winter 2008 innkeeping quarterly (iq)

in this issue

Winter 2008 • Volume 2, Issue 1

IQsmart reading for smart innkeeping

innkeeping quarterly

5Keeping the Inn In the Family

The Lewand Family’s Camellia Inn

10Veteran Innkeepers Speak Out

A PAII Anniversary Roundtable

32Innkeepers Join the Conversation Economy

Social Media and the Travel Business

Professional Association of Innkeepers International




cover story

5 Keeping the Inn In the Family The Lewand Family’s Camellia Inn

feature articles10 Veteran Innkeepers

Speak Out A PAII Anniversary Roundtable

23 An Evening of Wine and Cheese

departments

3 Key Notes

8 Association Spotlight

20 2008 PAII Conference and Trade Show

26 Innkeeper 2 Innkeeper

27 Food Glorious Food

29 Industry Research

32 Marketing Matters

40 Inn Sales

39 Advertisers’ Index

40 Classifieds

Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ), is PAII’s quarterly periodical. PAII has been dedicated to fostering the knowledge and expertise of keepers of the inn for nearly 20 years. In line with this mission, each issue of IQ features members of the innkeeping community and covers topics that are important to those in the innkeeping industry: real estate, food, finances, customer relations, operations, marketing, and more.

IQ: smart reading for smart innkeeping

Professional Association of Innkeepers International www.paii.org • 800.468.PAII

Winter 2008 • Volume 2, Issue 1

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About IQ:IQ is published quarterly. Subscrip-tion is included in the price of PAII membership. Editorial comments and suggestions are welcomed. To contribute, please contact Ingrid Thorson, 856-310-1102, [email protected].

Editorial Office:PAII, 207 White Horse Pike Haddon Heights, NJ 08035

IQ Staff:Contributing Editors: John Felton Laura Middleton Jeanine Zeman

Contributing Writers: Hugh Daniels Cindy Estis Green John Felton Jay Karen Debrah Mosimann Sam Neff Liza Simpson Susan Sweeney Bill Wayne

Design: Imbue Creative

Advertising Sales: Marlene Sapir

PAII Staff:Jay Karen President and CEO

Karen Hudgeons Director of Membership & Member Services

Jeanine Zeman Director of Meetings & Events

Marty DeLuca Bookkeeper

Laura Middleton Communications Coordinator

Marlene Sapir Vendor Services & Sales

Ingrid Thorson Marketing & Communications Manager


Key NotesNew Beginnings

When you receive this, our third issue of Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ), New Year’s

Day will have already passed. I hope you, like many people around the world, took some time to come up with some resolutions for improving your life and those around you. I’ve always been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. I type them up, print them on a small piece of paper and keep them in a place where I see them often. Going through the exercise of writing them down engenders a sense of commitment to them.

With this same feeling I approached the PAII Board of Directors about de-veloping a new Vision Statement and organizational goals for the associa-tion. PAII’s board, advisory council and some at-large members involved in state associations were invited to participate in the development of our vision and goals. Below is the result-ing Vision Statement that will drive the staff and volunteer leadership into the coming years. Just like New Year’s resolutions, the statement de-scribes the kind of organization we want to be.

PAII • LISTENS to the needs and de-sires of the innkeeping community, which includes aspiring, active, in-terim and retired innkeepers, as well as industry suppliers and allied organizations

PAII • SERVES the innkeeping com-munity by connecting people to share ideas, solve problems, build relationships and conduct business

PAII • REPRESENTS the innkeeping community through successful pub-lic and media relations efforts and public policy advocacy

PAII • STANDS FOR a commitment to excellence and professionalism within the innkeeping community and among the general public

PAII • LEADS the innkeeping com-munity by supplying progressive, reliable and relevant information, education and resources aimed at supporting individual success

PAII • THRIVES as a successful and formidable trade association repre-senting most innkeepers through-out the United States and beyond

We also developed numerous orga-nizational goals, which are too long to list here. But you should know that the goals aim to support several things, including developing more, relevant benefits for our members; ensuring a culture in which PAII rec-ognizes, listens and responds to our members; promoting more business for the innkeeping industry; being a better partner with all the allied as-sociations in the innkeeping world; and growing PAII, so that we may be a more resourceful and influential or-ganization on your behalf.

These are our resolutions for improv-ing the organization and those we reach. What are your resolutions? May I suggest committing to a little renewal yourself? There is no better way to renew your commitment to success and happiness in innkeeping than attending the world’s largest gathering of innkeepers. For genera-tions and generations, association annual conferences have been the very best resource for peers in a pro-fession to connect, learn and grow. PAII’s 2008 Annual Conference in sunny California this April is no dif-ferent. In a world that now offers many ways for people to connect through computers (which I think is great), nothing trumps in-person dis-course and learning, seeing the smil-ing faces of friends and peers and getting away from the business (lit-erally and figuratively) to take a fresh look at what you’re doing.

To that point, I hope you will join us in Anaheim, where I look forward to personally saying hello to you.

Happy New Year!

Jay Karen President & CEO

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5

Most bed and breakfasts and country inns are family affairs, usually owned and operated

by a husband-and-wife or even just one person, in some cases with part-time help from a spouse or other family member.

The Camellia Inn in Healdsburg, California, is in the forefront of what ap-pears to be a new trend since the B&B in-dustry emerged in the United States two decades ago: inns that have passed from the first to the second generation of fam-ily ownership.

Around the country, many Baby Boomers who bought or started inns during the 1980s and 1990s are now looking forward to retirement but want to keep their businesses within the fam-ily. The Lewand family’s success in build-ing and maintaining the Camellia Inn as a family business could provide inspira-tion for them.

Ray and Delmas (known to everyone as Del) Lewand both grew up in Los An-

geles and attended the University of Cal-ifornia at Los Angeles (UCLA) before embarking on their own careers in busi-ness. Looking to escape the congestion of southern California, and intrigued by B&Bs after a trip to Europe, in 1981 they bought an historic Victorian Italianate house just off the town plaza of Healds-burg, in Sonoma County northeast of San Francisco. Built in 1869, the house had served during the late nineteenth century as the local hospital.

Del and Ray created the town’s first li-censed B&B (other inns operated unoffi-cially at the time), with three guest rooms. Opening a B&B in Healdsburg in the early 1980s was “definitely a leap of faith,” their daughter Lucy Lewand says, because the town at that time had no restaurants, half of the houses were dilapidated, much of the now-famous central plaza was boarded up, “and no one really thought of Healdsburg as a vacation spot.”

In a story familiar to many innkeep-ers, town officials at first did not know how to respond to the Lewand’s requests for operating permits because local zon-ing and other regulations provided for hotels and motels but not bed and break-fasts. Even so, local officials welcomed the Lewands, hoping they would help revital-ize the town.

In the early years, Ray Lewand com-muted back and forth to his job as owner- manager of an insurance agency in Los Angeles, more than 500 miles away. Over

the family’s first winter in Healdsburg, the area received more than 100 inches of rain. Lucy, who came to Healdsburg to help out, says she “spent a lot of time learning what floodwaters can do to a place.”

In one rather unusual move, Ray and Del for several years shared responsibil-ity with another couple for running an inn in Casa de Los Amigas on the Mexi-can coast. One couple would run the Mexico inn for six weeks, and then the other couple would take over. Lucy spent time at the Camellia Inn during some of her parents’ interludes in Mexico.

Lucy joined the inn officially in 1988 after several years of working for a busi-ness in the Los Angeles area owned by another family, then earning an MBA degree at UCLA, and then starting an antique auction business in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband.

Lucy moved the antique business to Healdsburg but she gradually shifted more and more of her attention to the inn. In 1990, after checking to make sure neither of her two sisters had any interest in the inn business, Lucy and her parents worked out an agreement under which she would earn equity in the inn for each year she worked there. To avoid any misunderstandings, this arrangement was spelled out in a formal employment agreement. (See box on page 7.)

Lucy says she and her parents had an “ideal situation” for sharing innkeep-ing responsibilities. Del continued to

Keeping the Inn In the FamilyThe Lewand Family’s Camellia Inn

Del, Lucy, and Ray Lewand


6

do much of the breakfast cooking and shared marketing and financial respon-sibilities with Lucy; Ray was the handy-man, the expert on insurance, and the raconteur who charmed the guests with stories about Sonoma County winemak-ing; and Lucy focused some of her ener-gies on community outreach, serving at various times as president of the local chamber of commerce and chair of the county Tourism Council.

The arrangement also gave each of the family members time for activities outside the inn. “With three of us, we were able to spell each other, and we did not experience the burnout that claims so many innkeepers,” Lucy says. “We all were able to do other things we enjoyed, without being tied to the inn.” Lucy was able to travel, Ray took time off to go fishing, and Del enjoyed visiting with her friends from college days at UCLA.

In the mid-1990s, Del and Ray moved into a house they built just a block from the inn, and Lucy and her husband Ar-chie moved into the inn. This arrange-ment worked well for Lucy, but, as often happens, did not appeal to her husband, who, she says, “did not want to feel mar-ried to the inn.”

Lucy acknowledges that the situation caused so much stress in their relation-ship that she decided to quit the inn. As an alternative, she and her parents worked out a new arrangement under which the family hired a night innkeeper

to live at the inn, and Lucy and her hus-band moved two blocks away. The night innkeeper stayed for seven years and “be-came part of the family,” Lucy says.

A few years ago, Del and Ray cut back their workload at the inn, but they were still putting in about 40 hours a week between them. Del continued to cook breakfast several days a week and Ray kept entertaining guests during the afternoon wine-and-cheese hour.

Tragedy struck in 2005 when Del was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Right in the middle of the inn’s busy season, Del and Ray suddenly gave up all their remaining responsibilities at the inn. Del died in March 2006, at the age of 76.

Business at the inn suffered during the transition period and Del’s illness, Lucy says. This down period compound-ed the still-lingering impact on busi-

From innkeeper Lucy Lewand

Hot tipsfor successful innkeeping

Even in a close-knit family, running a family business can cause deep emotional •strains, particularly when more than one generation is involved. Lucy Lewand says her family has managed to minimize these strains over the years by handling business decisions in a businesslike manner, with clear-cut arrangements for who does what, and who owns what.

In terms of procedure, Lucy says: “We meet with an attorney when we have •serious family issues to discuss. It costs a lot, but we have found it to be an effective way to keep emotional family issues separate from business issues.”

Moreover, she says, family members work hard to communicate with each other, •continuously. “We are not a family with lots of rules and structure, and that has worked well for us,” she says. “My parents and I have always been pretty much on the same wavelength.” As for the inn, ever since she took over primary responsibility for the business, Lucy’s sisters and other family members have understood “that this business is mine.”

The specific business arrangement between Lucy and her father, Ray, is that Ray •owns the inn’s building and land at 211 North Street in Healdsburg, while Lucy owns the Camellia Inn as a business. Lucy pays her father rent that covers the mortgages on the inn and his own home nearby, plus his living expenses. Lucy and her husband live on income from the inn and several other business ventures in which they are involved.

Lucy offers this bit of advice for other families looking to transfer the inn from the •first to the second generation: “It seems that it works best when the children first go out and do something on their own and work with others for a while, and then bring that independent business experience back to the family-owned business.” That’s what Lucy did when she earned her MBA and worked for a business owned by another family before joining her parents full-time in Healdsburg twenty years ago.


7

ness in the years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.

Since Del’s death, Lucy and her full-time innkeeper Ann Bigham have man-aged to restore the inn’s business to the point where 2007 was the best year ever, in terms of gross revenues. Over the years, Lucy and her parents gradually had expanded the inn from its original three guest rooms to five, then to seven, then finally to nine guest rooms—the maximum the property can handle.

