Kids (as guests) & inns

[wendydk]

I worry the most about parents trying to force innkeepers to accept their kids. STUFF HAPPENS a kid might miss out on sleep and be crying constantly, not the kids fault at all. Shoot arrows my way if you want to - but on vacation kids belong in hotel rooms with swimming pools and soda machines and long hallways they can run up and down and elevators they can ride. Or they belong in a tent with a campfire and s'mores or a cabin near a lake with bike trails.

.

You get no argument from me...and you may or may not remember my horror story about NOT accepting an infant and all I had to go through because of it....

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Thanks for the replies (so far).
I fully expect we will end up - whatever property we select - accepting families with children for several reasons (not the least of which is we have children of our own...I know, I know, but that's a topic for another thread).
I am mostly interested in policies, but hearing the practices you've put into place (like the activities) is helpful as well.
One interesting note - the innkeepers changed the bed in one room (that has use of a hall bath) from a king bed to two twin sized beds - and that room started getting booked more often (which is totally not what I would expect in general).
Childproofing is definitely something that's entered my mind - especially since childproofing can often mean more obstacles for those of us who aren't children.
One of my primary concerns is adult guests who are not comfortable around children. Some adults simply aren't. I can't explain it without speculation, but I have known lovely, honorable people who genuinely felt this way. I want all guests to be comfortable - I suppose I'm trying to think of ways to make things work for as many different people as possible.
FWIW, at this property I would *not* expect romantic getaways, but I suppose it is a possiblity. The current owners have told us they get many requests for weddings (which they don't do - and after reading this forum, I'm not inclined to do myself).
Again, thanks for the responses - looking forward to hearing anything else anyone wants to add..

One of my primary concerns is adult guests who are not comfortable around children. Some adults simply aren't. I can't explain it without speculation, but I have known lovely, honorable people who genuinely felt this way. I want all guests to be comfortable - I suppose I'm trying to think of ways to make things work for as many different people as possible.
FWIW, at this property I would *not* expect romantic getaways, but I suppose it is a possiblity. The current owners have told us they get many requests for weddings (which they don't do - and after reading this forum, I'm not inclined to do myself).

Personally, if I knew you were a "family friendly" B&B I would not book. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but I'm not going to go on vacation or a getaway where there is close interaction at my lodging.
When you have your B&B, one of the best advice I can give is you can't be everything to everybody. Never try to be family friendly and expect to have romantic getaways. Know who you are, what you are and market to that crowd. It sounds like it's something simple, but it's not. Especially in the beginning, innkeepers just want heads in beds and in desparation try to fill everybodys need. It just doesn't work in the long run. Focus on what's right for you, your area and your business.

 

[gillumhouse]

Thanks for the replies (so far).
I fully expect we will end up - whatever property we select - accepting families with children for several reasons (not the least of which is we have children of our own...I know, I know, but that's a topic for another thread).
I am mostly interested in policies, but hearing the practices you've put into place (like the activities) is helpful as well.
One interesting note - the innkeepers changed the bed in one room (that has use of a hall bath) from a king bed to two twin sized beds - and that room started getting booked more often (which is totally not what I would expect in general).
Childproofing is definitely something that's entered my mind - especially since childproofing can often mean more obstacles for those of us who aren't children.
One of my primary concerns is adult guests who are not comfortable around children. Some adults simply aren't. I can't explain it without speculation, but I have known lovely, honorable people who genuinely felt this way. I want all guests to be comfortable - I suppose I'm trying to think of ways to make things work for as many different people as possible.
FWIW, at this property I would *not* expect romantic getaways, but I suppose it is a possiblity. The current owners have told us they get many requests for weddings (which they don't do - and after reading this forum, I'm not inclined to do myself).
Again, thanks for the responses - looking forward to hearing anything else anyone wants to add..

One interesting note - the innkeepers changed the bed in one room (that has use of a hall bath) from a king bed to two twin sized beds - and that room started getting booked more often (which is totally not what I would expect in general).
I am not surprised at all. It became a room 2 men would share, a couple who cannot stand to sleep with anyone, 2 women, kids.... I have lost business because I did not have 2 beds in the room. None of my rooms is big enough for that.

