The Grass Isn't Always Greener...

[YellowSocks]

I admit... sometimes I'm jealous. Everyone seems to have B&B's that are so much nicer than mine.
Well, there's nothing like going somewhere else to appreciate what one has!
We're staying in a beautiful B&B so we can attend a wedding. We could have driven down and back in one day, but since it's our 20th anniversary this week we thought we'd treat ourselves to a nice, relaxing trip. The rooms are spacious, and the beds are comfy, but I keep missing the things we provide for our guests... a power strip for my computer and phone charger (I finally moved the alarm clock tonight so I can sit in bed and surf). A nightstand and lamp on both sides of the bed. Cups and chocolates and fruit in the rooms. Snacks and tea. Maintenance is clearly difficult for them to keep up with, and the old windows let in noise (mostly crickets, but noticeable). The shared bathroom only has two cups, and the amenities in the drawer are clearly things left behind by other guests.
They do things differently here, which is not suprising since they have 12 rooms in two houses while we only have four. Breakfast is at a set time, and rather late. My boys woke up at 7, saying they were hungry... no snacks around and a long time until breakfast. (We did come back this evening and to a plate of cookies, which we're saving for the morning. And dh found some bottled water in the dining room.) Poor dh... no coffee until breakfast was practically ready. But then, they did have to make breakfast for 20...
They do have wifi! (Weak signal, but good enough!) And they gave us a second room for the boys so we could "enjoy our anniversary." The boys, meanwhile, have made me proud with their fabulous behavior. When we sat down for breakfast one son said, "Mommy! They make good food here!" I told him to tell the innkeeper. So, when she came out he told her, "You make good food!" She replied, "You only said that because your mommy and daddy have a B&B." But one of the other diners backed him up, saying he'd said that on his own.
And this morning the boys saw two deer out of our window. (We're in the middle of a city, but in a wooded section.) In the end, we're liking it here, but when we first arrived we weren't sure we were going to. But as I told dh, just as a bad day at the beach is better than a good day at the office, so a stay at a less than perfect B&B is better than a stay at a boxy hotel.
=)
Kk.

 

[Morticia]

OK, I feel good now. I'm rarely happy at another B&B. I'm always comparing this and that. I will say, tho, that the B&B's I've been to belonging to the posters here, have all been top notch from a guest comfort point of view! Non-forum B&B's not so much. We care a lot, this little bunch.

 

[YellowSocks]

OK, I feel good now. I'm rarely happy at another B&B. I'm always comparing this and that. I will say, tho, that the B&B's I've been to belonging to the posters here, have all been top notch from a guest comfort point of view! Non-forum B&B's not so much. We care a lot, this little bunch..

OK, I feel good now. I'm rarely happy at another B&B. I'm always comparing this and that.

Thank you. I feel better now, too.

I will say, tho, that the B&B's I've been to belonging to the posters here, have all been top notch from a guest comfort point of view! Non-forum B&B's not so much. We care a lot, this little bunch.

Well, that is, after all, why we're here! (That, and the laughs...) I want my B&B to be the best it can be... not the best B&B in the world, or even in my town, so much as the best B&B for its size and type and personality and working capital.
=)
Kk.

 

[gillumhouse]

I admit... sometimes I'm jealous. Everyone seems to have B&B's that are so much nicer than mine.
Well, there's nothing like going somewhere else to appreciate what one has!
I used to go to Assoc. meetings at these wonderful mansions and come home, look around and say "What a dump!" Then one day I was sitting in a meeting and looking at teh beautiful fretwork and the huge common area and teh gorgeous crystal chandelier in the foyer and all I could think of was, "I am sooo glad I do not have to clean this place!" I have had a whole new perspective on my B & B ever since.

