories — that

It seems that TripAdvisor’s availability search tool and some changes in the site’s layout are obscuring B&Bs. Why would I pay for this Business Listings if we’re going to continue to be hard to find? My pursuit to ensure B&Bs are conspicuous lodging options on TripAdvisor remains very important. I agree it’s not where I would like it, and the folks at TripAdvisor are listening to our

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comments about the obscurity issue. There is no question — from an economic standpoint — that if TripAdvisor expects the Business Listings program to be successful in the B&B industry, that it would be counterintuitive to make it harder to find B&Bs. I would imagine TripAdvisor hopes your Business Listings becomes a top referring link. To that end, it would be unwise to obscure B&Bs — I know this, and so do they. I don’t think their site designers are necessarily the same folks I always deal with, who understand the issues the B&B industry has with the site. There are specific changes I am suggesting to pull B&Bs out of the woodwork — and soon I will visit their offices outside Boston to discuss them in detail. I will give TripAdvisor credit for being great at listening to my many “suggestions,” and for making changes in the right direction with some of them. That being said, the Business Listings program is still a business decision innkeepers should consider making, even though the site is not all that you want it to be. I guess the question you should ask yourself is… is the site good enough and important enough to warrant spending some money to add the ever-important contact information and link to your web site? Innkeepers are discussing these and many other TripAdvisor-related issues on the forums at www.innkeeping.org. We encourage you to join the discussion. If you’re ready to learn more or sign up for Business Listings at TripAdvisor and take advantage of the PAII-negotiated discount and free membership offer, visit www.tripadvisor. com/BusinessListings. You’ll need to use the coupon code “TRIPDISC” to get the Silver Membership and/or the 50% off pricing.

Jay Karen President & CEO

Reader’s Response Monday, February 22, 2010, Innkeeping and Advice (reprinted with permission from Innkeeping Innsights in Stowe)

n the Winter 2010 issue of Innkeeping Quarterly, Professional Association of Innkeepers International President and CEO Jay Karen, in his Key Notes column titled “Your Customer Base is Changing—Are You?”, implores innkeepers to target the Generation X demographic and forget about all the other groups out there. Mr. Karen writes, “I contend that innkeepers need to pay attention to the feedback of your Gen X customers more than all others.” He also states that innkeepers should “alter [their] business to accommodate the needs, wants and tastes of the rising customer base.” Mr. Karen begins the column with broad assumptions about innkeepers that aren’t necessarily false, but don’t reflect the myriad reasons or purposes people choose to become innkeepers: “Most innkeepers like to craft their B&Bs in their own image.” Mr. Karen also believes that the majority of innkeepers he meets are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. Aside from the broad and sweeping language that Mr. Karen founds his arguments on, a closer look reveals the fault in his reasoning. The first is that innkeepers “craft” their inns in their own image. Anyone who has been around the business of innkeeping can honestly say that the opposite is true: innkeepers probably craft their inns in an image they dream for themselves more than anything else. Innkeepers are nothing if not pretentious. Modern innkeeping has become a vain contest to see who can spend the most money on affectation and costly minutia. Add-ons and accoutrements weigh down innkeeping, obscuring the true nature of the innkeepers from the traveling public. If lodgers really knew who their innkeepers were, it’s unlikely they’d stay with them. Further, there’s no empirical evidence showing that innkeepers either “craft their B&Bs in their own image,” or that they’re mostly Baby Boomers who market to mostly Baby Boomers—if there are such data, Mr. Karen doesn’t mention them. The column leaves the reader with an unpleasant truth: If innkeepers are contriving to create inns that don’t necessarily represent who they are as business people, then travelers are buying a contrived image created to separate them from their money. And who wants to do business with someone who is selling a contrived image? Perhaps someone who has a contrived image of themselves. Neither is there any evidence offered to support the column’s thesis, namely that you need to change your business in order to succeed. All businesses change to

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meet the demands of the marketplace, but not all businesses are B&Bs. Small mom & pop operations need to beware of corporate groupthink. The small innkeeper has only him or herself to offer, not shelves full of antiques, or iPod docking stations. One innkeeper expressed this neatly when he said, “People don’t come here for the stuffed French toast, they come here for me! They like the service I offer, the personality I give them—I’m the show!” Innkeepers should pay attention to the feedback of all their guests, and they should closely examine the feedback for objectivity. If a guest says the toilet didn’t work, that’s important. If someone says their experience could have been enhanced by an Internet-ready flat screen television in the room, it might be wise to pause and do a quick cost-benefit analysis before charging out and hemorrhaging money. Advice of the kind found in Mr. Karen’s column suffers from a twofold problem. First, it’s reactive, not proactive. Trying to identify trends means always being behind the trends. What’s hip today is outdated or even impractical tomorrow. The only way out of the trap is to spend more money, until finally there’s no more money to spend. Keeping up with the Joneses has never been a good idea, and as we’ve all seen recently, the Joneses were overspending. Second, by urging innkeepers to identify themselves as hungry businesses subservient to market interests, Mr. Karen leads innkeepers into folly. That’s because innkeeping, like the rest of the travel industry, isn’t real. It’s ephemeral, existing only in the electric synapses of the minds of unseen and unknown human beings. As soon as people stop thinking about travel, it goes away. And when the notion of traveling goes away, what are we left with? The building. In other words, the real estate, which is the heart of any inn. More than anything else, innkeeping is a real estate game. The business can be inflated and embellished, then sold to the next aspiring innkeeper, but the building holds the real value. If innkeepers are seeking success, they’d do well to remember that people identify and appreciate honesty, and they’ll reward that in the long run. If innkeepers chase money through fads, it won’t matter how well they market to whatever demographic they’re told holds the key to their success, because they’ll end up looking like people who are trying to be something they’re not. Be yourself; you’re the show. Shawn Kerivan is a writer and innkeeper in Vermont. He has also just published his new memoir, The Innkeeper’s Husband.

Response from Jay Karen:

hank you for writing, Mr. Kerivan. I always appreciate dialogue such as this. I think your analysis of my column is a bit off base. I didn’t say that innkeepers should pay attention to only Gen X and “forget about” all others. My exact words were: “I contend that innkeepers need to pay attention to the feedback of your Gen X customers more than all others. Don’t dismiss the needs of baby boomers by any means, because they are still your bread and butter. I think you’ve done a good job taking care of them. Look to the guests now in their late 30s and 40s.” And, I don’t just believe, but I know that most current innkeepers are baby boomers — I ask this question of my speaking audiences all the time, and undoubtedly most hands go up. Whether an innkeeper crafts his inn in his own image or the image “they dream for themselves,” my point remains the same— the business of innkeeping is no longer about you, the innkeeper. It’s about the guest. Years ago, it used to be solely or mostly about inviting people into your home. While most innkeepers still live on premises, it’s less about your home as it is the guest’s experience and expectations. More and more, innkeepers are separating (physically, mentally and professionally) their homes from their businesses — even if they’re under the same roofline. It is perfectly acceptable to create a “contrived image” in the guests’ quarters and common areas. Innkeepers are running businesses — succeeding in business is not all about what the owners want — it’s what the customers want, even if it’s not something the owners themselves would want. The owner of a restaurant might not like everything on the menu they serve. With regard to the thesis that you must change your business in order to succeed, I contend that the alternative is to be “stuck in the mud.” When the world around us seems to be changing at an ever-increasingly rapid pace, I just don’t see how the B&B industry can thrive — let alone an individual B&B — by staying the same. Regarding your thoughts that my column is reactive, not proactive — I argue the opposite. The entire point of my column was to get ahead of the game and pay close attention to Generation X — the “rising” (although I contend they’ve risen already) generation of our customers. I agree with you that all innkeepers should weigh the cost-benefit of investing in latest trends (i.e. flat-screen TVs), but it doesn’t mean you should ignore the trends, wishes and expectations altogether and just stay the same. I don’t think every innkeeper needs to fall victim to the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality

