Quote from a B&B owner - just an FYI for all Inn-sitters or Aspiring

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bbinnsitters

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I am reconsidering the trip in March because finances will be tight. I'm also not thrilled with all of these innsitters that charge a daily rate, plus extra for mileage plus extra to do any actual innkeeping like cleaning the rooms, cooking breakfast, checking in guests!! I am astounded that people call themselves interim innkeepers when all they want to do is housesit. I've been to half a dozen websites and it seems that everyone is nickel and diming on their services.
 
THose always astounded me as well. That's why we always just closed. Who can afford to pay for all of the services? My good friend does it all..whatever the innkeeper needs... for a basic per day rate. I think that is the way it should be.
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.)
 
Thank you for bringing that point up Suellen. The nickle and diming is one of the big reasons that smaller inns choose to close rather than hire an innsitter. We have 4 rooms and decided to close the first few years because of the expense and frankly I was appalled that the innsitters were charging extra to even freshen up a room. We finally found a wonderful couple with a lot of experience who I felt represented the style and image of our B&B and they charge a fair rate. Their daily rate includes all cleaning, cooking, greeting, reservation making, and even taking care of our animals. If there are no guests, the daily rate drops for that day. Their daily rate is slightly less than my least expensive room. If we choose a time for our vacation in a season that is fairly busy, it's definitely worth hiring someone you trust to take care of things when you are away.
To me, the key is that they have a lot of experience (I know we differ on this Suellen) and that their personalities and style match yours. The first time they inn sat for us, we were a little nervous, but now we are able to have confidence when we leave knowing that our guests and reputation are well taken care of and that we actually have made money while we were gone!
 
THose always astounded me as well. That's why we always just closed. Who can afford to pay for all of the services? My good friend does it all..whatever the innkeeper needs... for a basic per day rate. I think that is the way it should be..
The problem with a standard daily rate is that there is no standard B&B or inn. Each is different and each requires a different amount of time/energy/skillsets from the innsitter.
It's true that some of the pricing structures that I see do seem a little bit complicated but my guess is that most innsitters who do that are trying to put something online that allows the inn owner to see for him/herself just what kind of rate they might expect from that particular innsitter. Most of those complex structures would scare me off so I understand the apprehension.
But a 4 room B&B is just not the same as a 12 room inn so the rates need to take that into consideration. And even among the smallest of B&Bs, there are major differences. Is there a cleaning crew or any other part-time staff? Is there a wine/social hour? Is breakfast a buffet or made to order? Will the inn be super busy or relatively slow? All impact the services the innsitter will provide, thus making a standard rate difficult.
I think most innsitters would be best served by having a fairly extensive list of services that are included within a daily rate that has a range, rather than a breakdown for each particular service. IMHO.
 
Where are you located? Our innsitters only have I think three rates - housesit, mini operation and full operation but I can't recall. They are located in central Virginia and very charming but not afraid to scrub a bathroom.
RIki
 
THose always astounded me as well. That's why we always just closed. Who can afford to pay for all of the services? My good friend does it all..whatever the innkeeper needs... for a basic per day rate. I think that is the way it should be..
The problem with a standard daily rate is that there is no standard B&B or inn. Each is different and each requires a different amount of time/energy/skillsets from the innsitter.
It's true that some of the pricing structures that I see do seem a little bit complicated but my guess is that most innsitters who do that are trying to put something online that allows the inn owner to see for him/herself just what kind of rate they might expect from that particular innsitter. Most of those complex structures would scare me off so I understand the apprehension.
But a 4 room B&B is just not the same as a 12 room inn so the rates need to take that into consideration. And even among the smallest of B&Bs, there are major differences. Is there a cleaning crew or any other part-time staff? Is there a wine/social hour? Is breakfast a buffet or made to order? Will the inn be super busy or relatively slow? All impact the services the innsitter will provide, thus making a standard rate difficult.
I think most innsitters would be best served by having a fairly extensive list of services that are included within a daily rate that has a range, rather than a breakdown for each particular service. IMHO.
.
Yes, just need to be comparing apples to apples here. Small B & B rates will be much different than a larger inn set up. Needs and services will differ.
 
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them)
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
 
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them).
I think most innsitters do just that: whatever you would normally do. The thing is, every inn owner does things differently and handle a different range of services themselves.
If the inn owner cleans the toilets, I clean the toilets. If it's a 16 room inn with staff, I oversee the staff. If the owner staffs the desk every day, so do I. And I think that's true for most innsitters.
So often the innsitters with those complex fee structures got the idea for those separate fees for separate services from the innkeeping classes they took. They're generally not experienced innkeepers themselves so are just not thinking in terms of how to make this whole thing as simple as possible for someone who just needs a break without having to feel nickled and dimed about it.
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
Wow, if you were sitting my inn and I saw you telling the universe what my inn was making I would NOT be happy...
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
Wow, if you were sitting my inn and I saw you telling the universe what my inn was making I would NOT be happy...
.
Actually I didn't tell anyone on this forum where I'm innsitting, much for the same reason you keep information on this forum to yourself.
I appreciate your concern but I am a professional and take my responsibilities, including that to privacy, quite seriously.
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
Wow, if you were sitting my inn and I saw you telling the universe what my inn was making I would NOT be happy...
.
Actually I didn't tell anyone on this forum where I'm innsitting, much for the same reason you keep information on this forum to yourself.
I appreciate your concern but I am a professional and take my responsibilities, including that to privacy, quite seriously.
.
In my opinion, divulging the financial information of any inn by an inn-sitter, no matter how untraceable or incognito, on a public forum is not sound practice.
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
Wow, if you were sitting my inn and I saw you telling the universe what my inn was making I would NOT be happy...
.
Actually I didn't tell anyone on this forum where I'm innsitting, much for the same reason you keep information on this forum to yourself.
I appreciate your concern but I am a professional and take my responsibilities, including that to privacy, quite seriously.
.
In my opinion, divulging the financial information of any inn by an inn-sitter, no matter how untraceable or incognito, on a public forum is not sound practice.
.
Huh? How is untraceable or incognito (your words, not mine) divulging?
 