 

[Morticia]

Thanks for the replies (so far).
I fully expect we will end up - whatever property we select - accepting families with children for several reasons (not the least of which is we have children of our own...I know, I know, but that's a topic for another thread).
I am mostly interested in policies, but hearing the practices you've put into place (like the activities) is helpful as well.
One interesting note - the innkeepers changed the bed in one room (that has use of a hall bath) from a king bed to two twin sized beds - and that room started getting booked more often (which is totally not what I would expect in general).
Childproofing is definitely something that's entered my mind - especially since childproofing can often mean more obstacles for those of us who aren't children.
One of my primary concerns is adult guests who are not comfortable around children. Some adults simply aren't. I can't explain it without speculation, but I have known lovely, honorable people who genuinely felt this way. I want all guests to be comfortable - I suppose I'm trying to think of ways to make things work for as many different people as possible.
FWIW, at this property I would *not* expect romantic getaways, but I suppose it is a possiblity. The current owners have told us they get many requests for weddings (which they don't do - and after reading this forum, I'm not inclined to do myself).
Again, thanks for the responses - looking forward to hearing anything else anyone wants to add..

Hey, I'm one of those adults who would rather not be around kids at a B&B. Generally B&B's are small, intimate settings where little voices carry waaaay too far. I don't want adult conversation reduced to mush because there's a kid at the table and I likewise don't want to sit thru a teenager's angst over brekkie.
And, after this morning's teenager screaming at her mother in the dining room, I would happily ban teens altogether from my life except I have family with kids approaching that age!
We get some wonderful kids here who I love but I always stress over new kids.

 

[YellowSocks]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Most, if not all of the problems ,you might encounter with kids have actually to do with their parents. Some kids are great, some are not, just like the big people. If the parents have taught their children to be polite, respectful and generally well behaved then they may be a delight to have around. I taught one young lady how to make an apple pie, and her folks tell me she makes a pie for them every few weeks now. Parents who let their kids run wild are the real problem, and you don't know which parents are overly permissive until their kids are running wild through your house. I don't hesitate to explain house rules to children if need be and that usually fixes major issues, but it doesn't stop some from doing lots of aggravating little things if their parents don't think they need to supervise. Kids, especially young ones, are joyful; they run, jump, yell and talk loudly, all of which is great in the proper place, but most B&B homes are not the proper place.
As a general policy I don't accept children under 12 years of age because many people come to my B&B as a destination for a special occasion such as anniversary or honeymoon, or they may be "getting away" from their own children for a night alone, so I don't want other peoples kids to bother my other guests. I do accept any age children if the whole house is taken such as for a family reunion, because if they are noisy or bothersome they are only an aggravation to their own group (and maybe me). My home is not childproof, and i have no desire to make it such, so I do explain to parents what they need to be careful about in regard to their children and my furnishings.
I guess I would rather not have children because it is more likely I will be stressed over something a youngster is doing than I will be annoyed by adults behavior. As stated when i introduced myself a short time ago, most of the issues I have had with guest behavior have involved children. But, I hasten to say I have never had a horrible guest problem with anyone - adult or child - most are great. Also, you may have more recourse in correcting improper behavior exhibited by a child than saying anything to a PITA adult.
It has to be a personal decision based in part on how much potential business do you want to make yourself unavailable for. If you cater to couples you might loose some of that business if they knew they might have share any space with children, so it also depends on your area and why most of your guests come to your B&B, and how you feel about having kids around yourself..

