Do you feel trapped?

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Weaver

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In light of HJ post and others here, as I am faced with yet a completely different configuration on this property than the other one I was leaning toward, do you feel trapped in your innkeeper space by guests?
For those that didn't see my comment, the main lodge will be a bank barn, having ground level access on opposite sides/ends. The lowest level will be the guest level, depending on how big a barn I find, guest rooms, large great room with both dining and lounge area, an inn kitchen with access to the second floor (also with ground level access) which will be my private space. In other words the kitchen doors will be locked when not in use for serving breakfast, therefore eliminating guest access to the stairs.
Do you ever feel trapped by your guests in your own space, in that you can't relax or wind down in your own home?
Is it a self defeating purpose (from a B n B experience) for the guest to feel as though the innkeeper isn't sharing the space with them, and in fact the space is designed totally for guest use and the innkeeper never needs to set foot in there except for guest services and cleaning?
As suggested in another post I will have outside entrances for each of the planned guest rooms, and outside access to the main common area - for lack of a better term a front door with a foyer area and my little office (for taking payments and guest related office stuff) just off the common living space. In essance creating a two level duplex with a secret passage from one level to another from the inn kitchen. Cambs got me thinking about shutting the doors, and turing out the lights, but that apparently isn't enough for people who feel they have rented not just a room but the whole place, and it is theirs to explore.
Not sure if I am making sense, but I want my privacy, especially since my personal critters (dog, cats) will have access and freedom in the innkeeper's area. Yet I don't want to alienate the guests either.
 
No. We luckily have a nice amount of space with a private entrance and a deck. My only issue is that one guest room is below our space so we have to tiptoe thru that part. And, the laundry room is in the inn.
 
herterrd21.jpg

This is the barn that is there now, it will be offices and the farm store.
Below is sort of what I am looking for.
Bank-Barn-Nantucket-MA.jpg
 
No not trapped at all, it is our oasis. Away from guests.
teeth_smile.gif
But we have ample space, if we had a bedroom and shared space with guests I would free trapped and have to chew my leg off to escape.
Privacy is something most people think they don't really need much of until they have strangers in their home year-round. Multiply this by year-round for years. I will be honest, we don't like all of our guests, some are just a-holes. Majority are great, but that one on will throw you for a loop and get your defenses up.
 
when it becomes a problem is when you don't have enough space ie i know people who bought a place with only a bedroom and large kitchen/utility room for the owners and moved in with the kids ie 4 in one bedroom! Its simply a case of don't underestimate how much space you need. In the UK you have to keep business records for 10 years and thats a lot of paper! wish I had an office of my own as I sort of camp in a corner of my breakfast room during the day but means I have to pack it up when we are busy! (we have a sort of 2 section breakfast room so I can close of half if I need to)
 
Hijack alert! hijacking my own thread - just cause I can. Do you know the most dangerous web site in the world?
Mikasa
Gonna have to get a block for that one, so many patterns so little money!!!!
 
We have a separate cottage type house, just steps from the main house. It was DHs #1 request on his wish list when we were looking to buy a b&b. At that point, I didn't see it as that big of an issue, but now I don't know if I could have lasted this long without it!
If you can make one of the cabins your residence, I would do it in a heartbeat. We don't have guests peering into our house, but if you do, you can buy window film that reflects their image on the outside but you can see through on the inside. We also have a fence around our small backyard area which allows us not only privacy, but a place for our animals to play without always interacting with guests.
Privacy is a huge issue for innkeepers. You need to be able to shut out the guests when you can. I know that most places don't have the capacity to have a separate OQ, but it you can manage it, go for it.
 
Hijack alert! hijacking my own thread - just cause I can. Do you know the most dangerous web site in the world?
Mikasa
Gonna have to get a block for that one, so many patterns so little money!!!!.
We have an outlet nearby, tell me about it.
 
Hijack alert! hijacking my own thread - just cause I can. Do you know the most dangerous web site in the world?
Mikasa
Gonna have to get a block for that one, so many patterns so little money!!!!.
We have an outlet nearby, tell me about it.
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Madeleine said:
We have an outlet nearby, tell me about it.
God help me if I ever get a blank check, I am up to about $50k just cruising the site.
The other really bad place is Replacements Been there, thank god I had already spent all my cash at the fabric outlet in Rocky Mount or I woulda been trying to figure out how to quilt with china. New place won't be but a mere hour's drive. NO must stay away from the china. It used to be shoes, now it is china, and boots. love me some good boots.
 
We do not feel trapped. We have 2 rooms, a sun room (DH claimed it as a workshop before we moved in), and a bathroom on one side of the first floor. There are french doors between each room on our side so we do not have to go out one door and into the other in our quarters. I refused to have "just" my bedroom. We ended up with the "living room" being DH's art studio and lair and I am across the hall in the Library - my office with the computer. Everyone is happy except DH is always telling me what I need to do in my area.
 
Weaver,
Our personal space was our retreat. We had a nice size den/office, bedroom, large bathroom, and plenty of storage space in our quarters. The only problem was that we had a door from our den to "sneak" through the dining room to the kitchen (no way to remodel to get to the kitchen directly from our quarters). But, we had 2 sets of pocket doors in our dining room that we could close and then slipping through the dining room was no problem. Our guests didn't need to get into the dining room in the evening because there was a guest service area upstairs.
We had two dogs and we also had private outdoor space for us and our pooches that the guests didn't have access to.
We also were really fortunate that our guests respected our Private signs.
The best thing about our private space was that there were no guest areas directly above us. We had no noise from the guests at all, except if we had a stomper on the stairs when we were in our den. But that would have been hard to miss anyway...
 
No, must admit we've never felt trapped by guests. We have a five bedroom house, the upper floor is just guest rooms and all down-stairs is ours including our two bedrooms at the back of the proprty, except the dinning room at breakfast. Guests come in the front door and then up the stairs in front of them so although they're in our space there's no reason for them to hang around there.
 
To be truthful. If I lived under the same roof as our guests year after year, I would of had innkeeper burn out years ago! You will feal trapped! I did it for 6 years and was ready to pull my hair out! It's like having your DW or DH family live with you every day! If you are planning on doing this for awhile, do not make the same mistake we did! Especially if you have kids! It's not fare to them! Even if you have to build a little Cabin to live in next to the main house!
 
I also do construction. Ad neat as it sounds to convert an old barn into a B & B, I would not! It is so expensive to convert something like that into a livable space! It's cheaper to build from scratch! Unless you have a money tree then it's ok!
 
I've stayed in several B&B's over the years. Often, I never see the owner, only the hired help. In one, the owner did stop in at breakfast and speak to all the guests. As a guest, it matters little to me, but I'm also not a demanding guest. I expect a nice clean room and I expect a breakfast that exceeds my expectations. I'm looking for a unique experience in setting, decor and cuisine; not a basic cookie cutter hotel stay. I have thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the owners and/or innkeepers that I have met along the way.
Good luck in your endeavor and keep us posted along the way! As an hopeful future B&B owner, I'm very excited for you!
 
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