Although Healdsburg has boomed as a destination area since the Lewands first arrived, the Camellia Inn now has to share that business with 17 other inns, hotels and motels in the immedi-ate area. Even so, Lucy says she does not see the additional lodging establishments so much as competition as colleagues who help boost the attractiveness of the Healdsburg area for tourists.

Since the start, the Lewand family has played a key role in promoting the

bed and breakfast industry, not just in wine country but statewide as well. Del and another innkeeping couple, Bob & Rosalie Hope, in 1981 founded the Wine Country Inns of Sonoma County, which is still a very active organization of nineteen inns in eleven towns. Del and Rosalie also organized the first Bed and Breakfast Conference in California in the early 1980s; this was the forerun-ner of the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns (CABBI), the nation’s largest statewide B&B association.

Lucy has been active in both the Wine Country Inns of Sonoma Coun-ty (having served as board member and president) and in CABBI as a board member. Lucy also has been an active supporter of PAII and currently serves on its Advisory Council.

As for the future, Lucy says she ex-pects to keep busy managing her inn. “Helping people have a great time on their vacations at your inn and in your area is immensely rewarding,” she says.

Even so, the inn is just the most prom-inent of Lucy’s business ventures. She also owns All Seasons Vacation Rental Suites, which are family-friendly short-term rental apartments in the area; is managing partner of a management suc-cess and sales coaching company called High-Point Selling; manages fifty-three sales associates for Weekenders USA, Inc., a line of private label women’s fash-ions; and continues as an auctioneer and owner of her antiques business, Healds-burg Classics.

And there’s one more family connec-tion to the Camellia Inn. Shortly after the inn opened, Ray, daughter Chris, and her husband Bruce Snyder, began mak-ing wines in the basement of the B&B. Some of these wines won local awards, but for years the family served them only to friends and B&B guests.

The wines grew in popularity, how-ever, and in 1997 the winery became an official business, Camellia Cellars, which has a limited production of high-qual-ity Cabernet Sauvignons, Sangiovese, and Zinfandels. Chris and Bruce now run that business, also headquartered in downtown Healdsburg. Nowadays, Ray Lewand, when he’s not back spinning sto-ries for guests at the Camellia Inn, some-times can be found pouring wines, and telling stories of course, at this other out-let for his family’s creativity in business. ■

Visit the Camellia Inn at www.camelliainn.com.

Finding Advice for Family Businesses Families and their businesses can get professional help, either for making specific de-cisions or for plotting general strategy, from a wide range of sources. Attorneys and accountants for the family business are good places to start, but one also can find ob-jective guidance from professional consultants who specialize in helping families work through their business issues, universities and other academic centers, business maga-zines, and other sources.

Some of these resources include:Comprehensive lists of consultants and educational programs for family businesses •are available through the Family Firm Institute (a professional association for advi-sors and educators dealing with family businesses) at http://www.ffi.org Two of the best-known academic centers dealing with family business issues are: •the Center for Family Enterprises at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwest-ern University in Evanston, Illinois (http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/research/family/index.htm) and the Family Business Center at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst (http://www.umass.edu/fambiz)Harvard University conducts regular seminars for family businesses dealing with key •issues: http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/fib/ Family Business Magazine is a quarterly journal written expressly for those involved •in family businesses: http://www.familybusinessmagazine.com/


association sp tlightBed and Breakfast Inns of Missouri

Factswww.bbim.org ➤

Inn members: 130 (smallest with one room, ➤

largest with 24 rooms); out of an estimated 350 inns in the stateAssociate members: 20 aspiring innkeepers, ➤

supporters, and vendorsMembership dues: $180 annual, plus $25 per room. ➤

Optional link to the inn’s website is $75; Webervations service is $50Formed in 1989 at the suggestion of the Missouri ➤

Division of Tourism, and with help from PAIIStaff: none; all work done by officers and volunteers ➤

Quality AssuranceFrom the beginning, BBIM has had a strong quality control/inspection program. At first, members did the initial and biennial inspections. Now, our paid inspectors are assigned region-ally and use a detailed checklist; these inspectors are interested individuals or former member-inn-keepers. We require an overnight stay for the inn’s initial inspection and for inns that do not return enough com-ment cards during the year. Recurring inspection fees are rolled into our dues. Our comment card program is a useful adjunct to our quality control efforts and provides feedback to members. New applicants pay a non-refundable $100 ap-plication fee to cover the costs of inspections.

MarketingSince BBIM has been an all-volunteer organization without paid staff, the majority of our dues money goes into market-ing programs. Our website, www.bbim.org, is our primary marketing tool. Last fall Acorn Internet Services finished a major redesign of the website to upgrade our presenta-tion as well as our web presence. We have discontinued the print brochure, which gets out of date very quickly, and now use a rack card promoting our website. We have used print magazine advertising in the past, but have cut that to a minimum.

Another successful marketing tool is our Gift Certificate program, which has grown to about $40,000 in annual sales. We have recently moved to an automated online system for the certificates, minimizing the need for personal inter-vention. Our other major marketing program is our Free Unstressed Nights (FUN) frequent guest program, which awards a free BBIM gift certificate after a certain number of stays at member inns.

Keeping in Touch with MembersBBIM’s Board of Directors feels that membership communi-cations is key to a successful organization, and we do that us-ing email through a listserve at our internal domain. All our program information, as well as meeting minutes and news-

letter archives, are posted at an internal website. We also survey members occasionally, using an online survey tool. Noteworthy among our programs is our unique Mentor Pro-gram which allows new members and associate members to stay at several inns to pick the brains of experienced innkeep-ers. One of our members maintains an innkeeper exchange program and an innsitter list, linked from our website.

Educational ProgramsWe maintain a strong educational program, with a multi-day Spring Conference every year. The conference turns a small profit for the association; the main goal is to keep costs low for members. Since 2003, we’ve alternated our own conference with the multi-state Heartland Conference. We also hold a Fall Meeting every November with some educational content. For aspiring innkeepers, we sell an Aspiring Innkeeper Info Package ($49 for non-members and $29 for members) and cooperate with a workshop held by Missouri State University.

Member RecruitmentTo maintain our membership levels and grow, we find that our overall web presence is a big draw. We ask member inns to recruit likely inns that they know

about, and give them a $75 dues credit for each new member they recruit. We’ve also sent out “cold call” emails to new inns as we discover them in print or on the Internet. All existing inns get a flyer to our major conference each year. Another good recruiting tool has been our

Aspiring Innkeeper Info package, which we sell at a very reasonable price and even sell in combi-

nation with a bargain–priced Associate Membership.

Managing the AssociationMaintaining an organization this size with all-volunteer management is a challenge. Officers are elected from with-in our eleven-member board; board members are elected to three-year terms. The Board meets about five times a year: a winter retreat, a meeting in conjunction with our spring and fall membership events, and generally two meetings in between. Urgent business is handled via our board Yahoo group. Committees handle specific tasks, including member-ship and organizing the conference.

To recruit new leadership, we look for members who ex-press themselves intelligently at meetings and on the email group, and use personal contact to motivate them to place their names on the next board ballot. Many board members find it frustrating that a significant number of our members do not see any value in attending the conferences, partici-pate in surveys or our e-mail forum.

As BBIM has grown, the work involved has become more complex and time consuming, and it has become more dif-ficult to find members willing to commit to doing the work required. Our next step, after our website redesign project, will be to move toward some sort of professional manage-ment or administrative assistance.

Contact Bill Wayne directly at [email protected].

By Bill WaynePresident, Bed and Breakfast Inns of MissouriInnkeeper, Cedarcroft Farm/Cottage on the Knoll B&B

Bill Wayne


10

Veteran Innkeepers Speak OutA PAII Anniversary Roundtable

by PAII Staff

In 1988, Jo Ann Bell and Pat Hardy, owners of the Glenborough Inn in Santa Barbara, California, and co-

authors of So You Want to be an Inn-keeper, had the idea to start a national association to serve a relatively new in-dustry in the United States: bed and breakfasts and country inns. Jo Ann and Pat already had taken the first step toward turning this idea into reality the previous year when they purchased innkeeping newsletter, which provided advice for the new, and expanding, corps of innkeepers.

Jo Ann and Pat sent invitations to the 600 subscribers of innkeeping, of-fering them a chance to become char-ter members of the new association, to be called the Professional Association of Inn keepers International (PAII, pro-nounced “pie”). About 125 innkeepers responded by sending in checks for $75 each—enough to encourage Jo Ann and Pat to launch their new association in November, 1988.

Under Jo Ann and Pat’s leadership, PAII grew to be a successful association that has provided high-quality informa-tion and services for those who are new to the business as well as veteran inn-keepers wanting to keep pace with the dramatic changes in the industry. PAII has since moved from California to New Jersey, where it is managed by a profes-sional staff headed by Jay Karen, who be-came president and CEO in June 2007.

This year, PAII will be celebrat-ing its twentieth anniversary with a se-ries of events, starting with this issue of

Innkeeping Quarterly, a magazine that grew out of the original innkeeping newsletter.

Innkeeping Quarterly asked a half-dozen of PAII’s original charter mem-bers, all of them still in the industry, to reflect on the changes over the past two decades and to think about the future.

Members of this panel are:Debbie Mosimann, owner/innkeeper (with her husband Werner) of Swiss Woods Inn, Lititz, Pennsylvania. Debbie

has been an active member of PAII since the beginning and currently serves as chair of the association’s board of directors.

Bill Oates, who, along with his wife and partner Heide Bredfeldt, has helped steer a generation of aspiring inn-

keepers into the business. Bill and Heide run Inn Partners, in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Ellen Grinsfelder, the owner and innkeeper of the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls, Logan, Ohio. Ellen is the daughter

of the inn’s founder, Anne Castle, who had the vision to create a fine bed and breakfast in the Hocking Hills of south-eastern Ohio.

John Sheiry, the owner/inn-keeper (with his wife Diane) of the Waverly Inn, Hen-dersonville, North Carolina.

John is one of the few innkeepers with a background in professional hotel man-agement, which may or may not account for some of his inn’s success. From 2001 until 2007 John was a member of PAII’s board of directors.

Yvonne Martin, owner/inn-keeper (with her husband Ian), of the White Oak Inn, Danville, Ohio. Yvonne is

chairman of the Ohio Bed and Breakfast Association. The inn has won numerous awards, including one for Best Murder Mysteries.

Jim Beazley, owner/innkeep-er (with his wife Carol) of the Beazley House, which they opened in 1981 as the first

bed and breakfast in Napa, California. In addition to managing their ten-room inn, Jim and Carol both have been actively in-volved in community affairs, in addition to being founding members of PAII and the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns.

Al Granger, owner/inn-keeper of the Glasbern Inn, a full-service country inn in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania

(near Allentown). Al and his wife Beth (who died in 2006) bought an unoccu-pied farm in 1985 and converted it into a luxury property.

AnneMarie DeFreest, own-er/innkeeper of the Inn at the Round Barn Farm, Wait-sfield, Vermont. AnneMarie

took over the inn from her parents and has developed it into one of the strongest businesses in a state loaded with fine inns. AnneMarie has been a member of PAII’s board of directors since January 2007.

Here are the questions Innkeeping Quar-terly posed to these long-time innkeepers and PAII members, and their answers:


11

Question: What do you think are the two or three biggest, most important changes in the innkeeping industry over the past two decades?

Debbie Mosimann: I think several changes are paramount. Inns have become more serious in their approach and have become more business oriented. Also, inn-keepers are researching more and learning more before opening their doors. Inns are significant businesses, operated for a fi-nancial profit and better run.

And back in the beginning, there was no place at all to talk to other innkeep-ers on a regular basis. We were loners out there. That is no longer the case. E-mail and chat groups have completely changed that landscape and given the innkeepers nationwide a “stammtisch,” or communi-ty table at the pub.

