I am looking forward to my inn-mates responses here...
I guess the answer to this question is based on what YOU (or guests) consider noise. I believe guests, in general, know that during the day there will be a time that some noises will occur, such as vacuum cleaners, and other daily activites. They should also be accustomed to the fact that other guests will be moving about more so than at night. In summer the pool area is lively as well as our gardens. There is also yard management with mowers and blowers etc.
We have not had this to be an issue at all (so far).
We are no different that any other lodging properties. The work as to be done at some point to keep up the appearance to the degree not only we as innkeepers want but our guests expect. We typically try to keep the most disturbing work to after check out and before check in. Of course stay overs will hear the noice, but it can not be avoided.
I personally would not enjoy 'piped in music' through out.
Now as far OUR daily lives goes, there usually is not an issue where we feel like we must tip toe around in general. If that were an issue, I think I would be looking at blowing in additional sound barrier insulation between the walls..
We built our B&B so put our loft apartment above the common rooms, and have the suites as a wing. We carpeted only our apartment upstairs so our less-than-graceful Borzoi hound would not make noise. That said, he loves to gallop up and down the stairs from the apartment down past the kitchen to the basement area, but I don't think it's heard beyond the kitchen.
We will put in lots of insulation when we build our second wing which will be our other four rooms. I sometimes worry about the noise between rooms. But then again, I've been in plenty of hotel rooms where you can hear the noise or talk from the room next door.
We do leave the music channel on low in the library to carry through the main rooms, but not piped music. We play a classic favorite cd during breakfast which our guests love. But we really leave the music on the tv in the library so they don't have to figure out which of the remotes turns the darn thing on. We have not had the time to weed through the instructions to figure out how to put it all on one remote.
I would not pipe music. We get too many people with different tastes. And that would make me feel hotel-like.
You have to also realize that people are going to be out doing stuff. And if they are staying in they'll be playing their own stuff. We have guests bringing all kinds of music with them.
RIki
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