Fireplace alternatives

This is for Morticia ... didn't want to derail the local business thread
Have you considered the little heaters that look like fireplaces that have 'flame' that looks very realistic? Little stoves that throw heat or none but really look like flames. If I can find pictures of the ones I had I will post them ... I built (yes, me) mantle surrounds for two of them, and one my son built a fancy surround and it was just the fireplace insert, not a stove. People thought they were gas fireplaces.
My nephew gave me one for christmas because my bedroom is chilly and the fireplace chimney in my room needs a reline. It is a sweet little thing. I set it in front of the fireplace. I am attaching a picture of my little one - I don't know the brand but can find out. Had friends in and they thought it was real.

I pulled it out a bit so you can see it. Yes, there's a cord but this can be camouflaged, especially if you bang together a simple mantle. The cord on mine doesn't usually show.
If people are looking for fireplaces, give them fireplaces. You have a couple fireplaces already, right? Add some more. They had some on q-c recently about $100 and $150. They don't take up much room at all. I fitted one at the b&b in a corner and used a corner shelf unit from a thrift shop as the basis for that 'fireplace'.
You could build a firepit in the spring. I did that, too. Got a cheap insert from C.Tree * you know the place ... and we built around it. Awesome.
Course, the next owner likely dismantled all of it.
Can't help with the tub thing ... but if people (often) are asking for something in winter I'd try to have it.
Nice of me to add projects for you to consider, huh?

We have fireplaces in some rooms. But not wood and not in July. Our rooms just don't have room for another item! I'd have to take out the dressers.
We go back and forth on the fire pit. I've just seen too many kids playing in the one next door. And, I don't want to have to keep an eye on it late into the night. It would be me, Gomez is sound asleep at 8:30!
Thanks for all the info!

Yes, we have them! We got them when they went on sale for $60 each. (without mantles) Fire Code told us to block the fireplaces so guests won't use them, so we did!!!!!!! The fire alarm guy said that wouldn't past code, but they did. When asked if we have fireplace, we say that we have electric stoves inside the fireplaces for their enjoyment. Only one didn't approve and didn't book.

I will just say one more thing and then I will butt out. I never ever put anything in a dresser in a hotel or b&b ... so I'd pull them in a heartbeat and replace with stoves with or without mantles. You could always switch them out for dressers in the warmer season.

Home Depot has one with mantle for $129.99 on sale, if anyone is interested.

seashanty said:

I will just say one more thing and then I will butt out. I never ever put anything in a dresser in a hotel or b&b ... so I'd pull them in a heartbeat and replace with stoves with or without mantles. You could always switch them out for dressers in the warmer season..

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No butting out required! It's the top of the dresser that's needed most. Those are covered with guest stuff. The drawers? Right, hardly ever used.

bed side tables wall mounted shelf near some hooks or closet pole .... anyway ... I'm a rebel

seashanty said:

bed side tables wall mounted shelf near some hooks or closet pole .... anyway ... I'm a rebel.

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seashanty said:

bed side tables wall mounted shelf near some hooks or closet pole .... anyway ... I'm a rebel

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I'm thinking how I could do this.

Morticia said:

seashanty said:

I will just say one more thing and then I will butt out. I never ever put anything in a dresser in a hotel or b&b ... so I'd pull them in a heartbeat and replace with stoves with or without mantles. You could always switch them out for dressers in the warmer season..

Click to expand...

No butting out required! It's the top of the dresser that's needed most. Those are covered with guest stuff. The drawers? Right, hardly ever used.
.

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Our drawers got used quite a bit, especially by two or three day stays.

My friends have one that mounts flat to the wall. It give a nice glow and flames as well as warmth if needed.

Getting back to the dressers---
I'm with Seashanty. Have no dressers but I have good quality plastic baskets that look like rattan. I put them on shelves in the closets in case anyone needs to unpack something. I never unpack my suitcase. If it doesn't hang, it stays. People have more room to move in the room, looks let cluttered and easier to keep clean.

It's always good to know your market, your guests, and what they use and what they want that you don't have that might cause them not to book a room.
In my area, in fall and winter, a fireplace, stove ... of any kind that's realistic is a huge draw.
CALLER: We want a room with a fireplace.
ME: I have a room available with a king size bed and harbor view but no fireplace.
CALLER: We really want a fireplace or stove in the room.
ME: I'm sorry, those rooms are taken next weekend. But ...
CALLER: Okay, well thanks anyway. (click)
The above conversation with my varying responses meant no booking.
If your guests would miss bureaus/drawers, that's important to know. Some guests insist on tv in the room. Some guests have a list of amenities.
I'm trying to think of ways a guest room with limited space could accomodate an 'electric fire' - such as the wall mount as Empty Nest suggests.

seashanty said:

It's always good to know your market, your guests, and what they use and what they want that you don't have that might cause them not to book a room.
In my area, in fall and winter, a fireplace, stove ... of any kind that's realistic is a huge draw.
CALLER: We want a room with a fireplace.
ME: I have a room available with a king size bed and harbor view but no fireplace.
CALLER: We really want a fireplace or stove in the room.
ME: I'm sorry, those rooms are taken next weekend. But ...
CALLER: Okay, well thanks anyway. (click)
The above conversation with my varying responses meant no booking.
If your guests would miss bureaus/drawers, that's important to know. Some guests insist on tv in the room. Some guests have a list of amenities.
I'm trying to think of ways a guest room with limited space could accomodate an 'electric fire' - such as the wall mount as Empty Nest suggests..

