Innkeeper burnout in UK, Europe, Australia?

[Proud Texan]

DW and I are on our 2nd year. We've discussed this and we'll probably not close for a very long time. The tax break is too good. We will scale back our operation when the time comes by imposing 2 night minimums and blocking off as many vacations as we can manage. I know, I know...famous last words.

 

[Country Girl]

We are in our 14th year and plan on doing this a while longer. We are small so that certainly makes a difference. Burnout happens with me during the summer and fall. By the time mid-November comes I'm sick of everyone, even myself! For me, when too much time goes by when I haven't spent time with family and friends I start to get really cranky and feel like I have no life. So this year we made changes and took a two week vacation in June and scheduled days off in each month. It has helped tremendously and I haven't seen any lost income. Knowing that I have planned days off helps me to face anything.

 

[One Day]

Not B&B......however. I am heading into the fall of my 34th season.
As I see it....burnout is a subjective term......if you believe in it, fear it....it will happen.
Accepting that things are what they are is the first step to battle "burnout".....as does accepting the responsibility.
I know some will take offence to the "responsibility" comment......just think about it

 

[Highlands John]

Agree with Mort, it's all about pacing yourself and if you take no breaks you will burn out. When we started it was a new business, we'd never done the like before, we took every booking we could get. As we became more confident in out ability to make a living we began to block days in the diary for ourselves. Friends who started B&B this year where horrified when we told them we had 2 days off in August, we just smiled and said "You'll learn".
I think there is a difference between B&Bs in the US and Europe, here a B&B is a cheaper option to hotel/guest house, it is supposed to be what it says, a bed for the night, a breakfast in the morning and then you go out for the day and come back in the evening. Now I think these lines are becoming increasingly blurred and for me that puts a strain on us that we shouldn't have to put up with. People arriving to check-in at 2pm, expecting to come and go during the day as they please, increasingly higher expectations! If you want all these extras go book a hotel and pay hotel prices is my attitude (a room in a hotel around here with an equivilant star rating will be at least double our price).
We've not had a day off since those days in AUgust, but we know that come October it will quieten down considerably and Nov. onwards we will get a break.

 

[Joey Camb]

I think it depends as well on your area for example we are quiet here in December a good part of Feb and august so it means a good break at the middle points. I think though money isn't everything (I know it is different for people more close to the financial wire) But I think you need a few days here and there to save your sanity it is all about balance.

 

[Don Draper]

It's just really hard to anticipate what your needs are going to be. Every situation is so different. There is absolutely no way to gauge it until you live it. So expect to work every minute the first year and be exhausted, but then be able to gauge for the following year where you should put some breaks in.

 

[wendydk]

I guess the problem comes because, while you MUST buy groceries and pay the electric bill, you can put off vacations. But in the long run that can lead to detrimental consequences for both the business and the owners.

The honest truth is........vacations are not the problem. We have taken vacations each year since year one (sometimes twice a year). It's not taking time away during the busy season that really runs you down. A vacation in March seems like it never even happened by the 1st of July...and with nearly 100% occupancy in the summer, November is an eternity away! Belatedly, this year (year 7) I made the decision to take advantage of weekend days with all stayovers and just leave the Inn. Spend time with family, go canoeing or even for a drive. We leave a note with our cell phone numbers for guests.......never have had a guest call us, have never had guests beat us back to the house. How simple!

 

[JBloggs]

I guess the problem comes because, while you MUST buy groceries and pay the electric bill, you can put off vacations. But in the long run that can lead to detrimental consequences for both the business and the owners.

The honest truth is........vacations are not the problem. We have taken vacations each year since year one (sometimes twice a year). It's not taking time away during the busy season that really runs you down. A vacation in March seems like it never even happened by the 1st of July...and with nearly 100% occupancy in the summer, November is an eternity away! Belatedly, this year (year 7) I made the decision to take advantage of weekend days with all stayovers and just leave the Inn. Spend time with family, go canoeing or even for a drive. We leave a note with our cell phone numbers for guests.......never have had a guest call us, have never had guests beat us back to the house. How simple!.

I guess the problem comes because, while you MUST buy groceries and pay the electric bill, you can put off vacations. But in the long run that can lead to detrimental consequences for both the business and the owners.

