In recent blog postings, I have been writing about the B&B’s for Vets program in which over 900 inns opened their doors and their hearts to, literally, thousands of veterans this past Veterans Day.

When I ran into Dallas and Nancy Renner, owners of the Chocolate Turtle B&B in Corrales, NM, at the PAII convention in Charleston this week, they relayed a follow-up story to their experience with the program.

They were recontacted by one of the active service families that had stayed with them that night wishing to stop by and offer a gift.  It brings tears to my eyes when I ponder the depth of the message this young Air Force sergeant was offering.  After exchanging pleasantries and verbal appreciation for the Turtle honoring vets on Veteran’s Day, the couple, Master Sgt Jody Martinez (Air National Guard) and his wife Sarah (photo here), presented to the Renners a flag that had flown in a combat mission in Iraq in November, 2010.

We all owe our appreciation to our veterans and active military service men and women in harm’s way all over the world.  And here this Air Force family was expressing their thoughtfulness to the Chocolate Turtle and the hospitality that Dallas and Nancy had offered.

Seems bass-ackwards, doesn’t it? We owe everything…our freedom, our way of life, our stature in the world…to these servicemen and women.  And they offer such heartfelt appreciation to us for the (relatively) insignificant things we can do for them.

Scott

]]> http://bushnellandbushnell.com/blog/2011/01/a-touching-story-of-honor-and-respect/feed/ 1 http://bushnellandbushnell.com/blog/2010/11/a-valuable-service-for-lifestyle-inns/ http://bushnellandbushnell.com/blog/2010/11/a-valuable-service-for-lifestyle-inns/#comments Sat, 20 Nov 2010 17:51:49 +0000 Scott http://bushnellandbushnell.com/blog/?p=433 In the last couple of posts, I have speaking of Lifestyle Inns…those inns that are either too small or in a weaker location to be viable.  They are the Backbone of our Industry.  About 2/3 of the B&B’s in America are Lifestyle Inns

The Chocolate Turtle, Corrales, NM, a four guest room Lifestyle Inn

according to the PAII industry studies conducted over the last decade and more.  They are the personification of what the leisure traveling public imagines when they hear the term bed and breakfast.

Up until now, Lifestyle Inns, when considering their exit strategies, have had few options.  The most common avenues for selling a lifestyle inn is a FSBO (For Sale by Owner), which has its pros and cons depending on the skills and time availability for the owners, or to list with a local residential real estate agent who usually does not understand how to market a small lodging business, does not know how to value a lifestyle inn, and is not familiar with the intricacies of the unique lodging industry.  I had a local agent representing a buyer call to set up a tour of an inn for 9am on a Saturday morning…convenient for her buyer, but terribly out of the question for the innkeepers up to their ears with breakfast, check-outs, and turning the rooms for that evening’s check-ins.

Limestone Inn, State College, PA, a 5 guest room Lifestyle Inn

But The B&B Team^® has recently announced their Lifestyle Inns Program™, an alternative for Lifestyle Inns that offers the professionalism of industry-experienced consultants and brokers to help with an inn owner’s exit strategy.  Bushnell & Bushnell Services, an affiliate member of The B&B Team^® is proud to be working with a number of Lifestyle Inns across America.

So what’s in it for you?

• You benefit from our deep cumulative experience as innkeepers, brokers, and consultants with our commitment to ethical practices
• You get results-focused professionals…this is our livelihood, not a hobby.  We succeed by helping you achieve the results YOU want
• You receive unvarnished, credible valuations…important for you since an overpriced inn will just sit and sit on the market and an underpriced inn leaves money on the settlement table…both undesirable outcomes.
• Your inn is presented with a superior (we feel the best!) Buyer’s Offering Report to properly represent the quality of your inn
• You receive our Commitment to Client Communications…you will actually hear from us to keep you informed of progress
• You benefit from our leading industry presence
• Your inn will be featured on the most informational websites in our industry.

