Curous B&B Visitors

see the diverse array of inns in Maryland.  Urban inns in Baltimore, Chesapeake Bayside manors, small town inns surrounded by history, and, this past week a Farmstay…the Crow Farm B&B in Kennedyville.

On almost 400 acres of sprawling countryside peacefulness, Judy and Roy Crow raise Angus cattle and are in the process of planting a 4 acre vineyard in another venture that will produce future rewards.  But this is not just another working farm. Recently Judy and Roy opened their farm to guests, with 3 comfortable guest rooms with private baths, this inn has positioned itself for the AGRI-Tourism market.  With about 80 head of Angus cattle, and a motto to “stay original”, they also provide grass-fed (not stall force-fed) meat, sans hormonal growth injections, to the local restaurants and markets.

What a great niche for a farm only about an hour away from the mega-populations of Philly and Baltimore, where most families have never seen cattle other than on a piece of styrofoam wrapped in Saran-Wrap at the local Giant food store.

One of the keys to occupancy (and therefore, financial) success is for an inn to the BEST at what they do in comparison to other similar and nearby properties.  Finding the niche that fits YOUR inn…whether AGRI-Tourism like Crow Farm, or historical relevance and authenticity, or the finest event venue in the region, or Going Green, or soft-adventure home base… and to attract MORE than your fair share of the traveling or vacation market, it is important…NO CRITICAL… to find what your inn is BEST at, and then market it, market it, market it.

Welcome to the MBBA, Judy and Roy.  I believe you have positioned your farmstay in a way that will be rewarding for you…and Babe (the retreiver) and Curious (the calico).     Scott

But what makes your inn stand out above the rest? Professional photography is certainly a strong asset, as is the ease of providing the info the surfer is looking for…in an attractive and eye-appealing manner.  But what will

Marilyn, Floyd, Sue and Scott being daring!

grab them..and then keep them searching for more info?  Whatever it is that makes you special…that which makes you different from all the other inns…should be up front and central.

But that’s not how we found this particular B & B. I can’t even say we stumbled on it.  Actually we flew (kinda) into it!  Marilyn and I, along with cousins Sue and Floyd, had some time after the PAII convention in Austin this past week.  We hooked up our harnesses, helmets, and gloves, took a couple of minutes of training, and went Zip-Lining through the tree tops of Cypress Valley Canopy Tours.  I’ve never hung in a harness on a wire over a gorge before, but we had a blast…especially for old people not used to this soft adventure stuff!

And then there it was.  Suspended in the tree-tops at the end of the 4th zip, was one of the most unique bed and breakfasts I’ve ever

Mare near B&B

seen.  Not advertised…hidden in the back pages of their website…was

Large room with queen bed

Lofthaven.  One room, with private (although hardly ensuite!) bath.  Marilyn and I were immediately distracted from our zip lining adventures.  You can only access the tree house from the zip line from this side.  Once you check in, there is a nearby parking space and walkway past the bathroom, with its solar powered hot water heater (everything about this adventure is eco-friendly) for the shower.  The room itself was very spacious…with queen bed, canopy which could double as mosquito netting although the room is fully enclosed with screened windows.  There is a walkway around the room with a “porch”, with a bench, looking out over the peaceful gorge

The solar powered hot water heater on the bath roof

60 feet below.  No need for a sound machine to lull you to sleep here!  The babble of the brook below in the gorge, birds everywhere, and, absolutely no sounds of people, or cars, or neighbors.

The bathroom was complete with shower supplied by the roof top solar water heater, built in sink, commode and all the fine amenities of any

Marilyn on the walkway

B&B.  It is a short walk across a rope bridge from the room…but no need to wear a robe!  There’s nobody out here!

When we finished zipping, the kind folks at the nature center gave us a golf cart ride out to the B&B to take these photos.  I tried to get a feel for occupancy performance.  But I only got anecdotal info from the fellow behind the counter.  Mostly filled on the weekends during the good weather season (March-November) and some bookings during the week.  I estimate annual occupancy at about 25%.  At $300 weekdays and $325 weekends, that puts annual revenue at about $30,000…not bad for an unadvertised little surprise in the woods!  And what guest memories that can bring them back time after time and brag about it with their friends.  You can’t buy PR like that.

Imagine what it could be if people knew they were here!  If they were in the B&B directories, had B&B keywords in the right places on their website, marketed to past guests and included guest photos in their newsletters and blogs.  If they would make this unique lodging adventure a dominant feature on their website, with pages of photos, TripAdvisor testimonials, Facebook links with friends and Twitter exposure.

People should NOT have to stumble into this kind of adventure by happenstance.  A lesson for all of us innkeepers.  Scott

On my visit to the other side of the Chesapeake (I live on the Eastern Shore), I visited Butterfly Fields, a remote inn, serene and away from the noise of the highway. Dan and Lynda Ells have built (literally…by hand) their inn around their hobbies and interests. With their commitment to a life of self-sufficiency, the inn is energy efficient, with incredible insulation and solar features (Dan’s expertise). Lynda is a massage therapist and, together, they have built and operate “Goose at the Door Pottery”, a shop where they hand throw gifts and keepsakes for use and sale in the inn.

Guests are invited to the workshop (which, literally, has chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys just outside the door!) to enjoy the crafts, perhaps take a class at the wheel, and have a story and a keepsake to take back home with them. What a great addition to the total guest experience!

And what a great way to put your non-innkeeping skills to good use at the inn. Scott

Talk about FREE promotional coverage!  WBOC-TV, the CBS affiliate broadcasting to the Salisbury region on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, had at least 3 teasers about an upcoming 10 pm story about a local Bed and Breakfast that has taken on the challenge of environmental responsibilities.  The local politicians were praising the Inn since the effort helps the whole community in a region attentive to the Chesapeake Bay’s ecological concerns.

The Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast, the effort of Dana and Jody Zarbano, has recently taken the steps to be green.  Such efforts as recycling, installing electric fireplaces, replacing incandescent lights, water conserving shower heads and toilet kits, and faucet aerators have not only lowered their operating expenses, but have given them a marketing tool that most inns do not have.

Congratulations to Dana and Jody for being the first bed & breakfast on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to make this commitment.

Consultant’s Advice: It is easy to pretend to be green…putting out a note that asks guests to reduce your laundry expenses is NOT enough.  Guests will see right through that.  The commitment has to be comprehensive, from purchasing ecologically-improved and recycled products, including amenities, from energy-saving devices, to pesticide-free (and local) breakfast foods to gray-water and recycling practices.  For additional information on becoming a CERTIFIED green lodging establishment, visit Green Seal, a non-profit organization to help committed bed and breakfasts with their efforts.  Once the commitment is made, make Going Green a part of your brand and market it everywhere.

Please forward your comments about YOUR practices to be Green.