From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Your website has a wealth of information, but I’m wondering if you have info on building a B&B, either from ground up or converting an existing structure that has never been a B&B.
Kit Cassingham
Insurance Coverage?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: We are in the process of establishing a gorgeous new B&B and would appreciate some guidance on what companies offer good insurance programs for B&B’s at competitive rates.
My Indiana Home as a B&B
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I am a Brit living in rural Indiana in a beautiful log home in a fantastic location with fabulous views and an appealing little tourist attraction town/area all around + wonderful forests with trails etc etc. I am going thro a divorce and want/need to start my home as a B&B- I already have my Planning and Zoning permit and have looked into quite a lot already – there seems so much to learn!
Michigan B&B Broker?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Can you recommend a realtor in the South Haven, Michigan area that can help us view potential properties and investigate the feasibility of running a B&B there?
University Town B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: we are searching for the “right” b anad b for us. We are looking now at one in a small town in New York state that is steps away from a 5,000 student university. What do you see as the pro’s and con’s of being in a small university town.
Greening of the Gillum House B&B
This is an email conversation between Sage Blossom Consulting and The Gillum House B&B, after the Gillum House innkeeper added them to Best Green Hotels:
In response to the question of “how do you handle your newspaper distribution — do you leave on at each guestroom door or have a common one for everyone to share ….”
Niche Marketing versus Creative Marketing
This is from an email conversation with the Gillum House B&B, started by the Market Niche article published in Arrington’s Bed & Breakfast Journal:
An article by Kit Cassingham in the May issue stated that one should find their niche in the bed & breakfast industry and hone in on it. Concentrating on the narrow niche that interests the innkeeper will make them more successful.
Changing Times: A 20 Year Window to the B&B Industry
Perspective on the industry changes with your longevity in the business. For those who’ve been around awhile now, you’ve seen tremendous changes in the business approach and the guest experience. What has changed and what has stayed the same? You may be surprised by my observations. Even more important, all of us will see lots of changes in the coming years. Having some perspective on the past will help you prepare for the future.
Minors Alone in Guestrooms
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Is it legal in the state of california to have a 12 year old and a 14 year old stay in a seperate room down the hall from parents?
The ADA and Your B&B: Communication Barriers
The ADA and Your B&B:
or
Removing Communication Barriers
Last month we reviewed how your inn needs to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding architectural barriers. The questions asked at the beginning of that article are just as relevant for communication barriers. Let me repeat them: Is your B&B inn ADA compliant? Do you have disabled people using your compliant guestroom(s)? Why do we have such requirements? How can you use this law to attract more guests?
Is Atlanta a good location for a B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I am considering opening a new B&B in Atlanta, Georgia. One of the concerns I have is that I have heard that a B&B is more successful in a “destination location.” Would you consider the city of Atlanta a destination location?
The ADA and Pets
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: How does the disability law and pet policies for disable persons work? Can you have a therapy dog or do you have to be blind? Are there provisions and modifications for this? Thank you
What are “normal” wages for a Managing Innkeeper ?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I’m about to become a managing innkeeper for a woman who ones the B&B already… what salarie would be appropriate? The in has 12 rooms and 8 cabins and is open 7 months a year (mostly summer and fall).
Can I Convert My Home Into a B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Hi Kit , Im glad I found your site. I own a two bedroom home in a small town in northern mich..The tourist industry is good in are area. Im thinking of turning it into a b&b. Do you think it could work? Is it possible to turn a regular house into a lodging for tourist and call it a bed and breakfast?
How to handle problems between guests…
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: If other guests give another in the inn problems and at check out he demands his money back because of the problems you say………yes immediately? offer them another chance to stay? or give them just a discount after all they still spent the entire night without complaining about the other guests. What would you do?
The ADA and Your B&B Architectural Barriers
The ADA and Your B&B: or
Removing Architectural Barriers
Is your B&B inn ADA compliant? Do you have disabled guests using your accessible guestroom(s)? Do you have non-disabled guests using your accessible guestrooms? And enjoying the rooms? Why do we have such requirements? How can you use this law to attract more guests?
Building a B&B
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: We were looking to purchase land and build our own bed and breakfast. This will be over a long period of time for us. It seems that the info we have read is about purchasing established B&Bs. Is it not wise to start from scratch? If it is ok do you have any tips?
What are the First Steps in getting into a B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I have recently become interested in opening a bed and breakfast. hat I am looking for is some information concerning the first steps to opening a bed and breakfast. Right now I have nothing financially so I need to know about what I would need to begin this adventure.
Cake Decorating
From Ask Kit:
Q: Do you know anything about edible flowers for use on wedding cakes? I have weddings booked and plan to do the cakes—I have done them before but I am looking for something more elaborate.
Marketing Your Green B&B
The most successful inns establish a specific market niche and work tirelessly to ensure all aspects of running it reflect that niche.