I also think that inns are on the av-erage somewhat larger. The counterpoint

of this is that guests are now expecting a higher level of service, private baths, com-plete breakfasts and more privacy. They no longer think it is an adventure to stay in a tiny spare room in an old building sharing a bathroom with strangers.

Ellen Grinsfelder: Staff issues have become important, especially hiring com-petent people and keeping them with wages and benefits. It’s also a challenge to grow and stay ahead when contemplating the industry that surrounds us like hotels, condos, cabins, etc.

Bill Oates: Our niche has become much more professional in its approach to innkeeping. Of course the impact of the Internet has had profound effect on the way we do business and will continue to impact us.

John Sheiry: A. The recognition in-dustry-wide that standards/inspections/quality are key elements for the long-term success of an inn/innkeeper.

B. National credibility/recognition/acceptance of the economic importance/value/impact of the innkeeping industry.

C. The Internet leveled the playing field for owners of small inns and also inadvertently exposed the innkeeping industry to a new/younger generation of prospective customers.

Yvonne Martin: Computerization. In many ways, nothing else has changed innkeeping so dramatically as the advent of the Internet. It has made information

“Inns have become more serious in their approach and have become more

business oriented.”


12

highly accessible and made it affordable for smaller properties to compete against the “big guys” in marketing. Allows us to reach markets we’d never have had a chance to reach before. Offers us so much more exposure than the traditional print media. And for guests it offers instant gratification.

E-mail makes it incredibly easy to communicate with guests, both one-on-one and permissive bulk email marketing.

Online reservations are like having a 24/7 desk clerk, but without the illegible handwriting and mistakes! Guest Man-agement software has made our “behind the scenes” lives easier. Confirmations, billing, bookkeeping—all of it goes much more smoothly and quickly than in the days when all these things were done by hand.

The other major change I’ve seen is the average age of the innkeepers them-selves and their attitude toward the busi-

ness. B&B used to be a semi-retirement hobby, something you could do in your spare time. Now the demands of the business require more physical stamina and a greater financial commitment to meet the higher standards. This means more younger people are becoming full-time innkeepers, choosing it as a career rather than a hobby.

Jim Beazley: The Internet tops the list of changes in every way. First, it allows a level playing field for our small inns with even the biggest of players. Through our own creativity and appearance we can present our inns to the entire world. Secondly, the Internet has allowed our

guests to all at once check out our rooms, check up on our availability and check in through online reservations.

Also important has been the continu-ing rise in the level of professionalism of B&B innkeepers. Through the good work of PAII and statewide trade organiza-tions such as the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns, innkeepers have been able not just to keep up with changing trends, but stay ahead and even lead the hospitality industry. These fac-tors have assured the final change, an evolution of the B&B from “mom & pop cottage industry” to mainstream choice for all discerning travelers.

Al Granger: Internet marketing, tech-nology: Internet in each room, etc.

AnneMarie DeFreest: Like most in-dustries, I think technology is the biggest

change. Technology has allowed us to keep more data on our guests and mar-ket more effectively, study stats and make important decisions based on those facts verses our instinct. I now look at all sorts of data before I sign up for a website, place a print add, or set financial goals.

The cost of real estate is another im-portant change. I could not afford to purchase our property today, let alone renovate it to the extent that we did. The cost of land to build on, at least in our resort area in Vermont, has sky-rocketed, and construction costs are right behind land costs. These days innkeepers not only have to have heart, they need to be able to provide business plans to banks or have been incredibly successful in another life if they are to buy a going concern or build from scratch. Twenty-one years ago my family and I had vision, heart, and re-sources, in that order. I think the order is a little different these days.

Question: Speaking of changes, how have your guests changed? Are the demo-graphics of your guests different than when you started? And what about guest expectations; are guests expecting, and demanding, more than before?

Debbie Mosimann: The second part is easier to answer. Yes, the guests have higher expectations today. They are also somewhat less appreciative of what used to be the hallmark extras. Cookies and sweets were a surprising treat in 1986, something the hotels did not offer. Today we have three cookie jars and a cake plate of pastries. Guests will remind us if one of the jars goes empty.

As our inns have become more com-plete and sophisticated, so have our guests. We are no longer always the first B&B that someone has stayed at. Many come with a list as long as their arm of all the places they have stayed. We are com-pared, rated, then criticized or acclaimed.

“The Internet tops the list of changes in every way. First, it allows a

level playing field for our small inns with even the

biggest of players.”

(continued on page 14)


14

There is an instant national/international sounding board for discussing experiences (TripAdvisor, BedandBreakfast.com) for travelers to hear about other experiences and opinions. Our guests are younger, and tend to be more professional people than we saw at the beginning, and more widely traveled than our original guests.

In 1986 we were a budget option and a new trend. Today we are an upscale op-tion and established.

Ellen Grinsfelder: Given the Inter-net, guests are searching everywhere be-fore they commit and reserve. They want price and value much more than ever be-fore, and they want to know all the ame-nities. Guests are more challenging with their requests.

Bill Oates: Our guests have become younger. Our profile today is of affluent, often two-career couples, who are look-ing to the innkeeper to provide packages of activities, lodging and dining, because they are too busy to do it for themselves.

John Sheiry: A. They are younger. The average age of our customer has dropped by over 15 years.

B. While more people are willing to stay at inns, they want more ameni-ties/services than they did twenty years ago: wireless Internet, sensitivity to diet requirements, cancellation policy flex-ibility, etc. The business is much less innkeeper-centric and much more cus-tomer oriented.

C. A lot more corporate business is available for those innkeepers willing to be flexible with cancellation policies, breakfast hours, etc., and who are willing to provide the services corporate custom-ers want the most, like Wi-Fi, fax, and computer terminal.

Yvonne Martin: Yes, yes, and yes. B&Bs have hit the mainstream. Fifteen years ago B&B was like a cozy little club, only frequented by those “in the know.” The majority of our guests were

older—40-plus. They came to B&Bs for the social interaction. Now B&Bs are up-front and center and are being discov-ered by a much younger crowd. But that crowd has different needs and expecta-tions. Younger guests generally keep to themselves more. They spend more time in their rooms, less time socializing at meals or in common areas. They want more upscale amenities like whirlpool tubs and spa services. They want to be pampered. They demand TV’s, DVD players, and Wi-Fi. We used to see guests in our common room playing cards or board games, reading or doing jigsaw puzzles almost every night. Most nights

now the common room sits empty, and our collection of games gathers dust.

Jim Beazley: For an inn like the Beaz-ley House, which has been in business 26 years, we find we are now hosting the chil-dren of our first guests. In many cases they are even more discerning and, yes, some-times more demanding than their par-ents. Overall, as the Beazley House has evolved from a B&B to more like a luxu-ry inn, our clientele have come to expect more. The bar has absolutely been lifting, especially in California inns. Luxurious amenities such as super soft and supple sheets (read 52,000 thread count micro-fiber), private two-person whirlpool spa tubs, fireplaces, phones, wireless Internet connections, flat panel televisions are all part of the luxury guests have come to

expect at the Beazley House. What they don’t expect is the level of personal ser-vice they get. And this is key to our suc-cess as innkeepers. Because we are small and dedicated to our guests, we can offer a unique visit, tailored to their desires.

Al Granger: Couples are coming from further away with advent of the In-ternet and continue to expect all the com-fort and technology they have at home.

AnneMarie DeFreest: Our guests have not changed tremendously. It’s my belief that the personalities of the guests often mimic the personalities of the inn-keeper, especially at inns with high re-peat rates or word-of-mouth business. Of course in the 90’s, it was all about amenities—who had the newest tub with the biggest bubbles and who had the coolest gas fireplaces. Guests were more demanding in the 90’s than I find them today because I think the basics are becoming more important.

Question: What is the most surpris-ing development to you in the world of innkeeping?

Debbie Mosimann: How technical it has become and how tech savvy we all have to be to keep up.

Ellen Grinsfelder: The number of people who are opening B&Bs rather than considering a full service inn with a restaurant. The number of B&B/inns that are manager-run rather than owner-operated.

Bill Oates: The proliferation of smaller B&Bs that serve as a supple-mentary income activity for one person of a couple. PAII’s latest study shows that 58% of the participants rely on an outside income. This is not all positive, as these properties put pressure on the larger B&Bs and inns that are primary businesses for the owners.

John Sheiry: The HUGE increase in the prices of inns and B&Bs. Coupled

“Now B&Bs are up-front and center and are being

discovered by a much younger crowd. But that

crowd has different needs and expectations.”


15

with that is our surprise that there are actually people out there who are paying these tremendously high prices AND who seem to be able to make their busi-nesses’ cash flow.

Yvonne Martin: Guests have become much more self-centered and less con-siderate of us, our property, and other guests at the inn. Less honest. Not all guests, but a much higher percent than when we started out.

Jim Beazley: The fundamental im-pact the computer and Internet have had on our business and entire industry. We literally could NOT do our business to this present level without these tools.

Al Granger: The pace of technology improvement.

AnneMarie DeFreest: The most sur-prising development is how many young people are becoming innkeepers as their first career. Our profession was often thought to be something that people did once they retired from their occupation. Now a younger generation is studying innkeeping; I’ve even seen it offered as part of a college course!

Question: Aside from inertia, what keeps you in the industry after all these years? In other words, how do you main-tain the ambition and enthusiasm to keep on innkeeping?

Debbie Mosimann: I love people and I love the ones that come through my doors. I love the property I live on and

could not stay here if I were not innkeep-ing. And I like most of the components that go into it: cooking, hospitality. I love the flexibility that it gives me in life.

Ellen Grinsfelder: The excitement that every day is different, as is every guest. It’s a challenge. One must have a passion to be with people and not mind hard work, or you probably wouldn’t choose to stay with it. I love the oppor-tunity to “set my own schedule”—some-what, to be able to be on industry boards and continue to find new and creative ways to market the business.

Bill Oates: In my special niche, it is the quality and warmth of the vast ma-jority of the people we deal with. Inn-keepers are a special breed. Successful


16

innkeepers share their previous, often ex-otic, lives with guests and friends. They also understand service. They are a joy to work with.

John Sheiry: We have learned how to give ourselves the time off that every human being needs to recharge the body and soul. And when we DO take the time off, we do NOT think or worry about the inn. In short, you can’t run your inn, take reservations, manage employees, etc. while you are on vacation AND get the rest YOU need.

Even after 32 years in the hospitality business and 20 years as inn owners, we absolutely LOVE what we do!

Yvonne Martin: Most of the time I still love what I do. Hearing a guest compliment the inn, the food, the house-keeping or just say how being at our inn helped them get away from the stress in their lives is still a thrill. If I have to work, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. After all this time I couldn’t go back to working for anyone else.

I have a great support network of inn-keeper friends all across the country. We email and phone each other constantly, sharing tragedies and triumphs, recipes and ideas, jokes and guest stories. When-ever I hit bottom, one of them says or does something that perks me back up. I couldn’t do it without them.

Jim Beazley: The great guests we host. Their gratitude and appreciation of what we have created for them and do for them continually “re-charges our batteries.” Plus the fact that we have never taken any level of our success for granted. We are still the driven, compulsive perfectionists we were when we started. Perhaps a little older and slower, but just as crazy.

Over the years we have hosted parents and now their grown children. While tastes have changed, the one constant is their appreciation of a warm welcome, a comfortable bed and happy times. We

know we must be doing something right when they give our inn as gifts to family and friends.

Al Granger: Great staff and strong interest in pasture-to-plate dining.