or “corporate groupthink,” but turning a blind eye towards what Gen X might want differently in an experience than the aging Boomer crowd is nothing short of just acquiescence to eventual failure. Every business owner has to make informed decisions about investments, be they iPod docking stations (which I think many in the lodging industry thought was the cure-all for Gen X needs) or using organic ingredients, if that happens to be the trend. “What’s hip today is outdated or even impractical tomorrow,” is what you say. I’m sure many said the same of the Internet…Facebook…TripAdvisor. Sounds like you’re using similar hyperbole and hasty generalizations that you accuse me of. Organic or local foods might not be “en vogue” five years from now. Online reservations might be out of style soon. I guess some things you take a chance on, even if you either don’t like it or think it could one day be impractical. I don’t understand how in one paragraph you say that innkeepers are not the kind of people that guests would want to stay with, but then you say that innkeepers are “the show.” I guess the bottom line is that innkeeping is a blend of being true to yourself and your values and giving customers what they want and their values — even if they are competing interests sometimes. If innkeeping is all about you, then at some point that’s all you could be left with. Some innkeepers want to successfully transition their businesses one day, and they surely need to have more than just themselves to offer potential buyers.

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9 The Rise of the Small Wedding: How You Can Benefit From This Growing Trend When it comes to weddings, small is big—and that’s good news for you! by Christina Friedrichsen

here’s one word that seems to transcend all other words these days in the world of weddings: unique. Brides want their weddings to stand out. They don’t want cookie cutter. They want to personalize every last detail. That’s one of the primary reasons that intimate guest lists have become hugely popular. In fact, The Wedding Report, a wedding research company that is quoted extensively by mainstream media, cited small weddings as a top trend in the 2010 Wedding Market Forecast and 2010 Wedding Trends report. In a recent interview, CBS News Early Show consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen recently included “smaller weddings with fewer guests” as one of her trend predictions for 2010 and industry expert and owner of the bridal networking website, Bridal Tweet Christine Dyer cited intimate weddings as a trend for 2010. “Brides will still want their ‘red carpet moment’ but they will plan their weddings with a more practical, down-to-earth mindset. Think smaller, more intimate weddings with bigger, more dramatic details,” says Dyer. When a couple has fewer guests, it’s much easier (and less costly) to create a

one-of-a-kind event that reflects the couple’s unique sense of style. And most will agree that it all starts with the venue. With a small guest list, a couple’s venue options get a lot more creative. Romantic inns and bed and breakfasts offer a charming alternative to larger banquet halls and event spaces. It’s much easier to create a unique atmosphere in a space that’s already full of character!

Romantic inns and bed and breakfasts offer a charming alternative to larger banquet halls and event spaces. Polly Cappuccio, owner of River Lily Inn in Daytona Beach, Florida, started offering weddings at her inn two years ago and she’s never looked back. “I had no idea how many people wanted to get married here,” she said, adding that her inn has hosted more than twenty weddings so far. She expects this part of her business to continue to grow and has plans to build a structure on the property to accommodate weddings.

“I definitely make money,” she says. “And it’s good exposure for our bed and breakfast. We have couples coming back for their anniversaries, as well as wedding guests coming back to stay here.” Weddings on a Budget The charm that a small wedding can offer is not the only reason small is big: another factor is the economy. Many couples have been impacted by the economy. And even if they haven’t felt the effects directly, many have become more conservative with wedding spending. They’d rather put their money towards a down payment on a house, than an extravagant shindig with 100+ guests. But that doesn’t mean they’re sacrificing quality. In fact, many couples choose to have a small wedding so they can splurge on the things that really matter to them. For other couples, it’s all about the intimacy of a small wedding. These couples have been to enough large weddings to spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

10 know that a mile-long receiving line is not for them. They want the ability to spend time with their guests. And they want to be surrounded by the people who matter most in their lives. Marina and Rich, for instance, who got married at The Cameron Estate Inn in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, couldn’t imagine having a large wedding. “We wanted our wedding to be sunny, light-hearted, romantic and most of all, soulful. We wanted the celebration of our union to reflect who we are as individuals. We wanted to celebrate our love and be focused more on the ceremony rather than a loud reception,” says Marina. Not for Everyone While weddings can be an excellent source of revenue, not all innkeepers are cut out for hosting weddings.

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

Hiring a professional to take great photos of your inn is an investment that will pay off in spades! “You have to be the type of person who is willing to give more than you get … You really have to be willing to go that extra mile and have a spirit that is willing to help,” says Cappuccio, adding that patience is also a job requirement and organizational skills are a must. “I have a five page checklist that I have to go through before each wedding,” she says. Worth it Despite the hard work and challenges of offering weddings, Cappuccio says she

gets great satisfaction in helping couples make their big day a memorable event. And the money doesn’t hurt. Cappuccio says it’s expensive to own a legitimate bed and breakfast and she’s glad that she has found a way to bring in extra money. “When no one is booked to stay at the inn, it’s really nice to be able to have that part of the business,” she says. “It helps pay the bills.” How do you as a bed and break fast owner cash in on the trend towards smaller guest lists? Whether your bed and breakfast or inn already offers small weddings, or it’s something that you are considering, here are some important points to keep in mind:

11 1. Get gorgeous. Not you — your website! Brides do the bulk of their planning online today and they’re bombarded with thousands of beautiful pictures from wedding blogs. When it comes to website aesthetics, they’ve got high standards. Make your website a piece of eye candy. Which brings me to point #2. 2. Hire a professional photographer to take stunning photos of your inn. I really can’t emphasize this enough. I’ve been to so many websites where the photos are just mediocre. They do not do justice to the inn! Hiring a professional to take great photos of your inn is an investment that will pay off in spades! Even if it’s just a few photos, it’s well worth the money. 3. Harness the power of Real Weddings! Brides love reading about

Brides love reading about real weddings. The real weddings section of my blog is one of the most popular features of my website. real weddings. The real weddings section of my blog is one of the most popular features of my website. Have weddings taken place at your inn or bed and breakfast? If so, get in touch with the photographers of these weddings and find out if you can include the wedding photos on your website. And make sure you get in touch with the couples too, so they can rave about your inn on your website!

4. Make it easy peezy! Make it easy for couples to find the wedding section of your website. You don’t want couples to have to hunt around your site to find it because chances are they’d take a flying leap off your website and on to another venue’s site. 5. Keep it simple & pretty. Brides today are image driven. Have you checked the most popular wedding blogs lately? You’ll see a boatload of images and not a heck of a lot of text. Take some pointers and keep the information on the weddings portion of your website concise and easy to read and use lots of images. 6. Use Google Analytics. Google analytics is free — and it’s one of the most invaluable tools you will have to market your website. Google analytics lets you track which sites are bringing

spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

12 you traffic and also which keywords are bringing you traffic. It also lets you know where your readers are coming from. To sign up for Google analytics go here: www.google.com/analytics. 7. Don’t be the scary strict school teacher nobody liked in high school. You have rules. Rules are important. Very important. But don’t include a scary, detailed list of all of your rules on your website. If there are one or two rules that you feel particularly adamant about and you feel you must include them, then do so, but in a nice way. You can discuss the rest of your rules with the bride via email or telephone.