sunburst2,
You've shared some very good points and articulated the issue incredibly well.
Thanks.
This is a such a personalized and individual type business we've all chosen that it seems like there really is no right or wrong answer. I applaud those that have chosen not to accept children as equally as I applaud those that have.
We are a small place that in a normal year hosts 350-375 different sets of guests total and maybe a dozen or so who have kids. That tells me that about 325-350 can expect a child free environment. While many might suggest we can live without the 12-20 family stays, we're not sure we want to. We don't have kids of our own but really like kids and the mostly good energy they inject into our lives.
Another factor I've not seen discussed is the number of "family" guests we've had where the parents have fallen in love with our place and subsequently have come back without the kids for those romantic getaways. Had we not been accepting of them in their "family" context to begin with, they might not have even known about us.
The flipside of that is that we've had some couples who have come for the romance, peace & quiet and celebratory events in their lives and have come back with their kids because they were convinced by the way we run our B&B that we really do mean "all are welcome"
There are over 75 B&Bs within a 20 mile radius of here. Most have similar restrictions or outright prohibitions on accepting children as have been described here. In other words this is a very competitive market we're in. If dealing with a couple dozen families a year puts us in good graces with folks who can't or don't vacation without their kids and don't have lots of options besides chain hotels near here, then more power to us.
The behavior issues and property damage concerns others have described as reasons for excluding kids haven't happened to us, so we either must be lucky or are doing a good job making sure we and the guest are on the same page.
We really try to explore the realities of the B&B etiquette with all guests who make inquiries about a stay here and even more so with those wanting to bring their kids. If we're the slightest bit doubtful after speaking with the potential guest, we suggest somewhere else and have rarely been burned.
The vast majority of our adult guests are very friendly, outgoing and personable. They display sincere appreciation for all of our efforts to make this as welcoming a place as possible.
It would surprise us to learn that very many of them would ignore all the great qualities about our place and us and not book here simply because they might encounter a child here.

 

[Country Girl]

We only accept children over 8, unless their parents are booking all the rooms. We do this because most couples are here for a romantic getaway and because our house is definitely not child-proof. Nothing irked my husband more than the time we left our 3 children with a sitter, went out to a very pricey, romantic restaurant and had to sit next to a screaming infant who needed to be fed. Usually a very calm man, he was seething. "I am paying a lot of money not to hear that sound!" he told the waiter.
We love kids, but we appreciate it when adults need time away from them.

 

[Morticia]

We only accept children over 8, unless their parents are booking all the rooms. We do this because most couples are here for a romantic getaway and because our house is definitely not child-proof. Nothing irked my husband more than the time we left our 3 children with a sitter, went out to a very pricey, romantic restaurant and had to sit next to a screaming infant who needed to be fed. Usually a very calm man, he was seething. "I am paying a lot of money not to hear that sound!" he told the waiter.
We love kids, but we appreciate it when adults need time away from them..

I am totally not calm in a situation like that. We were at a pricey restaurant, too, and the hostess was taking us to our table and I heard a kid screaming in that direction. I refused to be seated. Hostess was fuming, but I was walking if she sat me there. As it was, the entire restaurant heard that kid and no one on the staff said a word to the family.

 

[sunburst2]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk..

Child proofing doesn't only apply to protecting the child from hazards, but also to valuables items belonging to the innkeeper that a child could easily get a hold of and break or damage. I have a coffee table with a glass top that just sits on the base, a mountain lion sculpture, the top isn't attached in any way. Probably because of its height children almost always try to sit on this table which puts the kid and the glass top on the floor. The glass is very sturdy and hasn't broken, but the mountain lion has several battle scars from kid encounters. No child has ever been injured, but you wouldn't know it from the crying that sometimes ensues. And, if they were hurt it would be called an "attractive nuisance" and I would probably be held responsible and be liable for damages. I like my table and don't want to get rid of it, but it among other things is why my house isn't childproof. I also have some art objects that parents wouldn't like to find on their bill if their child caused them to become broken. I've thought about putting a few items out of the way when children are around, but again I don't want to have things that I like and that my guests enjoy seeing put away to avoid possible damage by little hands. Consequently I'm sometimes nervous when kids who don't have responsible parents with them are here; not having a childproof environment is not an excuse, it can be a reality. The only saving grace is that I usually only have to endure such, "hold your breath moments" for one or maybe two days - or nights I'm also aware that adults could accidentally break something, but the possibility is much less than with kids who have to touch everything.
Here is a question. I have had at least four guests show up at the door with small children in tow that I didn't know were coming. I guess it's my fault that I didn't specifically ask, but when I'm speaking to a potential guest on the phone and they talk only about coming with wife or husband or significant other I assume if children were also coming they would tell me. I've learned several times that isn't necessarily the case. The strangest being a young couple who came on their wedding night, she's wearing her wedding gown and carrying a 4 or 5 month old baby. I thought, "Gee, couldn't grandma take care of the baby this one night"? So, short of asking people when they make a reservation, what can I do to avoid kids not accounted for when reservation is made? And, when they are standing at the door, a complete surprise to me, what then? That's a very poor time to explain my policies to guests, so of course I let them stay.

