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YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
You won't be able to do it alone. Not unless you really want to burn out. You are going to have to give up doing some parts of it.
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too.
We could easily flip 7 rooms everyday when we first bought this place. Did we want to do that? No. Could we do it now, 15 years later? Not a chance.
I strongly recommend you find help before your busy season starts. Are you doing weekly rentals or nightly? That makes a huge difference.
You do not want to spend every waking moment working. You want to enjoy the place you live in.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too.
Three sets of everything is a must. We have done six rooms alone for the past 13 years, we are now both 65. Couldn't handle any more alone... 11 is impossible.
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too.
I worked as a housekeeper many years ago. We would not have been assigned more than 5 or 6 rooms a day. I suggest you will need help.
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
I have to echo what others have said, but much will depend on you, the inn/location, volume and timing of guests. We have 8 rooms, no food service, in my 40's I thought we needed more rooms, in my 70's, well at times it seems at times we never get done, but it will depend on the flow of your business. We tend to be busy weekends, holidays, and a few certain peak times, not so busy mid-week, works well for our needs, but if you need to be busy all 7 days, well I don't envy the work that will be needed.
Cottages strike me as a mixed blessing, nice not to have everyone in your home, but having looked at some similar arrangements and the idea of carrying laundry and supplies looked like a lot of work to me, still wish you every success.
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
I have to echo what others have said, but much will depend on you, the inn/location, volume and timing of guests. We have 8 rooms, no food service, in my 40's I thought we needed more rooms, in my 70's, well at times it seems at times we never get done, but it will depend on the flow of your business. We tend to be busy weekends, holidays, and a few certain peak times, not so busy mid-week, works well for our needs, but if you need to be busy all 7 days, well I don't envy the work that will be needed.
Cottages strike me as a mixed blessing, nice not to have everyone in your home, but having looked at some similar arrangements and the idea of carrying laundry and supplies looked like a lot of work to me, still wish you every success.
.
JimBoone said:
cottages .... the idea of carrying laundry and supplies looked like a lot of work to me
We have a golf cart to cart everything around. Some of our cleaners will use their own car (especially if they have their own equipment, i.e. contractors).
We have big plastic tote bins for each cottage, labelled on the outside with a permanent marker with an inventory of what's needed for each cottage. We pack these ahead of time with all the sheets, towels, paper goods, etc... that will be needed for that cottage, so when the cleaning crew come in they can just grab the bin for their assigned cottage and go.
 
