other services?

Do any of you offer services not normally part of B&B ?? As the property we are pursuing is gen commercial, can do many things. We plan a 2 seat salon (wife finishing cosm exams soon ), and herbal related classes.
Besides wedding services, do you offer additional services?

Weddings, events, and meetings (including a facilitator if desired); Boat moorings and dockage; winter boat storage (on a limited basis); and Boat Rentals (organized as a separate business entity). Eventually, Wendy's pottery studio will be moved over (also a separate business entity) -- but even now, we do sell some of the pottery out of our office. We have also manufactured our own brand/design of Adirondack chair, refined by one of our guests (although not yet for sale, rather all for our own use on the property so far).

small weddings & elopements and we have a commercial kitchen and do room service dinners at an extra charge

We do a picnic basket service. We supply a wicker basket of home made lunch, cool bag and tartan rugs to sit on. Probably do 15-20 of them a year.

Milk a cow???!!! Just kidding.

charlie may said:

Milk a cow???!!! Just kidding..

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charlie may said:

Milk a cow???!!! Just kidding.

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You can go to Washington DC Zoo to milk a cow.....we always bypass that part since we grew up on a farm.
We have a swimming pool so we offer pool towels to keep our room towels out of the pool. We offer a room for business meetings, a group to gather away from the other guests, etc.

Overnight stabling for horses at a nearby farm - a service available ONLY to my registered guests. I also have bikes in the shed for guests to use - suggested donation to the food bank as I do not rent them (INSURANCE will eat you alive a bike shop who rented bikes told me - a friend so someone who was not going to lose business) which is why they are not rented. Also small elopements.

We've offered spa services like massage and color consultations in the past. It was very hard to get the providers when the guests wanted the service.
If you're doing these things yourself they're a great add on.
We work with some local folks to provide guests with activities they might not think to do themselves, or wouldn't know how to find. (Horse rides on the beach, behind the scenes at the museum, stuff like that.)
But generally our add on items are pretty typical for a B&B. When it's really busy having multiple services to organize can be very hectic so we keep things as simple as possible and let the purveyors do the work.

gillumhouse said:

Overnight stabling for horses at a nearby farm - a service available ONLY to my registered guests. I also have bikes in the shed for guests to use - suggested donation to the food bank as I do not rent them (INSURANCE will eat you alive a bike shop who rented bikes told me - a friend so someone who was not going to lose business) which is why they are not rented. Also small elopements..

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@gillum
You bring up an interesting point (I was thinking about having a few bikes available). Renting bikes might have high insurance costs. But how is making them free reduce insurance costs, as someone can still be injured while riding.
Do you have them sign a waiver at any point?

undersea said:

gillumhouse said:

Overnight stabling for horses at a nearby farm - a service available ONLY to my registered guests. I also have bikes in the shed for guests to use - suggested donation to the food bank as I do not rent them (INSURANCE will eat you alive a bike shop who rented bikes told me - a friend so someone who was not going to lose business) which is why they are not rented. Also small elopements..

Click to expand...

@gillum
You bring up an interesting point (I was thinking about having a few bikes available). Renting bikes might have high insurance costs. But how is making them free reduce insurance costs, as someone can still be injured while riding.
Do you have them sign a waiver at any point?
.

Click to expand...

undersea said:

@gillum
You bring up an interesting point (I was thinking about having a few bikes available). Renting bikes might have high insurance costs. But how is making them free reduce insurance costs, as someone can still be injured while riding.
Do you have them sign a waiver at any point?

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You have to check that your insurance company will allow this. You can ask the guest to sign any piece of paper you want and they can sue you anyway. That's something you need to learn today.

undersea said:

gillumhouse said:

Overnight stabling for horses at a nearby farm - a service available ONLY to my registered guests. I also have bikes in the shed for guests to use - suggested donation to the food bank as I do not rent them (INSURANCE will eat you alive a bike shop who rented bikes told me - a friend so someone who was not going to lose business) which is why they are not rented. Also small elopements..

Click to expand...

@gillum
You bring up an interesting point (I was thinking about having a few bikes available). Renting bikes might have high insurance costs. But how is making them free reduce insurance costs, as someone can still be injured while riding.
Do you have them sign a waiver at any point?
.

