Happy New Year! A new year presented itself, and long-time Inn-keepers as well as newcomers to this special vocation are gearing up to do their best!

What does that mean to you, doing your best, your very best?

It has always been my privilege by participating in a valuation of your Inn to see what you really are up-to behind the façade of smiles that welcome, settle those new/or old guests once again into your milieu, your well-appointed environments with your great locally raised eggs or bacon (when possible) delicious, home-made breads, afternoon baked delicacies and dinner?

Our surprise is when we arrive and see 4 totally refurbished rooms! Gone the “cutesies”, the nick-knacks, and stuffed baskets with wilted plastic bouquets, the flowered wall-papers, the twenty pillows hard and worn on our bed! And all those new outlets for our gadgets to recharge!

Our room is spacious, clean, with a color, pleasant and appealing, paintings well chosen, appropriate for the area.

Grandmother’s attic mementos went to the antique dealer, it was a difficult decision, but once made, brought relief to all the housekeeping staff!

It’s a New Year, and yes, snow-shoeing with Chocolat through our woods this Morning, right after dawn, felt like taking care of me, it is still a priority! Best wishes to you all! Heide

Inn-keepers in Vermont gathered at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, VT participating in our first annual VIBBA meeting!  We have about 70 members’ to-date! But the really exciting thing is that we are striving to support each other, giving out valuable info on energy cost savings, having our Commissioner of Marketing and Tourism of the State of VT Megan Smith attending, everyone excited and committed to our segment of hospitality!

We are part of the National Campaign, promoted by PAII: www.vermontwaytostay.com and we are working hard to develop our own website, with each member Inn having its own link. This is in process… but what I am really excited about is that every State across the nation, could try to organize. The fellowship that is created, to see the support, to watch Inn-keepers embrace each other, mentoring new-comers; it really furthers growth for all of us! I heard Inn-keepers talk about quality of linens, talk about vendors, what about the needs for the Gen-Y and Gen- X guests, the important of power strips for all their electronic gadgets?  Environmental audits, for cost deductions and tax credits?

You know just hearing the buzz in the room, made me very proud of our efforts, and to you all out there, I hope to see you in Las Vegas for that up-coming PAII conference: www.innkeepingshow.com. But do start in your own State first, to revitalize your ideas about Inn-keeping, and at PAII grasp even more new trends and bring them back home; building fellowships among the Inn-owners State by State!

I did walk this Morning in the woods, and my heart was full of gratefulness for all the inn-keepers that attended that first annual VIBBA gathering, pleased that there were so many of you! Heide

December, snowflakes, new Innkeepers and a wintery season upon us!

It is cold walking through the woods. The wind blows freely through the trees and it’s almost still dark where the path winds up, down and around through our woods. We roam 3 ridges and by the 3^rd ridge, I begin to feel warm and open my most outer layer.

But my thoughts wander to the 2 new Inn-keepers and their reactions to this new venture they have embarked upon. Are we ever ready for change? Especially one that takes us away from our familiar environment, and throws us into a new home, making breakfast for guests, and cleaning rooms, and be ready and willing to engage in conversations trivial and social; tit-a tat about places to see, have lunch or map out a ride for a motorcycle route, along mountain paths you don’t even know about yet!

In the meantime your head is swimming with details, like a new marketing program with Whitestone Marketing, a better website with great photography, by my favorite twosome, Jumping Rocks .  What about joining VIBBA , now that you are in Vermont? Knowing the need to buy a new computer, that is not out-dated like the telephone and reservation system, left behind by the previous owners?

But, even if you take over an Inn that was well run and is in “Select Registry”, it is a trying first 3 months… maybe 6, before you breathe easy and feel again the competent person that you are!

As Inn-keepers know, every Inn-keeper went through that first 3 months; it helps belonging to your local Chamber, local Inn-keeper Assoc. Join PAII and be part of their “chat” conversations! These are all ways to help you be the best Inn-keeper you want to be! Best wishes… and we at Inn-partners are always glad to help, or direct you for support; that is when I am not out snow-shoeing before I arrive at my desk in the Morning! Congratulations!  Heide

Yes, you can count the days before this year’s foliage is history and well-deserved vacations or renovation projects are beginning to formulate themselves in earnest! I know many of you Innkeepers breathe a sigh of relief, it was well worth it, the guests for the most part where wonderful, but …. so I wrote this …to put it all into perspective…

Leaves fall, and another season is past
Life strides over seasons, years and beyond
Anticipations for life’s successes move us into ripe age
We shed much: dreams, connections, expectations
And then those wise thoughts of what we value, possess, cherish
In time blow away like dandelions in spring.
May the next Season begin!

Heide

My path through our woods leads us through ferns up to my thighs, my dog has to raise her head to see what lies ahead, as the light filters through tall trees! It is quiet, there are only the sounds of birds chirping and warning other creatures of our coming. Do I love these Mornings? You bet I do!