 

[egoodell]

We also took a few days off not long ago and stayed at a B&B which was very nice and I was wishing that I had my other wing built so I could have more than two suites. They had a little menu which I thought was neat - you could order your breakfast from either waffles, eggs, and one other thing, I forget.
But I did notice that for the three days we ate breakfast there, they served the same fruit cup and lemon pound cake starter every day. We work hard to ensure that our guests have a different everthing every day.
Riki

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

First off CONGRATS ON THE BIG 20!!!! That is fantastic!
Secondly: the amenities in the drawer are clearly things left behind by other guests.
You mean we should save that stuff? I always toss it! Or use it.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I love it, all the info, feed us more later on.
Like THE FEEL of the place when you arrived, you know all those things that WE CARE ABOUT that others just do not get. ENJOY YOUR TIME AWAY!

 

[EmptyNest]

Yes it is good to see things from somewhere different. It makes you feel good about what you do and how much better you do it. Different strokes for different folks, but we know we do what is best

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I just love to see how others do things because maybe I am doing it all the hard way and there is a simpler method.

 

[user 26]

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be..

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be.

I've said it before and I will say it again. It is the INNKEEPERS that make the Inn.
They can make or break the inn, as well.

 

[Morticia]

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be..

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be.

This past weekend was full of first timers. Hubs gave his 'B&B speech' to them..."All B&B's are different. They each have their own personality. You need to try a lot of different ones to see what they all have to offer."
What they liked was the relaxed, homey feel. They were all set to make B&B's 'the only way to travel'. We don't want them scared off if the next place is full of antiques and run by 'help' who aren't there 24x7 and who make them feel like they are intruding.

 

[YellowSocks]

Well, we're back home now.
I have to say the thing we both missed, by far, was a hand-held shower head. I mean, how hard is that? $30 each? And it's just soooo much nicer!!!!
The bathroom had a dresser in it. As amenities on the tub consisted of an small Aveeno conditioner, I opened the drawer and found several small bottles of shampoos and condiitoners (the one I liked and used was from the Holiday Inn), as well as a larger bottle of mouthwash. Like JBJ, we either pitch or (more often) use them ourselves. (I had some great face cream after our last homestay girl left, unfortunately they only sell it in Japan...)
We did learn today that when the house was purchased in 2001 it had been neglected and stripped. The floors were falling in, and anything that could be removed (wood trim, etc.) had been either sold or stolen. Considering what they started with, they've don't pretty well, but it still was a shame that they couldn't have replaced the windows or addressed some of the leak issues they have had for years now.
We love our house and our B&B, and I will stop doubting people so much when they give us compliments on the decor, the renovations, or the amenities. Especially the amenities! They seem so basic to me, but I'd forgotten how many places don't have so many.
=)
Kk.

 

[gillumhouse]

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be..

yellow socks - i am sure your place is great!
this place i run is NOT fancy, but it is comfortable. and i try really hard to make the guests feel welcome. they respond to this over and over again. i have guests tell me they deliberately chose this place because they didn't want elegant or fancy, they wanted homey. humph! no, seriously - they are right.
it is okay to dream of running another kind of place. maybe someday you will. or maybe not. in the meantime, you see what makes your place special and make it the best it can be.

This past weekend was full of first timers. Hubs gave his 'B&B speech' to them..."All B&B's are different. They each have their own personality. You need to try a lot of different ones to see what they all have to offer."
What they liked was the relaxed, homey feel. They were all set to make B&B's 'the only way to travel'. We don't want them scared off if the next place is full of antiques and run by 'help' who aren't there 24x7 and who make them feel like they are intruding.
.

We are "coming back to Granny's house" and I am very much on the every one is different - I am small and can do things that a larger inn cannot, etc
A reporter asked me what makes me different from my competition. I told her that I do not have any competition because no other inn has ME. I said that each inn is the personality of the innkeeper. With a different innkeeper, my B & B will be totally something else.