Click to expand...

I have helmets available (which they usually refuse - they are adults cannot force). Re coverage, I do not know, have not asked. The bikes are there (I usually get them out of the shed and have them by my deck), if they take them OK, I did not give them to them. I am also in a situation most here are not in - I am not worried about protecting my future as I have none. If I get sued (and no piece of paper/waiver can stop that so I do not bother) and the result goes beyond my insurance, take everything I own. I will have the kids buy me a trailer in their name for me to live in (cheaper than nursing home or me living with them). It gives wonderful peace of mind.
As Elizabeth put it, if they just use the bikes, I am not benefiting from it and therefore am not liable as I would be if I was renting them. I take the bikes up to the bike shop every Spring and have them gone over for ties, chain, gears, whatever to haver them in top shape. The rail-trail is flat. That is about all I can do.

undersea said:

gillumhouse said:

Overnight stabling for horses at a nearby farm - a service available ONLY to my registered guests. I also have bikes in the shed for guests to use - suggested donation to the food bank as I do not rent them (INSURANCE will eat you alive a bike shop who rented bikes told me - a friend so someone who was not going to lose business) which is why they are not rented. Also small elopements..

Click to expand...

@gillum
You bring up an interesting point (I was thinking about having a few bikes available). Renting bikes might have high insurance costs. But how is making them free reduce insurance costs, as someone can still be injured while riding.
Do you have them sign a waiver at any point?
.

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For us with the boat rentals, this is why it is done under a separate business entity that carries its own insurance.
And yes, we have them sign paperwork. The paperwork does not prevent anyone from filing a lawsuit, but it does help demonstrate that you have done your due diligence in providing your renters warning of the risks that they are accepting.

Highlands John said:

We do a picnic basket service. We supply a wicker basket of home made lunch, cool bag and tartan rugs to sit on. Probably do 15-20 of them a year..

Click to expand...

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?

undersea said:

Highlands John said:

We do a picnic basket service. We supply a wicker basket of home made lunch, cool bag and tartan rugs to sit on. Probably do 15-20 of them a year..

Click to expand...

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?
.

Click to expand...

undersea said:

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?

Click to expand...

Generally, the rules regarding food have to do with the preparation of the food, not so much where it is eaten. So, if your rules state you may only serve breakfast, you most likely can't make lunch/dinner no matter where the guest eats it.
Anyone posting a picnic basket charges anywhere from $25 - $75 for it.

undersea said:

Highlands John said:

We do a picnic basket service. We supply a wicker basket of home made lunch, cool bag and tartan rugs to sit on. Probably do 15-20 of them a year..

Click to expand...

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?
.

Click to expand...

undersea said:

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?

Click to expand...

Yes, we charge £25 for two people.

Morticia said:

undersea said:

Highlands John said:

We do a picnic basket service. We supply a wicker basket of home made lunch, cool bag and tartan rugs to sit on. Probably do 15-20 of them a year..

Click to expand...

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?
.

Click to expand...

undersea said:

I have seen "picnic basket" services. Do you charge for this?
Where we are, a B&B is limited to breakfast included in price of room. Does making a picnic basket they take out (lunch/dinner, charged or not charged) provide any kind of exemption to this, as it is eaten away from the premises?

Click to expand...

Generally, the rules regarding food have to do with the preparation of the food, not so much where it is eaten. So, if your rules state you may only serve breakfast, you most likely can't make lunch/dinner no matter where the guest eats it.
Anyone posting a picnic basket charges anywhere from $25 - $75 for it.
.

Click to expand...

Good to know. There is a restaurant next to the place we are in process of buying (catered baskets possible). But since we are gen commercial, was thinking of opening very small bistro eventually. Have mixed feelings about getting involved with that restaurant to cater things for us, and then opening my own bistro later. Likely better just keep an arm's length relationship with them...
Of course, putting in a commercial kitchen of any kind (residential kitchen now) would siphon out a lot of startup $$$ and be an extra layer of complexity.I am focused on stage 1 stuff first (just get a standard b&b going and get all the rooms and furnishings in shape...)