 

[egoodell]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk..

Child proofing doesn't only apply to protecting the child from hazards, but also to valuables items belonging to the innkeeper that a child could easily get a hold of and break or damage. I have a coffee table with a glass top that just sits on the base, a mountain lion sculpture, the top isn't attached in any way. Probably because of its height children almost always try to sit on this table which puts the kid and the glass top on the floor. The glass is very sturdy and hasn't broken, but the mountain lion has several battle scars from kid encounters. No child has ever been injured, but you wouldn't know it from the crying that sometimes ensues. And, if they were hurt it would be called an "attractive nuisance" and I would probably be held responsible and be liable for damages. I like my table and don't want to get rid of it, but it among other things is why my house isn't childproof. I also have some art objects that parents wouldn't like to find on their bill if their child caused them to become broken. I've thought about putting a few items out of the way when children are around, but again I don't want to have things that I like and that my guests enjoy seeing put away to avoid possible damage by little hands. Consequently I'm sometimes nervous when kids who don't have responsible parents with them are here; not having a childproof environment is not an excuse, it can be a reality. The only saving grace is that I usually only have to endure such, "hold your breath moments" for one or maybe two days - or nights I'm also aware that adults could accidentally break something, but the possibility is much less than with kids who have to touch everything.
Here is a question. I have had at least four guests show up at the door with small children in tow that I didn't know were coming. I guess it's my fault that I didn't specifically ask, but when I'm speaking to a potential guest on the phone and they talk only about coming with wife or husband or significant other I assume if children were also coming they would tell me. I've learned several times that isn't necessarily the case. The strangest being a young couple who came on their wedding night, she's wearing her wedding gown and carrying a 4 or 5 month old baby. I thought, "Gee, couldn't grandma take care of the baby this one night"? So, short of asking people when they make a reservation, what can I do to avoid kids not accounted for when reservation is made? And, when they are standing at the door, a complete surprise to me, what then? That's a very poor time to explain my policies to guests, so of course I let them stay.
.

Here is a question. I have had at least four guests show up at the door with small children in tow that I didn't know were coming. I guess it's my fault that I didn't specifically ask, but when I'm speaking to a potential guest on the phone and they talk only about coming with wife or husband or significant other I assume if children were also coming they would tell me. I've learned several times that isn't necessarily the case. The strangest being a young couple who came on their wedding night, she's wearing her wedding gown and carrying a 4 or 5 month old baby. I thought, "Gee, couldn't grandma take care of the baby this one night"? So, short of asking people when they make a reservation, what can I do to avoid kids not accounted for when reservation is made? And, when they are standing at the door, a complete surprise to me, what then? That's a very poor time to explain my policies to guests, so of course I let them stay.

You put on your website and on your reservation form "guest over 21, please. We cannot accommdate children"
RIki

 

[egoodell]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk..

Gosh, where to start...
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
=)
Kk.

That may make you laugh just like "our children are so well behaved you won't even know they are there" makes me laugh. I am sure you all have lovely kids, but when I go away I am not looking for an environment with kids. And the wine country here, with wine tasting, is not the environment that draws people who want to be around charming children. I know families love their kids, but sorry, we don't want to vacation with them. I reserve that for family reunions.
And sorry to say, many mothers don't "watch them like hawks" and I know so from other inns that have had to make them put shoes on outside, or keep them from falling in the fountains while the parents were enjoying themselves elsewhere.
We just like to hang out with grownups and that's the way our inn is set up. So yes, I tell people we are not childproof. It's to me a polite way to say we don't cater to children. I take my hat off to you who do, and haul out all the play toys and cots and cribs. I would not make enough money to justify all that extra work. I'd rather pour a glass of wine and make a cheese plate.
RIki

