Greetings New Friends, and potential lifesavers

Hi Folks - I just signed up and was thrilled to find this site. To spare all the gory details I run a 60 year old family 'resort' in New England and am operating it on my own this year for the first time. Cabins are rented by the week and fortunately I don't have to feed people. There is no way I can't do it despite losing my business partner last fall (ok, my Dad <3 ) - I love it more than anything, have been here my entire life and plan on staying but boy, am I having a huge case of burnout this summer. And the thing that is most interesting to me, is that despite the fact that my close friends (outside of camp) know my situation, they are totally unsupportive of the total irritation I feel from those 'special' guests with the constant and crazy needs and questions. Luckily I have mostly return guests but this year, when I am least capable of coping, I have a few new ones that are simply making my blood boil - and they haven't even arrived yet. Looking forward to spending my hideout time here with all of you. So glad I found this place!

Welcome, Innthewoods! We all need a steam valve and sympathetic ear...you have come to the right place.
We are a small B+B (2 suites and a cottage), full service, breakfast, high end in a coastal community of southern NE. This is our 28th year here and we are winding down by spacing out our reservations and closing during the slower seasons. This time of year in NE is prime time and we all get our share of PITAs so join the club! LOL

When you feel the burnout, it's time to hire someone to help or find ways to change things. Just say what you need help with and we will listen and point out systems that we have put in place to help.
Start writing down the questions and the answers and you will see which ones repeat and maybe be able to deal with them. For example,a Brother P-Touch and labels certainly has simplified my life.

Welcome!
Don't do everything yourself. Ask for help or hire help.
Tell your friends that you could use a day off/night out/sympathetic ear. They may not know.

Welcome, InnTheWoods! I just joined innspiring, too. I've already learned a great deal from our fellow innkeepers, and I'm very grateful that this site exists. Lots of excellent advice and sympathetic ears! I'm saddened and a bit surprised to hear that your friends are unsupportive. My friends are always asking me for stories about my wacky, PITA guests. They love hearing about the unimaginable things that people do at a B&B. It's my husband who doesn't want to hear about it! He works a corporate job outside of the B&B and says I shouldn't complain about my dream job. He doesn't understand the nuance between venting and complaining.

Welcome. Thanks for the intro. It helps a lot to know a little about your situation when we try to give answers from our perspective. This is my first totally solo season also and it IS different (even with the limited help he was able to give before). Although they do not understand B & B, I am fortunate to have a wonderful network in my small town.

Welcome, InntheWoods, lots of nice folks here on the forum, great ideas or shoulders to cry upon. Losing someone important is enough to throw you into that down feeling, we're in the second round of that this year following Maxine losing her dad, for us the bright side was our daughter moving next door, both to assist and keep our spirits up, wish you luck at finding that someone to boost yours.
We don't quite fit the pattern either as an eight room motel, no food served and guests don't have to tramp through our home to get to their rooms, yet we attempt to offer rooms and a surrounding that offer more than the typical motel.

Welcome! Despite being up and running for 4 seasons, I love the folks on this site who jump right in and tell it like it is. They have saved my sanity many times. Lucky you don't have to cook! Remember to stop every once in a while and take a few moments to enjoy the special things that make your guests happy. Is is so easy to get wrapped up in stuff and forget why you really love a place. So sorry about your Dad

Welcome InnTheWoods! Thanks for letting us know a little about yourself.
Your family and friends will never truly understand your life or what you're going through. The best thing to do is to just accept that and find validation of your feelings with others who understand. We understand here.
Be ready for lots of input here, we're a bunch that tries to fix the problem even if it's not asked for. HA! We mean well though.
I'm looking forward to your stories.

JimBoone said:

Welcome, InntheWoods, lots of nice folks here on the forum, great ideas or shoulders to cry upon. Losing someone important is enough to throw you into that down feeling, we're in the second round of that this year following Maxine losing her dad, for us the bright side was our daughter moving next door, both to assist and keep our spirits up, wish you luck at finding that someone to boost yours.
We don't quite fit the pattern either as an eight room motel, no food served and guests don't have to tramp through our home to get to their rooms, yet we attempt to offer rooms and a surrounding that offer more than the typical motel..

Click to expand...

And JimBoone and his family were actually with me within 15 minutes of the call that my husband died. They were so thoughtful and understanding about all the phone calls I had to take an make when I really wanted to be be visiting with them. They helped me keep my bearings and put one foot in front of the other. I do not know how I would have handled things if it were not for them. We do things differently when we are alone and thanks to them, I was not.

what they don't get is the first time some particular thing happens ie with us its being disturbed by idiots in the night its slightly annoying - 5 th night in a row then next person to wake me is going to get it - thats the difference they don't get - its not the 1 disturb its the 6 in a row plus another 4 months before a guaranteed lie in.

:welcome:
If you don't have help, even part time, now's the time to look around.

Welcome! You'll definitely find folks to listen and respond on this site.
Heed advice to hire help if you can afford it. Ideally, find someone (paid, not just friend) you can trust to actually mange the site for a few days at least, so you can get away. Get away if you need a break, or if something comes up. Think of this as a contingency, not a luxury. You aren't a classic B&B so you aren't looking for an "innsitter" but perhaps there's someone in the area who worked resort and retired or is part time. Cultivate professional back-up. Your friends won't be there for that.

Welcome. We are in the midst of our sixth season running our almost 70-year old family 'resort' with nine "cottages" on the shore in Maine, so your place and situation sound very very familiar (week rentals during peak season, they feed themselves, etc...) There are two of us, though, plus our son, and a crew of cleaners to handle the change-overs. Happy to lend an ear, commiserate, or offer advice if asked.

Thanks to you all. Those were very uplifting messages. Thankfully, I am not alone - I have a weekend caretaker who has worked for my Dad since he was a teenager - without he and his son I would be up a creek. I do have two cleaning people on Saturdays and another part time 'handyman' during the week. So, it's not completely hopeless. The friends I mentioned will be up to visit for the first time next week so perhaps they'll get to notice all the work I need to do plus all the new guest nuttiness I have to deal with - I'll have some very labor intensive guests too. Don't you think that so many people look at our lives and think we're living the dream and couldn't possibly have any real stress? Thank goodness for this place! Looking forward to getting to know you.

Welcome!

Welcome home!