Hotel Hell

[Madeleine]

It always surprises me at who chooses to be on these shows that show the worst of a business in hopes of improvement. And reading reviews of some of the restaurants that he has "fixed" seems to show that they aren't "fixed" most of the time because the fixes are superficial and the owners are often donkeys.
This can be done well for TV in a non-explotive manner, but who will watch it? It's much more sensationalistic to show cobwebs, dirty toilets and the such than it is to focus on the fact that they might be missing their mark with their breakfast (serving ham but many Muslims visiting) or not having the right size beds (people seeking Queen or King and not Doubles.).

Sometimes it takes a real outside source to focus someone's attention on their failings. You know we beat our heads on the keyboards when the same person asks the same question over and over and never take the advice offered. Maybe seeing themselves on TV smacks some sense into them.
Altho, the follow up comments on the restaurant show do seem to indicate that the owners 'slip' after a few months. What that means is they need a follow up visit and some reinforcement of the initial euphoria. Maybe they got so busy they couldn't keep up the pace. Maybe they were failing because they really don't want to be busy. Could be a lot of things.
Definitely not something I would sign up for. My skin isn't thick enough.
.

There was a show here that did the makeover part and the food part of the equation, didn't bother with the interpersonal part or the financials at all. The end result was that the show was called a "curse".
The reality is that it's composed of so many factors and you have to look into them ALL and not just gloss over by redoing a room and fixing the menu. Often that leaves them without the other tools.
Ramsay's original, in the UK was far superior in that they did look at all the factors. And remember, Ramsay himself has had a string of failures as well, he's not alway been the golden touch.
Want to see the hit list? It's at http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.
.

I was just reading an article about the fact that every single guest that you have essentially depreciates the accomodations and that's just part and parcel of the business. I don't know how often a repaint parts of the walls to cover over the marks left from guests and their luggage. I assume that everything in the house has a lifespan and that I can only use a towel for so long. (I don't think I have a towel in the house that is over a year old.) And when I get a few extra washings out of a set of sheets it's all cream around here.
If you don't do maintenance, if you don't update, if you don't change things all the time, something is up. And one of the most important parts of selling is to keep everything in tip top shape, if you don't, the people deduct the cost of renovations in their mind as they go through your property.
.

We've had guests tell us they love seeing all the new stuff we do every year. And how they were getting tired of not seeing anything repaired before. But, inertia is what kept them coming back in some cases. The devil you know and all of that.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

It always surprises me at who chooses to be on these shows that show the worst of a business in hopes of improvement. And reading reviews of some of the restaurants that he has "fixed" seems to show that they aren't "fixed" most of the time because the fixes are superficial and the owners are often donkeys.
This can be done well for TV in a non-explotive manner, but who will watch it? It's much more sensationalistic to show cobwebs, dirty toilets and the such than it is to focus on the fact that they might be missing their mark with their breakfast (serving ham but many Muslims visiting) or not having the right size beds (people seeking Queen or King and not Doubles.).

Sometimes it takes a real outside source to focus someone's attention on their failings. You know we beat our heads on the keyboards when the same person asks the same question over and over and never take the advice offered. Maybe seeing themselves on TV smacks some sense into them.
Altho, the follow up comments on the restaurant show do seem to indicate that the owners 'slip' after a few months. What that means is they need a follow up visit and some reinforcement of the initial euphoria. Maybe they got so busy they couldn't keep up the pace. Maybe they were failing because they really don't want to be busy. Could be a lot of things.
Definitely not something I would sign up for. My skin isn't thick enough.
.

There was a show here that did the makeover part and the food part of the equation, didn't bother with the interpersonal part or the financials at all. The end result was that the show was called a "curse".
The reality is that it's composed of so many factors and you have to look into them ALL and not just gloss over by redoing a room and fixing the menu. Often that leaves them without the other tools.
Ramsay's original, in the UK was far superior in that they did look at all the factors. And remember, Ramsay himself has had a string of failures as well, he's not alway been the golden touch.
Want to see the hit list? It's at http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.
.

So how does one answer the "dateof last renovation" question when selling?
Like most here, we've updated, redone, replaced thousands and thousands of dollars, but it's continuous. I don't know anybody who shut down to do the renos in a specific year unless it was between owners.

 

[Joey Camb]

It always surprises me at who chooses to be on these shows that show the worst of a business in hopes of improvement. And reading reviews of some of the restaurants that he has "fixed" seems to show that they aren't "fixed" most of the time because the fixes are superficial and the owners are often donkeys.
This can be done well for TV in a non-explotive manner, but who will watch it? It's much more sensationalistic to show cobwebs, dirty toilets and the such than it is to focus on the fact that they might be missing their mark with their breakfast (serving ham but many Muslims visiting) or not having the right size beds (people seeking Queen or King and not Doubles.).