 

[YellowSocks]

I ask "who are you bringing with you?" when they book... so far, no surprises, but I'm new yet.
I agree... glass table not attached is a hazard. If I had that I would specifically point it out to any parents with kids in tow, "that top is not attached to the base, so you'll need to watch out around the table."
Anything special to me is on a very high shelf... as much for adults as for kids. Eventually I want to move them out of the guest areas completely.
And I suppose I am a little more child proofed than I thought I was... I was telling a guest tonight that on the map in the hall it is not Atlantis in the ocean but rather the spare pins--when we first opened the ds's were 3 and the pins were kept out of reach by sticking them on the side of the map.
I have repeat guests that first came only a few months ago... we got them because we accept 18 year olds. Apparently the hotels don't. Her dad made the reservation and she came for dance tryouts, was accepted and decided to attend school here. Soon after she and her mom came... they'll be here regularly for the next four years, all because I'm willing to take an 18 year old. It was oh so worth it!!
=)
Kk.

 

[sandynn]

Our normal policy was no children. We were a romantic get away. OUr home is also not "child proofed" Most B & B's here do not take children for the same reasons. Since we have no children of our own, we also do not deal well with small children under foot..so this was our choice. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with and given what you say about your area, you may need to take children to get occupancy.
The one or two times we "gave in" and took children...things did not go well at all. I was constantly watching to see where they were running off to...parents were not paying attention to them and let them run at will etc etc. etc. That assured me that we had made the right decision. You have to do what feels right to you..

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

 

[YellowSocks]

Our normal policy was no children. We were a romantic get away. OUr home is also not "child proofed" Most B & B's here do not take children for the same reasons. Since we have no children of our own, we also do not deal well with small children under foot..so this was our choice. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with and given what you say about your area, you may need to take children to get occupancy.
The one or two times we "gave in" and took children...things did not go well at all. I was constantly watching to see where they were running off to...parents were not paying attention to them and let them run at will etc etc. etc. That assured me that we had made the right decision. You have to do what feels right to you..

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.
.

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

LOL! If they say they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

The reason we don't allow children echos much of what has already been said. However, I think the primary reason we don't is that it would diminish the experience of those other (childless) guests who have come here for a quiet retreat and getaway.
Even "quiet" children reach a certain decibel range that exceeds what is required for tranquility. We don't even allow our own grandchildren here while we have guests..

Even "quiet" children reach a certain decibel range that exceeds what is required for tranquility.

Even "quiet" adults reach a certain decibel range that exceeds what is required for tranquility once they have some alcohol in them. Or assume the innkeeper is in bed or too far away to hear them.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk..

You have a really good point of view on this. I'm not a big fan of kids but I admire what you do and how you handle this.

 

[Proud Texan]

Our normal policy was no children. We were a romantic get away. OUr home is also not "child proofed" Most B & B's here do not take children for the same reasons. Since we have no children of our own, we also do not deal well with small children under foot..so this was our choice. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with and given what you say about your area, you may need to take children to get occupancy.
The one or two times we "gave in" and took children...things did not go well at all. I was constantly watching to see where they were running off to...parents were not paying attention to them and let them run at will etc etc. etc. That assured me that we had made the right decision. You have to do what feels right to you..

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.
.

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

LOL! If they say they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.
.

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

LOL! If they say they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.

Apples don't fall to far from the tree.....

 

[JBloggs]

