I'm new here - please share your wisdom!

[TheBeachHouse]

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. .

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.
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...
.

a gun taped to the sink?????
I've let people borrow bicycles and kayaks (not often, just guests we know well), but never a car!

 

[gillumhouse]

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. .

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.
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...
.

I started out doing a Continental Plus breakfast. Found doing a full cooked was easier - for me. Since I bake just about everything, entree in the oven and I do the fruit. Make coffee and get bacon ready for the oven while the muffins bake. Depending on what I decided to make, the entree is either mixed up and in fridge the night before or gets mixed up while the bacon is baking. Obviously, I do not do fancy gourmet. I also serve family style so they can help themselves to the food. Whatever works for you is what you should do. (I changed mainly because of rumbles from guests about no eggs? no bacon? etc. THEN found out how much easier it actually was,)

 

[Tom]

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. .

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.
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...
.

a gun taped to the sink?????
I've let people borrow bicycles and kayaks (not often, just guests we know well), but never a car!
.

Don't loan the car; because they are paying guests they are in a category your insurance won't cover. Even one little accident will definitely put you out of business. The way we deal with bicyclists is to offer a (free) light supper so they don't have to go into town to eat if they don't have the energy to do so. Bicyclists aren't fussy; you could even offer a frozen pizza and a salad.

 

[Tom]

Welcome! No shortage of advice here ;-)

 

[Morticia]

Well, you're right: I asked,
I've used Chrome and Explorer to view the website, including on mobile devices, and didn't realize there were such terrible issues.
The Google map is on the "Contact Us" page, but maybe that's a bad place for it.
Thank you all for your input. Clearly I've got more work to do before I'm up to the standards of this website and forum....

The Google map is on the "Contact Us" page, but maybe that's a bad place for it.
Thank you all for your input. Clearly I've got more work to do before I'm up to the standards of this website and forum...

Put the map on a directions page.
Yes, we're a tough crowd. But, ya know, we only do that so we're all the best we can be.
As one of the 'founding' members here, I'm still learning stuff. We're like one big disfunctional family around the Thanksgiving table.
Sometimes you wish Grandma would lay off the cooking sherry and uncle Bob would cut out the lame jokes, but then you realize that's what family is all about.
:welcome:

 

[user 26]

Hello and welcome.

I operated a place that had been an inn in the past but it was a neglected and damaged building with great bones ... since there was no current license I had to meet all new codes and criteria. Wiring, emergency systems, fire alarms. The heat in the rooms was electric each with its own zone, some worked, some didn't, and no heat in the common areas or bathrooms (by the way, we didn't have near enough bathrooms). The whole town called it a 'dump' and I kept getting visits from townies who wanted to see what I was doing. Eventually I figured out that even though it was a darn nuisance, it was best to let people see I was patching holes, installing ceilings!!!, installing an oven, a kitchen fan, new wiring, chucking all the junk, buying beds and dishes ... gosh we needed just about everything. I held three open houses mostly to let the locals see it. It cost way more to start it back up again than anticipated. I had no website, no marketing, no following, no staff. I took an innkeeping weekend seminar and then jumped in ... it was hard. And meeting all the regulations was hard. Even the sign I bought to install was scrutinized and scaled back in size and I was not allowed to place one where it would have been most helpful although I saw bandit signs all over town. (bandit signs meaning those you just plunk in the ground or stick on a fence with no permission)
Best advice I can give you was hardest for me to follow ... schedule time OFF. I got that advice from the wise ones on this forum. I often felt chained to the place. Just walking out the door and over to the general store in the little harbor time felt like an escape! But closing off the rooms and not taking walk-ins was crucial.
Hiring chambermaids, hiring someone to cut the grass, finding a laundry service ... SAVED me. The hired folks earned more than me, but I needed them to survive. Even though figuring out payroll and workers comp and then dealing with no shows, and scantily clad workers, and people smoking or showing up high or arguing with one another was a hassle, I needed those workers.
I love to bake and would walk over to all the little stores with rack cards and my best baked goodies to leave with them so they would hopefully remember I was there ... this great big, looming building that overshadowed their stores... and I was invisible somehow. It took a few years.
There is a wealth of information on this forum with a core group of folks who know just about everything. And each situation you encounter, no matter how bizarre, has likely been met by someone here.
Good luck to you.

 

[Tom]

To clarify, the Colonel is the resident ghost? If there is a tradition behind this, it might be a marketing angle.

 

[Jcam]

Hello and welcome.

I operated a place that had been an inn in the past but it was a neglected and damaged building with great bones ... since there was no current license I had to meet all new codes and criteria. Wiring, emergency systems, fire alarms. The heat in the rooms was electric each with its own zone, some worked, some didn't, and no heat in the common areas or bathrooms (by the way, we didn't have near enough bathrooms). The whole town called it a 'dump' and I kept getting visits from townies who wanted to see what I was doing. Eventually I figured out that even though it was a darn nuisance, it was best to let people see I was patching holes, installing ceilings!!!, installing an oven, a kitchen fan, new wiring, chucking all the junk, buying beds and dishes ... gosh we needed just about everything. I held three open houses mostly to let the locals see it. It cost way more to start it back up again than anticipated. I had no website, no marketing, no following, no staff. I took an innkeeping weekend seminar and then jumped in ... it was hard. And meeting all the regulations was hard. Even the sign I bought to install was scrutinized and scaled back in size and I was not allowed to place one where it would have been most helpful although I saw bandit signs all over town. (bandit signs meaning those you just plunk in the ground or stick on a fence with no permission)
Best advice I can give you was hardest for me to follow ... schedule time OFF. I got that advice from the wise ones on this forum. I often felt chained to the place. Just walking out the door and over to the general store in the little harbor time felt like an escape! But closing off the rooms and not taking walk-ins was crucial.
Hiring chambermaids, hiring someone to cut the grass, finding a laundry service ... SAVED me. The hired folks earned more than me, but I needed them to survive. Even though figuring out payroll and workers comp and then dealing with no shows, and scantily clad workers, and people smoking or showing up high or arguing with one another was a hassle, I needed those workers.
I love to bake and would walk over to all the little stores with rack cards and my best baked goodies to leave with them so they would hopefully remember I was there ... this great big, looming building that overshadowed their stores... and I was invisible somehow. It took a few years.
There is a wealth of information on this forum with a core group of folks who know just about everything. And each situation you encounter, no matter how bizarre, has likely been met by someone here.
Good luck to you..

we have that with locals and especially the builders merchants - have taken on a big project but we knew that, they all want updates!