Need some advice from the Mainiacs here...

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Penelope

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
0
You guys know that I've been looking for a B&B. I need to pick the brains of those in Maine for a minute or two. There is one for sale (turnkey) that is on Rt 1 in what I believe to be Mid-Coast Maine that my husband and I really like. Oddly enough, it's the first one we've found that we BOTH like.
From what I've researched online it doesn't SEEM to be a 3 or 4 season spot. Would you be willing to either confirm or deny that? We really are interested in this and I think when we are up there in a few weeks, we are going to schedule a showing. But I would like some real life info first...
If you would rather not do it on this forum, you can email me directly.
I am hoping my heart and my head are together on this. (Meaning my emotions and the facts.)
 
Give me the town(s), you don't have to mention the name of the place(s)...
 
Give me the town(s), you don't have to mention the name of the place(s)....
Searsport
.
emspiers said:
Searsport
OK, so here's what you do...go to bbonline or bedandbreakfast.com and find that town. How many B&B's have an avail calendar that goes beyond Columbus Day? Or starts before May? I know there is a 'sweet spot' along the coast for 4 season tourism. I also know that I have friends in Camden who close down pretty much between Thanksgiving and April.
I looked for a cople of avail calendars and all I see are the ones that make you put in each different date to see what rooms are open but not ones that allow you to look at an actual calendar. (This was brought up before by those who wondered if an empty calendar would scare guests off.)
You'll need to contact the broker and get the details for this particular place. My personal take is that it might be close enough to skiing to bring in some winter business. Definitely summer and fall. But it's iffy. That's why you need to know the numbers for the place. I know it's a long way to come for one viewing, but why not schedule to see a couple of places while you are here?
BTW, email me and let me know when you're coming. I'd be happy to meet you!
 
i am wondering if you are looking at the old sea captain's house that was a b&b until the husband passed away i think 2 years back. or maybe the watchtide that sold in around 2005 to the present owners.
anyway, i am on the midcoast and as bree says there are places that are 'dead zones' and there are also places that are busy .... and they are not so very far apart.
my feeling is this ... if you have plenty of heat and hot water, restaurants nearby and good ideas for 'hooks' you can do a year round business there. have you names of former guests you can contact with special offers? take a look at the specials offered by the limerock inn and the berry manor, both in rockland. they are masters at creating excitement and specials at all times of the year that are extremely popular.
summer places, guests sometimes fall into your lap ... more than you can handle ... and then there are dark days (weeks) when no one comes your way and you have to be very creative to draw people to you. and those dark days are in may and october!
my season in port clyde is basically memorial day to columbus day and that's it.
 
Give me the town(s), you don't have to mention the name of the place(s)....
Searsport
.
emspiers said:
Searsport
OK, so here's what you do...go to bbonline or bedandbreakfast.com and find that town. How many B&B's have an avail calendar that goes beyond Columbus Day? Or starts before May? I know there is a 'sweet spot' along the coast for 4 season tourism. I also know that I have friends in Camden who close down pretty much between Thanksgiving and April.
I looked for a cople of avail calendars and all I see are the ones that make you put in each different date to see what rooms are open but not ones that allow you to look at an actual calendar. (This was brought up before by those who wondered if an empty calendar would scare guests off.)
You'll need to contact the broker and get the details for this particular place. My personal take is that it might be close enough to skiing to bring in some winter business. Definitely summer and fall. But it's iffy. That's why you need to know the numbers for the place. I know it's a long way to come for one viewing, but why not schedule to see a couple of places while you are here?
BTW, email me and let me know when you're coming. I'd be happy to meet you!
.
Close to skiing??? How close??? Most people want to be right at the slopes..not have to drive to get there and then drive back to the B & B UNLESS say it is a 5 or 10 min. drive. Longer than that..forget it. at least in my experiences.
 
Give me the town(s), you don't have to mention the name of the place(s)....
Searsport
.
emspiers said:
Searsport
OK, so here's what you do...go to bbonline or bedandbreakfast.com and find that town. How many B&B's have an avail calendar that goes beyond Columbus Day? Or starts before May? I know there is a 'sweet spot' along the coast for 4 season tourism. I also know that I have friends in Camden who close down pretty much between Thanksgiving and April.
I looked for a cople of avail calendars and all I see are the ones that make you put in each different date to see what rooms are open but not ones that allow you to look at an actual calendar. (This was brought up before by those who wondered if an empty calendar would scare guests off.)
You'll need to contact the broker and get the details for this particular place. My personal take is that it might be close enough to skiing to bring in some winter business. Definitely summer and fall. But it's iffy. That's why you need to know the numbers for the place. I know it's a long way to come for one viewing, but why not schedule to see a couple of places while you are here?
BTW, email me and let me know when you're coming. I'd be happy to meet you!
.
Close to skiing??? How close??? Most people want to be right at the slopes..not have to drive to get there and then drive back to the B & B UNLESS say it is a 5 or 10 min. drive. Longer than that..forget it. at least in my experiences.
.
catlady said:
Close to skiing??? How close??? Most people want to be right at the slopes..not have to drive to get there and then drive back to the B & B UNLESS say it is a 5 or 10 min. drive. Longer than that..forget it. at least in my experiences.
This is a ski 'hill' that doesn't have any lodging on the property. It is the only place in the US where you can ski while overlooking the ocean.
 
Hi
I'm in Mid-Coast Maine, but further south in Damariscotta / Newcastle. We live for (and kill ourselves) for the summer months, are comfortable in the fall and have constant panic attacks in the spring and winter with a reprieve at Xmas ..... especially in an old, large, oil-heated house.
There is no question that our "off-season" business is growing steadily but it's absolutely no walk in the park. It's the leanest season and also the most expensive season (aforementioned oil, snow removal etc etc)
I wouldn't change what I do for the world, but wanted to post a potential reality check.
p.s. we honeymooned in Stockton Springs so I absolutely love the area.
p.p.s. visitors to Maine tend to think that there are the spots in the south, Portland, Boothbay Harbor, Camden & Bar Harbor and nothing else in between. Once people find the "in-betweens" they love them though.
 
Back
Top