Mattresses

[YellowSocks]

Wow, the Amish are in the mattress business now? How does it compare to ones from companies like Simmons?.

Wow, the Amish are in the mattress business now? How does it compare to ones from companies like Simmons?

They are! And they're awesome. Their showroom is on an Amish farm the other side of Wooster from here, and you can watch them being made in the back. The company is called Country Bedding. No phones, though, and no delivery, but reasonable price for fabulous mattresses.
=)
Kk.

 

[wendydk]

Has anyone heard anything about the mattresses Lanier hawks? How about the "Homeplace Collection" sets that are sold by lady americana through the Michigan B&B Association?

 

[gillumhouse]

Has anyone heard anything about the mattresses Lanier hawks? How about the "Homeplace Collection" sets that are sold by lady americana through the Michigan B&B Association?.

If Lanier has anything to do with it, I would not touch it.

 

[wendydk]

Has anyone heard anything about the mattresses Lanier hawks? How about the "Homeplace Collection" sets that are sold by lady americana through the Michigan B&B Association?.

If Lanier has anything to do with it, I would not touch it.
.

I kinda figured!

 

[EmptyNest]

Has anyone heard anything about the mattresses Lanier hawks? How about the "Homeplace Collection" sets that are sold by lady americana through the Michigan B&B Association?.

Would you actually buy a mattress that you have not layed on and tested?? I don't understand that. I know people do all the time..but I want to feel what the mattress is like before I put out any cash for it.

 

[wendydk]

Has anyone heard anything about the mattresses Lanier hawks? How about the "Homeplace Collection" sets that are sold by lady americana through the Michigan B&B Association?.

Would you actually buy a mattress that you have not layed on and tested?? I don't understand that. I know people do all the time..but I want to feel what the mattress is like before I put out any cash for it.
.

I would, if the company's reputation and the recommendations from other innkeepers warrant it. I'm not a good one to judge, as I like my bed WAAAYYY softer than most people, including the dh.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Didn't want to start a new thread about an old subject....so here goes. How does everyone feel about buying new mattresses for an Inn that is for sale? As I've mentioned, guests love the featherbeds, but I hate the hassle of making them, and would like to buy new pillowtop mattresses. I can get a quality B&B set made in Michigan...queen size for about $500.00. I would get four, so would be spending over $2k. Should I or shouldn't I? I want the Inn to continue to grow, and don't want to be one of those innkeepers that let everything go to hell as they try to sell. But I hate the thought of not recouping the cost.

Is there anything wrong with the old ones?? I would tend to say I wouldn't do it.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

If I remember correctly, your B&B is very fairly priced. I would not purchase new beds at this point.
When we bought our B&B 3 of the beds were very old and only 1 was really good and they had that mattress on the least popular room. We switched it so the good bed was in our most popular, then bought feather beds to put on the other three. We used those for years and like you, the guests loved them, but they really are a pain. Since you've already gone to the expense of buying the feather beds, I wouldn't buy new mattresses. It's not like you're leaving the new owners with beds the guests hate.

 

[Don Draper]

I wouldn't do it, especially if the featherbeds are in good condition and you consider the beds to be comfortable. Your new owners might have something specific in mind that differs from your preference and they end up pitching the brands new ones you just bought.
Our mattresses were all in terrible condition when we bought here. We knew it because we stayed in several of the rooms. We knew we wanted to increase the bed sizes where we were able to so we asked for a credit in the closing costs to defray some of those costs.
It is a buyer's market right now, so keep the $2K and use it in negotiations if you have to when you get a serious buyer.

 

[wendydk]

Didn't want to start a new thread about an old subject....so here goes. How does everyone feel about buying new mattresses for an Inn that is for sale? Ours were a mix of those purchased from the hotel I worked at and inexpensive utility models that we bought before we opened. All have the 3" featherbed toppers on top to make them very comfortable. As I've mentioned, guests love the featherbeds, but I hate the hassle of making them, and would like to buy new pillowtop mattresses.
I can get a very high quality B&B set made in Michigan...queen size for about $500.00. I would get four, so would be spending over $2k. Should I or shouldn't I? I want the Inn to continue to grow and improve, (not one of those innkeepers that would let everything go to hell as they try to sell). Hate the cost, but, then again, new beds might be a big draw for new buyers (as are the new windows, doors, porch, appliances, etc). And really, the cost of new mattresses are less than 1% of our asking price. And before buying them, I would accept an offer that was $2k below asking, so what's the diff?
Can't tell if I'm trying to talk myself into it, or out of it!
Edited to add: Have the old beds sold already, should I choose to do so, for $200 each to a freind that owns vacation rentals nearby, so will recoup not quite half the cost.

 

[user 26]

are your current guests happy with the mattresses? if so, leave them ... if not, you might do it.
i don't know what the time on market is for places in your area. i know of a few that have been on the market for years .... you probably don't want to hear that ... but they continue to be run by the owner until a sale happens.

 

[wendydk]

are your current guests happy with the mattresses? if so, leave them ... if not, you might do it.
i don't know what the time on market is for places in your area. i know of a few that have been on the market for years .... you probably don't want to hear that ... but they continue to be run by the owner until a sale happens..

I'm not desperate to sell, and want to make sure we are at the top of our game, for sale or not. The fact that we might not sell right away, or might pull the Inn of the market if the family situation improves tempts me to buy them. The $800 recoup by selling the old sets makes it that much more attractive.