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
We are zoned C-1 commercial too..
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I :) We think we can do it since it's cottages not in our house and we have 3 sets of everything. Here's hoping!
I have to echo what others have said, but much will depend on you, the inn/location, volume and timing of guests. We have 8 rooms, no food service, in my 40's I thought we needed more rooms, in my 70's, well at times it seems at times we never get done, but it will depend on the flow of your business. We tend to be busy weekends, holidays, and a few certain peak times, not so busy mid-week, works well for our needs, but if you need to be busy all 7 days, well I don't envy the work that will be needed.
Cottages strike me as a mixed blessing, nice not to have everyone in your home, but having looked at some similar arrangements and the idea of carrying laundry and supplies looked like a lot of work to me, still wish you every success.
.
JimBoone said:
cottages .... the idea of carrying laundry and supplies looked like a lot of work to me
We have a golf cart to cart everything around. Some of our cleaners will use their own car (especially if they have their own equipment, i.e. contractors).
We have big plastic tote bins for each cottage, labelled on the outside with a permanent marker with an inventory of what's needed for each cottage. We pack these ahead of time with all the sheets, towels, paper goods, etc... that will be needed for that cottage, so when the cleaning crew come in they can just grab the bin for their assigned cottage and go.
.
OnTheShore said:
We have a golf cart to cart everything around. Some of our cleaners will use their own car (especially if they have their own equipment, i.e. contractors).
Golf cart sounds like a good plan (cleaners sounds even better), but was thinking flyingace71 was speaking of being mom & pop like us. We once looked a beautiful B&B facing the river (smaller) thinking it a way to wind down and enjoy life more, but after looking and considering the stairs and the laundry being under a separate cottage up the hill, decided we were better off with what we knew. Would have needed an oxygen tank to make it up the hill.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
.
Morticia said:
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
Sounds familiar, a few years in the business at age 50 and one youngster at home I would have loved to have had 22 rooms and thought we could manage that number, today at age 76 and our daughter helping, some days are a struggle with our 8 rooms. We have changed, time takes it toll, we are older and tire faster. The guests and business have changed, looking back to our beginning we might have been one of the better "cheap" places in town, business was often the overflow when town was full. Today I feel we compete with the "nice" places in town, we have our following of really nice guests and put a lot of effort into details to ensure their return and most depart as friends.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I run 5 or 6 rooms and all year round I have a person who comes in to do a weekly deep clean and in the high season, I have someone who comes in for 3 to 4 hours a day. We even limit our hours and do self check-in. But at 7 days a week for months on end, with no help... I'd be burnt. Even this way, we find it tough around 3/4 of the season through. And we take LONG vacations.
When I was younger, I did all the rooms,and had no high season help... but I can't do it all anymore. Even with the help, I make breakfast each day, I do the accounting, answer calls, do all the laundry, buy supplies, etc. But I ALWAYS had that person who comes in once a week who does the deep clean. And on the day the deep clean person comes in, I still make breakfast, do the beds and do all the laundry, including all their rags. They are here 7 or 8 hours making sure that everything is tip top... no dust on the artwork, no dust bunnies under the beds, mopping floors, etc. So even with help, there is plenty to do. And you don't want to be "worn out" when you answer the door for guests.
But we warn guests we only do check-in from 3PM to 5:59PM, before that, you pay, after that you check-in yourself. Best foot forward at arrival time... and those who arrive early... learn quickly, there is a price for showing up at 2:30PM and thinking it will be okay....
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
.
I can see how you would be skeptical. Definitely not saying it's easy or for everyone. And I probably should have added that we outsource what we need to and have a few other unique circumstances to our place. We keep up just fine though and look forward to our breaks. We get some decent downtime in the early spring (now) and late fall due to our geographic location. We know our high and low times and plan accordingly. I realize some of you have year round, fully occupied Inns & Bnb's, and in that case, your right, we would be dead on our feet at 22 rooms. I would love to have something around 10 rooms.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
.
Morticia said:
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
Sounds familiar, a few years in the business at age 50 and one youngster at home I would have loved to have had 22 rooms and thought we could manage that number, today at age 76 and our daughter helping, some days are a struggle with our 8 rooms. We have changed, time takes it toll, we are older and tire faster. The guests and business have changed, looking back to our beginning we might have been one of the better "cheap" places in town, business was often the overflow when town was full. Today I feel we compete with the "nice" places in town, we have our following of really nice guests and put a lot of effort into details to ensure their return and most depart as friends.
.
I agree with you. Time does take its toll. Not for everyone and things definitely change. I was simply trying to say it IS possible for someone with the right drive and a clear plan.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I run 5 or 6 rooms and all year round I have a person who comes in to do a weekly deep clean and in the high season, I have someone who comes in for 3 to 4 hours a day. We even limit our hours and do self check-in. But at 7 days a week for months on end, with no help... I'd be burnt. Even this way, we find it tough around 3/4 of the season through. And we take LONG vacations.
When I was younger, I did all the rooms,and had no high season help... but I can't do it all anymore. Even with the help, I make breakfast each day, I do the accounting, answer calls, do all the laundry, buy supplies, etc. But I ALWAYS had that person who comes in once a week who does the deep clean. And on the day the deep clean person comes in, I still make breakfast, do the beds and do all the laundry, including all their rags. They are here 7 or 8 hours making sure that everything is tip top... no dust on the artwork, no dust bunnies under the beds, mopping floors, etc. So even with help, there is plenty to do. And you don't want to be "worn out" when you answer the door for guests.
But we warn guests we only do check-in from 3PM to 5:59PM, before that, you pay, after that you check-in yourself. Best foot forward at arrival time... and those who arrive early... learn quickly, there is a price for showing up at 2:30PM and thinking it will be okay....
.
I hear ya. We also have unique circumstances like the occasional self check in and specific check in hours, etc.. actually I've learned alot from this forum in regards to policy and operation. (Thanks all!) We do outsource what we need to, which helps.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
Not true for all. It can be done :)
My husband and I own a 22 room winter/summer lodge, w/ a cocktail bar, and we do it ALL. We've owned for almost 5 years and we used to hire one part timer, around 12-15 hrs a week to help us with housekeeping. We didn't re-hire after our last one quit because it's very hard to find good quality help in our area (and frankly, I gave up on trying to find someone who would just show up for an interview). It does take some dedication, but after a while you find a routine, you find patterns in your renters and schedule, and learn how to be efficient as a team. We also have 2 young children factored in. I would kill to have only 11 rooms ;)
.
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
.
Morticia said:
I will completely disagree with being able to care for 22 guest rooms with 2 people only when those 2 people are also parents and the owners. You can be as efficient as you want, but something is suffering somewhere.
Sounds familiar, a few years in the business at age 50 and one youngster at home I would have loved to have had 22 rooms and thought we could manage that number, today at age 76 and our daughter helping, some days are a struggle with our 8 rooms. We have changed, time takes it toll, we are older and tire faster. The guests and business have changed, looking back to our beginning we might have been one of the better "cheap" places in town, business was often the overflow when town was full. Today I feel we compete with the "nice" places in town, we have our following of really nice guests and put a lot of effort into details to ensure their return and most depart as friends.
.
I agree with you. Time does take its toll. Not for everyone and things definitely change. I was simply trying to say it IS possible for someone with the right drive and a clear plan.
.
BRLodge said:
I was simply trying to say it IS possible for someone with the right drive and a clear plan.
Morning BRLodge, I took a minute and looked at your website, envy for the days when we were the young couple, wish we could have started this business at your point in life, it is a time when many things are possible. I look forward to seeing you and your ideas here on the forum.
 