The honest truth is........vacations are not the problem. We have taken vacations each year since year one (sometimes twice a year). It's not taking time away during the busy season that really runs you down. A vacation in March seems like it never even happened by the 1st of July...and with nearly 100% occupancy in the summer, November is an eternity away! Belatedly, this year (year 7) I made the decision to take advantage of weekend days with all stayovers and just leave the Inn. Spend time with family, go canoeing or even for a drive. We leave a note with our cell phone numbers for guests.......never have had a guest call us, have never had guests beat us back to the house. How simple!

Right on...In Dec and Jan we miss our guests!
In April - Nov we want to sleep in just once to 8am.

 

[Don Draper]

I guess the problem comes because, while you MUST buy groceries and pay the electric bill, you can put off vacations. But in the long run that can lead to detrimental consequences for both the business and the owners.

The honest truth is........vacations are not the problem. We have taken vacations each year since year one (sometimes twice a year). It's not taking time away during the busy season that really runs you down. A vacation in March seems like it never even happened by the 1st of July...and with nearly 100% occupancy in the summer, November is an eternity away! Belatedly, this year (year 7) I made the decision to take advantage of weekend days with all stayovers and just leave the Inn. Spend time with family, go canoeing or even for a drive. We leave a note with our cell phone numbers for guests.......never have had a guest call us, have never had guests beat us back to the house. How simple!.

I guess the problem comes because, while you MUST buy groceries and pay the electric bill, you can put off vacations. But in the long run that can lead to detrimental consequences for both the business and the owners.

The honest truth is........vacations are not the problem. We have taken vacations each year since year one (sometimes twice a year). It's not taking time away during the busy season that really runs you down. A vacation in March seems like it never even happened by the 1st of July...and with nearly 100% occupancy in the summer, November is an eternity away! Belatedly, this year (year 7) I made the decision to take advantage of weekend days with all stayovers and just leave the Inn. Spend time with family, go canoeing or even for a drive. We leave a note with our cell phone numbers for guests.......never have had a guest call us, have never had guests beat us back to the house. How simple!

Right on...In Dec and Jan we miss our guests!
In April - Nov we want to sleep in just once to 8am.
.

Man, what you both said is just so, so true.

 

[JBloggs]

Can I insert a small weepy comment in here. A man here with his wife just checked out and he never spoke, so I was friendly and polite and didn't push it, not sure if he had bad teeth, had a stroke or what. In their 50's. She just told me he has alzheimers. He came up and shook my hand real hard and thanked me for everything and now I feel like crying...still one room left to leave, so I can't.
God bless her for taking care of him like she does, I noticed some rearranging in the room yesterday when I freshened it, and now I understand why. Sorry, I have a big lump in my throat right now. I am thankful for every day, every sunrise and every sunset, and every one.

 

[EmptyNest]

Can I insert a small weepy comment in here. A man here with his wife just checked out and he never spoke, so I was friendly and polite and didn't push it, not sure if he had bad teeth, had a stroke or what. In their 50's. She just told me he has alzheimers. He came up and shook my hand real hard and thanked me for everything and now I feel like crying...still one room left to leave, so I can't.
God bless her for taking care of him like she does, I noticed some rearranging in the room yesterday when I freshened it, and now I understand why. Sorry, I have a big lump in my throat right now. I am thankful for every day, every sunrise and every sunset, and every one..

WOW,50's!!!! Yikes... i have a lump in my throat as well. God Bless her!

 

[Don Draper]

Can I insert a small weepy comment in here. A man here with his wife just checked out and he never spoke, so I was friendly and polite and didn't push it, not sure if he had bad teeth, had a stroke or what. In their 50's. She just told me he has alzheimers. He came up and shook my hand real hard and thanked me for everything and now I feel like crying...still one room left to leave, so I can't.
God bless her for taking care of him like she does, I noticed some rearranging in the room yesterday when I freshened it, and now I understand why. Sorry, I have a big lump in my throat right now. I am thankful for every day, every sunrise and every sunset, and every one..

Wow, now I'm weepy too. So nice that they had a chance for a relaxing get-a-way at your place. You rock!