If you’re serious about hosting weddings at your venue, it’s a good idea to frequent wedding blogs to keep up to date with the latest trends in weddings. 8. Don’t expect a call. Chances are if you are my age (I’m 38) or older, you’re pretty darn used to making telephone inquiries. The majority of today’s brides prefer email. That’s because it’s convenient. Many brides do the bulk of their online planning while they are at work

and it’s a lot easier to shoot a quick email, than make a phone call. Embrace this mode of communication and be warm and conversational in your email style. 9. Know the trends. If you’re serious about hosting weddings at your venue, it’s a good idea to frequent wedding blogs to keep up to date with the latest trends in weddings. Chances are your creativity will be sparked and you’ll come up with new ways to market your venue to brides. 10. Be true to yourself. When all is said and done, it’s really about enjoying yourself. If weddings just aren’t your thing, don’t feel pressured to make them part of your business. Hosting weddings is not for everyone. It’s a big responsibility and there can be plenty of stress involved. There are lots of intense emotions flying around during weddings and sometimes you’ll get caught in the crossfire. Do you want to deal with the potential stress? Intimate weddings and intimate inns can be a perfect match — especially as smaller guest lists continue to flourish. Just keep in mind that hosting weddings will not only require a great deal of effort and enthusiasm, great people skills are a must. Planning a wedding is an intense experience for many brides. Sometimes bridezilla is unleashed. Can you take the heat? Or is ‘vendorzilla’ lurking beneath? ■

Christina Friedrichsen is the owner of IntimateWeddings.com, a website dedicated to small weddings. The site has a wedding venue finder that helps brides find small wedding venues, and a blog chock full of inspiration for brides planning an intimate wedding

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

14 Research Your Inn’s History by Cate Richard Dodson

aybe you’re one of those lucky innkeepers who purchased your home with its history laid out in letters, photos, or journals, waiting for you the moment you walked in the door. Or perhaps the first owners of your home were such prominent mem bers of the community that the local historical society has files of published material about them. You may even have obtained your home with many of its original furnishings still intact, and along with them came the story of their owners. If you’re one of these people, the history of your house likely came as part of the overall package. But others of us aren’t so lucky. If we want to know what went on “before,” we’ve got to do the legwork ourselves. For the first couple of years after buying my Victorian inn, I spent most of my time learning to take care of guests and the business. My limited knowledge of

my home’s history included the sketchy details. It belonged to a family named Jameson; they had owned a local Ford dealership for many years and the father of the original owner had been the first U.S. Congressman from Missouri. I also inherited two pictures: one of the original owner, John Jameson, and another, dated 1914, showing a group of ladies, mostly in white linen dresses, gathered in the front yard. Who they were, why they were there, remained a mystery. As time passed, I grew more curious about the family and so began my own detective work. Starting with the most obvious source, my next-door neighbor who had grown up in the house, I came to an immediate dead end. The elderly neighbor’s memories had faded, forcing me to turn to other sources of information. Yet others report information garnered from descendants isn’t always the most reliable. Carolyn and Steve Hatcher,

Stone-Yancey Bed & Breakfast

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

Romancing the Past Bed & Breakfast

innkeepers at the Stone-Yancey Bed & Breakfast in Independence, Missouri, found that while family members had great stories to tell as well as family photos of the house and early occupants, you need to “take what they tell you with a grain of salt, and do your own research— but some of the stories can be priceless, even if embellished a bit!” The Hatchers also shared some of the additional sources they used in researching their home’s history, many of which I’ve found useful as well: ●● Historical societies. This may be a city, county, or regional society. You can usually find census records, newspaper clippings, family histories, old photos, and artifacts (if they have a building or museum) and someone who has a good grasp of the local history and may know of family members who may still live in the area. You may find published historical documents pertaining to the community: city centennial book, historic houses brochure, etc. Census records, which you can also find at most public libraries, provide the names of persons living at your particular address at ten-year intervals. ●● Historical archives. These facilities are more like a library, and may have formal histories written by local professors, historians, or other knowledgeable members of the community. They are more likely to have a true research facility, with computers and volunteers versed in their collection of data. Searching

15 through newspapers at a facility like this may be time-consuming, but most of the information I found came through hours of such painstaking— and eye-straining—perusal. ●● Genealogy libraries. Great establishments for tracing the history of the family who built and subsequently lived in your home, but probably not the first place to look. You need to find out who actually lived in your home, and when, before using this resource. Again, if you only have this information for recent residents, try a search of census records dating farther back. ●● Long-term financial institutions. A local bank or savings and loan that has been in operation for many years may have the abstract to your home. The abstract can be a very useful tool; it may contain original drawings or photos of the house, along with ownership history. ●● Churches. Many have recorded histories as well. Remember those ladies in my front yard? They were a group from the First Christian Church, which the Jameson family had attended and even helped build.

Don’t forget to look in your own backyard, too. Metal detectors might turn up old coins or other items from the past. years to complete the home, and the tax records bear this out. This proved that I was correct and that the mansion was completed in 1908, not 1913.” Sometimes books play a part in unraveling the history of your house and its former occupants. A non-fiction narrative, Celia: A Slave, by Melton McLaurin,

played a vital role in my initial discoveries about the Jameson family. Congressman John Jameson, whose son first owned my home, had been this woman’s attorney. The author of the book had done extended research on the family, which included information about his son and daughters, providing me with other paths to follow on my history hunt. Don’t forget to look in your own backyard, too. Metal detectors might turn up old coins or other items from the past. I didn’t have any luck with this, but previous owners told me the yard had been searched several times before. What I did find was an old gravestone with the name “Amelia Jameson” on it. Since the family had a private cemetery in town, I matched

Larry Stevens, owner of The Dickey House in Marshfield, Missouri, found a wealth of information in the tax records at the county courthouse. He discovered that in his area “empty land (around 1900) was taxed at a steady rate, barring any increases in taxes. When you dug and built the foundation, the taxes went up slightly; when you built the structure and roofed it, taxes went up again; when you moved in the property was assessed and taxes set yet again.” In this particular case, Larry learned the first tax increase (denoting the foundation) was in 1906, the second in 1907, the third and final in 1908, where the taxes became stable for many years thereafter. “The story is that it took three spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

17 the stone with its bottom half, and later learned Amelia had been a cousin to the owners of my house. Cemeteries are also a good place to check names and dates, though sometimes a follow-up with birth certificates and death records—and letters if you’re lucky enough to have them—may prove names to be incorrect. One resident of my house, for example, was nicknamed ‘Dollie’ and this is the name on her gravestone, but old letters listed her as Anna Belle. Also, don’t forget that sometimes “walls can talk.” I scoured my attic for clues about my home’s past, and found 100-year-old newspapers nailed to boards to keep out the cold, an old coat box, and a previous owner’s lesson book, all of which led to the house being featured on HGTV’s ‘If Walls Could Talk.’ If you have plans for remodeling, keep your eyes open for anything that might reveal a story about your house’s past. Sometimes you may even find information for articles about your inn and its history—an excellent tool for marketing your business! Of course, many people don’t find history all that fascinating these days, but there’s an amazing sense of pride when you meet that one guest who wants to know every detail—and you have those details to share with them! I also include a brief history of my home in a special guest book placed in each room; most people are delighted to find that information while browsing through its pages. Beyond that, it’s important to remember

The Dickey House

that even though your home’s history may not be at the forefront of anyone’s ‘need to know’ list, when you gather that information and share it with others, you are contributing not only to the ‘story’ of their visit, but also to your community’s history. When I first started my own research, there was little information about the family available; now, my local historical society has a treasure trove. So whether it’s to a library, historical society, county courthouse, out to the backyard, or up the ladder to the attic, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and don’t give up the hunt. There’s no telling what you might find. ■ Cate Richard Dodson is a freelance writer and editor who owns Romancing the Past Bed & Breakfast in Fulton, Missouri. After having relocated from fast pace of Los Angeles, she finds small town life much to her liking, and is currently at work on a screenplay that takes place in her inn.