Finally…an alternative of significant value for the Lifestyle Inns of America!  …especially in the current economy where results-focused professionalism is critical.     Scott

A Lifestyle Inn is one that, although not viable as a self-supporting business, offers the LIFESTYLE to the innkeepers… one of the personal rewards of inn-ownership.  Usually there is some other source of income to help sustain the small business (the 2006 survey indicates that 83% of owners of 1-4 guest room B&B’s RELY on outside income and it shows 61% for those inns with 5-8 rooms).  Perhaps a pension, perhaps one of the owners has a career outside of the inn, perhaps they have owned the inn long enough to not have a large, if any, mortgage, or perhaps the owners are blessed with other income producing assets to help pay the bills, including the mortgage, of the small inn, but they rely on some source of outside income.

I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong with being a Lifestyle Inn.  On the contrary, these smaller inns are the backbone of the B&B industry.  They have woven the very fabric of the definition of a B&B.  When the leisure traveler thinks of a B&B, they reflect on thoughts and memories of a beautifully maintained, perhaps historic property, creatively landscaped, romantic rooms and room features, and a breakfast that tantalizes the eyes AND the palate.  Lifestyle B&B’s have created the getaway release of which people dream and yearn.

Lifestyle Inns have created the very definition of a growing alternative for the American leisure travel industry.

More to follow soon about Lifestyle Inns.    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

We pondered on that and then started reminiscing about some great meals we had.  One with friends of ours in Santa Barbara two years ago before the PAII convention.  Outdoors on the restaurant’s patio… propane heaters overhead in the branches to take the chill off the evening… great wine from one of the vineyards we had visited that day… laughing… upscale fare with a flavorful Spanish creativity.

And the time we were in downtown Baltimore, at Tio Pepe’s (one of Marilyn’s favorites), an underground bistro with great Sangria, and a pine nut roll dessert.  Did I mention the Sangria?  A birthday favorite for her.

Even a great pizza at John’s in Manhattan, at lunch time before we dashed off to see Mamma Mia (I must admit I was an ABBA fan before it was chic) on Broadway.  Crisp crust, served in an old church complete with stained glass and murals…a New York City landmark and favorite for us.  Took the kids there one time.

Then it struck me that while trying to recall “the best food we ever ate”, it wasn’t really the food we were remembering, but the memory of the whole experience.  The food was made even better by the excitement of the location, the folks we were with, the intriguing atmosphere, the other delicacies we tried, the laughing, the holding hands …not just the food.

Isn’t that what all us innkeepers mean when we want to give our guests the full experience?  And if we can deliver, it creates memories.  We are not just beds, not just nice looking buildings.  The warmth of the welcome, the busy day out in the vineyards or at the historical site, the sincere smile when they sneak a second brownie, the breakfast… aahhh…breakfasts!  We had a guest stand on his chair one time to take a photo of his pumpkin waffle with the toasted almonds and roasted fruit.

Pennsbury Inn

Cheryl Grono, innkeeper at  Pennsbury Inn in Chadds Ford, PA., responded to a recent post about making a small cake with a balloon for a 90 year old guest, surprising him on his return from dinner, who then hugged her because he had never had a balloon before.  He will remember that moment…and so will Cheryl.

We innkeepers are the creators of memories.  And those guest memories will last forever and result in repeat guests.  And repeat guests are the lifeblood of our industry.

Any favorite memories?  I’ll bet it’s the whole experience that creates that memory.          Scott

Don Farrell, Chief Cultivating Officer of Fresh Revenues, a frequent and entertaining speaker on converting telephone inquiries into bookings at the last two PAII conferences, conducted a 3 hour workshop on developing loyalty among guests and the telephone techniques to maximize bookings. One additional booking a day, assuming $150 Average Daily Rate increases annual revenue by $90,000!  Here Don is calling an inn to demonstrate sound inn practices of phone call conversion.

In a time when every innkeeper is seeking to spend their marketing dollars wisely, Willow Coyle of bedandbreakfast.com offered expert advice on getting your Return on Investment with internet directories.