In the woods, I think about Vermont’s new Inn association. We started it almost a year ago, VIBBA (the Vermont Inn and Bed and Breakfast Association). Why, because for 33 years I have been a part of this industry, and I always saw a need for it. I was not alone, nine avid Inn-keepers committed time and their energies as well, and we now have 64 B&B/Inn members!  That is not enough for our own representative in Montpelier!

We are not Hotels, we are not Motels, we are not home stays, or monthly rentals: WE ARE A UNIQUE INDUSTRY, PROVIDING INDIVIDUAL SERVICE IN WELL APPOINTED INNS AND B&B’S! Have you ever thought what power we would have in the State of Vermont if we would be advocating, in one voice for our unique branch of hospitality! Together our individual establishments bring more to the bottom line, in revenues for charges for our hospitality, and what our guests spend in our communities in the stores, restaurants, art galleries, concerts, theaters, than the larger Hospitality Conundrum we are linked to!

Why are you an Innkeeper? Why do you have your B&B in this State? Would you like to have a voice/choice about taxes, how our money is spent, how we maintain our farmlands, lakes, preserve historic homes, all keeping within our rural environment?

Join VIBBA today, it is worth the cost and we might maintain our standards, and collectively protect why our guest seeks us out!  Thanks for considering being part of this really important organization and moving us another step forward! 64 of you have already signed on; we need the critical mass of at least a 100 members to be represented in Montpelier!

Our woods are in a forest-management program, each Morning I am grateful for Vermont, and being able to protect what makes Vermont such a special place. Best wishes to all of you,

Chocolat (my Weimaraner) and Heide

May 28, 2012, being new at Innkeeping and quickly rising to the top of the popularity list is absolutely amazing? How did they do that?

Not long ago, Michael Cooley and his partner, Gary Robinson, attended our seminar at The Guest House at Lost River. Within months Michael and Gary were the owners of that Inn, and only a few months after that, they were able to have every room occupied on every weekend? How is that possible?

Well, they bought a viable Inn business! They understood the area and the draw to that part of West Virginia. They actually had bought a vacation cottage near the Inn from the previous owners who had a real-estate development company along with the Inn. They obviously love the area! And it was what I refer to as a real “match”.  The owners wanted to sell to someone who loved their place as much as they had loved it and creating it from scratch. They had welcomed all their clients there, had provided a luxurious stay for them, as they were building their homes for them in the area. But the boom of building homes ended. It was the perfect time for a change. These two men, new and city smart, hospitality trained, computer-wise entrepreneurs took hold of this well positioned Inn and voila! Look for yourselves: http://www.guesthouselostriver.com/news and see how you too can drive business to your location, your special place, by loving it and knowing that you have a product worthy of guest enjoyment: excellence in service, amenities and locally created menus. Today, your ability to know how to engage internet services, and receive on-line recognition for your setting, impeccable sincerity with which you provide your hospitality is a must.

Best wishes to all of you; a thank you to the newest member of our Innkeeping community to bring us this crucial reminder, what it is to keep us at the cutting edge. Heide

When considering Inn-keeping location is important both for business viability and personal satisfaction. What about the 2 Inns that we are working with in Washington State? Both of these Inns are in really great locations, attracting guests that want to be either climbing Mountains, or dwell by the sea! Here is the Alexander’s Country Inn setting:  beautifully placed at the foot of Mount Rainier where about 3 million people visit each year. The entrance to the National Park is a mile up the road! The tall pine trees are massive and erect; the Inn’s gardens and the local deer population, an inviting vista for the eyes! The Inn is like an oasis, a comfort zone, to relax after a day of hiking, biking in the Park and to be pampered. Eat a great breakfast and dine in the evening complimented by a wonderful libation. This is a great spot for weddings, luxuriate at the spa, or see movies in their media room. Can you see yourself being the owner here? Hosting a wonderful experience, receive kudos from many satisfied guests! Here is their website: www.alexanderscountryinn.com

Now let’s take a drive down the coast-line and get a look at the Shelburne Inn. Seaview, a town, where the ocean is gently rolling only about 4 blocks from the Inn nestled beautifully among the houses on Main Street. A very convenient location! I loved those Morning strolls, white sand under my feet, and the horizon as far as my eyes could reach; proximity to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the miles of bicycle trails along the ocean, and walking on the Marsh, wild birds, creatures that live there leaving their foot-prints.

