So Erik has sold....

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egoodell

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Swirt,
Does this mean an even more "big business" approach to Bedandbreakfast.com, Webervations and Rezovation? I'm glad I have been researching alternatives.
Does anyone know anything about this company he sold to??
Somewhat sudden.
Hmmm
Riki
 
I didn't even read the email. I thought it was another 'buy our products' email blast. Can you post the email?
 
WHAT??? Please clarify we don't know what you are talking about here.
 
[COLOR= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Dear innkeepers, members, customers, and friends,

We are excited to announce that BedandBreakfast.com, RezOvation/Webervations and Inns.com have been acquired by HomeAway®, another Austin, TX-based company.

HomeAway is the global leader in the vacation rental marketplace and is making a large-scale, concerted effort to provide a wide range of alternatives to chain hotels. They are a great fit for BedandBreakfast.com and RezOvation; the same teams you have worked with for years will be staying intact, both in Austin and in Ohio. Like BedandBreakfast.com, HomeAway is focused on making it simpler than ever for travelers to easily find unique and memorable travel experiences. They are used to working with tens of thousands of independent property owners and property managers and helping them promote their businesses to the world. They have built a great company full of smart folks and I am confident that our combined businesses will be able to meet innkeepers' needs better than ever. HomeAway is also working hard to let folks know that there are reliable alternatives to chain hotels. You may have seen their recent commercial during the Super Bowl featuring the Griswolds. You can visit their website by clicking here, and see the Super Bowl ad here. Please click here to read our FAQ for more details.

Aside from my wife and three kids, this business has been my baby, my life and my passion for the last 15 years; selling the business now was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made. The more I thought about what this opportunity meant for our member innkeepers and customers, as well as for our dedicated team of employees, the more I realized that this opportunity was too good to pass up. I remain as passionate about our industry now as I was when I came up with the idea for the business back in 1994. While I will remain regularly involved in the company as the founder and look forward to seeing many of you at conferences around the country and on the various online forums, I will be stepping down from the day-to-day operations of the business. John Banczak, who has been with the company for six years, will remain with the business and will run both BedandBreakfast.com and RezOvation. Sandy Soule will also be working with the business in a role similar to my own for the next year.

I have complete confidence in the teams we have built and in their ability to continue to deliver the best products and services in the industry, along with the on-going support that you have come to expect. I am equally confident in the folks from HomeAway and their ability to take the business to the next level. Here's to an exciting year ahead of us as we blaze new trails for the B&B industry to bring you more guests than ever before.

All the best and I hope to see many of you at PAII next week!
Eric
[/COLOR]
 
[COLOR= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Dear innkeepers, members, customers, and friends,

We are excited to announce that BedandBreakfast.com, RezOvation/Webervations and Inns.com have been acquired by HomeAway®, another Austin, TX-based company.

HomeAway is the global leader in the vacation rental marketplace and is making a large-scale, concerted effort to provide a wide range of alternatives to chain hotels. They are a great fit for BedandBreakfast.com and RezOvation; the same teams you have worked with for years will be staying intact, both in Austin and in Ohio. Like BedandBreakfast.com, HomeAway is focused on making it simpler than ever for travelers to easily find unique and memorable travel experiences. They are used to working with tens of thousands of independent property owners and property managers and helping them promote their businesses to the world. They have built a great company full of smart folks and I am confident that our combined businesses will be able to meet innkeepers' needs better than ever. HomeAway is also working hard to let folks know that there are reliable alternatives to chain hotels. You may have seen their recent commercial during the Super Bowl featuring the Griswolds. You can visit their website by clicking here, and see the Super Bowl ad here. Please click here to read our FAQ for more details.

Aside from my wife and three kids, this business has been my baby, my life and my passion for the last 15 years; selling the business now was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made. The more I thought about what this opportunity meant for our member innkeepers and customers, as well as for our dedicated team of employees, the more I realized that this opportunity was too good to pass up. I remain as passionate about our industry now as I was when I came up with the idea for the business back in 1994. While I will remain regularly involved in the company as the founder and look forward to seeing many of you at conferences around the country and on the various online forums, I will be stepping down from the day-to-day operations of the business. John Banczak, who has been with the company for six years, will remain with the business and will run both BedandBreakfast.com and RezOvation. Sandy Soule will also be working with the business in a role similar to my own for the next year.

I have complete confidence in the teams we have built and in their ability to continue to deliver the best products and services in the industry, along with the on-going support that you have come to expect. I am equally confident in the folks from HomeAway and their ability to take the business to the next level. Here's to an exciting year ahead of us as we blaze new trails for the B&B industry to bring you more guests than ever before.