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them).
Joey Bloggs said:
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them)
That's how mine work. They also take care of the pup so that's a $25 per day I'm not paying.
RIki
 
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them).
Joey Bloggs said:
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them)
That's how mine work. They also take care of the pup so that's a $25 per day I'm not paying.
RIki
.
Exactly. I think when all the services, the number of hours and level of responsibility are considered, most innsitters are a bargain!
 
I think what you're finding are professional inn 'managers.' They will undertake your job for a flat fee IF you have staff that they will be directing to do the actual 'labor.' If you don't have staff then they expect to be paid for all aspects of the job. The management part, the housekeeping part, the front desk part, etc.
Remember everytime the someone does a 'report' on what a stay-at-home mom would get if she were paid? No one could afford to hire a mom!
However, if you have a large inn with staff and are busy year around, you cannot afford to close for vacation. There is too much missed opportunity. Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
(BTW, I close, I don't hire anyone because we always travel when it's very slow here.).
Morticia said:
Even if you have to pay someone more than you bring in while they are there, you have not lost your momentum. There's something to be said for that.
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
My experience is that significantly more revenue comes in during my stay than my fee. The inn I've been innsitting for the last 5 days, for instance, has averaged around $1400 per day. And I can assure you that I'm not getting paid anything close to that!
Wow, if you were sitting my inn and I saw you telling the universe what my inn was making I would NOT be happy...
.
Actually I didn't tell anyone on this forum where I'm innsitting, much for the same reason you keep information on this forum to yourself.
I appreciate your concern but I am a professional and take my responsibilities, including that to privacy, quite seriously.
.
In my opinion, divulging the financial information of any inn by an inn-sitter, no matter how untraceable or incognito, on a public forum is not sound practice.
.
Huh? How is untraceable or incognito (your words, not mine) divulging?
.
I'm so sorry they are ganging up on you today nice innkeeper to go lady! I knew I would be forgotten soon...don't you people have an Inn to run instead of spending your day bashing people? Some of you may want to learn to read as well. And I thought it was because I was the newcomer
devil_smile.gif
. MOST (not all) off you are offensive and hateful and can't read or take a sincere apology (therefore you would have read my apology to the almighty catlady instead of continuing to bash me).
Aren't there some toilets to be cleaned? Websites to be worked on? You must not have ANY business if you spend all day being nasty to people! Nice "Innkeeper to Go" lady said nice things about you guys yesterday and gave me the truth...now you are after her! Guess what! I am purposely being offensive now...so block me..de thread me or what ever else you wanna do...you people are cruel and bored.
 
Years ago I inquired about innsitting rates - there was a per day fee, plus a room cleaning fee, plus so much per breakfast per person. This convinced me to just block the rooms and go. Even if I broke even with revenue and innsitter fees, I would be in the hole for utilities and supplies. I have blocked rooms in January even though DH will be here. Only once did I take a rez that he would have to handle - because there was a horse involved. I had everything ready in the fridge for him to put in oven or put on the table before I left and he made a diagram of a place setting.
If I had an emergency and had reservations, I would contact the other B & Bs in the area to try to book them there instead.
 
The only reason I would have an innsitter would be to do IT ALL, not just man the front desk. and take the money. I do it all, so they would do it all. That is where we are, and how we operate. (at my inn at my location, not speaking for any others they do what they do and it works for them).
I think most innsitters do just that: whatever you would normally do. The thing is, every inn owner does things differently and handle a different range of services themselves.
If the inn owner cleans the toilets, I clean the toilets. If it's a 16 room inn with staff, I oversee the staff. If the owner staffs the desk every day, so do I. And I think that's true for most innsitters.
So often the innsitters with those complex fee structures got the idea for those separate fees for separate services from the innkeeping classes they took. They're generally not experienced innkeepers themselves so are just not thinking in terms of how to make this whole thing as simple as possible for someone who just needs a break without having to feel nickled and dimed about it.
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
If the inn owner cleans the toilets, I clean the toilets. If it's a 16 room inn with staff, I oversee the staff. If the owner staffs the desk every day, so do I. And I think that's true for most innsitters
I'm familiar with Suellen's rates, as I've met her and have contracted her to innsit for me in February. I looked at your website, also - just to get an idea. You have listed room turnovers as an extra fee of $25 - or is that old information? Just trying to get a comparison here. Your way of breaking costs out is more standard than Suellen's, although Suellen's was more compelling to me with six rooms during a shoulder season.
 
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