Sometimes it takes a real outside source to focus someone's attention on their failings. You know we beat our heads on the keyboards when the same person asks the same question over and over and never take the advice offered. Maybe seeing themselves on TV smacks some sense into them.
Altho, the follow up comments on the restaurant show do seem to indicate that the owners 'slip' after a few months. What that means is they need a follow up visit and some reinforcement of the initial euphoria. Maybe they got so busy they couldn't keep up the pace. Maybe they were failing because they really don't want to be busy. Could be a lot of things.
Definitely not something I would sign up for. My skin isn't thick enough.
.

There was a show here that did the makeover part and the food part of the equation, didn't bother with the interpersonal part or the financials at all. The end result was that the show was called a "curse".
The reality is that it's composed of so many factors and you have to look into them ALL and not just gloss over by redoing a room and fixing the menu. Often that leaves them without the other tools.
Ramsay's original, in the UK was far superior in that they did look at all the factors. And remember, Ramsay himself has had a string of failures as well, he's not alway been the golden touch.
Want to see the hit list? It's at http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.
.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.

You know the story...the PO's 'improvements' list looked like this: added new pictures in living room, bought 2 lawn chairs, blah, blah, blah.
Whereas the improvements list we hand over (if we ever hand over!) will have a new roof, new furnace, new kitchen, renovated owners' qtrs, exterior painted, new doors, resurfaced driveway, new beds, new flooring, new bathroom tile, blah, blah, blah.
.

In the few years we are here....
New white elastomeric roof, roof insulation and electric skylight.
Two renovated bathrooms, two added bathrooms.
New kitchen & water closet. New Patio.
97% effecient furnace.
Indirect water-heater with lifetime warranty and enough hot water for 10 apartments.
New laundry faciliites.
Etc....
You just have to do the work and keep things in top shape, makes it easier for you and easier for the guests as well.
.

My list is increased bedrooms from 8 to 12 (so far will probably be increasing to 13 as will have to sacrifice a small single with private bathroom which is frankly no loss and will add 2 large doubles) new roof (this year), all new windows (last year), bedrooms 1,2,3,8,9,11 redecorated and new carpets, this year room 7 just been done and 4 on the way, 4 new bathrooms but have done various repairs to the others, tons of carpet which some of which is comming up to be replaced, tons of new underlay as what was under there was made of weird coconut matting so gradually weeding that all out, screwing down all creaky floorboards, room 9 putting in ensuite (ie no bathroom in there before or anywhere as was part of owners accom) basement owners flat built. Removal of about a ton of textured wallpaper, every bed in the place and mattress replaced, new curtains and accessories, new tea trays in every room, virtually every stick of furniture changed.
Next year is - building the orangery if we have enough money, making the current lounge and reception into two large doubles with ensuite. Plus knock room 4 into room 5, Strip out room 5's private bathroom and making it into linen storage and maintenance store.

 

[JBloggs]

It always surprises me at who chooses to be on these shows that show the worst of a business in hopes of improvement. And reading reviews of some of the restaurants that he has "fixed" seems to show that they aren't "fixed" most of the time because the fixes are superficial and the owners are often donkeys.
This can be done well for TV in a non-explotive manner, but who will watch it? It's much more sensationalistic to show cobwebs, dirty toilets and the such than it is to focus on the fact that they might be missing their mark with their breakfast (serving ham but many Muslims visiting) or not having the right size beds (people seeking Queen or King and not Doubles.).

Sometimes it takes a real outside source to focus someone's attention on their failings. You know we beat our heads on the keyboards when the same person asks the same question over and over and never take the advice offered. Maybe seeing themselves on TV smacks some sense into them.
Altho, the follow up comments on the restaurant show do seem to indicate that the owners 'slip' after a few months. What that means is they need a follow up visit and some reinforcement of the initial euphoria. Maybe they got so busy they couldn't keep up the pace. Maybe they were failing because they really don't want to be busy. Could be a lot of things.
Definitely not something I would sign up for. My skin isn't thick enough.
.

There was a show here that did the makeover part and the food part of the equation, didn't bother with the interpersonal part or the financials at all. The end result was that the show was called a "curse".
The reality is that it's composed of so many factors and you have to look into them ALL and not just gloss over by redoing a room and fixing the menu. Often that leaves them without the other tools.
Ramsay's original, in the UK was far superior in that they did look at all the factors. And remember, Ramsay himself has had a string of failures as well, he's not alway been the golden touch.
Want to see the hit list? It's at http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.
.

So how does one answer the "dateof last renovation" question when selling?
Like most here, we've updated, redone, replaced thousands and thousands of dollars, but it's continuous. I don't know anybody who shut down to do the renos in a specific year unless it was between owners.
.

So how does one answer the "dateof last renovation" question when selling?
Like most here, we've updated, redone, replaced thousands and thousands of dollars, but it's continuous. I don't know anybody who shut down to do the renos in a specific year unless it was between owners.