AnneMarie DeFreest: What keeps me going after all these years is the fact that providing something so pure and ba-sic can make such a difference in peoples lives. What we offer at our inn and how we treat our guests is no more than how I think people should be treated every day. I can’t imagine what some of our guests travel schedules and jobs and family lives

must be like. At our inn we are nothing but genuine human beings, providing a warm, clean and beautiful space for cou-ples and families to connect and recon-nect. Our guests send our staff birthday cards and baby gifts. When my first child was born I received over 100 gifts from almost perfect strangers—nice guests who may have stayed more than once but certainly were not people involved with my everyday life.

It still amazes me how much of an im-pact a weekend can have on two people. It does not matter if it is their wedding

You’ll have unparalleled access to discounts, networking opportunities, industry research, education and industry PR.

Benefits include:

Newsletters, publications and a new color magazine to keep you ◆

current on marketing, technology, industry trends, safety, food, amenities, and more.

Discounted registration at the annual PAII Conference & Trade ◆

Show, the premier event of the year for innkeepers nationwide.

Industry research you won’t find anywhere else, with special ◆

member pricing.

The Members Only Online Forum, where great advice will save ◆

you time and money.

Budget-stretching discounts on bankcard processing, mattresses, ◆

office supplies, linens, specialty items, printing and a multitude of other vendor products.

The PAII Hotline, where your questions will be answered by a ◆

staff that cares!

For full details, please call 1-800-468-7244 or visit www.paii.org and join online today!

Why should I join?The Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII)


17

weekend, 50th anniversary or a simple weekend get-a-way. I constantly strive to provide a consistent quality experience because I do not know what it took for my guests to have a few nights away at our inn and why they are there. Some of the reasons, when I take the time to ask, really rock my world.

Question: Take a look into your crystal ball: What do you see as the two or three most important trends that will affect our industry over the next few years?

Debbie Mosimann: I think the Inter-net and up to-the-minute traveler reviews will continue to impact us both negative-ly and positively. Immediate online reser-vations will become a must and we will find ourselves competing in things like discount/priceline. The hobby inns will slowly be very hard to find. I think we may see some franchising of inns as we

move forward. And I think that we will eventually see an educational track that will give someone an innkeeping degree.

Ellen Grinsfelder: I think the spa/fitness movement is here to stay and we ponder moving in that direction. With-out a doubt the “GREEN movement” is coming at a quick pace. For B&Bs and inns that are in tourist destinations, the over-building of second homes, condos or condos as rental units has the poten-tial to over-saturate the market.

Bill Oates: The biggest change will be the switch from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. While it is happening all over the Inter-net, it is most strongly felt in the travel industry and that definitely includes us. Web 2.0 is sites like TripAdvisor and social networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook. Basically, travel decisions will be made from consumer reviews and peer group advice, rather than producer-

generated advertising and marketing. This has some very positive aspects for the inn business, if managed properly.

A second trend that will become in-creasingly evident is the desire of our guests for packages and the attendant desire for “unique” experiences. Because of the complete package syndrome, we will see a resurgence of full dinner- service inns.

Also, there have been surveys that show consumers to be putting more em-phasis on quality, rather than price, as honest reviews become more available.

John Sheiry: A continuing emphasis on technology by the younger genera-tions when they can afford to travel. The more high tech the guests are, the more technological demands they will place on innkeepers. This means more younger people with lots of money and who are willing to spend it…but ONLY if you

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18

give them what they want (which may NOT be what you heretofore have been willing to offer).

A growing disposable income in a wider range of populations and a desire by those people to travel and experience things their parents were unable to pro-vide for them. In short, we are now see-ing the beginnings of what is bound to become a much more “diverse” customer base seeking inn accommodations.

Yvonne Martin: I really see a continu-ing “raising of the bar” to meet guest ex-pectations. Guests will want more and

more luxury services and amenities, more privacy and less interaction with inn-keepers and other guests.

I see a continuing trend to more “professional” innkeepers, fewer hobby-ists, and the demise of the small home-stay property.

I think technology is going to con-tinue to evolve and play an even bigger role in our lives.

Jim Beazley: First, the continuing evolution of the Internet as the main communications link from guests to inns. As more and more guests and then inns

use the Internet for nearly all their com-munication, its versatility will expand as its potential is continually discovered and exploited.

Secondly, as the Baby Boomers age and retire they will have more time and an historic amount of money at their disposal. They will come back to their favorite inns more than once in every few years to a few times every year. They will be drawn back by excellent service and their fond memories of good times. Price will be secondary, but the quality of their experience will be primary in their choice of inns.

Thirdly, inns that have focused on excellence and ensuring that their guests’ experience is memorable will thrive. Others will disappear as hotels push more and more amenities at lower and lower prices.

Al Granger: Initial cost of a “start-up” sky rocketing. More professional hospi-tality people entering business.

AnneMarie DeFreest: I think online booking will affect this industry in a very big way. Removing the people aspect of the reservation process is OK if you are a Hilton or Hyatt, where standards are standards and cookie cutter is expected and expectations are low. As the percent-age of online bookings increases and the people-to-people reservation process de-creases, we as an industry run a higher risk of not meeting expectations.

Question: Why do you continue to be a PAII member? Don’t you already know everything there is to know about innkeeping?

Debbie Mosimann: I will never know all there is to know about innkeeping. I am amazed daily at the things that I still have not mastered. There will always be the need to search out a better credit card rate, there will always be a need to find out what the best marketing practices are

Here’s What’s NEw @ PAII■ 2008 Conference & Trade Show Anaheim, CA, April 7–10

• Networking with 700 innkeepers from across the nation• Show specials & unique products from 75 exhibitors• Over 65 top notch workshops for all experience levels• Visit www.paiiconference.org for details

■ NEw! Home Depot Supply Discounts Up to 20% off online purchases plus free shipping on orders of $50 or more

■ NEw! Innkeeping Quarterly IQ: Smart Reading for Smart Innkeeping The only four-color industry magazine features informative articles by national travel industry and B&B experts, inn profiles, a B&B association feature in every issue, and tips for increasing your bottom line.

■ NEw! Getting Inn Newsletter for Aspiring InnkeepersFree to members with articles about writing a business plan, zoning issues, purchasing a B&B, financing, reservation software and other topics to help you get started.

■ NEw! Over 200 Magazine Discounts from EBSCOSubscriptions at 30%–50% off... Also applicable on your existing subscriptions!

■ NEw! Two Credit Card Processors with Special Rates for Members

■ NEw! CEO — Jay Karen


19

(they change continually!). I will always find a need for a one-stop shop for in-formation and answers. I may not need PAII on the day-to-day kind of intense basis I did as a brand-new innkeeper, but my yearly dues will never pay PAII back for all the help I received over my years of membership, especially in my early days.

By remaining a member I keep my finger on the pulse of what is going on while at the same time enabling the na-tional association to continue to func-tion and provide information to those who need it. Call it payback, thank you, or whatever. It is the same principal as someone donating to their alma mater. We support them because they matter for the future. Even with that said, I still use the resources PAII offers often.

Ellen Grinsfelder: I think PAII offers the innkeeper the greatest opportunity for continued education in our field. I think PAII’s educational programs need to continue to strive to challenge the sea-soned innkeeper. The day I quit learning is the day I die. There is always some-thing new to be learned.

Bill Oates: That’s easy. PAII has been instrumental in maintaining the health of the innkeeping segment of the hospitality business for 20 years. PAII is able to do so many things we cannot do as individuals. Keep up the great work. I’ll write another review on the 40th anniversary!

John Sheiry: We have never been to any PAII function, conference, conven-tion, or meeting at which we did not get a valuable takeaway. If you ever stop look-ing for and/or finding opportunities to learn, you need to get out of the business.

We have a tremendous network of supportive friends we have developed as a result of our PAII membership and participation. We would not be where we are today without the benefit of that national support network afforded to us primarily via PAII.

Yvonne Martin: No, because it’s a changing world. I want to stay at the top of my game. I want to hear from other innkeepers, vendors, writers, and con-tacts. And I want to give back to the industry to help the up-and-coming next generation of innkeepers live their dreams. PAII is simply the best resource for information about this business.

Jim Beazley: Because change is the only constant in life, an innkeeper NEV-ER knows everything there is to know about innkeeping. To stay in business in these competitive times a good innkeeper knows he must stay informed of trends, opportunities, and industry benchmarks.

Al Granger: I don’t know everything, and I need to be reminded of the things I have forgotten or just don’t do.

AnneMarie DeFreest: Just when I think I know everything about keeping an inn, someone or something surprises me. I have long days and weeks on end without a day off, but I NEVER have a boring day. I need PAII because for me it is a way to give back, and I am far from mastering the changes in technology. The research provided in the Industry Study is so valuable to running a successful business. I also know that what a guest experiences at an inn can be the deciding factor as to if they will ever stay at anoth-er inn. So if I can help a fellow innkeeper just a bit or help our industry build the reputation of the premier lodging choice, then I need PAII. ■


Think again.

20

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMKeynote Speaker: Daniel Levine, Global Trends Consultant and founder of Avant-Guide

Tomorrow Today: The five cultural trends that will propel the innkeeping industry into the next decade

Forward-thinking innkeepers need to know what will be, not just what is now, so strap yourself in and get ready for an exhilarating look forward to the most spectacular and profitable trends heading your way. Discover specific innovative strategies to take advantage of these developments, and walk away with remarkable insights and knowledge you can immediately put to use.

Just a few of the 65+ workshops:

Internet marketing is evolving more rapidly than ever before— ● what are you doing to move your website toward Web 2.0?

Do you use ● viral marketing?

Do you know how to ● get PR coverage in online travel publications?

How do the ● latest hotel trends affect your business?

Are you ● attracting new guests from younger generations?

What is it that inns with ● drastically increased occupancy rates know—that you don’t?

The PAII Conference is the best place for innkeepers to keep up with the changes that affect your business. Attending will help you navigate today’s marketplace so that your business thrives.

MarketingNew Innovations in PR •Trends Driving Demand for •Travel to Small Communities

Food Glorious FoodTea for Two or Twenty: Revenue •from Tea and Tea EventsCooking Classes to •Fit Inns of All Sizes

Legal & FinancialTracking and Interpreting •Financial IndicatorsCrisis in the Mortgage Industry •and How It Affects Your Inn

TechnologyThriving in a Web 2.0 World •Yield Management: •It’s Not Just for Hotels Search Engine Secrets •

You and Your StaffUsing Ethical Wisdom•Finding, Developing, and •Hanging On to Passionate Employees

OperationsLinens and Laundry: Essential •InformationTips and Tricks for Cleaning •Everything

Think there’s nothing new under the innkeeping sun?

Register now: www.paiiconference.org

innkeeping quarterly21

PAII’s BIG BIRThDAy BAsh (Included in your registration fee)Wednesday evening, April 9

PAII turns 20 this year! Come celebrate this important milestone with cake, pie (of course!), camaraderie, and dancing. The festive mood will indulge your fun loving side! Special guests include PAII Founders Pat Hardy and Jo Ann Bell.

AsPIRING INNkEEPERs Full-day Pre-conference SeminarMonday, April 7 (extra fee)Invest in Your Innkeeping Future

Spend an exciting day with highly experienced innkeepers and industry experts exploring innkeeping as a career, as a potential business opportunity and as your dream come true. Our experts will provide a solid baseline to support your decision process. The Aspiring Innkeeper Seminar also provides a great foundation for understanding and absorbing additional information at the conference.

The Great Innkeeper Idea Fair!New at the PAII Conference! (Included in your registration fee)Wednesday, April 9

Get the BEST ideas for your inn.You will leave this fantastic event with fabulous, usable, proven ideas from other innkeepers. Prior to the conference, innkeepers from all over the country are submitting their best ideas for successful innkeeping. The top ideas will be presented by the author of each idea in a fast-paced, game show format. You and the rest of the audience will choose the winners, who will receive incredible prizes!