The Inn and restaurant are a great place to return to. English Stain-glass windows in the dining rooms, the well appointed bar with the out-door patio to enjoy a lite lunch or sit to enjoy the well kept gardens as you sip on a glass of wine!  The Inn has charm, warmth and is filled with gracious hospitality! Where else would you get fresh caught fish for breakfast, by the owner or his best friend? Here is that website: www.theshelburneinn.com

Both of these properties offer a great business opportunity, as well as a lifestyle that is quite attractive! Let us hear from you, Heide  www.innpartners.com

What are the functions that encompass being a really great Innkeeper?  (I know, walking with me through our woods hearing the Spring- birds jubilee, and facing into the warm rays of sunshine as I stroll along, following Chocolat’s jaunting nose-to-the ground path, taking us home again!) Taking you through my woods, that would be it for me for me!

Well, I actually did that once before 6 A.M. with Deener Matthews, owner of the Swag Country Inn in NC.  I have never forgotten that morning walk! Those memories are what make a guest’s experience at your Inn a lasting experience? Offering something different and unique!  Do you know the art galleries in your area, the sculptors that have their studios tucked away in some obscure location?  The potters rambling old shack, hosting their most creatively crafted ware, and their son’s creation of amazing marbles and glass bugs!

Our guests loved to visit these strange places, sometimes afraid of the undisciplined surroundings, choosing not to leave the security of their vastly expensive automobile!

What about the details that enhance their visit to your area, what about picking apples, visiting local organic farms?

Having little sample maps available at arrival, even more up-to-date, having them connect to your local running/walking maps www.mapmyrun.com, or have you seen the latest gadget available for your guests and in their room at arrival http://www.innapplications.com/demos.html, from Inn Concierge? I like to keep things simple, and your guest wants you to make it simple for them as well! The motto of good hospitality has not changed, hospitality is still that personal touch, but behind that front today’s Inn-keeper knows how to connect to the cutting edge! My best to all of you; the black fly’s are out, and unless the wind is blowing my walks in the woods are pesky! Heide

Yes, those Morning walks in our woodlands do bring all kinds of ideas to the fore-front! I slip on the already dry leaves heading up the hill, Chocolat scurries away after smells, and ideas pop up, and here is one of them!

Bill and I have not always worked together, giving my training in psychology and having worked in that field for at least 30+ years, financials, establishing values for Inn properties, don’t really excite me!  I am very keen on that you have the right personalities, such as gracious hospitality instincts, generosity of spirit, because these qualities will make the best Innkeepers! As prospective buyers’, lookers and dreamers, often you find an Inn, that is in an area you genuinely can be an Ambassador for, that is the right size and you really can imagine to live there and be successful, but financially what if it doesn’t work! Not an easy task to help you find the right Inn in the right location at the right price! Many of you seekers have notions…and why not?

And what matches can there be made for the existing Innkeeper who has decided for one personal reason of one or another to leave this industry? Innkeepers, successful at their Inns, their egos fully emerged in the operation, seek someone who will take their Inn further, but embrace their ideals, their vision and their legacy! Ideally, we will find that person or couple, but it might take a while.

Bill, with his background of teaching South-East Asian History at Yale and other fine Universities loves financials! (I guess, 8 years at Yale and learning 2 languages: Indonesian and Dutch, dealing with financials seems a cinch!)

I am really proud of my spouse, thinking carefully of what you have to invest, even stretching what you might have, exploring in what investment category you might explore to borrow on these. But you have to have the cash, for the down payment… to do the changes that you might deem necessary to make the Inn yours, and to build that occupancy!  That cash needs to be in your pocket for you to succeed in this endeavor, and trust me Bill will know if it can be done or not!

So, what about our joined effort? Does it not reek of match making? Well, that is what we decided, it is: where our skills blend, where we best complement each other, while each enjoying what we contribute to your search for you to find your perfect Inn!  Best wishes! Heide

Having a dog?  For Innkeepers:  one more obligation?  Last Saturday racing to get to my grandson’s hockey game I came across an Innkeeper walking his “new puppy”.  Even so attached to his i-phone, he was strolling the dirt road, on a sunny day!

I believe in the healing powers of having a dog!  A big dog!  One that forces you to take a walk, if it rains, sleets, in snow and ice and then there are lots of sunny days as well.

Chocolat, my Weimaraner, has been my companion for almost 5 years.  In April we will celebrate that special day!  That daily 30-40 minute walk in our woods, allows me to be alone and to compile my thoughts for the day.  It forces me out of the house, despite pending issues and attend to her needs.  (She sits the rest of the day mostly on the couch in our office.)

I know in the morning as Innkeepers you need to make/serve breakfast.  You need to supervise or clean rooms, you need to go shopping, you are very busy, you’re too stressed!

So, get up earlier, take a nap, learn to take that dog-walk in the early afternoon.  The reward is this: there is no one as loyal, or as faithful, as unconditional in love with you, as a dog that you take care of.

She has taught me that I need that discipline, that I need to spend some time each day alone.  When I take care of her I am taking care of myself.   Having just had rotator cuff surgery, ski-pole in left hand, maybe I see you out there walking up that slope on my path through the woods.  Chocolat might bark, but she has never bitten anyone!

Heide