 

[JBloggs]

removed

 

[birdwatcher]

All that was said is so very true. We opened and operated an Inn but didn't plan for the other part-the "cushion" was just not there and we hurried in opening instead of waiting and doing it the right way. We lost our Inn but didn't loose our home. We where ruined financially-but we learned a very important lesson-plan, plan, plan, and plan some more even then there are things that happen that aren't in the "plan" and then you just have to either just let it go or do something else.
Now we are Innkeepers at another Inn that we don't own, but we are still Innkeepers because we love the profession. Its just like any other profession-there will be burn out-but for us its much better than the dog eat dog of the corporate world-yea its less $$ but the stress is different. We are paid like any other job, do we miss not being our own boss? ABSOLUTELY-do you think that we would want to operate and own another B & B-I don't know.
We have differnt things to worry about-the boss-and this boss is a bit on the difficult side-but we've been at the other side and those bosses seemed to be worse.
Burnout? Absolutely positively-it happens to everyone in any professions, but Innkeepers aren't just "everyone" are they? We are a breed all of our own and we stick together and this forum is the place to be.
Love that quote arak! and its got me lumping too...joey

 

[Morticia]

Did you notice what he does for a living? It was a full page ad for his business.

 

[EmptyNest]

1. • Closing your inn
   • Taking separate vacation
   • Hiring an Interim Innkeeper to relieve you

All things we have discussed here lots..so nothing new to us

 

[gillumhouse]

At some point for most of us, we all have something we want to do FOR OURSELVES in our golden years.
As the e-mail joke says, the only thing golden about the golden years is the pee. Not far off the mark.
I DO still enjoy what I do. I started this 14 years ago. Medicare kicks in in a few days - whoopee! My knees scream as I go up and down stairs, as I lifr baskets of laundy up the stairs to the storage toom, as I carry in boxes of veggies or groceries. My back has a way of telling me I am an idjit because I have used and abused my body since I was a kid on the farm hauling 2 (oh. Mom, I can do it!) not 1 at a time as Mom said, 10 gallon milk cans of water (I was a freshman in high school when we left the farm) to my worklife is data pocessing moving boxes of paper from stock room to printer to the report pick-up area. At home being the one to do the heavy lifting because DH could not do it. I am nowhere near "burned out" but I am worn out.
I do feel there is something else I am supposed to do but I have no clue what. I figure I will find out when I am able to sell to the next owner. The next owner will be able to put most of their money into new ideas and marketing - or doing things to improve the place that I never thought of. I already took care of the electricals, plumbing, windows, furnace, siding...
I am handing off a business with a good reputation that I have worked hard to build. I hope the next people will do even better - and I will be available to fill-in IF they want/need to get away but only if they ask!

 

[Samster]

DW and I are on our 2nd year. We've discussed this and we'll probably not close for a very long time. The tax break is too good. We will scale back our operation when the time comes by imposing 2 night minimums and blocking off as many vacations as we can manage. I know, I know...famous last words..

Are you mostly a weekend B&B? If so, that changes the mix too.

 

[Emily Spiers]

At some point for most of us, we all have something we want to do FOR OURSELVES in our golden years.
As the e-mail joke says, the only thing golden about the golden years is the pee. Not far off the mark.
I DO still enjoy what I do. I started this 14 years ago. Medicare kicks in in a few days - whoopee! My knees scream as I go up and down stairs, as I lifr baskets of laundy up the stairs to the storage toom, as I carry in boxes of veggies or groceries. My back has a way of telling me I am an idjit because I have used and abused my body since I was a kid on the farm hauling 2 (oh. Mom, I can do it!) not 1 at a time as Mom said, 10 gallon milk cans of water (I was a freshman in high school when we left the farm) to my worklife is data pocessing moving boxes of paper from stock room to printer to the report pick-up area. At home being the one to do the heavy lifting because DH could not do it. I am nowhere near "burned out" but I am worn out.
I do feel there is something else I am supposed to do but I have no clue what. I figure I will find out when I am able to sell to the next owner. The next owner will be able to put most of their money into new ideas and marketing - or doing things to improve the place that I never thought of. I already took care of the electricals, plumbing, windows, furnace, siding...
I am handing off a business with a good reputation that I have worked hard to build. I hope the next people will do even better - and I will be available to fill-in IF they want/need to get away but only if they ask!.

I am nowhere near "burned out" but I am worn out.

K- There is such a difference!

 

[Proud Texan]

DW and I are on our 2nd year. We've discussed this and we'll probably not close for a very long time. The tax break is too good. We will scale back our operation when the time comes by imposing 2 night minimums and blocking off as many vacations as we can manage. I know, I know...famous last words..

Are you mostly a weekend B&B? If so, that changes the mix too.
.

Are you mostly a weekend B&B? If so, that changes the mix too.

Yes we are mostly weekends, but we have a large place and so stay busy all week preparing for the upcoming weekend.