Entering The Great Innkeeper Idea Fair contest is open to all PAII members. For more information on submitting an idea, go to www.paiiconference.org

For complete details and to register: www.paiiconference.org

The Biggest and Best Trade Show for the Inn Industry12:30 pm Tuesday, April 8 through 4:00 pm Thursday, April 10

A PAII Trade Show is always more than just a place to find products for your inn. From the moment the hall comes alive with Tuesday’s Grand Opening and continuing for two and one half days, you’ll enjoy networking and doing business with the more than 80 vendors who cater to your industry. Many exhibitors offer show specials that can save you money.

❏ YES! I want to join and be a more successful innkeeper! My payment is below.❏ YES! I want to join and be a more successful innkeeper! Please bill me.❏ I'm interested - please have someone call me to provide more details.

Tear this sheet out and mail or fax to PAII today!PAII, 207 White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ, 08035 FAX: 856-310-1105

Contact

Inn # of guest rooms

Address City ST Zip

Phone Fax

Email Website

Credit Card Number Exp Date

Signature

Join with this form and get our PAII Study of B&B

Marketing Practices absolutely free!

❏ Aspiring Innkeeper - $199.00 ❏ Innkeeper (1-5 Rooms) - $199.00❏ Innkeeper (6-10 Rooms) - $235.00

❏ Innkeeper (11-20 Rooms) - $255.00 ❏ Innkeeper (21+ Rooms) - $275.00

Choose the appropriate membership category:

*Well, of course, that is combined years of experience of our members. You can benefit from that experience by having your questions answered by peers in our members-only online forum, getting advanced innkeeping education at the PAII Conference and Trade Show

(April 7-10, 2008, Anaheim, CA) and taking advantage of a host of other benefits.

PAII is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to serving the keepers of inns of all shapes and sizes. Our aim is to help your business be more successful. Join the association that works for you!

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Join online at www.paii.org

*We accept Visa, MC, Amex and Discover and will email you a receipt.

That’s who! Let this experience help you run an even more successful business.

Who has overof innkeeping experience?*

The Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Donna and Ken Arold Main Street Manor

Flemington, NJ

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23

In the September 2007 issue of IQ, I described my cheese-selection phi-losophy and specifically presented a

grouping of three cheeses for late-summer and early-fall afternoon appetizers. The arrival of winter opens the possibility of more in-depth cheese tastings of five to nine cheeses, with the focus being on the cheese rather than the accompaniments.

Think of the American flag as an aid to understanding the various kinds of cheeses: Red, white, and blue cheeses made with molds (the color indicates the type of mold; well-known examples are Brie, made with a white mold, and the various blue cheeses), and the stars, which are non-ripened cheeses, such as cheddar and Gruyere, that can be semi-soft, firm, or hard.

Check what your local stores stock, be willing to explore whether locally made cheeses are available, and learn to under-stand where each one fits in the flag. You will need to learn how to judge individual cheeses for yourself, most importantly what flavors are within your comfort range.

QuantityFor a social evening of wine and cheese, I suggest a tray of seven cheeses served to a group of 12 to 14 people. If the average size piece is 8 to 9 ounces, you would be allowing 4 ounces of cheese per person, an ample amount. Some of your guests already love exploring cheese, while oth-ers will be learning about cheese.

The CheesesBack to the flag, with its four basic groups:

A good variety would feature one red mold cheese, two white mold cheeses; one blue mold cheese; and three stars or un-ripened cheeses. I classify the flavor inten-sity of these cheeses on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least intense and 5 being the most intense.

Red moldTaleggio [tahl-EH-ghee-oh] is named af-ter a town near Bergamo, Italy, located in the Lombardy region northeast of Milan near the Swiss border. It is a soft, rela-tively mild and savory cheese made into 4.4 pound squares. Taleggio is a washed rind, soft-ripened cheese that has a pink-gray rind. Its aroma is distinctively yeasty, with impressions of freshly baked bread. The texture is smooth and supple but not as runny as Brie. The flavor is tart/lactic and slightly salty when it is young, and as it ripens becomes more complex and but-tery; some people describe it as beefy. Tra-ditionally, it is served with fresh figs but also is excellent with grapes and apples.

Details: Italy, cow’s milk, 4 in flavor ●

intensity, soft textureWine: Crisp Pinot Grigio ●

White moldFrench St. Andre is a soft-ripened triple-cream cheese. The triple-cream cheeses originated in the Champagne region of France and are made with more butter-fat than most cheeses. As a soft ripened cheese, it has a white surface mold rind that over time changes the firm, chalky curd into a very smooth paste. Because the form size is about 3 inches high, the

cheese is usually sold with a firm center surrounded by a very smooth halo of softness. If the cheese is allowed to fully ripen, the rind will become rather strong. St. Andre is best served with a crusty bread and fruit.

Details: France, cow’s milk, 2 in flavor ●

intensity, soft textureWine: Champagne, sparkling wines, ●

or white Burgundy wines

French Bucheron is a very traditional style of chevre (goat’s milk) affiné (rip-ened). This particular variety is made in a four-pound log, which allows it to rip-en slowly. The texture is rather firm and crumbly with a soft, creamy halo around the edge. The wider the halo, the sharper the cheese will be. When it’s young, the cheese is somewhat tart and crumbly; as it ripens, it becomes smoother and devel-ops a flavor that resembles a blue cheese, even though there is no blue mold pres-ent. It is excellent served with roasted walnuts and Belgian endive.

Details: France, goat’s milk, 3 in flavor ●

intensity, semi-soft textureWine: Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, Vou- ●

vray-dry, or Semillon Blanc from the Loire Valley

Blue moldEnglish Blue Stilton is often referred to as the King of Cheeses. It is a rather firm but crumbly blue cheese that tastes some-where between a cheddar and a blue; in-tensity of flavor will vary with age (as

An Evening of Wine and Cheeseby Sam Neff, S. Clyde Weaver Smoked Meats and Cheese Sam Neff

S. Clyde Weaver Smoked Meats and Cheese

❏ YES! I want to join and be a more successful innkeeper! My payment is below.❏ YES! I want to join and be a more successful innkeeper! Please bill me.❏ I'm interested - please have someone call me to provide more details.

Tear this sheet out and mail or fax to PAII today!PAII, 207 White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ, 08035 FAX: 856-310-1105

Contact

Inn # of guest rooms

Address City ST Zip

Phone Fax

Email Website

Credit Card Number Exp Date

Signature

Join with this form and get our PAII Study of B&B

Marketing Practices absolutely free!

❏ Aspiring Innkeeper - $199.00 ❏ Innkeeper (1-5 Rooms) - $199.00❏ Innkeeper (6-10 Rooms) - $235.00

❏ Innkeeper (11-20 Rooms) - $255.00 ❏ Innkeeper (21+ Rooms) - $275.00

Choose the appropriate membership category:

*Well, of course, that is combined years of experience of our members. You can benefit from that experience by having your questions answered by peers in our members-only online forum, getting advanced innkeeping education at the PAII Conference and Trade Show

(April 7-10, 2008, Anaheim, CA) and taking advantage of a host of other benefits.

PAII is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to serving the keepers of inns of all shapes and sizes. Our aim is to help your business be more successful. Join the association that works for you!

[email protected]

Join online at www.paii.org

*We accept Visa, MC, Amex and Discover and will email you a receipt.

That’s who! Let this experience help you run an even more successful business.

Who has overof innkeeping experience?*

The Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Donna and Ken Arold Main Street Manor

Flemington, NJ

PhPhotPhotPPhothhotho o coo coo coco courteurteurteurtesy osy osy oy osy of Juf Juf Juf Juf J mpinmpinmpinmpinp g Rog Rog RoRg Rocksckcks cks IInc.Inc.Inc.Inc


24

with all cheeses). Generally, the cheese is best when there is a nice distribution of blue and the cheese color is medium amber. If the cheese is too white it will be chalky and if too old will have a dark halo along the rind. When the halo ex-ists, the flavor of the center portion will be excellent (you may have to trim more rind than usual). Stilton is best served with apple or pear. This cheese is made with non-animal rennet.

Details: England, cow’s milk, 4 in fla- ●

vor, firm texture Wine: Port and Stilton is a great clas- ●

sic combo, the fortified wines match up well to the big flavors of Stilton. The caramel and raisin flavors of the Port compliment the savory, milky rich and floral flavors in the cheese. Another choice is Semillon wine, which has honey on the nose, viscous richness, and crispness that matches

well to the creamy, slight salt, and mild mineral tones in the cheese.

StarsNow, onto the stars, the non-ripened cheeses. My choices are:

Swiss Gruyere is a raw milk cheese made in the region of the same name in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The cheese is made in large wheels that weigh up to 75 pounds and are usually matured from 4 to 12 months. One of the best cooking cheeses in the world, it is denser than Emmental (Switzerland Swiss) with smaller holes and a fruity, nutty, savory taste. During the matur-ing period the cheeses are regularly brine washed, which gives the cheese its dry sharpness. If any cheese is essential to a Swiss Fondue, it is Gruyere. Because Gruyere is used so extensively in cooking, it is often overlooked as an eating cheese.

It has a very smooth texture, sometimes with a bit of granular protein crystals from the aging process. Flavor is distinct-ly nutty and sharp, especially at a 10 to 12 month age.

Details: Switzerland, cow’s milk, 3 to ●

4 flavor intensity, firm textureWine: White or red wines from the ●

Alsace and Bandol wine regions of France, or reds from the Rhone Valley

Old Quebec Super Sharp Canadian Cheddar is aged by S. Clyde Weaver Co. in Lancaster County to a minimum of three years. This cheddar is lower in moisture than most American-made product and is made with heat-treated milk. In the 1960s most U.S. cheddar was heat treated, but with the demand for aseptic packaging and young cheeses, the U.S. market has moved to fully pas-teurized, high moisture cheddar that has


25

very little traditional cheddar curd crumble. Super Sharp Ca-nadian Cheddar has good acidity with a slight bit of caramel or sweetness in the background. This cheddar is perfect with warm apple pie.

Details: Canada, cow’s milk, 4 to 5 flavor, firm texture ●

Wines: Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of ●

New Zealand; the fruitiness of the wine balances the acidity of the cheese. Also consider a Belgian Beer.

Petit Basque is a semi-soft, sheep’s milk cheese that is hand-made in the French Pyrenees. The Pyrenees Mountain range, a natural border that divides France and Spain, is populated by the Basques, who have their own customs and language. Although the Basques live on both sides of the border, they produce this cheese on the French side Amidst the breath-taking, rolling mountains of the Pyrenees vast pastures stretch as far as the eye can see, providing fertile grazing for milk-producing sheep. Petit Basque, made from pure sheep’s milk, has a rather smooth tex-ture and an earthy, nutty flavor. It is relatively mild with an inter-esting bite. The wheels are small, weighing about 1.4 pounds.

Details: France, sheep’s milk, 3 in flavor intensity, ●

semi-soft texture Wine: Piedirosso Wine has cherry tones with a hint of sweet- ●

ness that goes so well the herbal tones of the cheese. Cabernet wines have ripe tones that make the perfect counterpart to the mountain flora, mild flint, and straw and hay flavors that make up this cheese.

Why did I choose these cheeses to represent the stars? Gruyere often is overlooked on cheese trays, its texture is ●

smooth, and most everyone will enjoy it.Well-aged cheddar has nice acidity and sharpness and is very ●

acceptable to a wide range of people.Petit Basques is made from sheep’s milk and will add a milder ●

flavor than the others

With such an assortment of flavors and textures, you and your guests will enjoy a memorable winter’s evening of wine and cheese. ■

These cheeses are available via mail order from S. Clyde Weaver Smoked Meats and Cheeses, in East Petersburg, Pennsylvania, www.SClydeWeaver.com. Sam Neff is co-owner of the company; you can contact him directly at [email protected].