 

[Proud Texan]

I learned a similar lesson this weekend when our guests complimented us on our attention to detail and thoughtfulness for their comfort. I had been very self concious about the landscaping. We've been in a drought and the grass is not as thick as I would have liked it and our pond is very below level. I had forgotten how impressed we were with the place when we bought it BEFORE it had been cleaned up and improvements added. I told DW that my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.
My point is this. Something made you fall in love with your place when you first aquired it. All the changing of beds and scrubbing of toilets may have taken some off some of the sparkle, but the magic is still there. B&Bs are as individual as their owners. They are a reflection of you and your personality. Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B.

 

[YellowSocks]

I learned a similar lesson this weekend when our guests complimented us on our attention to detail and thoughtfulness for their comfort. I had been very self concious about the landscaping. We've been in a drought and the grass is not as thick as I would have liked it and our pond is very below level. I had forgotten how impressed we were with the place when we bought it BEFORE it had been cleaned up and improvements added. I told DW that my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.
My point is this. Something made you fall in love with your place when you first aquired it. All the changing of beds and scrubbing of toilets may have taken some off some of the sparkle, but the magic is still there. B&Bs are as individual as their owners. They are a reflection of you and your personality. Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B..

my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.

I love that!

Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B.

Sounds like a new forum topic!
=)
Kk.

 

[Proud Texan]

I learned a similar lesson this weekend when our guests complimented us on our attention to detail and thoughtfulness for their comfort. I had been very self concious about the landscaping. We've been in a drought and the grass is not as thick as I would have liked it and our pond is very below level. I had forgotten how impressed we were with the place when we bought it BEFORE it had been cleaned up and improvements added. I told DW that my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.
My point is this. Something made you fall in love with your place when you first aquired it. All the changing of beds and scrubbing of toilets may have taken some off some of the sparkle, but the magic is still there. B&Bs are as individual as their owners. They are a reflection of you and your personality. Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B..

my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.

I love that!

Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B.

Sounds like a new forum topic!
=)
Kk.
.

I'm soooooooo deep.

 

[Samster]

I learned a similar lesson this weekend when our guests complimented us on our attention to detail and thoughtfulness for their comfort. I had been very self concious about the landscaping. We've been in a drought and the grass is not as thick as I would have liked it and our pond is very below level. I had forgotten how impressed we were with the place when we bought it BEFORE it had been cleaned up and improvements added. I told DW that my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.
My point is this. Something made you fall in love with your place when you first aquired it. All the changing of beds and scrubbing of toilets may have taken some off some of the sparkle, but the magic is still there. B&Bs are as individual as their owners. They are a reflection of you and your personality. Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B..

my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.

I love that!

Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B.

Sounds like a new forum topic!
=)
Kk.
.

I'm soooooooo deep.

.

Or, it's getting deep! haha

Seriously, that is so true. When we fix these places up, we forget how far we've brought them! Great advice from Texas!!

 

[Proud Texan]

I learned a similar lesson this weekend when our guests complimented us on our attention to detail and thoughtfulness for their comfort. I had been very self concious about the landscaping. We've been in a drought and the grass is not as thick as I would have liked it and our pond is very below level. I had forgotten how impressed we were with the place when we bought it BEFORE it had been cleaned up and improvements added. I told DW that my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.
My point is this. Something made you fall in love with your place when you first aquired it. All the changing of beds and scrubbing of toilets may have taken some off some of the sparkle, but the magic is still there. B&Bs are as individual as their owners. They are a reflection of you and your personality. Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B..

my problem is I see the property as it will be and our guest appreciate it for what it is.

I love that!

Be comfortable in your own skin and remember why you love your B&B.

Sounds like a new forum topic!
=)
Kk.
.

I'm soooooooo deep.

.

Or, it's getting deep! haha

Seriously, that is so true. When we fix these places up, we forget how far we've brought them! Great advice from Texas!!
.

Or, it's getting deep! haha

Yes, but that helps make little flowers grow. I was once told that I could be buried in the ground up to my neck and be used as a giant JOBE's Plant Stake.