All the best and I hope to see many of you at PAII next week!
Eric
[/COLOR].
Well this company is obviously well known in cabin rental circles as many of the cabins in our town are listed here. Remains to be seen if they keep all things intact or what. But with the "BRANDING" of B & B .com....I expect that will remain a stand alone and not get incorporated into Home Away...though they may add the B & B's in there as well. Hmmm should be interesting to see what develops.
 
And perhaps B&Bs will get their own Superbowl ad next year!
 
Swirt,
Does this mean an even more "big business" approach to Bedandbreakfast.com, Webervations and Rezovation? I'm glad I have been researching alternatives.
I have no idea. Not sure why you are asking me. Did you mean to address this to John?
Somewhat sudden.
Corporate sales are almost never announced before they are a done deal. Things like this may have been in the works for years and nobody would know about it until the day the sale is finalized.
Typically the only time you hear about it ahead of time is if the company is faultering and needs rescuing ... which is probably not the case here.
 
Well I will try to keep optimistic about keeping the vacation rentals apart from the bandb site BUT, the B&B industry has a difiuclt time as it is keeping their own branding seperate from hotels big and small as well as the vacation rentals. Or maybe this will be to the benefit of each industry with lots more clarity of the differences. Here's hoping!
 
Well I will try to keep optimistic about keeping the vacation rentals apart from the bandb site BUT, the B&B industry has a difiuclt time as it is keeping their own branding seperate from hotels big and small as well as the vacation rentals. Or maybe this will be to the benefit of each industry with lots more clarity of the differences. Here's hoping!.
Here's a VACATION RENTAL listing in our town and I say this "tongue in cheek" $750 a night!!!!
IT is on the market right now. This site also allows for another place for reviews. I did a search for bed and breakfast and one did come up.
 
I would think that the B&B.com brand would remain separate from the vacation rentals...at least I hope.
 
HomeAway buys B&B competitor
Austin Business Journal

[FONT= 'Times New Roman']The Austin vacation rental marketplace now owns the bed and breakfast site's more than 10000-property directory covering more than 100 countries. ...[/FONT]
 
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us.
 
So I hear that this Home Away has been buying up all the vacation rental online companies and the prices went up right after. The owner started as a car sales company of some sort. They have a booking calendar system too.
That's what I'm concerned about, the cost going up. And their website is awful. Not attractive at all.
I'm glad I've been searching for alternatives. I was hoping to put off changing until we had the other three rooms up, but may have to change sooner than planned. I'll wait and see if the service or rates are affected. It may be getting too big and too much of a "take care of all kinds of bookings" rather than a "B&B booking service". I am not confident of being with a huge "jack of all trades" setup.
RIki
 
Well I will try to keep optimistic about keeping the vacation rentals apart from the bandb site BUT, the B&B industry has a difiuclt time as it is keeping their own branding seperate from hotels big and small as well as the vacation rentals. Or maybe this will be to the benefit of each industry with lots more clarity of the differences. Here's hoping!.
Here's a VACATION RENTAL listing in our town and I say this "tongue in cheek" $750 a night!!!!
IT is on the market right now. This site also allows for another place for reviews. I did a search for bed and breakfast and one did come up.
.
Wow that is some 'vacation rental', the price does not suprise me after seeing it, have seen many with prices near that in prime places.
Ah, I finally found a way to search for bed and breakfast and saw the listing. Wonder how many times they are asked about whole house rentals and what that question leads to? With the price of the ad on this site being comparable to bandb.com, wonder why the owner would place their ad here rather than bandb.com?
 
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us..
Morticia said:
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us.
I hope so but Home Away is huge - makes Eric's empire look small, I am told by those listed with Home Away. They are not sure that this will be such a good thing. We'll have to wait and see. I for one hope they don't lump us all together. I don't want to be grouped with cabin rentals and such. They are NOT my niche market, and their websites are not attractive at all to me.
I think too that it's great timing for the new directory - I think it's by Resnexus? Let's hope they stay with just B&Bs.
RIki
 
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us..
Morticia said:
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us.
I hope so but Home Away is huge - makes Eric's empire look small, I am told by those listed with Home Away. They are not sure that this will be such a good thing. We'll have to wait and see. I for one hope they don't lump us all together. I don't want to be grouped with cabin rentals and such. They are NOT my niche market, and their websites are not attractive at all to me.
I think too that it's great timing for the new directory - I think it's by Resnexus? Let's hope they stay with just B&Bs.
RIki
.
Sorry but Res Nexus is going for the WHOLE market. Hotels etc etc.
 