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19 Building Your Business Community to Better Your Own Future by Barry Werner

n this economy, return on investment is of the upmost importance. One of the top questions we often ask ourselves is how to best invest our time with the most positive results. One place I dedicate a great deal of my time is to help build my local business community. By doing this I have made a bigger and brighter future for me, my business and my guests. When we bought Scarborough Fair Bed & Breakfast, nearly three years ago, we knew practically no one in the Federal

Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. This tightly knit community has a very small town feel, despite being mere blocks from the heart of downtown. I wanted to fully enmesh myself in this community as quickly as possible, and I did so by joining the board of the Federal Hill Business Association. Now, I am its vice president, chair of the marketing and advertising committee, and co-chair of the holiday events committee. I recently joined the board of our Federal Hill Main Street Organization as well.

Many ask how I have the time to do all of this, but as a business owner I cannot understand how I could afford not to do so. I am a firm believer that when businesses work as a team, everyone benefits. Bringing everyone together to work toward the same goal, success for each and every small business owner is the main objective. A strong business community with a firm foundation benefits you and your future guests. Potential guests come to stay at B&Bs for several reasons. The more there is to attract them to your location the better. Sure, you can make the

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spring 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ innkeeping quarterly

20 best breakfasts in town, offer spa treatments and possibly even serve dinner, all of which bring multiple revenue streams into your pocket. However, who doesn’t like a few options when it comes to wining, dining, shopping, and other entertainment? A multitude of businesses in your locale means a larger draw for tourism dollars. Another reason to work with your local businesses is to create fun and interesting events to draw even more tourism your way. Seasonal food festivals, holiday events, flea markets, historical celebrations and many more events provide unique tourism opportunities and therefore greater chances for heads in beds. Travelers who otherwise may never have heard of your area will now have a reason

Group marketing and cooperative advertising help in educating others that your locality is a unique destination in its own right. to explore it, and your regular guests will now want to come back more and more. Working with your business neighbors helps a great deal in marketing and advertising arena as well. When you shine one flashlight into the darkness, you might get a little bit of notice, but when 25 lights or more are being waved around, you are sure to gain much more attention.

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Group marketing and cooperative advertising help in educating others that your locality is a unique destination in its own right. You can blog about how excited you are that one business just started carrying a certain product, or how the new menu at so-and-so’s is to die for, and you will be surprised how many of your guests will come back asking about these things. In turn your local business owners will also tell others about what new and exciting things are happening at your B&B or inn. In a way, you are becoming a shadow of your local Convention and Visitors Bureau, (CVB) — adding one more voice and many more reasons for people to visit your area and stay with you again and again. I am now, thankfully, so engrained in my wonderful community that our local CVB considers me one of the go-to people for info on the best, newest and most interesting things to experience here in

21 our neighborhood. This in turn allows me to speak to several more travel writers, reporters, etc. than I ever would have been able to reach on my very own. With my community involvement, I receive referrals from other business owners when they are bringing in applicants to interview or when their own friends and family members are coming into town. In turn, I refer my guests to small businesses that stock exactly what it is that they are looking for, providing my patrons with an authentic, local experience that makes them very happy and helps keep my neighbors happily employed as well. If you do not have a local chamber of commerce, business association, etc. — create one. Starting a group of business owners that meet over coffee once a month is another way to get the ball roll-

Success as a small business is harder to come by now than ever before. ing. You might even be inspired to look at starting your own Main Street Organization, a fantastic nation-wide non-profit under the umbrella of the National Historic Trust that works to give small businesses better ways to compete against large corporations and big box stores. Our local Federal Hill Main Street is a godsend full of information, ideas and inspiration. Success as a small business is harder to come by now than ever before. Working together to share ideas, creative energy, and the tasks to be done also means

you will be sharing in the progress, accolades and financial rewards throughout your community. The joy of sharing your neighborhood with your guests and building that same neighborhood into the best it can possibly be creates a cycle of financial benefit, pride of place and strong bonds of friendship. I cannot think of any better way to spend your time than this. ■ Barry Werner, with his partner Jeff Finlay, became innkeepers nearly 3 years ago. In that time frame they have successfully taken a preexisting inn in Baltimore MD, and made it consistently the #1 rated B&B for their city on TripAdvisor.com, been awarded the title of “Best Urban Inn” from BedAndBreakfast. com and the first in their city awarded membership to Select Registry.

spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

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22 • innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

New Directory Launches — www.destinationnexus. com

Destination Nexus is a destination encyclope dia of inns and leisure activities. It is a comprehensive sour ce for finding where to stay and what activities are available within the privately owned lodging industry. “Our purp ose wasn’t to create yet another directory. An encyclope dia is more encompassing and lists every business that applies, not just those who pay. It’s going to take time and teamwork but together we can do something amazing,” said James Mayfield of Reservation Nexus.

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spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly • 23

24 Tracking Marketing Success by Katie Pate

s you probably already realize, the vast majority of consumer travel research and planning is done online. According to a 2009 Pew Internet survey, 73% of internet users are using the web to get travel info. So if you haven’t started focusing your marketing budget on the internet, than you are missing the venue where you potential clientele are making their vacation and travel decisions. Hopefully this isn’t news for you: You have a modern website, a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign running, and you’re even dipping your toes into social networking. The question is, can you tell if your efforts are paying off? Are you actually generating more room reservations, wedding bookings and corporate retreats at your property? This article is going to cover some of the important tools that you can use to track the results of your

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

online marketing. Some readers may already know about Google Analytics — but do you use it to its fullest potential? There are also some new features in Google Analytics that will be an asset for innkeepers to use when keeping track of dollars spent in marketing. Google Analytics Google Analytics is a data tracking tool available for free from Google. You may already have analytics installed on your site, ask your webmaster for access to the reports. If you do not have

26 it installed, head to Google.com/analytics to walk through the process of getting your code snippet to add to your pages. Make some minor adjustments to this code so that it will track across multiple domains. In other words, you will want to have analytics set up on your booking engine pages as well as the pages of your site. You will want your webmaster’s help with this unless you have some basic HTML skills. The ability to gather data about how many people view your availability and book online, as well as where they came from, is a key tool for tracking your marketing efforts. Google Analytics will provide comprehensive information on how visitors interact with the site. You will have access to how much time they spend on-site, how many pages were viewed, your bounce rate, where most people enter your site, and keywords they type into search engines to find your website. If you have accurate tracking across multiple domains, you can also see what referral sites and search engines are sending

Google Analytics will provide comprehensive information on how visitors interact with the site. you your bookings. This is the first step in taking control of understanding and tracking marketing efforts. Action Items for Innkeepers: ●● Ask your booking engine if they can add Google Analytics to your pages ●● Add or have your webmaster add Google Analytics to your site, using the method for “tracking over multiple domains” (A search in the Google Analytics help forum will provide a thorough article on this.) (continued on page 28)

Track where your online bookings originate from to measure your quality visits. In this image, we can see what referring sites sent visitors through all steps of the booking process.