 

[user 26]

if the $800 is a sure thing, and the price for the four sets comes out to $1200? $300 a set to end the daily hassle with making up the beds?? i'm in the minority here and would do it.
i have no experience with feather top mattresses. if guests love them and you take them away, will return guests be disappointed?

 

[Breakfast Diva]

are your current guests happy with the mattresses? if so, leave them ... if not, you might do it.
i don't know what the time on market is for places in your area. i know of a few that have been on the market for years .... you probably don't want to hear that ... but they continue to be run by the owner until a sale happens..

I'm not desperate to sell, and want to make sure we are at the top of our game, for sale or not. The fact that we might not sell right away, or might pull the Inn of the market if the family situation improves tempts me to buy them. The $800 recoup by selling the old sets makes it that much more attractive.
.

Sell them how? If they have that much of a value, how bad can they be?

 

[EmptyNest]

Buying new now can be a good thing. That will be one more thing evenutal new owners won't have to worry about buying. And then on the other hand, you don't know how long it will take to sell, so you have to have nice mattresses for your guests anyway

 

[wendydk]

I never said they were in bad shape, I said I'm sick of fluffing and flipping the damn featherbeds. One of my biggest peeves is checking the guest in, and they right away toss their suitcase or their butt on the bed and compress a big spot in the featherbed. Makes my OCD alarms go off like crazy! Or, after their first night, side sleepers leave giant divets in the bed, and I have to unmake it to refluff. Aaargh.
I did a test ad on Craigslist for the old beds, and was bombarded with emails...about 20 people in one day. Then, an acquaintance I know that has several vacation rentals at the nearby ski resort saw the ad and called to say that if I was selling, he would take all four.
The beds I want to get are made in Michigan high end beds (sell normally for $1100 each set)...I can get them for about $500 each if I participate in the "sell them to your guests" program that profits the Inn selling them $150. I've talked to nearly a dozen Inns using them, and they all rave about them and say that the guests not only love them, but buy them.
Probably a stupid time to think about replacing the beds, but once again, I was thinking about myself and the guests and not about the Inn being for sale....that's a hard concept to work around. At least if the Inn sells now, or this winter, I won't have the thousands upon thousands of dollars of advance deposits to turn over to the buyers that I would have had during the summer.

 

[JBloggs]

If you need them now, buy them, otherwise don't. Cut n dry.

 

[gillumhouse]

I never said they were in bad shape, I said I'm sick of fluffing and flipping the damn featherbeds. One of my biggest peeves is checking the guest in, and they right away toss their suitcase or their butt on the bed and compress a big spot in the featherbed. Makes my OCD alarms go off like crazy! Or, after their first night, side sleepers leave giant divets in the bed, and I have to unmake it to refluff. Aaargh.
I did a test ad on Craigslist for the old beds, and was bombarded with emails...about 20 people in one day. Then, an acquaintance I know that has several vacation rentals at the nearby ski resort saw the ad and called to say that if I was selling, he would take all four.
The beds I want to get are made in Michigan high end beds (sell normally for $1100 each set)...I can get them for about $500 each if I participate in the "sell them to your guests" program that profits the Inn selling them $150. I've talked to nearly a dozen Inns using them, and they all rave about them and say that the guests not only love them, but buy them.
Probably a stupid time to think about replacing the beds, but once again, I was thinking about myself and the guests and not about the Inn being for sale....that's a hard concept to work around. At least if the Inn sells now, or this winter, I won't have the thousands upon thousands of dollars of advance deposits to turn over to the buyers that I would have had during the summer..

Have you tried using my Granny's method for feather beds?
Granny had a feather bed and every morning made the bed by using the broom handle to "fluff: the bed before finishing the process of making the bed. She held the broom by the "straw end" and hitting across the mattress with the handle top to bottom and back again..

 

[wendydk]

I never said they were in bad shape, I said I'm sick of fluffing and flipping the damn featherbeds. One of my biggest peeves is checking the guest in, and they right away toss their suitcase or their butt on the bed and compress a big spot in the featherbed. Makes my OCD alarms go off like crazy! Or, after their first night, side sleepers leave giant divets in the bed, and I have to unmake it to refluff. Aaargh.
I did a test ad on Craigslist for the old beds, and was bombarded with emails...about 20 people in one day. Then, an acquaintance I know that has several vacation rentals at the nearby ski resort saw the ad and called to say that if I was selling, he would take all four.
The beds I want to get are made in Michigan high end beds (sell normally for $1100 each set)...I can get them for about $500 each if I participate in the "sell them to your guests" program that profits the Inn selling them $150. I've talked to nearly a dozen Inns using them, and they all rave about them and say that the guests not only love them, but buy them.
Probably a stupid time to think about replacing the beds, but once again, I was thinking about myself and the guests and not about the Inn being for sale....that's a hard concept to work around. At least if the Inn sells now, or this winter, I won't have the thousands upon thousands of dollars of advance deposits to turn over to the buyers that I would have had during the summer..

Have you tried using my Granny's method for feather beds?
Granny had a feather bed and every morning made the bed by using the broom handle to "fluff: the bed before finishing the process of making the bed. She held the broom by the "straw end" and hitting across the mattress with the handle top to bottom and back again..
.

Oh sure, that sounds like ALOT less trouble......

 

[user 26]

DO IT!!!
if you have the money, DO IT!!!
you are 'sick of fluffing and flipping the damn featherbeds'
you will be happier.
that's worth the money.
oh, did i say?
DO IT!!!