Inn my dreams
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Just thought I'd share...... and for those of you who have also had memorable experiences, please share
I don't travel more than a couple of times a year and both of the times I'm going to share were in Texas (that's as much as I'll say) and both were on business trips.
The worst B&B experience I've ever had (and hopefully won't have again)....
I was traveling to TX to audit an inventory and needed a place to stay. Since the plant was only about 30 minutes from a popular vacation destination, I decided I'd prefer to stay near the attractions of the locale rather than near the plant. My employer had a "corporate rate" established at a hotel near the airport of $89.00/night. This was around 2004/2005. I started searching for a B&B - my preferred lodging choice, particularly when traveling alone - and most in the area were booked. Of those that had availability, their room rates were substantially higher than $89.00 and I didn't want to seem insulting and didn't think it was fair to ask them to reduce their rate that much and just didn't have the ability to cover the difference at that point in my life. After clicking on every B&B at bbonline and google searches, I found one with rates in the low $100's and availability. The pictures looked nice and it said it was recently opened, so a lack of reviews didn't dissuade me. I called and explained my circumstances and the owner/innkeeper accepted my offer of $89/night for 2 nights. Hmmmmmmmmmm.... I shoulda known better! When I found the address, the amount of disrepair in the yard and the exterior structure alone alarmed me, but I had no other arrangement made, was in an unfamiliar town, etc, etc. So, I took a deep breath and entered .... it was drab, dingy, dark, but the dining table was cleared and appeared clean! The lady who greeted me was definitely a people person. She talked, talked, talked and was surprisingly sweet, genuine, witty and an engaging hostess. She showed me to my room upstairs which was also dingy and drab, had cobwebs in the corners and was far below my expectations. However, the bed appeared clean and well made and the bathroom was clean. The owner prepared a good basic bacon and egg type breakfast and it was good. I heard her life story and the challenges she was facing putting her life back together after a divorce, raising a teenage son, and trying to get the business going. I think she had inherited the house or it was part of the divorce settlement. With a lot of hard work, it could have been a really nice B&B. I really did feel sorry for her circumstances. Amazingly, I'm not sorry that I stayed there (though wouldn't stay again), and I wonder what became of her. Maybe someday, I'll go back to that area - stay elsewhere - and see if that house is still a B&B.
My best B&B experience was also a business trip. The accomodations of choice of my employer were booked and there was a B&B in town that was owned and operated by a former employee of my company! I'll call her Jane (name changed to protect her identity) I think she and I were both anxious to meet and chat and get to know one another. She rented the room at the same rate as the other local facility, substantially less than her normal rate (but it was for just one night). Her B&B was her family home which she had inherited and she lived nearby. It is a gorgeous home: immaculate and beautifully decorated. I had the downstairs room with an ensuite bath. The room was so comfortable and inviting, I could have stayed there forever and not tired of it. Jane is also an excellent cook. Her breakfast was absolutely to die for! I hope she'll share recipes. She is the "gold standard" that I will will aspire to achieve when I have a B&B. Unfortunately, Jane has decided to retire and closed her B&B. However, I do hope to get a chance to visit with her on my next trip to TX.
This also makes me wonder what your experiences may have been with B&B's prior to opening your own... and how did they influence the way you manage your business?
I don't travel more than a couple of times a year and both of the times I'm going to share were in Texas (that's as much as I'll say) and both were on business trips.
The worst B&B experience I've ever had (and hopefully won't have again)....
I was traveling to TX to audit an inventory and needed a place to stay. Since the plant was only about 30 minutes from a popular vacation destination, I decided I'd prefer to stay near the attractions of the locale rather than near the plant. My employer had a "corporate rate" established at a hotel near the airport of $89.00/night. This was around 2004/2005. I started searching for a B&B - my preferred lodging choice, particularly when traveling alone - and most in the area were booked. Of those that had availability, their room rates were substantially higher than $89.00 and I didn't want to seem insulting and didn't think it was fair to ask them to reduce their rate that much and just didn't have the ability to cover the difference at that point in my life. After clicking on every B&B at bbonline and google searches, I found one with rates in the low $100's and availability. The pictures looked nice and it said it was recently opened, so a lack of reviews didn't dissuade me. I called and explained my circumstances and the owner/innkeeper accepted my offer of $89/night for 2 nights. Hmmmmmmmmmm.... I shoulda known better! When I found the address, the amount of disrepair in the yard and the exterior structure alone alarmed me, but I had no other arrangement made, was in an unfamiliar town, etc, etc. So, I took a deep breath and entered .... it was drab, dingy, dark, but the dining table was cleared and appeared clean! The lady who greeted me was definitely a people person. She talked, talked, talked and was surprisingly sweet, genuine, witty and an engaging hostess. She showed me to my room upstairs which was also dingy and drab, had cobwebs in the corners and was far below my expectations. However, the bed appeared clean and well made and the bathroom was clean. The owner prepared a good basic bacon and egg type breakfast and it was good. I heard her life story and the challenges she was facing putting her life back together after a divorce, raising a teenage son, and trying to get the business going. I think she had inherited the house or it was part of the divorce settlement. With a lot of hard work, it could have been a really nice B&B. I really did feel sorry for her circumstances. Amazingly, I'm not sorry that I stayed there (though wouldn't stay again), and I wonder what became of her. Maybe someday, I'll go back to that area - stay elsewhere - and see if that house is still a B&B.
My best B&B experience was also a business trip. The accomodations of choice of my employer were booked and there was a B&B in town that was owned and operated by a former employee of my company! I'll call her Jane (name changed to protect her identity) I think she and I were both anxious to meet and chat and get to know one another. She rented the room at the same rate as the other local facility, substantially less than her normal rate (but it was for just one night). Her B&B was her family home which she had inherited and she lived nearby. It is a gorgeous home: immaculate and beautifully decorated. I had the downstairs room with an ensuite bath. The room was so comfortable and inviting, I could have stayed there forever and not tired of it. Jane is also an excellent cook. Her breakfast was absolutely to die for! I hope she'll share recipes. She is the "gold standard" that I will will aspire to achieve when I have a B&B. Unfortunately, Jane has decided to retire and closed her B&B. However, I do hope to get a chance to visit with her on my next trip to TX.
This also makes me wonder what your experiences may have been with B&B's prior to opening your own... and how did they influence the way you manage your business?