A FIRST!!!! Since 1996!!!

[gillumhouse]

For the first time EVER the funeral home across the street actually sent me a reservation!!!! For tonight!

 

[JBloggs]

Wonders never cease...

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

I guess you are finally growing on them! LOL!

 

[gillumhouse]

DH had been asking when are the next guests and my standard reply is (the date) - unless the phone rings.
Yes, wonders will never cease and then the phone rang again and we have a second room tonight!

 

[Highlands John]

Maybe not many people want to make a "weekend of it"

 

[gillumhouse]

Maybe not many people want to make a "weekend of it"

.

The funeral home across the street had NEVER sent me anyone coming in from out-of-town for a funeral - until last night. It was wonderful! The other couple who called enroute a few hours later founf me via On-Star and were on their way home from attending a funeral in Maryland.
The shock & joy was that across the street actually did it!

 

[Joey Camb]

I think people like to make sure you are good before they send people. I can see why cos it could bite them on the bum if they stayed in a place they recomended and it was crap. It is why I personally inspect any place that I recomend before I send people there. (inspect sounds a bit harsh pop round for tea and a chat and have a casual look round would be more accurate.)

 

[Proud Texan]

You better make sure they're not planning on storing a body overnight.

On the bright side....no breakfast required.

 

[JBloggs]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Proud Texan]

Have any of you gone to funeral homes in your area and made yourself known to them? Do any of you offer a brereavement discount? We've had several guests that were attending funerals and a couple have asked for a discount.
Just curious how the rest of the B&B world handles this.

 

[JBloggs]

PT - Absolutely! YES AND YES. Discounts. Let the funeral homes know about you.
We have them on and off here, had one write a lovely TA review for us this week. These are the guests who are up early with their cup of coffee and allowed into our kitchen. I don't advertise this, but they come in and need a cup of comfort.
There is a line in a famous book I like to read that says "The year so and so died I saw..." Kind of like, where were you when Elvis died? So this is a very impressionable time in their lives, and to be there for them is an absolute blessing for this innkeeper right here. I am sad to have them here for that reason, but welcome them in with open arms!

 

[gillumhouse]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents..

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.

 

[gillumhouse]

I think people like to make sure you are good before they send people. I can see why cos it could bite them on the bum if they stayed in a place they recomended and it was crap. It is why I personally inspect any place that I recomend before I send people there. (inspect sounds a bit harsh pop round for tea and a chat and have a casual look round would be more accurate.).

Several years ago another of the funeral homes made arragements for funeral directors bringing a lady home for burial. They were due to arrive after all the restaurants would be closed so I gave them veggie soup and Gillum House rolls for supper (N/C) and breakfast in the morning. I heard from a lot of people about the great report they gave everyone (they were grilled!). That funeral home had a change of staff ad that was the last of the referrals from them (not the one across the street - we now have 3).

 

[Proud Texan]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents..

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.
.

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.

Our only problem is that we are an adults only facility and can only handle up to 4 persons at a time. That may work for some, but it will exclude families with kids.

 

[gillumhouse]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents..

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.
.

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.

Our only problem is that we are an adults only facility and can only handle up to 4 persons at a time. That may work for some, but it will exclude families with kids.
.

Our only problem is that we are an adults only facility and can only handle up to 4 persons at a time. That may work for some, but it will exclude families with kids.
Mom was 90+. Son was in 70s and had a hard time with the stairs. ALL were adults. It is rare that they bring a kid to the funeral. At least tht is the way it is here.

 

[domsmom]

Have any of you gone to funeral homes in your area and made yourself known to them? Do any of you offer a brereavement discount? We've had several guests that were attending funerals and a couple have asked for a discount.
Just curious how the rest of the B&B world handles this..

I went to some in the area when I first opened. No response. I have begun calling them again. I had a guest last weekend whose son works at the largest one in town. She gave me his name and number and I will be on it by the end of the week. I am hoping it will help with rooms that are available at the last minute.

 

[gillumhouse]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents..

For those who are familiar with this area (ie those who would be coming back for funerals) the choice of crossing the street or driving 6 to 10 miles - depending on which hotel or motel - is a no brainer, especially at night.
For those who do not know: For the last 14 years I have been working on our City leaders on their perception of the roads leading in from the Interstate. The main one is a "scenic winding road that follows a meandering creek....." and there is even a neat waterfall that is heard rather than seen since one goes by it so quickly. (For too many years they have been insisting it is a horrible road.) PERCEPTION!

 

[Penelope]

I have been to "Podunk" and my take is this (I already mentioned to K) - you can see the funeral home, so perhaps the guests would not stay within visual sight of the funeral parlor. Just my 2 cents..

Actually a minister who was transferred told me a windower reemed the funeral director a new one for NOT telling him we were here. I was told his words were, "How DARE you not tell me that B & B was there! You made me drive that road to the motel every night when I could have stayed across the street?"
Tomorrow I will go across the street and thank the for the referral.
PT - I went to each of the funeral homes in town when I first opened and told them about us AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing). We had a whole family book for the man's Mother's funeral. She was across the street but they booked because of a old classmate of theirs who e-mails a large group. I only charge $75 for funeral rate.
.

AND told them I had a bereavement rate (people do not plan for funerals and it usually comes at financially bad timing).

A close family member of my dh's died right after we moved halfway across the country. In order to head back for the funeral, we had to take two kids under 18 months, back from where we came. Stayed at a lovely B&B in CT (first time in a B&B and I was hooked!)... we had NO money from the move, no job, no apt (we were staying with family) and very little sanity. Not only did they NOT have a berevement rate, they were in peak season, ie- higher rates. Let me tell you, the timing of that couldn't have been worse.