I LOVE this! Great Idea!!

[Sunshine]

I think this is a GREAT idea! And how wonderful to do something with a higher purpose!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thepurposehotel/the-purpose-hotel-change-the-world-in-your-sleep

 

[Arks]

Yes, a great idea and a good idea. I do question, however, how he can build a hotel chain for the $2 million he's shooting for, especially if he's giving away most of the profits.
If he's thinking people will pay higher rates because it's for a good cause, he's gonna have 15% occupancy. Good for those 15%, but the other 85% are looking for the best deal they can find. Human nature.
Oh well, we'll see. I wish him all the luck in the good world.

 

[JBloggs]

If this was the story and not the asking for money I would like to discuss.
But I would like to discuss the premise anyway
What if EVERY HOTEL NOW did this, vs building a place to draw people in to do this? In other words, let's recycle repurpose - let's do it now, not build yet another place. What if each innkeeper/hotelier had a purpose, a cause, a way to change lives while you slept? Well many do. But maybe they aren't telling anyone about it.
Two comments from me (generalizing here so bear with me)
#1 If you want to attract millennials then this is something to consider, they do not want to work and pay the man without it being accounted for in some worthy way. They are the ones who are doing volunteering vacations and such. Unlike older travelers who many don't give a rip, millennials care about the environment, world hunger and the future.
#2 What you stand for can either attract or detract guests. for every inn that sponsors ending global hunger and providing clean water there may be an inn who sponsors something not as overwhelmingly acceptable. If you are involved you do not see this but the public will, so be careful.
Example: I saw an inn with a solar panel farm and they had a whole page about it and the innkeepers were all over it, and it made me think I would have to listen to their schpeal for hours and try to be sold solar panels, and I would shy away. I went to TA and saw they did indeed do this, fwiw.
Example 2: Rescuing animals. This is a fantastic cause, but if you are a zealot, then I know I will hear about this for hours and there will be animals running around the inn. If you share extreme groups on your website or Facebook page, I will see it.
And btw be assured we are all now checking your Facebook pages. If you are or sharing political slams, cartoons, news or commentary, we will go there, especially right now, but it is all very annoying and will see what you post.

 

[gillumhouse]

I have had posted on my website for several years now that anyone booking a 2-night or more stay in the Gillum Room and saying Wounded Warriors or Operation Second Chance would generate a $25 donation from the Gillum House to whichever organization. To date, none has done it and I have had MANY 2 or more night stays in the Gillum Room.
Also since about 2004 I have had on my site a "Green statement" (required by the program we opted into) plus that we had 5 green whatever they were from a "Green" registry site. To date, reservations because we were "Green" = exactly 0 (that is ZERO).
They talk the talk and that is all.

 

[Innkeep]

I have known one of the people who helped start up William Roam, a seller of amenity type soaps who told me they would donate a percentage of their profits to so and so causes, and asked me if that would make me more likely to do business with him.
As a non-millennial grump who makes very sizable charitable contributions, I told him I'd rather pay less and choose which charities I want to give to. But that's just me.

 

[JBloggs]

I have known one of the people who helped start up William Roam, a seller of amenity type soaps who told me they would donate a percentage of their profits to so and so causes, and asked me if that would make me more likely to do business with him.
As a non-millennial grump who makes very sizable charitable contributions, I told him I'd rather pay less and choose which charities I want to give to. But that's just me.

.

As a non-millennial grump who makes very sizable charitable contributions, I told him I'd rather pay less and choose which charities I want to give to. But that's just me.

I agree 100%. In fact as mentioned, I will go out of my way to NOT allow my hard earned money to go to a "charity" I am against. So don't throw that term around willy nilly, be specific if you want to encourage me to stay there.

 

[Innkeep]

On the other hand, our town now has a Mar**tt hotel with an attached training center for mentally handicapped young people to learn how to be housekeepers to work in hospitality and healthcare, their rates are in line with other similar hotels. Win win proposition for some folks.
I won't go in to the fact that the hotel was built with local tax money so I am subsidizing my competition.

 

[Sunshine]

If this was the story and not the asking for money I would like to discuss.
But I would like to discuss the premise anyway
What if EVERY HOTEL NOW did this, vs building a place to draw people in to do this? In other words, let's recycle repurpose - let's do it now, not build yet another place. What if each innkeeper/hotelier had a purpose, a cause, a way to change lives while you slept? Well many do. But maybe they aren't telling anyone about it.
Two comments from me (generalizing here so bear with me)
#1 If you want to attract millennials then this is something to consider, they do not want to work and pay the man without it being accounted for in some worthy way. They are the ones who are doing volunteering vacations and such. Unlike older travelers who many don't give a rip, millennials care about the environment, world hunger and the future.
#2 What you stand for can either attract or detract guests. for every inn that sponsors ending global hunger and providing clean water there may be an inn who sponsors something not as overwhelmingly acceptable. If you are involved you do not see this but the public will, so be careful.
Example: I saw an inn with a solar panel farm and they had a whole page about it and the innkeepers were all over it, and it made me think I would have to listen to their schpeal for hours and try to be sold solar panels, and I would shy away. I went to TA and saw they did indeed do this, fwiw.
Example 2: Rescuing animals. This is a fantastic cause, but if you are a zealot, then I know I will hear about this for hours and there will be animals running around the inn. If you share extreme groups on your website or Facebook page, I will see it.
And btw be assured we are all now checking your Facebook pages. If you are or sharing political slams, cartoons, news or commentary, we will go there, especially right now, but it is all very annoying and will see what you post..