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I hung up the phone and just shook my head. How hard is it to just read the directions from a printed page, look at a map, and get here? This particular couple had called a total of eight times and my usual patience was totally gone. It didn’t help that it was October—mega high season in the Mid-Atlantic, and we had been running a full house with fewer staff than normal. I was just plain tired. My last day off was more than a month past, and it was, of all things, an out-of-state board meeting.

As innkeepers focused on caring for others, we sometimes to-tally forget to care for ourselves. We use up our emotional and physical reserves without doing anything to replenish them. All off a sudden, the usual requests that come our way feel like a burden and the joy of service is gone. The flow of guests and the blessings of a full house are all lost in a haze of exhaustion.

I am convinced that the relatively short average career of inn-keepers—some seven years—is largely due to burnout. We tend to be an idealistic and perfectionist group, risk-takers and entre-preneurs all bundled into a business that for many of us is in our home. We never leave. Unlike most other people, we never “go home” from the workplace.

It is the fact that we are so immersed in a people-centered business that allows us very little space to back away and re-group, that ends up draining all we have to give. We are the first one up in the morning, the last one to bed at night, and many of us

also are the cook, the housekeeper, the office and maintenance staff, all rolled up into the in-between hours.

Identifying the problem is much easier than finding any remedy. Even so, I would like to encourage each of us to look at our days and make time to take care of the innkeeper. The start of a new year is a good time to take a look and see what we can put in place to make this year better than last year in terms of taking care of ourselves.

Block an hour each day, or at the very least every other day, and come what may, take a walk, read a book, or visit the gym. Pick one good activity that will regenerate your spirits, put a spring back in your step, and patience back in your relationships. Find a non-innkeeping friend and go out for lunch.

Put these things in place now, when there may be more time available, make them a habit, and then finding the time come high season may not be so hard.

We will always have directionally impaired guests, even over-ly demanding and rude ones. But with a bit of self-care and pac-ing we will have the reserves to answer that eighth phone call with the grace and patience we like to think is the hallmark of our profession. ◆

[Editor’s note: Debbie is now in her 22nd-year of innkeeping.] Contact Debbie directly at [email protected]

innkeeper2innkeeperby Debrah Mosimann - Chair, PAII Board of Directors and Innkeeper, Swiss Woods B&B, Lititz, Pennsylvania


27

Guests at the Camellia Inn enjoy a rich fusion of cui-sine representing the Cali-

fornia wine country and traditional European fare. The inn’s breakfasts are always seasonal delights featuring the freshest local ingredients obtained from the surrounding rich agricul-tural landscape.

Breakfast is served buffet style from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., allowing guests to choose their own time. This works well for the inn because not everyone sits down to breakfast at the same time, even with a full house of twenty guests. Innkeeper/owner Lucy Lewand says her guests enjoy the flexibility of choosing the time and what they have for breakfast. Guests are offered one hot entrée and other servings including fresh fruit and de-licious baked goods. Health conscious guests will find yogurt, granola, and popular American cereals also available.

The large dining table, which seats fourteen people, and the buffet are set with antique china and glassware from Lucy’s an-tique auction house, Healdsburg Classics. Tabletop linens and napkin rings are themed for each season; most were purchased from retail sources. Flatware is from Macy’s or other depart-ment stores. The inn uses salad-sized buffet plates, which en-courages guests to limit the portions and go back for more if they want.

In the place of honor at the center of the table is an eas-ily decorated fantasy tree of wrought iron that guests can see through. It holds mini pumpkins in the fall, flag-decorated carved wooden apples at Fourth of July, and other decorations in their appropriate seasons.

Lucy and her assistants Ann Bigham and Marie Butler cook breakfast on alternating days. Lucy admits that cooking was not her strong suit when she first helped her parents at the inn, but “after twenty years, I can now do breakfast.”

Some food prep is done the night before. For example, Lucy buys her pastries from an East San Francisco Bay company, Bon Ami. The pastries are made from scratch and frozen. Lucy and her staff pull them from the freezer the night before and bake in the morning. Lucy and Ann do the menu planning, using most-ly the recipes of Lucy’s mom, Del, who prepared breakfast for many years before she died in 2006.

At 7 a.m., the morning’s cook starts the prep work that wasn’t done the previous night. A second person, usually one of the housekeeping staff, comes in to help at 8 a.m. then stays to do the clean up.

Lucy and her staff do almost all of their food shopping lo-cally. They are blessed with not one but two farmers’ markets, one of which runs from March until December. They have a local produce store, and Aidell’s sausage, coffee and tea are deliv-ered to the inn. Lucy’s dad, Ray, goes to Costco every two weeks. And they have a Trader Joe’s (those of you who aren’t so lucky can be jealous).

The middle of the week is for chocolate lovers. Each week the Camellia Inn features Chocolate Covered Wednesday, a spe-cial package that allows chocoholics to indulge in all aspects of their favorite repast. Wednesday afternoons and evenings fea-ture such treats as freshly baked brownies and chocolate port. Guests savor the Godiva chocolate in their rooms and take a baths using chocolate mint soap. Chocolate body frosting and

Food Glorious Food

Food Service at Camellia InnHealdsburg, CAby Liza Simpson

1 ½ loaves cinnamon/raisin bread (crusts removed) • ¾ cup sugar • 1 cup heavy cream• 7 eggs and 3 egg yolks• 1 cube butter melted• 1 teaspoon Vanilla• 3 cups milk•

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Layer bread and melted butter in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour evenly over bread. Bake 1 hour in water bath. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar. Can be assembled the night before.

Camellia Inn Breakfast Custard


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chocolate tattoos are also available for fun. Yet more chocolate is on the menu for breakfast on Thursdays, when guests savor cherry clafouti or chocolate croissants.

Every afternoon year-round, the scent of cookies straight from the oven fills the air as guests arrive. Hot water for tea, cider, and hot chocolate and cookies are available from the late afternoon through the evening.

No matter how busy they’ve been during the day, guests are sure to head back to the inn for the pre-dinner wine and cheese hour, which starts at 5:30. The cheese tray often in-cludes selections from the more than ten artisan cheese makers in Sonoma County or from elsewhere in California. Seasonal local fruit, including grapes, apples, and pears are chosen to pair with specific cheeses.

Guests are also treated to La Bella Olives. These California olives are hand stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, blue cheese, jalapeno, and garlic. The olives are a nice and tangy pairing with the big red wines from Camellia Cellars, the Lewand family

winery that got its start in the Camellia Inn’s basement. Because Camellia Cellars has only recently started producing a white wine (called Kiss), other Sonoma County wines are also includ-ed in the tasting.

As for back-of-the-house details, the inn has lots of storage in the basement and a small pantry by the kitchen. The big freez-er is in the basement. Most of the equipment is not commercial and includes two dishwashers, gas stove, ovens and refrigera-tors. Commercial equipment is limited to three compartment sinks. Lucy’s favorite pieces of equipment are her Kitchen Aid mixer and her lightning fast Krups hot water kettle. ■

Liza Simpson, formerly of The Old Miner’s Lodge in Park City, Utah, has cooked professionally for more than 25 years. She is currently managing a specialty coffee house while she and her husband Chris (and their Cor-gis) search for their next innkeeping adventure. Liza is also Food Editor of PAII’s innkeeping newsletter.

1 package skinless sausage links•

Batter:3 cups frozen Potatoes O’Brien• ¾ cup biscuit mix• ¼ cup chopped green onions• ⅓ cup milk• 2 tablespoon milk• 2 eggs• 6 oz. cream cheese• ½ cup grated cheese—any kind• Salt & pepper• A little melted butter to spread over potatoes•

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a deep pie plate. Spread in potatoes & grated cheese. Pour melted butter over potatoes. Mix onion, milk & softened cream cheese, salt & pepper. Spread over potato mixture. Lightly brown sausages & arrange spoke fashion over potatoes. Beat together batter ingredients—biscuit mix, milk & eggs. Pour around sausages. Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Cut into 8 pieces.

“My Scottish son-in-law’s favorite! Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner!” —Del Lewand, Innkeeper.

Bake: 375 degrees • Time: 25-30 min.Yield: 8 servings

Camellia Inn Sausage Pie


29Industry Research

The Bed and Breakfast/Country Inn industry has grown and become significantly more professional over the last twenty-five years. We have moved from running the busi-

ness out of our personal checkbooks to sophisticated account-ing and reporting systems. Many innkeepers use QuickBooks or similar accounting software to track their income and expenses, prepare budgets and produce regular balance sheets and income statements, along with all of the other various reports the soft-ware provides. A successful inn relies just as much on back of the house functions as it does on front of the house duties.

Innkeepers like to think of themselves as a unique breed of people who can multitask on numerous levels and make it look seamlessly simple to the guests. Behind the scenes, though, a savvy innkeeper is watching and comparing his or her financial status by using all the tools available.

In addition to standard financial reporting used by any busi-ness, the lodging industry has specific key indicators that are just as applicable to the inn sector of the industry. Two of those indicators are Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR). General managers and investors in the hotel/motel industry routinely use these two indicators to track performance. Many innkeepers have already started track-ing their ADR, but I have found that far fewer are tracking their RevPAR. For many in the lodging industry, it is RevPAR that is the more important number, and more innkeepers should be tracking it as well.

The Average Daily Rate (ADR) is computed by taking your total gross room revenue and dividing it by the number of rooms occupied during the year. So, if you had 10 guest rooms and an annual (not seasonal) occupancy rate of 70%, you would have had 2,555 occupied room nights (10 rooms x 365 nights x 70% = 2,555). Assuming your gross room revenues were $255,500 for the year, your ADR would be $100.00 ($255,500 annual gross room revenues ÷ 2,555 occupied room nights = $100.00).

ADR averages out your year and does not take into consid-eration seasonality, different rate periods, or occupancy. It is still a good number to use to follow your own inn’s trends and com-pare it to others in the Bed and Breakfast/Country Inn industry and the lodging industry overall.

Inns have shown a steady increase in ADR over the last five years, as shown in the latest edition of the Professional Associa-

tion of Innkeepers International’s (PAII) Industry Study of Op-erations and Finance 2007-2008 (known as the Industry Study). Further, inns tend to significantly exceed the ADRs of other segments of the lodging industry, as outlined in the PAII Indus-try Study. Below are the overall ADR numbers from that study for bed and breakfasts.

Average Rate (ADR) Statistics – Bed & BreakfastChange 2005/06

2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

Overall Average

Daily Rate3.46% $166 $161 $144 $143 $137

Source: Professional Association of Innkeepers International, The Highland Group

This chart shows that the average ADR for all inns in the study was $166 in 2006. That compares to a figure of $97.31 for the overall lodging industry in the United States, according to Smith Travel Research.

The Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) is computed by taking your total gross room revenue for the year and divid-ing it by your total available room nights. So if you have 10 guest rooms, the total number of available room nights is 3,650 (10 rooms x 365 nights = 3,650). Assuming gross room revenues for the year were $255,500, your RevPAR would be $70.00 ($255,500 annual gross room revenues ÷ 3,650 available room nights = $70.00). Thus, using the figures in our example, the inn’s ADR is $100 but its RevPar is only $70.

RevPAR is a more complete measurement of an inn’s success because it gives you an overall picture of both room revenue and occupancy. In just one figure, RevPar helps you understand how well your inn has filled its rooms both off-season when demand is low even though rates also are low, and in high-season, when demand is high and rates also are high.

While PAII did not report RevPAR in its most recent In-dustry Study, The Highland Group, PAII’s research partner was able to produce those numbers based on the data supplied by the participants and below are the overall RevPAR figures for bed and breakfasts.