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us..
Morticia said:
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us.
I hope so but Home Away is huge - makes Eric's empire look small, I am told by those listed with Home Away. They are not sure that this will be such a good thing. We'll have to wait and see. I for one hope they don't lump us all together. I don't want to be grouped with cabin rentals and such. They are NOT my niche market, and their websites are not attractive at all to me.
I think too that it's great timing for the new directory - I think it's by Resnexus? Let's hope they stay with just B&Bs.
RIki
.
Sorry but Res Nexus is going for the WHOLE market. Hotels etc etc.
.
catlady said:
Sorry but Res Nexus is going for the WHOLE market. Hotels etc etc.
So I guess the day is gone when we have something just for B&Bs...*sign*.
In that case I guess I will watch and see. If they design an attractive website and the guest has the option to go into "hotels" or "B&B' or "Cabin Rentals" intiially, that would be okay. But not if they lump us all together.
I am not loving the Home Away Website design - looks like the "Walmart" of cabin rentals.
If they plan to get as big as say Orbitz or the others and don't let me have control over the booking information, then I'll definitely leave. I know of other inns who tried those routes and have had surprise guests on their doorstep during sold out high season dates. And guess when that happens who gets blamed on TripAdvisor...! Happened to someone I know and he got no customer support at all.
On the other hand, I don't think I want to be a Select Registry either. But this may force me there if they get their act together. From what I hear, they are not in 2010 but in 1990 as far as depending on their expensive book instead of the web. I'll have to go and check it out and see.
RIki
 
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us..
Morticia said:
It might mean that it will no longer be run as his 'baby' and that rather than the rants we used to get whenever we questioned something, we'll get a better response.
When a company gets as big as bnb did, it oftentimes outgrows its founders and becomes a stronger company when it is sold.
Let's hope that's the case here. Because a stronger (not 'gorilla-in-the-room' strong) company can be the best thing for all of us.
I hope so but Home Away is huge - makes Eric's empire look small, I am told by those listed with Home Away. They are not sure that this will be such a good thing. We'll have to wait and see. I for one hope they don't lump us all together. I don't want to be grouped with cabin rentals and such. They are NOT my niche market, and their websites are not attractive at all to me.
I think too that it's great timing for the new directory - I think it's by Resnexus? Let's hope they stay with just B&Bs.
RIki
.
Sorry but Res Nexus is going for the WHOLE market. Hotels etc etc.
.
catlady said:
Sorry but Res Nexus is going for the WHOLE market. Hotels etc etc.
So I guess the day is gone when we have something just for B&Bs...*sign*.
In that case I guess I will watch and see. If they design an attractive website and the guest has the option to go into "hotels" or "B&B' or "Cabin Rentals" intiially, that would be okay. But not if they lump us all together.
I am not loving the Home Away Website design - looks like the "Walmart" of cabin rentals.
If they plan to get as big as say Orbitz or the others and don't let me have control over the booking information, then I'll definitely leave. I know of other inns who tried those routes and have had surprise guests on their doorstep during sold out high season dates. And guess when that happens who gets blamed on TripAdvisor...! Happened to someone I know and he got no customer support at all.
On the other hand, I don't think I want to be a Select Registry either. But this may force me there if they get their act together. From what I hear, they are not in 2010 but in 1990 as far as depending on their expensive book instead of the web. I'll have to go and check it out and see.
RIki
.
I really don't think bedandbreakfast.com is going away. IT is too well known and its own niche.
They may post duplicate listings on the other site, but the "brandname" recognition is probably why the company was sold.
I hope the new owners realize that or they wouldn't have purchased it.
BBONLINE has pretty much stayed the same with few updates to the look of the site. They were the ones who were the car directory pre buying bbonlne.
 
Hi everyone,
I really think this is a positive for the industry.
The BedandBreakfast.com website will remain as it has been, with the same requirements, and supported by the same people, from our same offices that we will be hosting the open house at five nights from now for the PAII conference.. The Webervations support team will also remain in place in Logan Ohio.
We announced several months back that we were not raising prices this year. That has not changed either.
I believe that our industry, and specifically Innkeepers, will benefit from being a part of a larger company that is also focused on supporting and promoting independent properties to the world that is also well-funded and has the resources to take it to the next level. I feel we have made tremendous strides in getting additional exposure for the industry into the mainstream but there will always be more work to be done to do even better. The Homeaway team is positioned to pick up the torch and keep the push moving forward with us, not instead of us.
I realize there is always anxiety around change. I am confident that in combining the energy, knowledge, and most importantly - the "passion", of both organizations, we will continue to see great progress for our industry.
Please feel free to ask questions.
Sincerely,
Eric
 
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