Click to expand...

We've had those calls, sure. But, I've also had calls where both fireplace rooms were open but they didn't have a king bed. Or *something* wasn't quite right. I keep track of that to see if it's just lookie lous who want an 'out' or if it's real lost biz. The other out that they use is, 'Oh, it's not wood? We want a real fireplace!' (I suggest they stay at the hotel next door that has the FD on speed dial.)
Still...I am thinking about rearranging furniture and how that would work. One room has no dresser at all and there haven't been any complaints on that front. It does have a desk and 2 side tables.
We've had calls asking if we have the 'cloud' mattresses the hotels advertise. Um. Those are hotel mattresses. Why would I have them?

What is a cloud mattress?
Can't please everyone and you do what you can.

seashanty said:

What is a cloud mattress?
Can't please everyone and you do what you can..

Click to expand...

seashanty said:

What is a cloud mattress?
Can't please everyone and you do what you can.

Click to expand...

I can't remember the hotel that had them but it was like sleeping on a cloud. It was back when hotels were going to duvets instead of blankets and comforters.

ps ... only if you want the fireplaces ... and are wondering how you might fit in a few. I've seen the wall mount fires and they can be awesome. Not trying to tell anyone they have to / should / do this. ok.

seashanty said:

ps ... only if you want the fireplaces ... and are wondering how you might fit in a few. I've seen the wall mount fires and they can be awesome. Not trying to tell anyone they have to / should / do this. ok..

Click to expand...

seashanty said:

ps ... only if you want the fireplaces ... and are wondering how you might fit in a few. I've seen the wall mount fires and they can be awesome. Not trying to tell anyone they have to / should / do this. ok.

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I know this.

seashanty said:

I will just say one more thing and then I will butt out. I never ever put anything in a dresser in a hotel or b&b ... so I'd pull them in a heartbeat and replace with stoves with or without mantles. You could always switch them out for dressers in the warmer season..

Click to expand...

I would love to get rid of the dressers that no one uses other than to put stuff on. I have mantles in every room with the fire holes blocked. Only the king room is not and that is because the original plate on the front was too beautiful to cover. All my fireplaces were gas (shallow) and had asbestos in them. I treated them as the removal guy told me to - squirt with water to mat it down, then paint with 50/50 latex paint and water. After that dried, I went over it again with straight paint to ensure encapsulation and then we did containment with a board fitted to the opening. Himself was supposed to paint a fireplace on each which never happened. Those 2 rooms now have the beds too close to consider any inserts - queen bed is more important. I have rarely, in 20 years, been asked if we have fireplaces.

We have one of the units you've describe. Wife picked it up for a song at an auction. Basically an electric heater that looks like a fireplace, complete with fake animated flames. We put it in the bedroom of one of our suites that gets a little colder than the rest of the unit, and it fits the bill.

Morticia said:

seashanty said:

It's always good to know your market, your guests, and what they use and what they want that you don't have that might cause them not to book a room.
In my area, in fall and winter, a fireplace, stove ... of any kind that's realistic is a huge draw.
CALLER: We want a room with a fireplace.
ME: I have a room available with a king size bed and harbor view but no fireplace.
CALLER: We really want a fireplace or stove in the room.
ME: I'm sorry, those rooms are taken next weekend. But ...
CALLER: Okay, well thanks anyway. (click)
The above conversation with my varying responses meant no booking.
If your guests would miss bureaus/drawers, that's important to know. Some guests insist on tv in the room. Some guests have a list of amenities.
I'm trying to think of ways a guest room with limited space could accomodate an 'electric fire' - such as the wall mount as Empty Nest suggests..

Click to expand...

We've had those calls, sure. But, I've also had calls where both fireplace rooms were open but they didn't have a king bed. Or *something* wasn't quite right. I keep track of that to see if it's just lookie lous who want an 'out' or if it's real lost biz. The other out that they use is, 'Oh, it's not wood? We want a real fireplace!' (I suggest they stay at the hotel next door that has the FD on speed dial.)
Still...I am thinking about rearranging furniture and how that would work. One room has no dresser at all and there haven't been any complaints on that front. It does have a desk and 2 side tables.
We've had calls asking if we have the 'cloud' mattresses the hotels advertise. Um. Those are hotel mattresses. Why would I have them?
.

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Please let me comment as a prospective guest from the Deep South.
You are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up North (to me, anyway) and that equates to cold. Or at least colder than here most of the year.
Fireplaces of any sort can take the chill off a room, so would be a super selling point I would think for the majority of the year when it's chillier for the thin blooded folks like me.
I have an electric fireplace (in an enclosed mantel) in the bedroom I'm in here. Whenever temps dip below freezing, that thing gets turned ON!! ;-)