Gosh, where to start...
We take kids, all ages. Partly because we have twin sons (the ds5x2). So when we were planning our B&B, we figured romantic getaway was not our niche.
We get quite a few kids, especially traveling in the summer. We recommend them to take the third floor room with the futon (and room for a fold out bed), and they love it up there. We have also put the fold out bed in the first floor room. We have four rooms and none of them share walls (well, the two on the second floor have adjacent bathrooms) so sound proofing is not a big issue. [Kids have also stayed in our room with two twin beds.]
We make it quite clear on our website that we have kids, and sometimes I even do a verbal disclaimer when taking a reservation on the phone. If the presence of children is a problem, then people can self select to stay at one of the other B&B's in town (all lovely, none take kids). Ironically, we get a lot of people who come anyway, including honeymoon night stays and getaway couples... other amenities of ours win them, I guess. And many, many guests have said, "Not my kids, not my problem!" (It helps that mine are cute, and well-behaved... people enjoy them a lot.) But I, too, when in public, am less bothered by other kids than my own's behavior!
I do offer other guests in the house to eat separately from the family if they prefer... in their room, on the patio, different time... but so far they've said, no, they'd prefer to eat with the family.
We have two high chairs, two booster seats, a diaper bucket, and a pack and play. We also have baby gates. (For that matter, we have shower chairs, bath tub rails and items for the more elderly crowd as well!) We do no child proofing beyond giving the baby a plastic cup for breakfast.
As a mom who traveled with kids, I would take a B&B over a hotel any day. When they were babies I hated staying in hotels... the only interesting thing in the room was the toilet paper, and there was nothing on TV. At a B&B they can go to the back yard, or watch a video, or simply feel more at home. When they were babies I wasn't getting in the pool with them. And when we travel now, we generally travel with a purpose (wedding, etc.) so we're not hanging around the hotel pool. All that to say that a hotel pool is fine if you're spending a lot of time at the hotel (like on vacation at a resort) but most of our guests with children have been here briefly then on to their wedding/ reunion/ other activity.
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
Most of the kids who have stayed here have been well behaved and fine. It helps that our boys take them in hand, or take them out to the back yard to play. The ones we had recently were the worst so far, and only because one was a bit noisy... when she was here, which was rarely. One of the other guests said the next morning, "I heard your kids last night, but they didn't bother me at all." Not my kids! We weren't even home!
And I've read comments about how can the parents relax when they take their kids to a B&B? ... always having to watch that the kids aren't touching, breaking, yelling, etc. Well, that's our (we mom's) reality wherever we go. This same family, when departing, expressed how grateful they were for the relaxing time. This from the mom who spent her entire stay chasing with the baby and shushing the preschooler. It WAS relaxing compared to being at home! She didn't have to cook or clean!
All that to say that taking kids is a viable niche, and there's definitely a market. I even had a mom who said, "I can't wait to tell my husband where we're going to stay!"
As far as policies, and handling of kids... well, being a mom is a useful thing. As you mentioned, other parents don't like people interfering with their children. On the other hand... your house, you're the boss. The mommy voice (as well as the mommy look) goes a LONG way, and I'm not afraid to use it (actually, I've used it on adults...). If you are respectful to the parents, but also firm with your boundaries, it can be fine.
Our policies re children state:
Children: We love children, and our twin sons (age 5-1/2) will be happy to welcome yours! Let us know the ages of your children when making your reservation and we will make every effort to accommodate them and you in comfort. Please be considerate of other guests and help your children to behave appropriately in a bed and breakfast environment. Also, please do not leave your children unsupervised at any time.
We charge an extra person charge of $25 per night for anyone over 10. I waive it sometimes... but not if someone asks me to!! (Learned that one the hard way...) Mostly the charge covers the hassle of setting up the extra bed and taking it back down again.
We make towel elephants (like they do on the cruise lines) and put them on the extra bed. Sometimes the kid is older (last night's was a 17 year old girl) but we do it anyway... it's fun even if they're too cool to admit it.
So, don't be afraid of the niche... it can be a very good one. I'll clean kid mess over pet mess any day, while plenty of other innkeepers are the other way around. To each his own! We have kids, we like kids, we take kids, and we haven't regretted it so far.
=)
Kk..

Gosh, where to start...
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
=)
Kk.

