Innkeeping can be a very rewarding career for individuals who enjoy people and want to be self employed.  However, Innkeeping is not for all people.  To truly understand Innkeeping we suggest that education be on the top of the list before taking the plunge!  
Education happens by speaking with current Innkeepers, staying at Inns, and keeping [...]

“FTW!” is a new expression that I have learned on Twitter.  It used to mean something bad, but on the Internet and especially in Social Media like Facebook and Twitter, it means “For the Win!”  People say it derives from Gamers on the Web, and is an expression of utter enthusiasm.  “FTW!” is what I [...]

In our last post on this subject, we explored the concept of adding value to keep bed and breakfast packages attractive to guests.  The whole idea was to package room nights with additional services and experiences in such a way that the brand identity of the Inns was not impacted by the built-in discounts.  The [...]

Timing is everything. The following questions are meant to make you think about the realities of becoming an Innkeeper and the implications of this lifestyle change for you and your family. Innkeeping is a rewarding profession when it is done at the right time. Here are some things to consider:

Does your [...]

We spent some time over the Holidays with our family outside of Boston. Rather than displace some of my nephews, we tried the closest hotel. This was a large chain hotel on a major route west of Boston with a huge shopping center across the street. While there were several small (3 [...]

In troubled times like today, Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers have an overwhelming feeling that the best way through this downturn (say recession!) is to put their room rates on sale. Isn’t that just what the retailers do at Christmas time to survive a bad season? The answer is that discounting in the [...]

With a clear downturn in the economy facing us, it is really time to put your Inn’s business practices in order. Metrics is the study of measuring past performance so that you can improve your business. The basic concept is that you cannot improve the future without looking at what happened in [...]

The only way to improve your Bed and Breakfast or Inn business is to effectively track where you are today and to make realistic goals for the future of your business. At the 2008 PAII Conference Howard Levitan of Quantum Hospitality Group will be discussing the best methods to track where your [...]

Arden Dale writes in a compelling article published in the Wall Street Journal on January 8, 2008 that “Want to Sell a Business? You May Not Be Ready.” Ms. Dale goes on to state quite cogently that many small business owners are relying on the ultimate sale of their business for their [...]

When a call reaches the front desk of an Inn, many times it is just thought of as a telephone call and a potential guest for the Inn. In reality, the front desk is a full powered sales position. This is nothing to shy away from. The sooner that this is acknowledged [...]