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

28 Your Website On the slim chance that no one has told you this yet, allow me to be the first: Your website is your number one marketing tool. It is the virtual front door of your property. If it looks shabby, old or run-down, who’s to say that the visitor to your site won’t think the same thing about the property itself?

Your website is your number one marketing tool. It is the virtual front door of your property. To find out if your website is still a functioning marketing tool, you will want to look at the “Bounce Rate” metric in Google Analytics. The Bounce Rate is the percent of visitors that view one page on your site and do not interact any further. They click the back button, close the window, etc. This is the last experience that you want someone to have when they reach your site. A good bounce rate to shoot for: 30% or less. If your site bounce rate is much higher than this, you may need to consider a redesign of your site. Other numbers to watch for include low

Use landing pages to help you understand what content is drawing visitors in from organic search.

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

29 pages views (less than 3 or 4) and time on site (shoot for about 5 minutes). You do not want to invest in ads and directory memberships that will drive traffic to a site that is old and not functioning accurately. Measuring Quality Visits Remember those little counters that used to be on the bottom of every website telling you what visitor number you were? Well, we are WAY past that. In the above section, we discussed the bounce rate as a metric to use when examining the user experience on the site. You can also use the Bounce Rate to help

evaluate how well your paid listings and memberships are functioning. For example, you may have a referring site that sends you a lot of traffic, but doesn’t send you quality visits. You don’t want to be listed with a site that sends 100 visits with a 70% bounce rate. Rather, a site that sends 30 people with a 6% bounce rate brings you about the same amount of quality traffic. The quality of visitor is what you should focus on. If you have analytics installed on the pages of your booking engine, you may also be able to track views to your availability calender or confirmed bookings, which is an even better metric for measuring the quality of visitor. (continued, next page)

Use the website tool SEMRush.com to help you evaluate whether a directory soliciting you for a membership has lots of search engine traffic, and ranks well for multiple terms on Google.

The value of the phrases this site ranks for on Google

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spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

30 Landing Pages Examining top landing pages (the page on which someone arrives at your site) can be another way for you to see how well special promotions, new content or new pages are functioning. This is an especially effective mean evaluating the performance of your blog. When writing blogs, you hope that the

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

blog will become an additional gateway into your web site. By checking your top landing pages, you can see if your blogs on “Romantic Weekend Getaways” and “Russian Nutcracker comes to Missoula” are attracting visits. Evaluating New Memberships/Listings Most innkeepers get bombarded with requests to join all kinds of web directories, listing sites and memberships. But which are worth your money? Use the website SEMrush.com to help you learn about the value of a possible membership. Input the web address you are considering, and see how many keywords it ranks for on Google in the top 20. Without a paid membership to SEMRush, you will only be able to see 10 phrases that they rank for. However, look at how many phrases they rank for. If it is only showing up for a handful, than beware. Or compare the number they rank for to your own site’s ranking. Also use SEMrush to compare your current directory listings with the one you are thinking about joining. Compare the site in question to one that is functioning well for you on keywords, traffic and more. Also consider the Page Rank of the site in question. You can use this website to check the page rank: www.prchecker.info.

31 A link from a site that has a better Page Rank than your own site is going to be a more powerful link and better for your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You can use the web to understand your position within it better. Google Analytics is a free program, which is why it is recommended. There are of course other tracking tools, but this one is quite universal, and extremely comprehensive. Understanding the difference between the number of visits and quality of visits is a key aspect in evaluating your marketing efforts online. Using a booking engine that will allow you to track where bookings come from is the ideal means for evaluating your traffic and online marketing. Keep the bounce rate in mind, and you ready to start making qualified decisions about the success of your online marketing. ■ Katie Pate is a published writer with a BA in Media Studies and English from Scripps College in Claremont, CA. Now at Insideout Solutions since August 2008, Katie is a Google Certified Adwords Individual, SEO specialist, and blogger extraordinaire. She has enjoyed using her traditional writing background as well as exploring new ways to use words and language.

spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

Food Glorious Food Catering at Your Inn Where are they now? by Liza Simpson

xpansion of food service at your inn can be an amenity for your guests, and an additional revenue stream. Meetings, private dinners, weddings and teas can fill your common areas with revenue during down time. We went back to interview some of the innkeepers from an innkeeping newsletter article in 2004 to see how their business models with regard to food service have changed. Some of the inns have since opened restaurants, considerably expanding their ability to cater to events. Andrea Picano, staff member at the Yankee Clipper in Rockport, Massachusetts, shared that since opening a restaurant (Bistro 127) in the spring of 2009, they are building their wedding and event business. The restaurant is open to the public three nights a week during the off-season and five nights during high seasons. It seats 45, but during the summer season they can accommodate up to 80 with an outside function room. This is a big change from 2004 when the inn had a caterer do their breakfasts, as well as all events. At the Sheppard Mansion, Hanover Pennsylvania, Kathy Sheppard has also opened a restaurant. When interviewed previously, their guidelines for special events were included in a contract signed by the guest, with a copy going to the caterer. This ensured that the caterer was aware of criteria like not being allowed to serve red wine. She also made sure that the inn received a copy of the caterer’s contract with the guest, so that she could review it for policy. Now that they have a restaurant and a well-stocked wine cellar, the use of an outside caterer is rare. When interviewed in 2004, Cheryl Grono, innkeeper of the Pennsbury Inn, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania said about her primary caterer: “Her food is fabulous, she’s fully insured and licensed, and both she and her staff are extremely competent, efficient, clean and personable.” For those reasons the same caterer is still doing 80% of the catering at the inn. In fact, if a wedding group chooses to use another caterer, it’s usually because it’s a friend of the family, and Cheryl charges more for that outside caterer. “It is always more work and more clean-up for my staff, so I charge to cover that.” One lesson she has learned is to always meet face-to-face with the outside caterer, and to make sure they are paying attention to the details of operating on her property. Interestingly Pennsylvania inns are not allowed innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

to do meals other than breakfast, so a good relationship with a caterer is crucial. Terry Baldwin, Mill Rose Inn, Half Moon Bay, California has changed some of the inn’s policies over the years. One major change since we spoke in 2004 is that they now require wedding parties to book all of the inn’s six guest rooms. He says “it is much nicer when everyone staying at the inn is a part of the wedding party.” He charges a flat fee of $500 if someone wants to use a caterer who is not on the approved vendor list. That vendor list includes photographers, florists and wedding cake providers. The caterer is the most crucial in needing to know, and abide by, the inn’s policies. Terry also requires that the guests contract directly with the providers, rather than going through the inn. Claudia Klingler, Innkeeper at the Blue Heron Inn, Rigby, Idaho used to have a catering option at the local community college. The Food and Beverage class would cater events as part of the course. However, the college is now a four year university and that class is no longer offered. She and her husband Dave do catering for groups primarily in the winter, which is her off-season. Meetings and small dinner groups make up the bulk of the events. The weddings that they cater and host tend to be the second wedding market, because the group size tends to be smaller. They can seat 24 in their dining room, where they usually serve breakfast. For meeting space they had a custom cover made for

