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TheBeachHouse

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Took a glass of wine out to the front porch for an after dinner sip. We had three rooms rented.
First couple was sitting by the pond and heard us on the porch and came to join us - they had some questions. Second couple came home from dinner and decided it was a great idea. Third couple came downstairs at that moment and stuck around.
We ended up with a very delightful, very easy going party on the deck.
THAT is a good night at a B&B.
 
Sounds like the night years ago (when we were 3 w/shared) when all 3 couples came back about the same time and gathered in the dining room for coffee/tea/whatever. We had such good conversation going that we all needed toothpicks to keep our eyes open but no one wanted the conversation to end. Those are the memories to cherish. One of those couples, come to think of it, only stayed that one night - but we are still in touch (loosely) via e-mail.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
 
Thanks for sharing. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of our life of innkeepers.
We have seating for ten on the front lanai. It is a place we spend most of our evenings, joined by at least some of our guests on most occasions. This is the time we make friends from all around the world.
 
we have block paved our front garden and from next year we are going to have tables and chairs out the front on sunny days - we have to wait till we have the extension done on the back as otherwise we don't have anywhere to put them at night or in the winter
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
We don't really have a lot of common space, mostly because the living room has always been our only private domain. But we are working on having more common space. We have a small room and they can use the dining room. But there is no real "norm" to anything B&B.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
I think it depends on how you market yourself. If you specialize in hosting groups you need more common space where as with couples you can get away with less. We only book couples, no kids and really shy away from groups. With that said, we have a guest only common room where guests sometimes congregate in the early morning, with coffee or around dinner time with a glass of wine. It is also the space where we can sit with guests and go over any questions they may have, which is nice since they are removed from our private living space.
Outside we have a screen gazebo for 2 and a wicker set under the maple tree for 4. A few days ago we had an unusual booking for a group of 6 who rearranged the outdoor furniture to accommodate all 6 of them.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
We market ourselves to romantic getaways, so our folks are not here to socialize with others. We have a small common living room (rarely is there anyone in it) and an even smaller entry room with beverage area/gift pantry. We have no dining room. Most of the sq footage is in the guest rooms. They all have their own private decks to sit outside, but they are all separate from the other rooms.
Most of the mingling is done between the guests and me, and I try to keep that to a minimum unless there's a real connection made between us. They really are here to reconnect with each other.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
TheBeachHouse said:
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
I do not know if there is a "norm". Because the "sun room" was the only place for DH to have a workshop AND on our side of the house, I gave it up when we moved here - this move as the one BIG thing he did for me. Now that he is no longer building things that would endanger a computer I asked for a corner of it - ain't gonna happen. Therefore, the only area that could be a guest common area is my office and off limits. My front porch has been a "gathering" area - chock full of guests chatting. The dining room is always open for them also. I am hoping to get my fence next year so I can make a guest area with glider chairs and a stand-alone fire pit in the side yard. That is my daydream for now - along with a king bed in the Gillum Room.
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
Common space:
We have a living room, now laid out like a lounge after too many guests feel asleep on the couch with a beer on the table or, I found one too many couples who really should have gotten a room.
Around town several places have no common space except the dining room, some places have multiple common spaces and some have the same layout I do.
Nothing is the 'norm'.
 
Our guest seem to like our porch or deck..
Ice said:
Our guest seem to like our porch or deck.
Having been there, I know why. It is such a beautiful place - even in December
.
gillumhouse said:
Ice said:
Our guest seem to like our porch or deck.
Having been there, I know why. It is such a beautiful place - even in December
thumbs_up.gif
Thanks
 
Beachhouse it would be a shame if they didn't sit outside at your place! Well done. This may answer your "common area" inquiry as well.
I can't understand when the weather is superb here in the fall and the leaves are literally diving off the tree with zero wind and a guest will sit inside in the parlor. It kills me! No mosquitoes, no humidity, no wind, not hot, not cold - let's just say perfecto!
 
Beachhouse it would be a shame if they didn't sit outside at your place! Well done. This may answer your "common area" inquiry as well.
I can't understand when the weather is superb here in the fall and the leaves are literally diving off the tree with zero wind and a guest will sit inside in the parlor. It kills me! No mosquitoes, no humidity, no wind, not hot, not cold - let's just say perfecto!.
That's like the couple who are eloping with us today. It's supposed to be 82 degree and beautiful on the beach. Nope, they want to get married in our gazebo. The gazebo is nice, but it's right by the road and because the weather is so great, the road traffic will be increased. I told them all that information, but still want the gazebo.
Give me the beautiful beach any day!
 
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable..
Highlands John said:
I wish we had a public area where we could socialize with guests like this, or just with each other. We've looked at various options such as extensions and conservatories but just not viable.
Screen house? Fire pit?
.
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
.
Highlands John said:
No, not going to work. Firstly the house is built on the side of a hill so most of the garden is sloping, quite steeply in places. The second problem is that the house is situated in the centre of a rectangular property, the largest space being right in front of our private lounge, don't want guests sitting there. Third problem is the climate, if it's a light fabrication or outdoors it's going to be unusable for a large proportion of the time (even in summer), making it pointless.
A little tangent - do most B&B's have a common area? We have a living room for guests and a porch. I know one in town that has a dining room but no common living room. Is there a 'norm?'
.
We don't have a common area inside either. It's a shame, but we've looked at various possibilities over the years, but none work. Not really expected with a uk B&B, I don't think.
 
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