And btw be assured we are all now checking your Facebook pages. If you are or sharing political slams, cartoons, news or commentary, we will go there, especially right now, but it is all very annoying and will see what you post.
[/quote]
What are you talking about JB?

 

[gillumhouse]

If this was the story and not the asking for money I would like to discuss.
But I would like to discuss the premise anyway
What if EVERY HOTEL NOW did this, vs building a place to draw people in to do this? In other words, let's recycle repurpose - let's do it now, not build yet another place. What if each innkeeper/hotelier had a purpose, a cause, a way to change lives while you slept? Well many do. But maybe they aren't telling anyone about it.
Two comments from me (generalizing here so bear with me)
#1 If you want to attract millennials then this is something to consider, they do not want to work and pay the man without it being accounted for in some worthy way. They are the ones who are doing volunteering vacations and such. Unlike older travelers who many don't give a rip, millennials care about the environment, world hunger and the future.
#2 What you stand for can either attract or detract guests. for every inn that sponsors ending global hunger and providing clean water there may be an inn who sponsors something not as overwhelmingly acceptable. If you are involved you do not see this but the public will, so be careful.
Example: I saw an inn with a solar panel farm and they had a whole page about it and the innkeepers were all over it, and it made me think I would have to listen to their schpeal for hours and try to be sold solar panels, and I would shy away. I went to TA and saw they did indeed do this, fwiw.
Example 2: Rescuing animals. This is a fantastic cause, but if you are a zealot, then I know I will hear about this for hours and there will be animals running around the inn. If you share extreme groups on your website or Facebook page, I will see it.
And btw be assured we are all now checking your Facebook pages. If you are or sharing political slams, cartoons, news or commentary, we will go there, especially right now, but it is all very annoying and will see what you post..

And btw be assured we are all now checking your Facebook pages. If you are or sharing political slams, cartoons, news or commentary, we will go there, especially right now, but it is all very annoying and will see what you post.

What are you talking about JB?
.

[/QUOTE]
I think she means that guests are checking our FB posts to see who WE are and where we stand on issues. I know some employers are doing this with their employees and potential employees before hiring.

 

[user 26]

I got bored and didn't read through the whole website. I see they didn't make their initial kickstarter goal so are trying again. They got close to $800,000 in pledges.
My big question is why build from the ground up? Why not buy an existing place for say $500,000 and renovate it? Help out an exiting innkeeper, employ locals. Etc. Reuse and repurpose ...

 

[Arks]

I got bored and didn't read through the whole website. I see they didn't make their initial kickstarter goal so are trying again. They got close to $800,000 in pledges.
My big question is why build from the ground up? Why not buy an existing place for say $500,000 and renovate it? Help out an exiting innkeeper, employ locals. Etc. Reuse and repurpose ....

My big question is why build from the ground up? Why not buy an existing place for say $500,000 and renovate it? Help out an exiting innkeeper, employ locals. Etc. Reuse and repurpose ...

I didn't know they were building from the ground up, but if you do a good renovation of an exiting building, it can often cost more than building new from the ground up. Depends on how much demolition and changing you do, and what kind of old plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, and structural problems you run into.

 

[user 26]

Could be. Yes renovation is expensive.
But I am continually frustrated when I see land cleared or demo for building or tearing down and gutting and always hope to see a structure stay ... I like old better than new.
Anyway, I can't imagine being able to build a BIG hotel for about $2 mil. taking two to three years to build. Don't know how many guest rooms he's talking.

 

[Arks]

Could be. Yes renovation is expensive.
But I am continually frustrated when I see land cleared or demo for building or tearing down and gutting and always hope to see a structure stay ... I like old better than new.
Anyway, I can't imagine being able to build a BIG hotel for about $2 mil. taking two to three years to build. Don't know how many guest rooms he's talking..

I am continually frustrated when I see land cleared or demo for building or tearing down and gutting and always hope to see a structure stay ... I like old better than new.

Me too. I could never have afforded or justified the expense of restoring my old building had it not been for the federal and state income tax credits. I haven't paid a penny of income tax in three years, and won't for a long time to come. The tax credits are paying 45% of the total cost of the project.