33 the pool table, turning it into a conference table. Whether you do the catering yourself, or have someone come in from outside, the food and service will reflect on your inn. If you allow outside caterers to do business at your inn, at minimum you should have a check list of requirements that is clear to all parties. Who is responsible for damage to the property? Who are the parties to the contract? Is there profitsharing or a facility fee? These are just some of the things that should be considered. Advance research and knowing the local health and zoning codes that dictate what you are allowed to serve also are crucial. ■

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spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly

Inn Sales Nine Guestrooms and Suites in New Hope, PA

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$1,199,000 – 100% Turnkey. New Hope, PA, B&B has been operating for 15 years and enjoys a great clientele and lifestyle, along with high occupancy and six-figure net income. Eight guestrooms and suites, plus a one-bedroom apartment suite in the main building. Separate two-story home, plus pool, workshop. Country ambiance. Outdoor activities, fine dining, strong art community, excellent theatre, great shopping, two world class cities within 1.5 hours. A lovely place to live, work and play! Pineapple Hill contact info: Contact Kathryn Triolo, Owner, and licensed PA Realtor Home: 215-862-4817 • Cell: 267-391-7430 kathy.triolo@verizon.net

Innkeeper/General Manager/Event Coordinator for 16 room Inn with event space located in Kilmarnock, VA. Must be a self starter and able to manage others. Salary based on experience and enthusiasm. Bonus plan based on ADR and Occupancy level. Email resume to: david@pineapple-group.com

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1.1 Billion 41

The number of transactions that the GDS industry processed in 2008. This represents more than $268 billion in global travel sales. Global Distribution Systems, the quiet giant of the travel industry. Figures based on original PhoCusWright research and proprietary data provided by the three major GDS companies. The percentage of US Internet users who are more likely to recommend a brand to a friend since becoming a fan/follower on Facebook. Thirtytwo percent are more likely to buy. (Percentage of respondents)

by the 123

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numbers 7.07

The percentage of all US internet visits to Facebook for the week ending March 13th, 2010. With this percentage, Facebook.com overtook Google.com as the most visited domain in the US.

innkeeping quarterly • spring 2010

innkeeper IQ magazine asked Russ Herschelmann why he attends the Innkeeping Show year after year.

innkeeper by Russ Herschelmann

Top 5 Reasons I Don’t Miss the Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show 5

The Food Seems like every place in the country has its own special food movement. I love to sample local foods, and bring back ideas for our inn. The Stuff Every year I discover something new on the trade show floor — something that helps our business, or makes our lives better. Priceless. Seeing If My Inn Can Survive Without Me Sounds silly, but there is nothing more suffocating than feeling like your business will fail if you’re not there 24/7, every day of the year. Going away to Innkeeping Shows made me a better innkeeper. It taught

me how to hire staff (or get a great innsitter), and how to develop systems at our inn so things ran smoothly while away. And it gave me a great gift: Now I can take a day off, and not feel like I’m going to lose everything! Learning New Things Who knew innkeeping was such a fast-paced business? Not me. All it took was ONE missed Innkeeping Show for me to see how fast things change. I paid for that miss with hundreds of lost reservations over the next year. Never again! And the #1 reason I go to the PAII show every year… The People! Whether it’s in class, over lunch, or over a cup of tea, I learn more from fellow innkeepers in 3 days at the Innkeeping Conference and Trade Show than I do for the entire rest of the year. That is the main reason why I go each and every year; there is no better teacher than someone who has been there and done it themselves. That’s the kind of folks I’m surrounded by for 4 solid days. What I take back with me is more precious than gold.

Russ Herschelmann and his wife Sharon took over Napa’s Old World Inn in November of 2003. In 4 years, they doubled both occupancy and annual revenue. They used these additional revenues to buy and restore 4 historic buildings across the street from their inn, and have just been approved to use these buildings as 20 additional guest rooms. They are blessed with an incredible staff, a supportive extended family, and are parents to an adorable 3 year-old daughter (“KT”) who puts everything into perspective.

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IndustryEvents APRIL 2010

September 2010

Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association Conference Date: April 18–20 • Location: Minneapolis, MN Contact: www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org

Florida Bed and Breakfast Inns Date: September 19–21 • Location: Jacksonville, FL Contact: www.florida-inns.com/events.php

PAII Online Webinar: Unlock the Secrets to Your Business Success Date: April 27 • Location: Online Contact: www.innkeeping.org/event/Webinar_April

MAY 2010 New Mexico Bed & Breakfast Association Date: May 4–5 • Location: Corrales, NM Contact: www.nmbba.org/innkeepers_news.php Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) Date: May 29–21 • Location: Las Vegas, NV Contact: www.hdexpo.com

JUNE 2010 The World Tea Expo Date: June 11–13 • Location: Las Vegas, NV Contact: www.worldteaexpo.com/register

JULY 2010 Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama B&B Associations Conference Date: July 25–28, 2010 • Location: Baton Rouge, LA Contact: lbba@cox.net

NOVEMBER 2010 2010 Expo for Excellence: Empire State Bed and Breakfast Assocation Date: November 8–10 • Location: Corning, NY Contact: info@esbba.com 2010 New England Innkeeping Show Date: November 15–17 • Location: Nashua, NH Contact: more information coming soon

JANUARY 2011 2011 Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show Date: January 10–13 Location: Charleston, SC Contact: www.innkeepingshow.com (more information coming soon)

To view the most current Industry Events Calendar, visit http://www.innkeeping.org To add your event to the calendar, contact Laura Middleton at laura@paii.org or call 800-468-7244.

Advertisers’ Index 1st Travelers Choice.............................................................................. 19 B&B Team, The....................................................................................... 11 BedandBreakfast.com.......................................................................... 20 BedandBreakfastForSale.com............................................................ 33 Calling Inn................................................................................................. 5 Cadence Keen Innovations.................................................................. 21 CinderWhit & Company........................................................................ 17 Deneen Pottery...................................................................................... 19 Essential Amenities............................................................................... 33 Fullers’ Soaps......................................................................................... 31 HD Supply................................................................................................ 28 Inn Consulting Partners........................................................................ 17 Inns Magazine.......................................................................................... 8 InnStyle.................................................................................................... 11

James Wolf Insurance.............................................................. 12, 15, 20 Lanier, Pamela...................................................................................... IFC Linen Company....................................................................................... 32 Markel Insurance.................................................................................. 24 NPC.......................................................................................................... 13 PAII............................................................................... 16, 30, 31, 36, OBC Perfect Fit Industries............................................................................. 35 RezStream............................................................................................... 10 Select Registry....................................................................................... 25 TMG, Inc., Virginia Inn Brokers.........................................................IBC TripAdvisor.............................................................................................. 27 Turkish Towel Company, The................................................................ 30 Victorian Heart......................................................................................... 2 Watco Nufit..................................................................................................18

spring 2010 • innkeeping quarterly • 37

Welcome New and Welcome Back Former Members! INN MEMBERS INTERNATIONAL Canada

Haselwood Inn Bed & Breakfast Jai Williams Bittern Lake, AB www.bbcanada.com/10039.html Brown Creek Ranch Shaunere Lane Claresholm, AB www.browncreekranchvacations.com Serenata Guesthouse Linda Newton Penticton, BC www.serenataguesthouse.com Firesign Art & Design Studio and B&B Nanci Cook Quadra Island, BC firesignartanddesign.com Keirestell B&B Lisa Dallin Duncan, BC www.keirestell.com Loose Goose Guest House Donna Long Kelowna, BC www.LooseGooseBnB.ca Haynes Point Lakeside Bed and Breakfast John Wallace Osoyoos, BC www.haynespointlakesidesuite.com

