Arks, there are as many variables as there are inns.
#1 MOST innkeepers take on innkeeping AFTER they retire from the workforce, so if an innkeeper is say 62 and does this for 7 years that makes them 69. Get my drift? Yes there are a new breed of innkeepers who are a) those who left their corporate jobs earlier than designated retirement age b) younger with families.
#2) Many innkeepers have 1 main innkeeper, such as is in my situation, and the other half in the outside work force. What does this mean? This means the outside innkeeper comes home evenings after working all day and works at the inn, weekends are spent working at the inn, there is ne'er a day off, ne'er a day to sit around in boxer shorts to even 9am.
Meanwhile said innside innkeeper is operating the entire business from guest marketing, PR, finances, and more (depending on the inn and situation), cleaning rooms, serving breakfast, cleaning up, reservations, housekeeping, personal concierge for the guests, all shopping, laundry, and the list goes on and on.
#3) Occupancy. If someone says I can do this forever and has a very low occupancy rate, well there ya go. Apples and oranges. I have been to an inn where they occup is very very high and i have no idea how the innkeepers can live there. Truthfully, I would require a separate house or something, having people pounding their feet up the stairs above my quarters all the time would make me a maniac...more of a maniac, I should say.
#4) This is not a lifelong career, it really isn't. It is something you do, enjoy, get the most out of it and move on. Hand it off to the next set of eager innkeepers to love and pour their sweat into. Innkeepers are on while their kids get married, have kids, graduate, are in marching band, sports, have special events in their lives and...live and die...some of us have lost loved ones this year and the show must go on...Not allowing to stop and grieve, not allowing "time off."
#5) Living on the premises vs overseeing from afar are two different things. You are the one at 1am who gets the call to unclog a toilet. You are the one with guests banging on the door to check in at 4am on motorcycles. You are the one to deal with the mean, the needy, the arrogant guests any time they want, not 9 to 5. There is no formula for loving every guest who stays with us, we treat them all well and for some it is an outlet to come to the forum to complain or share a funny story. The forum was designed as a place for innkeepers to be at home and share. Some yeah too much negativity, some too much positivity.