When we bought our 6 room BnB, we had one housekeeper and she was great. We cleaned rooms occasionally, but she did most of the cleaning.
We now have an 8 room BnB, two cottages, and clean for another 6 unit property. We have 2 full time housekeepers and they are wonderful.
My philosophy is that I can earn money elsewhere to pay someone to do a better job than I can. I am not the best cleaner, I don't like to clean, I'm not good at it, and my standard of clean is nowhere good enough for our business. Shelley's is and she's wonderful, but we just don't want to do it. We would rather work doing something that we like to do and pay other people to do it.
Plus we are supporting our community. There is another aspect to having employees and it is giving some back to the community. We are giving jobs to people. I fully believe that is an important function of a business. We are glad that we're able to do that. It's a win-win for us. We could easily save money by doing some stuff ourselves, but we don't want to work ourselves to death doing things that we don't really care to do.
 
flyingace71 said:
YIPE, we just bought an 11 room Inn and it's just my wife and I...and we have 3 sets of everything.
Impossible without the burnout mentioned above (I predict burnout in 2 weeks if it's busy season), unless you...
  • Do a half-way job of cleaning or
  • Hire help or
  • Lose business by having to block off a LOT of rooms on the schedule so you have time to do same-day flips on the ones that are booked for that afternoon.
  • Have access to a time machine that can generate more hours between 11 a.m. check out and 4 p.m. check in.
Good luck!.
I have to agree here. Although you might can be great with this out of the gate, your stamina in the long run will eventually wane pretty hard. There will come a time when you are sitting in your recliner thinking, "I just don't want to get up and clean rooms today." Instead of thinking of ways to expand and grow your business, you're thinking of ways to cut back, like closing part of the week.
 
Hi everyone, I just joined the Innspiring forum and am a broker/owner of a vacation rental/retreat and event property in Connecticut. I am just listing for sale "The Auberge at Feather Hill" which was formerly a 7 bedroom/6.5 bath B&B and can be changed back to this use plus there is a one bedroom owner's cottage plus land to build 1-2 houses + barn, priced to sell at $825,000. I am moving so I have to sell. See the website for all the details: https://ctproperty.yolasite.com/
 
I would say 5 rooms, as have I. In the US, 5 rooms is a general upper limit for a residential use with B&B; more that is commercial use. That cut off is reflected in the Uniform Building Code (egress), the ADA guidelines (not required to allow service animals), by most local zoning (use permit not required), and in my great state of Oregon, B&B with 5 or fewer can serve beer and wine without a license. The 5 rooms gives me a real income boost when there is high local demand, and in slow times, i'm effectively running a 2 room, and my labor is correspondingly reduced.
 
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