Windborne Bed and Breakfast Marc Conacher BC, BC www.windbornebb.ca

Belrose Bed & Breakfast Barbara Belrose Sundridge, ON www.bbcanada.com/1214.html

Firedance Country Inn John Kirchansky Cornwall, PE www.firedanceinn.ca

MamaYeh RV Park and Bed & Breakfast Edward Yeh Prince George, BC www.mamayeh.com

Marlborough House Bed & Breakfast Amy & Troy Gee Leamington, ON www.bbcanada.com/marlboroughhouse

Gite Les pieds dans l’eau Solange Tremblay L’Islet, QC www.GiteLespiedsdansl’eau.com

Serenity Ranch B & B Shane Burry Jerseyville, ON www.serenityranchbb.com

Bijou dans la foret Johanne Bouchard Magog, QC www.gitescanada.com/10008.html

Jungle Cat World Inc. Christa Klose Orono, ON catworld.com/safari_lodge.html

India

Oak Bay Guest House Egle Vair Victoria, BC www.oakbayguesthouse.com Nageira House B&B Inn & Tea Room Lucy Clark Carbonear, NL www.nageirahouse.com Azelia Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast Mary Pat Connors Antigonish, NS www.bbcanada.com/7409.html Duncan-Quinn House Jane Griffiths Niagara-on-the-lake, ON www.duncan-quinn.on.ca London House Bed & Breakfast Melanie McLennan Guelph, ON w.w.w.londonhouse.ca Lakelands Bed and Breakfast Zoli and June Miklossy Niagara on the Lake, ON www.lakelandsbb.com

1842 Bed & Breakfast Allan Ryan Conestogo, ON www.ryanartsbnb.com Duggan Place Bed & Breakfast Inn Tony Carter Stratford, ON www.bbcanada.com/5458.html Park Place B&B Carolyn Burke Niagara Falls, ON www.parkplaceniagara.com Elmwood Heritage Inn Inc. Jay Macdonald Charlottetown, PE www.elmwoodinn.pe.ca

Karthika Plaza Tourist Resort Lakshmanan Yasodharan Varkala, India www.karthikaplaza.com

Kenya

Hibiscus Guest House Elizabeth Njau Nairobi, Kenya www.hibiscuskenya.com

Arkansas

1908 Ridgeway House B&B Gayla Hubbard Eureka Springs, AR www.ridgewayhouse.com

Arizona

Hannagan Meadow Lodge Tom Waite Phoenix, AZ www.hannaganmeadow.con

SPOTLIGHT Innkeepingsurvey.com • DEADLINE: MAY 15 Stand up and be counted! We want 1,000 innkeepers from coast-to-coast to take our 2009 Year-End Performance survey. Here’s why: • All participants will receive a FREE copy of the study. • The B&B industry NEEDS figures like these — Average Daily Rate (ADR), occupancy, revenue, etc. Every mature industry collects their own figures, and the B&B industry (in the past) has only collected comprehensive data like this EVERY TWO YEARS! We need to get with it and report our performance at least annually. The hotel industry collects data monthly. Let’s do it at least annually! • You can find out how you’re doing compared to the industry averages. The resulting report will allow you to compare your own performance against others around the nation and in your state. Financial and other institutions need good, accurate and reliable data like this to make judgments about our industry. The better the data, the less of a risk we appear to be. • Jay Karen, PAII’s CEO, needs something to talk about for the remainder of 2010! He’s on the road speaking at dozens of local, state and regional meetings of innkeepers, and he uses this data to make observations and suggestions about the B&B industry that help innkeepers improve their operations. Take the Survey! Go to www.innkeepingsurvey.com to create a user account and complete the survey by May 15. You must register a new account even if you filled out the 2009–2010 Industry Study of Operations and Finance. Contact Ingrid Thorson at PAII at ingrid@paii.org if you need more information or assistance.

Conifer House Bed & Breakfast Inn Lauren Wright Flagstaff, AZ coniferhouse.com

California

Leahy Castle Wine LLC Jonathan Leahy Graton, CA

Colorado

Romantic RiverSong Inn Gary Mansfield Estes Park, CO www.romanticriversong.com

New Jersey

Timberwolf Creek Sandee Wright Maggie Valley, NC wwww.timberwolfcreek.com

Martin House Inn Skye Schuyler Nantucket, MA www.martinhouseinn.net

Twin Gables B&B Regina Dougherty-McCarren Cape May, NJ twingables.com

Beachstone Cottages James Moore Geneva on the lake, OH

The Blushing Oyster James Robertson Yarmouth Port, MA

Magnolia House LCC Anthony Curinga Beach Haven, NJ www.magnoliahouselbi.com

Shiloh Morning Inn David Pfau Ardmore, OK www.shilohmorning.com

Cape May Historic Accommodations Mary Ann Gorrick Cape May, NJ www.capemaylodging.com

The Cottages at Big Hollow Linda Kanak Jay, OK www.cottagesatbighollow.com

New Mexico

Aaaron’s gate Country Getaways Mark Hall Edmond, OK www.arcadianinn.com

Vernon Hospitality, L.L.C. Charles Rose Leesville, LA www.booker-lewishouse.com

Massachusetts

Bed and Breakfast International Etel Roth Denver, CO

Cornell Bed & Breakfast, LLC Eiran Gazit Lenox, MA www.cornellbb.com

Rochester Hotel Kirk Komick Durango, CO www.rochesterhotel.com

Apple Tree Inn Sharon Walker Lenox, MA appletree-inn.com

Connecticut

Inn On The Sound Howard Grosser Falmouth, MA www.innonthesound.com

green ROCKS inn Barbara Simkins Ridgefield, CT www.greenrocksinn.com

District of Columbia

Mt. Vernon Square Bed and Breakfast Lydia Goring Washington, DC www.mvsbb.com Chester Arthur House B & B at Logan Circle Donald Smith Washington, DC www.chesterarthurhouse.com Bed and Breakfast on U Street Steve Lucas Washington, DC

Florida

Maine

Bar Harbor Manor Monika McCallion Bar Harbor, ME www.barharbormanor.com Admiral Peary House Hilary Jones Fryeburg, ME www.admiralpearyhouse.com

Michigan

Victoria Resort Bed & Breakfast Amanda Creeden South Haven, MI www.VictoriaResort.com

Minnesota

PBI, LLC Eva O’Mahony Palm Beach, FL www.palmbeachhistoricinn.com

Ann Bean Mansion Erin Drews Stillwater, MN www.annbeanmansion.com

Alling House Bed and Breakfast Gerald Hill Orange City, FL allinghousebb.com

Mississippi

Indiana

Market Street Inn Carol Stenbro Jeffersonville, IN www.innonmarket.com BlueStem Bed & Breakfast Christine Rosario La Porte, IN www.bluestembandb.com

Kentucky

Eagles View B&B Debbie Dunhoft Burnside, KY www.eaglesviewbnb.com

Louisiana

Dansereau House Paul Worrell Thibodaux, LA www.dansereauhouse.com

Bisland House Bed and Breakfast Christine and Byron Tims Natchez, MS www.bislandhouse.com

Montana

Johnstad’s B&B and Log Cabin Mary Ellen Johnstad Emigrant, MT www.johnstadsbb.com

New Hampshire

Chestnut Hill on the Delaware Linda and Rob Castagna Milford, NJ www.chestnuthillnj.com