Lisa Kolb, president and co-founder of Acorn Internet Services, detailed valuable and practical info on maximizing internet exposure with Google, the potential impact of the upcoming Caffeine algorithm shake-up that Google is expected to launch  in January (watch your rankings…they may be changing unexpectedly!), and maximizing the effectiveness of Social Media and its application to B & B’s.  Here Lisa addresses questions from Dave Balderson (Wayside Inn) and Danielle Hanscom (Brampton Inn).

This one meeting alone, with its practical and entertainingly motivating content, makes the price of membership in the MBBA a valuable investment.

Attendees…any comments?               Scott

Marilyn and I know Dallas and Nancy Renner from our corporate life McCormick days.  Now they are the owners of The Chocolate Turtle, a 4 guest room B & B in Corrales, NM.  This top rated TripAdvisor recommended gem was Googled on the Blackberry of a producer of the Sean Hannity show, on assignment covering the Tea Party Express in Albuquerque.  They needed to find a location where they could transmit their story over to the internet back to New York.  And they were in a hurry…on their way to Las Cruces to film the Tea Party event for the Greta Van Susteran show.  They needed access to the internet right now!

Because The Chocolate Turtle has adapted their website to PDA devices, and they promote their property as business friendly with high speed internet access, the Sean Hannity team inquired about the possibility of using the B & B as their transmission point.  Of course the Renners obliged and were repaid for their kindness by a news blurb on the Sean Hannity Great American Blog, with video.  Check it out!  And now the success story is on the PAII blog, and on this blog and…  well, people just can’t stop talking about the Turtle!

Proof positive that it is worth the investment to learn (like at the PAII convention?!), and then take advantage of, this technology stuff.      Scott

A short visit to Pheasant Field B & B in Carlisle, PA., enlightened me.  Dee Fagan and her husband Chuck own a great 8 guest room inn that also boards pets of all kinds…including horses.  But the dog market is the one that kept my attention when Dee, answering about a 1000 questions I had for her, indicated that she estimates between 10-15 room-nights PER MONTH are guests looking for inns that accept dogs.  HOT DOG!  I never realized it was so significant!

Bubba doing room checks

Among all the inns in the association around the Carlisle area, only two accept pets.  So when ANY of those inns have a request for a room with dog privileges, referrals start pouring in to Pheasant Field.  10-15 room-nights PER MONTH!  It bears repeating…I can’t get over the magnitude of the business!  That would raise an 8 room inn with 40% average occupancy up to over 46% occupancy.  At $153 ADR (the 2006 PAII Survey statistic), that’s almost $28,000 per year, not counting any fee for the doggies’ visits.  At almost 20% NOI/Sales (another PAII stat), that kind of Cash Flow improvement can add up to $56 thousand buckaroos to the value of your inn when you go to sell someday.  HOT DOG!  The numbers just keep on growing!

Is that a dogwood (get it?!) next to the pet walking area at Pheasant Field

I feel so foolish that when we had The Lafayette Inn in Easton, PA., we were reluctant to take pets.  When I asked Dee about any damage or problems over the years, she said once a dog scratched a door when the owner failed to put the dog in the crate upon departure as required.  And once a barking dog, (whose owner claims Fido never barks), embarrassed its owners when they came home and Dee invited them to listen at the door.  Again, had the dog been in its crate, there would have been no problems. 

It takes some special preparations and processes to make it work.  Here are a few ideas the Pheasant Field takes to ensure a problem-free pet visit:

• Requiring a pet to be in its crate while the owners are away precludes problems.
• Having a properly equipped and identified place to visit when nature calls is important…and requires occasional policing by the innkeeper to ensure all land-mines are picked up.
• Fees for pet visits are acceptable to guests.  Dee charges only $10.  That certainly will not discourage the thrifty guest from booking.
• Private entrances to guest rooms is a real plus.  Not having to drag a dog through the inn to get outside is a convenience to ALL guests…even the ones there without dogs.
• Requiring proper vaccinations is OK, if desired, and some inns limit the size of the dog…but too many restrictions may discourage bookings.
• Providing a scooper, baggies, a spare leash, trash can, availability to water, and doggie treats make pup and owner feel welcome.