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) Statistics – Bed & BreakfastChange 2005/06

2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

Overall Revenue Per

Available Room

5.73% $69.80 $65.80 $59.50 $56.92 $51.95

Source: Professional Association of Innkeepers International, The Highland Group

Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)—Why do I care?by Hugh A. Daniels

(continues, next page)


30

The average RevPAR for the lodging industry as whole (all sectors) in 2006 was $61.19, again according to Smith Travel Research. While the RevPAR for our segment of the industry is higher, at $69.80, the difference is much smaller than the $166 versus $97.31 spread in ADR. Why the difference? The simple answer is occupancy, combined with room rates. The average oc-cupancy rate for the B&B/country inn segment was 43 percent in 2006, according to the PAII Industry Study—a full 20 points below the average rate for the lodging industry as a whole, while average room rate was $62 higher. So, if you want a good one-shot comparison of your financial success with the motel down the street, or with other inns in your area or nationally, RevPAR gives you a better picture than ADR.

Another interesting statistic from the PAII study is that the RevPAR trend for inns shows even a better improvement over the past five years than the ADR trend. In the charts above, RevPar rose 34% between 2002 and 2006, while ADR rose only 21%. The higher RevPAR figure reflected gains in occupancy, as well as in room rates, for our segment of the industry.

The standard use of RevPAR is to determine the combined performance of all your inn’s rooms. But with good property management software (PMS), you can easily calculate the indi-vidual RevPAR for each room. Most PMS systems will provide you with a report detailing the revenue each room has generat-ed, regardless of the varying rates for your rooms. You can take the annual gross room revenue for each room and divide it by 365, to see how the rooms compare. This is a good way to see which rooms are the best performers and which ones may need a little more work or an upgrade to improve your bottom line. The results may surprise you.

Determining the RevPAR for each room is also a good tool to help make management decisions. A recent client was think-ing of converting rooms in a building next door to long-term rentals rather than nightly rentals—mainly to reduce stress and wear-and-tear on the staff. However, after comparing the Rev-PAR of these rooms to the inn as a whole and analyzing the rooms in the main house and what decreases would occur in a long-term environment, it became obvious that keeping nightly rental of the adjacent building was a key to the bottom line. In fact, doing so would potentially pay for additional staffing to meet the same goals.

The bottom line: RevPAR and ADR both are important key indicators to be used by owners, investors, lenders and buyers in evaluating the performance of an inn. These, along with the your financial statements, cash flow analysis and budgeting, are paramount to keeping your inn financially healthy and provid-ing you the tools to keep it so.


31

Our segment of the lodging industry is also lucky to have a national trade association that is willing to invest in research. Without PAII’s Industry Study, we would have no clue where each of our businesses stands in our segment of the lodging industry or in comparison with other segments of the industry. However, the Industry Study is valid if innkeepers participate in it, so please participate when the next survey is sent out this year. The more inns that are involved, the better numbers we get. I am also sure in the next report you will see a breakout of RevPAR! ■

Hugh A. Daniels, BS, MBA is a recently retired 22 year innkeeper with a degree in business and a head for numbers. Ask Hugh Consulting, LLC is Hugh’s firm of seven years that helps small busi-nesses, particularly in the hospitality industry, with finances, purchases, sales and operations. Information about Hugh’s background and services is at http://www.askhugh.com, or contact him at [email protected] or 435-645-3931.


32

Innkeepers have seen their fair share of change since bed and breakfasts emerged as a popular lodging alternative in the United States two decades ago. Consumer expectations

have driven inns of all sizes to add private bathrooms and lux-ury amenities and to step up their marketing with such tools as 800 numbers, websites, email and online reservations.

A new trend emerged in the past two years that already has affected all aspects of the travel industry, including bed and breakfasts and country inns. A short-hand term for this trend is “social media:” interactive use by people of the Internet and oth-er communications tools (such as text-messaging and instant-messaging) to exchange information and ideas. The best-known uses of social media in the travel business are websites such as TripAdvisor, where consumers give their own reviews of hotels, resorts, and inns. The same consumers who drove innkeepers to put in private bathrooms are now forcing innkeepers to respond effectively, and proactively, to the world of social media.

But rather than being intimidated by the social media trend, innkeepers should recognize that they already are way ahead of other segments of the travel industry in the central aspect of this trend: communicating directly with their customers. Managers of big hotels and resorts tend to communicate with their guests only to solve problems. By contrast, knowing guests on a person-al basis, providing individualized service to them, and listening to their concerns, are at the very heart of what innkeepers do.

How will the new world of social media change life for inn-keepers, as well as their guests? When compared to the tradi-tional approach of innkeeping, there are two big objectives that social media can help to achieve:

The expanded use of online tools to improve the dialogue ●

with customers when they are not on-site; andThe ability to utilize social media tools to attract and engage ●

new customers.

The World of Social MediaTwo-thirds of your online customers are using social media. They like to meet, interact, and have dialogue online while they shop and purchase travel products and services. Are you talking to them online yet?

Social media and social networking are all about customer engagement. While consumer reviews have certainly captured

the attention of travel market-ers, it’s not just about consum-ers spouting the good and bad of their travel tales and travails. There is a much bigger story to tell. The highest and best use of social media—and the way in which a travel marketer can most effectively respond to con-sumer commentary on the well known review sites—is to engage customers and prospects in con-versations to understand their needs, to develop relationships and to interact with them before a purchase, during the purchase process, and after a purchase is made.

This conversation may begin with customer reviews, but a savvy innkeeper will take it well past this point. Such conversa-tions can serve to develop and deepen relationships (with cus-tomers, intermediaries, influencers) and can be a primary vehicle to create, project, and burnish a brand image. There are power-ful tools in the new social media-driven environment. The cost to use these tools is relatively low and the impact is high. And the use of social media is not limited in any way to just upscale travelers or to those twenty-something Gen Yers (or Millenni-als). The same expectations and methods apply to all genera-tional groups and to those traveling on a limited budget. Now is the time for innkeepers to dive in, engage their customers in new ways, and reap the benefits of these relationships.

The Conversation EconomyThis new consumer behavior applies as much to travel as it does to industries as different as electronics, books, automobiles, and financial planning. Every industry is feeling the impact of the new “conversation economy” and is beginning to alter the way its marketing is executed. Consumers want to continue their offl ine relationships in the virtual online world. They want a similar depth and breadth of interaction, and technology now makes this possible. The door is open for travel marketers to join in the conversation with very productive results. This con-versation is not limited to management responses to consumer reviews. The toolkit is robust and growing.

According to a recent Travel Industry of America/Ypartner-ship TravelHorizons™ study, two-thirds of online adult leisure travelers consume online video and audio clips, and four in ten read blogs, share photos and take virtual tours. One in four posts responses to blogs and participates in social networks. It is clear that the U.S. population is actively using social media and that this phenomenon is growing dramatically. This is not limited to

Marketing Matters

Innkeepers Join the Conversation Economyby Cindy Estis Green


33

high school or college students. It is also spreading like wildfire. A recent study by comScore reported substantial, worldwide use of social networking sites, as shown by this chart.

Groups of like-minded people belong to organizations—be they social, commercial, fraternal, or community service-based—in order to interact. The change is that much more of this interaction is now being done online. This may include on-line participation in topics related to gardening, photography, travel, current events, medical research, or art history. You name a topic and there are online communities interacting on it. Most consumers have multiple reasons to go online and are increas-ingly doing so for interactive experiences.

The dialogue that occurs online is very similar to that which takes place offline in terms of depth, complexity and degree of interactivity. The result is an amplification of the conversations and a highly accelerated transfer and exchange of commentary and ideas. These are the factors most salient for marketers when they set out to maneuver through the waters of consumer com-munities with their respective brand messages.

The Rise of Consumer Constellations It is not as though consumers have traded a magazine or TV show for a favorite new website, blog, or news posting and that marketers need only figure out which websites or URL they vis-it so messages can be delivered. Social interactions will occur in many places. Mirroring the offline world, consumers belong to multiple social groups, each including many members, and with each member being a point of contact. Imagine a constellation of stars representing a group of people in a network, each pat-tern unique to one consumer but interconnecting to each other through the common friend, colleague or acquaintance.

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34

One consumer could feasibly be active in LinkedIn, Sec-ondLife, Flickr, Yahoo! Groups, Classmates.com, and TripAd-visor. This isn’t about learning how to manage in MySpace or Facebook or about which one will finally reign supreme in cyber-space. It is about the emerging concept of “consumer constella-tions” and how consumers will belong to a collection of networks. The Internet is, in fact, becoming one big social network. Learn-ing the topography of this complex set of networks is the first step for marketers to develop a strategy of customer engagement.

A New Purchase FunnelDavid A. Brill, the chief marketing officer of Visit Florida, has developed the concept of a “purchase funnel” that reflects con-

sumer online behavior, identifies multiple points of contact and shows how the new online technologies create a variety of op-portunities for travel marketers to interact with all consumers at every point along the way, not just loyalty club members.

As innkeepers know well, interaction with the consumer doesn’t end when the booking is made. It continues during the travel experience and in the post-travel dialogue, which then feeds into the next purchase to influence the decisions of fam-ily, friends and colleagues for the next trip. There are online tools to address every point in the process and most of them are found in the social media arsenal. Yes, consumer reviews are crucial, but they are merely one point of contact and often serve only as opening dialogue. Travel marketers can master a dozen other tools to effectively capture the attention of the audience that matters to them.

The Bottom Line for InnkeepersSo, what can an innkeeper accomplish in this new environment?

There are many tactical tools that can serve an innkeeper’s marketing objectives. Trip planning, an ideal application for so-cial media, can be one of the natural focal points for innkeepers it is often interactive in nature when several people are involved in the travel decision. The trip planning function is enhanced by rich content such as video, audio, photos and mapping, often forming “mashups” by combining several sources, and is usually an essential element in the travel purchase.

The Rise of Consumer Constellations

Brill’s Travel Planning Model


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Recommendations for InnkeepersWhen it comes to an innkeeper’s effective use of social media, there are some actions that even the smallest inn can take to le-verage this new marketing approach.

● Offer trip planning whenever possible to make it easier for those unfamiliar with your area to make their travel plans in-cluding restaurants, attractions and other points of interest. Look into automating this through participation with Ask

Nearly everyone has heard of blogs and podcasts, but many people would be hard-pressed to explain what these, and other terms of today’s Internet age, really mean. Here’s a quick guide to “social media:” the tools people use to pub-lish, converse, and share content online.

Blogs are personal or corporate online journals that offer reporting and/or opinions about people, things and events. They allow readers to post responses or comments, and the most successful ones generate a high degree of inter-active dialogue. Blogs are dated in reverse chronological order, with the newest material at the top of the page. A user can bookmark a blog and/or access it through RSS feeds (see below).

Content syndication is the distribution of text, videos, and photos to other websites to extend the reach of a brand by making its products more widespread; allowing others to subscribe to the content on a website to be used elsewhere. This is usually done through the use of RSS enabling technology.

Mash-up is an application that pulls and displays informa-tion from different sources in response to user queries. An example would be Google’s or Yahoo!’s plotting of hotels, with their names, on a map along with local restaurants and/or attractions.

News feed reader (also called a Really Simple Syndication or RSS reader) is a desktop tool that serves as a personal aggregator of online feeds to make it more convenient to the user by putting them all in one place. The alternative would be to look at multiple websites or to read multiple emails with news or links to news in them. Some popular readers are Feeddemon, Aggreg8, Newsgator, and FeedReader.

Podcasts are multimedia files (audio or video) that are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on personal computers and mobile devices like mp3 players (e.g. iPods). Many podcasts are free, and oth-ers can be purchased via subscription.

Social networking sites are online websites where users can create profiles for themselves and then socialize with others using a range of social media tools like blogs, vid-eos, images, tagging, forums, messaging and others.