First Contact — Guest Check-in
An article about self-service kiosks in hotels for guest check-in just came across my desk. My first reaction was “It’s about time! I’m tired of waiting to check into my room.” My second reaction was “But that’s the time you set the tone and start the relationship with yor guests. B&Bs really have the edge on hotels — again.”
Tax Issues When Selling Your B&B
[This is from the old forum:]
Like a number of us in the B&B industry, we started the B&B in our home. The big issue comes from when it is time to sell your B&B/Home. As you should know, if you have lived in your home for two of the last five years, you may deduct for a couple, up to $500,000 of profit on the sale, tax free.
Ecotour B&Bs
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Is anyone aware of an Ecotour business that lodges it’s own clients in a B&B as well? I have seen Ecotours that take people on horseback tours, camping and hiking, or drive from town to town in vans. But, are there any that are a combined B&B and Ecotour business?
Corporate Rates?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: When a guest arrives what to say when asked about our corporate rates? Are there such rates?
Florida B&B Brokers?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I’m looking for an Inn Broker in Florida. Can you recommend a eputable broker in this area or do you also work in this area?
Who is my target market?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I’m putting together a plan for a small hotel, cabanas style, in the Yucatan peninsula. I know the occupancy rate is good, I know this is the type of hotel that is prevalent in the area, but how do I find out what type of people will be interested in a place like mine? Who is the target market?
How do I get a good understanding of the B&B industry?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I am considering being a B&B Owner/Operator and would like to be in that position within 5-7 years. I would like to better understand the ins and outs of B&Bs and how to make a successful living out of running one. Can you help? I need a guiding hand.
How do you price a potential B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I’m a real estate professional preparing to work with a client to sell a former 5BR B&B in a beautiful historic neighborhood in a small town, about 12 miles from the center of a 4-season resort area (lake, ski slope, state forests and parks). They had a successful small-scale business for approximately 8 years (booking as many guests as they could handle given outside responsiblities) before discontinuing the business about 2 years ago.
Do you have advice for selling a B&B?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I enjoyed your website, lots of information for people thinking about buying a B&B. We are selling our B&B and have found very little on the internet regarding selling B&B properties. We have had four showings in the past 5 months and are having a difficult time finding qualified buyers. We seem to attract those dreaming of the B&B lifestyle with little knowledge about what it takes to be successful or even if they can afford to do it. Most have unrealistic expectations regarding income and occupancy.
Any advice to those of us selling??
How to Clean a Bed and Breakfast
Have you ever wondered how clean “clean enough” is for your B&B inn? The answer to the question seems to be a highly personal one. Your question about cleanliness covers several areas of the inn, including laundry, housekeeping (common areas, guestrooms, bathrooms, and the kitchen), and even air quality.
Valuing a Former B&B
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: In valuing a former 5-BR B&B (business gracefully discontinued about 2 years ago due to owner’s outside job responsibilities), is there a rule-of-thumb discount as compared to a currently operating business?
Refreshed Guestroom Drinking Glasses
I recently stayed in a hotel that seems to have not exchanged used drinking glasses and coffee mugs for freshly washed ones. Gross!!! I’d heard my peers in the hospitality world suggest that was a common practice but I’d never been aware of it personally. Until last week.
Finding a B&B Broker
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: How can I make an offer for a bed and breakfast that is for sale by owner? I only know how to buy houses when I can go through the seller’s agent.
Making A Low-ball Offer
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: A B&B we are looking at that’s for sale, but not listed with a realtor, seems priced high. And the owner has told me that they have not really been trying to market or book the property. How do I present them with an offer at considerably lower price without insulting them?
Researching Value
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: We are looking at a guesthouse for sale by owner. I have researched the area land value, home sales, etc… and it seems that the price is not supported by my research.
Do you turn your heat off at night?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Do you turn off your heat at night or keep it on?
Bed and Breakfast Forums
The B&B industry is a wonderful community that I’ve been part of one way or another for almost 20 years. Through this community I have had first class mentors who have taught me hospitality, have had helpful brainstorming sessions to solve problems, have learned valuable business and marketing tips, made special friends, had sympathetic ears for venting to, and had supportive friends to crow my successes and awards to. As the industry has matured and the community has grown, there have been even more opportunities for these experiences. PAII had its first bi-annual B&B convention in Philadelphia in 1998, and the changes that have happened since then are exciting and invigorating.
Conferences are great Continuing Ed
I was reviewing some old records today and noticed that lots of my clients have attended B&B conferences while they were aspiring innkeepers but quit going after becoming innkeepers. What an interesting observation!
How far do you go in your training program?
I’ve been writing reviews of green hotels for my ECOnomically Sound http://www.economicallysound.com site and realized that training is a big problem. The lack of training and reinforcement is what keeps promises from being met.
What classes should I take now?
From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: I am an aspiring innkeeper with a deep passion to own and operate my own bed and breakfast. I have done an internship, innsat, have sanitation and CPR certificates, have graduated from culinary school. and I have joined some B&B associations. What education do I pursue now?