And once the process is set up…Market it, Market it, Market it.  On your website, in your keywords and Adwords, in your newsletters, in your rack card, in your personal notes and emails to your database…let the world know.

Perhaps it is time for other inns to rethink their no-pet policy.  I certainly wish I had when we had our inn…HOT DOG!…10-15 room-nights PER MONTH!  I can’t get over it.     Scott

Please reply and let us all know of other ideas you have to make a doggie visit a real boost to YOUR economy…And how are you marketing it?  

The reason the stay was restful and magnificent, however, especially after an arduous week in Atlanta working as a volunteer PAII staffer, is demonstrated in the photo here.

I took the photo intending to show the sunrise over the New River taken from the McKenzie Room, a corner guest room on the entry level of the Inn.  Although an incredible view of the mountains and river, the interesting point of view for an innkeeper is the INSIDE of the room.  Although difficult to see in this tiny photo, let me describe (from right to left) the creature comforts all captured in this one photo:

• Next to the door leading out to the deck with Adirondack chairs is the fire alarm.  These alarms, along with the exit lighting and centralized smoke detectors throughout, offer a sense of security, a comforting feeling to any guest.
• The adequately sized desk, with comfortable chair, allows some work time although the view was quite distracting!
• My laptop is attached to broadband wireless, and the connection was easy and fast.
• That white cup is my morning coffee, available anytime.
• Hard to see, but next to the cup is a corkscrew and glassware…not a morning tradition of mine but at the ready for later!
• A comfortable chair in the corner.  I don’t have to read in bed.

I congratulate Linda and Lynn for the attention to those details which make for a great experience for the guest.

Consultant’s Advice:  The complete guest experience, including the room, the area’s attractions, the breakfast, and the personal connection with the innkeeper, is key to a high rate of repeat guests.

I have heard a number of innkeepers these past two months that insist they cannot afford to go to the upcoming PAII Convention in Atlanta.  This is usually an inn’s slower time of the year anyway, so it is difficult to ascertain whether a dip in occupancy is due to the seasonality of the inn, or as a repercussion of the traveling public’s plans due to the current economic woes.

At the Mid-Atlantic Innkeeper’s Conference at The Homestead, in Warm Springs, VA., Jay Karen, president and CEO of the Professional Association of Innkeepers, presented some survey data of 218 inns from the fall of 2008.  About half (50.2%) reported business was stronger, or as strong as, the same period the previous year.  The remaining 49.8% reported business down from last year.  But that is not the interesting part…the reasons the inns gave as the reasons for the strong business are very interesting:

• New or revamped website
• New (professional) photography on their website
• Strong packaging agreements with local attractions
• Strong investment in the internet directories that send guests to their inns.

The innkeepers who had decreased business blamed:

• Bad weather in their area
• The economic conditions of this recession
• Increasing gas prices
• Decreased number of visitors to their region

Notice how the inns with increased business cite actions they have taken as the reasons for continued or stronger growth.  Notice how the inns with decreased business blame uncontrollable factors (I call this the Woe is Me syndrome).  Now is the time to take action to keep your business strong during the recession.  Failure to take these steps, and continued plummet of occupancy and resulting revenues will only hasten the decline of the inn on its Life Cycle (March 18 posting).

And there is NO BETTER place to pick up new ideas (at the Great Idea Fair), meet up with a website vendor (or 2!…at the Trade Show), go to the “How to” Workshops, network with others who are DOING the actions, and be energized with the General Sessions, than at the 2009 PAII convention.

It’s an Investment, not a cost.

Marilyn and I will be there…for those who cannot make it, take a look at the PAII Schedule of Workshops, select a couple that are of particular interest to you, and Marilyn and I will try to pick up the handouts.  There will also be a video/audio recording of ALL the sessions available through the after the convention.

We will be reporting our learnings at the convention, so stay tuned for additional feedback!

See you there!  Scott