UGC is the abbrevia-tion for “User Gener-ated Content” and in-cludes all text, photos, videos and other materi-als that can be produced and displayed online by consumers. This term is often used interchangeably with Social Media but that is not an accurate characterization since some social media is produced commercially but shared socially and some user generated content may not be so-cial in nature at all.

Web 2.0 is the term describing the use of the network as an online platform to allow interaction among all users. Interaction is improved through an “architecture of partici-pation” (as websites get used, they are improved by the users through added, enriched or modified content) go-ing beyond the page metaphor (referring to web pages) of Web 1.0 to deliver richer user experiences.

Widgets, sometimes also called badges, modules, flakes, capsules or snippets, are small utilities such as a “plug in” (often using Javascript or Flash) that can be installed on any HTML web page without further compilation or pro-cessing. Widgets appear on a user’s desktop allowing per-formance of certain functions such subscribing to a feed or making a donation. Some anticipate widgets will become a new marketing vehicle due to their functionality, ease of use and popularity.

Wiki is a collaborative website that is open to anyone, with or without programming skills, for editing, additions or up-dating. The only quality control on Wiki sites is through observation by the user community and there is no official screening for inaccuracies. Hawaiian for “quick,” the term Wiki entered widespread use when Wikipedia created the first user-generated encyclopedia. Wikis are simple to use and set up; because no technical skills are needed to up-date a Wiki, anyone can do so. All changes are visible for all to see immediately.

A Guide to “Social Media”


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City and other online services focused on local search. It is far more effective and can serve a wider audience than you can via phone or email.Find someone interested in part-time work (a student intern ●

could be ideal) to collect, summarize and respond to your consumer reviews and scan social networks to find those that attract your customers. If your area is known for spas, wine, historical sites, shopping or other activities, do some research to find the social networks related to those topics and participate in the dialogue. Start monitoring the discus-sion to find where your inn can join the conversation. ● Take advantage of the social media tools such as photo or story contests to get your customers to send in content ap-propriate for your area to enhance your website.If you have anyone involved with your inn who can write at ●

least on a monthly basis, consider starting a blog relative to your region or major points of interest (such as wine or his-tory). With limited time to write, an innkeeper can work with the local convention and visitors bureau or regional/state tourism entity to start a blog that can be written on a month-ly or semi-monthly basis. Rotating this function will ensure that interesting local content is posted but will not require any one to have to do it more than once or twice a year. ● Podcasts and videocasts are not hard to make, even for a small operation, and can add a lot to a website. The more rich content that is added, the more appealing a website will be for visitors. Working in conjunction with local attractions makes it even more appealing. ● Make sure that some level of search engine marketing is be-ing done so all the new content related to your inn or area will assure your inn’s website will appear in search results related to popular search terms. ■

Parts of this article were excerpted from the new report by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association and the Travel Industry of America: The Travel Marketer’s Guide to Social Media and Social Networks by Cindy Estis Green. It can be ordered through HSMAI at: http://www.hsmai.org/Resources/research.cfm

Cindy Estis Green, managing partner of The Estis Group is a thirty year travel industry veteran who provides consulting in the marketing disciplines of customer relationship management, internet mar-keting, electronic distribution and revenue manage-ment. She can be reached at [email protected].


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In the last issue of Innkeeping Quarterly, Scott Crumpton talked about the benefits of telling the truth. Scott made a very valuable statement, one that should invoke a resound-

ing he’s right approach to your online marketing. He said: “Tell the truth or the public will do it for you.” I’d like to take that a little further and discuss the impact of the phenomenon known as Consumer Generated Media (CGM) on your online marketing initiatives.

The Internet has given consumers a voice like no other form of media. It has provided consumers with a platform where they can publish their opinions for others to read, research, listen to and share. Unlike paid media, such as print or banner ads, CGM is created solely by consumers, for consumers and can include anything from facts, opinions, impressions, experiences, rumors, reviews, complaints, praises—anything.

Discussion forums, message boards and Usenet newsgroups were among the first generation of CGM, while blogs, wikis, pod-casts and videocasts represent the second generation—all very easy and inexpensive to create. Second generation CGM can in-clude text, images, photos, videos and other forms of media. There are any number of message boards and forums where people can post what’s on their minds, whether it be to tell of their harrowing experience or the exceptional customer service they received. Any one of these can affect your innkeeping operation.

While it is true that traditional innkeeper marketers and ad-vertisers no longer have control over the messages being circu-lated about them, their inns, or their services—nor do they have control over the medium in which those messages are being pre-sented—they do have control over how to use those messages.

Understanding and monitoring the impact CGM has on consumers’ decision-making processes is extremely important for online success. According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, more than 40% of online consumers have created some form of online content. Consumers are using this information to form their own opinions on your inn, their experiences and your service. People who are using the Internet to research their vacations are using this information to help them determine where they are going to stay, and they are also using this infor-mation in their purchasing decisions.

Just as important, CGM is viewed by consumers as trusted third-party advice and information. An eMarketer study found

that 65% of consumers trust their friends the most for product recommendations. Therefore, if your website claims that your inn is the best in town, but three out of five 5 people on the In-ternet say that you are not, chances are that the person reading these competing claims will not believe you.

Help close the gap between customer expectations and real-ity by offering a virtual tour of your property, your rooms and amenities. What one person considers a luxury inn may be an-other’s idea of a homey B&B. Tell the truth as you see it, but show potential customers what it is you are talking about and let them decide for themselves.

Innkeepers should be embracing CGM. Begin by observing, listening to, and engaging customers and potential customers in your target market. More specifically, listen to and under-stand what your clients are saying about your business and your services—and even your competitors. Pay as much attention to unsolicited commentary as possible because it can help you learn directly from consumers what amenities and services en-couraged (or discouraged) their purchasing decisions. This in-formation gives an innkeeper unfiltered insights into customer experiences that they could only have gotten through surveys and comment cards in the past.

The Truth Always Comes Out— Embrace It!by Susan Sweeney

Marketing Matters



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CGM leaves a digital trail; in other words, you can tell how many people are talking about your property online and what they are saying, even if you don’t always know exactly who those people are. This means that CGM it is a highly measurable form of media. It can be converted into market research which allows innkeepers to gauge their brand equity, reputation, and message effectiveness. It is important for innkeepers to take into account the scope and effect of CGM and use it to help them make bet-ter informed decisions.

The next step is to adapt your online marketing so that it is interactive with your customers and potential customers. You can do this by providing them with a convenient way to commu-nicate with you and participate in your online marketing initia-tives. Incorporate third party opinions, recommendations and testimonials into your online marketing by inviting customers to participate in your blog or link to other blogs that are dis-cussing your operation.

If you choose to engage customers through your own blog it is not hard to find free blog software on the Internet (Blogger.com, LiveJournal, TypePad and Xanga to name a few). The key is to find one that suits your needs. Many of these resources even al-low you to review postings before they go “live.” This gives you the opportunity to determine if they are suitable for posting or not. Negative posts should be allowed if they are in sync with proper “netiquette” rules. Posting negative comments will show your customers that you are open to real suggestions. It will also give you the opportunity to state your side of the story, but do it in a non-confrontational way that readers will perceive as con-vincing, not just self-serving.

Another way to incorporate third party opinions is to post consumer generated videos on your site, perhaps on your testi-monials page, or if you have room post one or two on your home page. Record consumer generated podcasts about your opera-tion and surrounding area so that others may listen to them while they are en route.

Consumers are using the Internet to consult with other con-sumers. They are reading sites dedicated to consumer opinions, consumer reviews and personal experiences. They are frequent-ing discussion boards where they share information, give feed-back, ask for recommendations or simply read what others are saying. Understanding the trends in CGM is what will give you the competitive advantage. Listening to and leveraging such me-dia may be the most important source of competitive advantage for your inn.

Your Internet marketing strategy must be comprised of many tactics designed to grow your online success: website op-timization, customer segmentation, strategic linking, keyword

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rich copy, e-mail marketing and online advertising. Your social media strategy is just one piece of your Internet marketing strat-egy. And as with everything related to your business and your Internet marketing, your social media strategy must take into account your objectives and your target market.

Consumer generated media is a great tool to help professional innkeepers understand their target markets, what consumers in those markets want, and what they need. With consumer gener-ated media the truth will always come out —embrace it. ■

Susan Sweeney, Chartered Accountant, Certified Speak-ing Professional, and member of the Canadian Speakers Hall of Fame, is a professional speaker, Internet marking consultant, and the best-selling author of eight Internet marketing books, including “3G Marketing on the Inter-net” and “101 Ways to Promote Your Tourism Web Site.” Susan will be speaking at the PAII conference in Anaheim in April. More information on Susan can be found at http://www.susansweeney.com.

1st Travelers Choice ...................................... 30

B&B Team, The .............................................. 39

BedandBreakfastFinancing.com ................... 13

Bob Hope Insurance ........................................ 9

Boca Terry....................................................... 17

Calling Inn ...................................................... 36

Comerica Bank .................................................2

dnj specialities ............................................... 11

Essential Amenities ....................................... 25

FLBed-BreakfastForSale.com ........................ 40

George W. Gardner Assoc. ...........................28

Inn Consulting Partners ................................. 12

innSPAration .................................................. 31

InnStyle ........................................................... 37

iRobot ............................................................. 33

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Smith, Bell & Thompson ............................... 24

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AdVERTISERS’ INdEx


40Inn SalesNine Guestrooms and Suites in New Hope, PA$1,493,000 – 100% Turnkey. New Hope, PA, B&B has been operating for 13 years and enjoys a great clientele and lifestyle, along with high occupancy and six-figure net income. Five rooms, three two-room suites, and a one-bedroom apartment suite in the main building. Separate two-story home, plus pool, workshop. Country ambiance. Outdoor activities, fine dining, strong art community, excellent theatre, great shopping, two world class cities within 1.5 hours. A lovely place to live, work and play!

Contact Kathryn Triolo, Owner, (and licensed PA Realtor)Home: 215-862-4817 • Cell: [email protected]

Please do not contact inn directly. Thank you.

Visit www.innsales.com for more listings.do you have an inn for sale? You can reach smart innkeeping professionals by advertising your inn for sale here in the next issue of Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ).

For this and other advertising placements in IQ, please contact Marlene Sapir at 800-468-PAII or [email protected].

Serving Afternoon Tea?Give customers The Tea House Times. Bulk rates. Free listing inside & at website. 973.499.1194 • www.theteahousetimes.com [email protected] place people go to find places for tea!

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Popular Inn Wants “Adoptive Parents”Well-established, well-known, award-winning inn in prime Midwest vacation area may be for sale to energetic, hands-on, caring “adoptive parents.” Very well maintained and decorated. Major 2008 advertising in place. Superior staff. Owners want to retire, but will provide transition and continuity.

Large innkeeper quarters. 20 rooms and cabins, restaurant, bar, and 20 acres of woods. Great wedding destination.

Very realistic price. Owner will ask interested parties to sign a confidentiality agreement. Serious inquiries only.

Reply to: Inn Opportunity P.O. Box 2853 Westerville, OH 43186-2853

Live-In Assistant Innkeeper Wanted

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn every aspect of the innkeeping business, while living in one of the most beautiful places on earth—St. Michaels, Maryland.

The successful applicant will possess certain mandatory qualifications including: Excellent computer skills; an outgoing, pleasant personality; the ability to work under pressure and maintain a sense of humor; an excellent phone voice and good phone sales techniques; be able to follow recipes, cook and serve breakfast; the willingness and ability to clean rooms—and most importantly—good common sense!

Our inn is large and successful, and very busy, you will work closely with the innkeepers, and you will develop skills that will assure you of a great innkeeping future. A one-year contract is required, housing and salary are provided. Please note that this position is not suitable for a couple, the living accommodations are comfortable for one person, but not two. No smokers, No pets.

For more information, please call 410-310-6806, between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

winter 2008 innkeeping quarterly (iq)

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