TheBeachHouse
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2013
- Messages
- 4,452
- Reaction score
- 375
a gun taped to the sink?????Well, my "full time innkeepers" consist of my retired cousin and her husband. They live 10 minutes away, and she comes in most afternoons for 2 or 3 hours to help clean rooms, and he mows the yard. I couldn't do this without them, plus they know everyone in town so they're great for marketing, AND they loaned me $25k when the old HVAC died just a month before opening... As for me, my 82 year-old mom lives with me in a small house directly across the street from the inn. No, I don't put her to work (she's on oxygen with limited mobility). I handle all reservations, all money, 90% of check-ins and guest relations, all technology, and breakfast (continental, thank goodness). And I'm a self-employed architect too, because the bills have to be paid. So on the website I give my "full time innkeepers" a gracious nod, while I'm doing the vast majority of the work myself. I'm certainly not looking for anyone to feel sorry for me; just trying to find a community of other people in the same boat. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts.Welcome the the forum, front and center.
But you didn't say you have full time innkeepers? I was about to feel sorry for your burden. And then I tried your reservation "Book your stay" which brought nothing up. Oh I see a page with "some" writing. And then more without how to reserve? It is all VERY confusing.
So MY WISDOM:
Make it easy to go to your website, the storefront for your inn and check availability or reserve a room. Don't make me email you, don't make me read a bunch of stuff, I just want to see what you have open and if I like it I will book. I already closed the browser, you made me work and my attention span is that of a gnat.
Rooms - I can't view any rooms. I am on chrome, if that helps. My SECOND wisdom would be room photos asap. These should be in place before even opening.
And hello from a neighboring state. I was in your town a few weeks ago, passing through. Third Wisdom: Give me a google map I can click on to see where you are and how far from where I was going.
And as beautiful as the background/wallpaper shot is on all the pages, I can't read through it, and I am not that old, yet.
Don't leave...you asked. I hope I can help, like others have helped me here, many times. PS Well done on the restoration, beautiful place.
One more: Establish your Trip Advisor page (add all the photos you want) before someone else posts them there from some tracfone..
As for the website, I'll check it out on different platforms - it sounds like there are issues I'm not aware of. In order to try to save a few thousand dollars, I built the site myself using Wix, Stripe, and Wix Hotels, and I took all the photos. It's the first website I've ever done, so although I put a lot of thought into it, I'm not claiming it's anywhere near perfect.
Your post almost made me quit this forum, but I'm not going to. Now I see why most registered users on this site remain anonymous: It helps avoid personal scrutiny. But please remember, our public face is rarely the full story....
I've already got a few entertaining war stories (the guy who left a handgun taped to the bottom of his pedestal sink.... the lady who left a couple of unmentionable battery-operated items in her nightstand, horrifying my poor sheltered cousin...).
Must go now - I've got 6 rooms of traveling bicyclists, all wanting boiled eggs. But these folks are great: I even let them borrow my car last night to drive to dinner...
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I've let people borrow bicycles and kayaks (not often, just guests we know well), but never a car!