Les Saisons Art Christensen Maplewood, NM

Casa Cuma B&B Colleen Davidson Santa Fe, NM www.casacuma.com

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Hesrey House Bed & Breakfast Lorraine Peterson Ashland, OR www.herseyhouse.com

Nevada

Bliss Bungalow Joyce Harrington Carson City, NV www.blissbungalow.com

Pennsylvania

1870 Wedgwood Inns of New Hope, Pa. Carl Glassman New Hope, PA www.1870WedgwoodInn.com

New York

Cider Mill Inn Robert Lipinsky Pine Island, NY cidermillinn.com

The Sayre Mansion Carrie Ohlandt Bethlehem, PA www.sayremansion.com

The Glen Lodge B&B Aimee Azaert Warrensburg, NY

Old Mill Woods B&B Pamela Cowan Columbia Cross Roads, PA www.oldmillwoodsbandb.com

Stonegate Bed & Breakfast Neil and Jane Thomas Highland, NY www.stonegatebb.com Silvanus Lodge Steele Andrews Hillsdale, NY silvanuslodge.com

Rhode Island

Blue Fox Enterprises,Inc. Lisa Foley Newport, RI www.newportbedand breakfastinns.com

Hudson Valley Lodging Valarie Losey Hyde Park, NY www.innthewoods.com

Texas

Gansevoort House Linda Stivala New York, NY www.gansevoorthouse.com

Westwind Cottages Valerie Hanson Franconia, NH info@westwindcottages.com

Primrose Hill B&B David ORiley Rhinebeck, NY www.primrosehillbb.com

Ballard House Inn/B&B Don Houle Meredith, NH www.ballardhouseinn.com

North Carolina

Chatham University Amanda Mosley Pittsburgh, PA

Acorn Bed & Breakfast at Mills River Bob/Gene Pompeo/Wyatt Mills River, NC www.acornbedbreakfast.com

Scenic Hill Vacations Jim Rolewicz Brenham, TX www.scenichillvacations.com Bullis House Inn Alma Cross San Antonio, TX www.bullishouseinn.com Etta’s Place A Sundance Inn Leslie Benson Fort Worth, TX www.ettas-place.com Dunleith Place Duncan and Mary Parish Rotan, TX

spring spring 20102010 • innkeeping • innkeeping quarterly quarterly • 39

Riven Rock Ranch Resort Chris Havens Comfort, TX Lillian Farms Country Estate Barbara Hedgessegal Washington, TX All Seasons Downtown Retreat Joe Cloud Fredericksburg, TX www.allseasonsdowntown.com Star of Texas Bed & Breakfast Debbie Morelock Brownwood, TX www.star-of-texas.com

Vermont

The Dorset Inn Lauren Bryant Dorset, VT www.dorsetinn.com The Blue Horse Inn Keri Cole Woodstock, VT The Parker House Inn and Bistro Alex Adler Quechee, VT www.theparkerhouse.com

Washington

OmaMacHaus Camille and DJ Cramer Sealy, TX

Autumn Leaves Bed & Breakfast Jean Cline Anacortes, WA autumn-leaves.com

Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast Tammy Schmidt Amarillo, TX starlightcanyon.com

McCann Manor Ann McCann Dayton, WA www.McCannManor.com

Absolute Charm Tammy Sikes Fredericksburg, TX www.absolutecharm.com Lockheart Gables Romantic B&B Marilyn Lewis Fort Worth, TX www.lockheartgables.com

Utah

Marysvale Bed and Breakfast Michelle Miller Marysvale, UT www.marysvalebedandbreakfast.com Anniversary House Nan Johnson Cedar City, UT theanniversaryhouse.com

Virginia

Apple Blossom Inn Betty Karol Wilson New Market, VA www.appleblossominn.net Stevenson Ridge Jennifer Hawkins Spotsylvania, VA www.stevensonridge.com Historic Mankin Mansion Bed and Breakfast Martin Ramirez Richmond, VA www.hisoricmankinmansion.com A B&B at Llewellyn Lodge John Roberts Lexington, VA www.llodge.com Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia Brenda Stamey Galax, VA innvirginia.com Inn at Onancock Lisa LaMontagne Onancock, VA

Wisconsin

Pedal’rs Inn Dee Nierzwicki Wales, WI www.pedalrsinn.com

West Virginia

A Natures Song B&B Joanna Reeves Mannington, WV www.anaturessong.com Laurel Lodge Chris Craig Harpers Ferry, WV www.laurellodge.com

Vendor Members AAA Geralynne Slowe Wilmington, DE 484-863-4399 WMack@national.aaa.com BBCanada.com Cathy McGowan Hamilton, ON 905-524-5855 cmcgowan@bbcanada.com www.bbcanada.com BellacorPro.com Josie Lowry Mendota Heights, MN 651-294-2563 prosales@bellacor.com www.bellacorpro.com Cardamom and Curry Thomas Everitt Warrington, PA 215-385-2457 info@darrahhouse.com www.cardamomandcurry.com Imbue Creative Michael Piperno New Hope, PA 215-862-2248 info@imbuecreative.com www.imbuecreative.com

40innkeeping • innkeeping quarterly quarterly • spring • spring 2010 2010

Monarch Bath, Bed, Spa Gene Faul Sheffield, MA 413-528-5150 ichief@aol.com Mutual Insurance Services Ashley Granberg Federal Way, WA 800-247-5851 ashley@mutualins.com www.mutualins.com/ PillowsPadsandMore.com/ Perfect Fit Industries Jim Tommins Charlotte, NC 203-292-3740 j_tommins@perfectfitindustries.com www.pillowspadsandmore.com/ pamelalanier Texas Inn Properties Rick Gordon Mineola, TX 903-316-4780 rickmgordon21@hotmail.com www.innmarketing.com

Aspiring Members INTERNATIONAL David Jones Kowloon, Hong Kong

California

Abby Ahrens Los Altos, CA Karen Lynch Lafayette, CA

Florida

Suzanne Keyes Randolph, NJ

New York

Chuck Pepe Sleepy Hollow, NY Amanda Zaslow New York, NY Natasha Sankovitch New York, NY

Ohio

Bruce Fedor Chesterland, OH Darla King Columbus, OH Josh Lehman Lexington, OH

Pennsylvania

Debra Eddy Carnegie, PA

Linda Fulton Reading, PA

South Carolina

Shelby Clardy Anderson, SC

Tennessee

Paula Eleazar Burns, TN

Cindy Boyd Murfreesboro, TN

Texas

Elizabeth Timpson Dallas, TX

Mark Aledda Doral, FL

Patricia Mahaun Austin, TX

Marc Blazar Boca Raton, FL

Jan Gray Frisco, TX

Georgia

Christy Herrmann Austin, TX

Carolyn Staley Atlanta, GA

Illinois

Valdyne McClure Plano, TX

Greg Larsen Cobden, IL

Anita Braun Buda, TX

Indiana

Connie Chick Blanco, TX

J’Nell Laikin Indianapolis, IN

Massachusetts

Trish Robinson Falmouth, MA

Maryland

Christina Walker-Collins Frederick, MD

Missouri

Lisa Macheca Saint Louis, MO Richard Giesler St. Louis, MO

New Jersey

Jane McNeill Fair Haven, NJ

Arlisa Harley San Antonio, TX Jason Graham San Antonio, TX

Washington

Robert Spencer Redmond, WA Rob Mohn Seattle, WA