Renovation vs repair and maintenance. You know a renovation when you've got one. For many it is always the current year. When was the last capital improvement? This is a good thing to have on a bullet list for potential buiers. They have no idea all that goes into these places.

 

[Happy Keeper]

It always surprises me at who chooses to be on these shows that show the worst of a business in hopes of improvement. And reading reviews of some of the restaurants that he has "fixed" seems to show that they aren't "fixed" most of the time because the fixes are superficial and the owners are often donkeys.
This can be done well for TV in a non-explotive manner, but who will watch it? It's much more sensationalistic to show cobwebs, dirty toilets and the such than it is to focus on the fact that they might be missing their mark with their breakfast (serving ham but many Muslims visiting) or not having the right size beds (people seeking Queen or King and not Doubles.).

Sometimes it takes a real outside source to focus someone's attention on their failings. You know we beat our heads on the keyboards when the same person asks the same question over and over and never take the advice offered. Maybe seeing themselves on TV smacks some sense into them.
Altho, the follow up comments on the restaurant show do seem to indicate that the owners 'slip' after a few months. What that means is they need a follow up visit and some reinforcement of the initial euphoria. Maybe they got so busy they couldn't keep up the pace. Maybe they were failing because they really don't want to be busy. Could be a lot of things.
Definitely not something I would sign up for. My skin isn't thick enough.
.

There was a show here that did the makeover part and the food part of the equation, didn't bother with the interpersonal part or the financials at all. The end result was that the show was called a "curse".
The reality is that it's composed of so many factors and you have to look into them ALL and not just gloss over by redoing a room and fixing the menu. Often that leaves them without the other tools.
Ramsay's original, in the UK was far superior in that they did look at all the factors. And remember, Ramsay himself has had a string of failures as well, he's not alway been the golden touch.
Want to see the hit list? It's at http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.
.

Wow. That's a long list of fails even after getting help. Your point about just doing the surficial stuff is true. Without getting at the heart of the problem success is hard to come by.

I'm sure a lot of the closure problem is that people (the management) are a lot harder to change than decor and the menu!

A little perspective on that. Our place was a fully operational biz when we bought it but all the maintenance had been let go for 4+ years. The PO's were just collecting money. The place needed updating (and still does, in some areas) and each time we have made a change, I have felt a little lighter on my feet, a little happier to go to work each day.
So, making those surficial changes can make a big difference in how the owner feels. But, if they've lost the drive, it's not going to help and may make them feel worse.
I still have a 10 page wish list of things I would change if we had the money.

Ye old deferred maintenance routine.
One thing asked for on all the for sale sites is "date of last renovation"
Admittedly it is hard to pour every cent you make back into it, but if you want it to sell it gots-ta-look-great! It is just one thing after another here...always maintening.
.

So how does one answer the "dateof last renovation" question when selling?
Like most here, we've updated, redone, replaced thousands and thousands of dollars, but it's continuous. I don't know anybody who shut down to do the renos in a specific year unless it was between owners.
.

So how does one answer the "dateof last renovation" question when selling?
Like most here, we've updated, redone, replaced thousands and thousands of dollars, but it's continuous. I don't know anybody who shut down to do the renos in a specific year unless it was between owners.

Renovation vs repair and maintenance. You know a renovation when you've got one. For many it is always the current year. When was the last capital improvement? This is a good thing to have on a bullet list for potential buiers. They have no idea all that goes into these places.
.

WE ARE closing for upgrades for two months. Our rooms get fluffs and changes as we go along and we have a maintenance schedule, but some of the back end stuff gets left over because it doesn't impact guest satisfaction and perceived value. Now is our time to catch up with all of that. I am really looking forward to it.

 

[gillumhouse]

We updated electrical from 60 amp to 200
new windows
siding (got some insulation that way too)
New furnace/central A/C downstairs
new heating in every room upstairs
new plumbing
1 renovated bathroom plus one created bathroom
new owners bathroom
refinished floors
new storage shed
new sidewalk
Although it does not count in the price of my property, it does in the value of the property, it is fact not brag that I had something to do with the rail-trail coming in to town, the museum starting, the bocce courts being built, and the big beautification projects (during my year as Prez of the Garden Club). Mostly by being the mouth or dropping the ideas to the right people to get 'er done. For instance, at the urging of the now late lady who started the rail-trail effort here and brought me aboard to lobby for the trail, I made an unsuccessful effort to start a museum that got the attention of a very wealthy man who needed a home for his collection. Several years later, the RIGHT person had retired to be available as the Director of the museum and the money came through. The cool thing is most people do not know how I was involved in much of what has taken place and with some who think I did more, I get to give credit to the late lady. Our downtown property values went up when most downtown property values in other cities in the County went down. I am in the downtown of my City. It has been a great 16 years!!