That may make you laugh just like "our children are so well behaved you won't even know they are there" makes me laugh. I am sure you all have lovely kids, but when I go away I am not looking for an environment with kids. And the wine country here, with wine tasting, is not the environment that draws people who want to be around charming children. I know families love their kids, but sorry, we don't want to vacation with them. I reserve that for family reunions.
And sorry to say, many mothers don't "watch them like hawks" and I know so from other inns that have had to make them put shoes on outside, or keep them from falling in the fountains while the parents were enjoying themselves elsewhere.
We just like to hang out with grownups and that's the way our inn is set up. So yes, I tell people we are not childproof. It's to me a polite way to say we don't cater to children. I take my hat off to you who do, and haul out all the play toys and cots and cribs. I would not make enough money to justify all that extra work. I'd rather pour a glass of wine and make a cheese plate.
RIki
.

Gosh, where to start...
The excuse "our inn is not child proofed" always makes me laugh. It means to me... we don't want kids here (which is fine...). Child proofing only applies to babies who put things in their mouths or fingers in electrical outlets, or fall down stairs, generally 2 and under. At that age the moms have to watch them like a hawk anyway. After 3 or so, none of that matters anymore.
=)
Kk.

That may make you laugh just like "our children are so well behaved you won't even know they are there" makes me laugh. I am sure you all have lovely kids, but when I go away I am not looking for an environment with kids. And the wine country here, with wine tasting, is not the environment that draws people who want to be around charming children. I know families love their kids, but sorry, we don't want to vacation with them. I reserve that for family reunions.
And sorry to say, many mothers don't "watch them like hawks" and I know so from other inns that have had to make them put shoes on outside, or keep them from falling in the fountains while the parents were enjoying themselves elsewhere.
We just like to hang out with grownups and that's the way our inn is set up. So yes, I tell people we are not childproof. It's to me a polite way to say we don't cater to children. I take my hat off to you who do, and haul out all the play toys and cots and cribs. I would not make enough money to justify all that extra work. I'd rather pour a glass of wine and make a cheese plate.
RIki

If you are watching them like hawks you wouldn't dare stay in a BnB. My 2 cents and I am stickin' with it. Those who force their kids on others are not the ones to mind their children. We already know this. Of course, like mentioned it is not breaking things that is the worry, it is just child like behavior.
Here is an example of it in dog terms - I was outside showing guests around and our very nice dog wanders up right behind them to do a #2. I was midspeech and couldn't stop it anyway! I think my face probably contorted as I continued to talk and act like nothing was going on right behind them and tried to wander off from the scene.

 

[egoodell]

Our normal policy was no children. We were a romantic get away. OUr home is also not "child proofed" Most B & B's here do not take children for the same reasons. Since we have no children of our own, we also do not deal well with small children under foot..so this was our choice. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with and given what you say about your area, you may need to take children to get occupancy.
The one or two times we "gave in" and took children...things did not go well at all. I was constantly watching to see where they were running off to...parents were not paying attention to them and let them run at will etc etc. etc. That assured me that we had made the right decision. You have to do what feels right to you..

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.
.

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

LOL! If they say they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.
.

they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.

You're running a successful B&B with twins, so we know that yours are NOT brats but probably just normal children. It's the other ones I don't want to be around.
RIki

 

[gillumhouse]

Our normal policy was no children. We were a romantic get away. OUr home is also not "child proofed" Most B & B's here do not take children for the same reasons. Since we have no children of our own, we also do not deal well with small children under foot..so this was our choice. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with and given what you say about your area, you may need to take children to get occupancy.
The one or two times we "gave in" and took children...things did not go well at all. I was constantly watching to see where they were running off to...parents were not paying attention to them and let them run at will etc etc. etc. That assured me that we had made the right decision. You have to do what feels right to you..

I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.
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I have broken the rule 3 times in 9 years and I was sorry every time. Everyone said they will be no trouble they are very well behave. I love children but not in my bed and breakfast.

LOL! If they say they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.
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they are no trouble it's always the other way around!!!
(Mine are brats...)
=)
Kk.

You're running a successful B&B with twins, so we know that yours are NOT brats but probably just normal children. It's the other ones I don't want to be around.
RIki
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I am grateful that my 2-legged animals knew which side of the front door to be themselves. I heard how courteous and helpful my kids were and had to shake my head to get it to register they were talking about MINE. It was as Erma Bombeck was said to have responded when asked how many children she had. Her reply was 6 - the 3 I know and the 3 everyone else knows.