Volume 53, Issue 1 June, 2008

Keeping It Bright and True

Late spring and early summer is usually the time of year your inn or home looks its most inviting. The gardens are decked out in delectable colors, leaves on trees are at their brightest greens and grass is lush and full. Now is the perfect time to refresh pictures of your establishment for your web site and brochures. Travelers today go online to find accommodations and seek web sites to give them all the information about your inn. They expect pictures of your Inn that reflect what they will see on arrival; both outside the Inn and inside each room. These pictures are definitely a “maker or breaker” in making a reservation with you!

 It is important the photographs represent your inn as it is today, not 10 years ago!  If you are an “Inn-for-all-seasons” you might consider a montage of pictures of the façade taken in each season to attract the skiers, the fisherpersons, hikers, bikers and sun worshipers. With the permission of guests (or family/friends), take a photo of the dining area with people enjoying the foods of your labor; this is always inviting for potential guests looking for the ambiance of a Bed and Breakfast environment.

The lens always tells the truth. Photographing your inn annually or every 2 years gives you a chance to view things as others do. Never deceive potential guest with pictures of “better times” as this can give your inn a bad reputation. Though this is a busy time of year to start lengthy projects, you might find a few things that need a quick touch up now, and it helps to start a list of projects to be completed during down-times.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - PDF File of Your Inn’s Brochure

A PDF, printable brochure, available on your web site, gives the shopping traveler something to download, print off, and review with family that contains all the information and some pictures of your Inn. This helps put you at the top of the list in the families’ review process on where to stay this year. It is so much easier to have a self contained brochure than sit and print off multiple pages from your web site that describe your Inn, its location, pictures and descriptions of each room, information on the area and terms and conditions and pricing. Electronic brochures can be updated as needed without the cost of printing and do not require the ever-rising price of postage. Your potential guest has it immediately and can sit down with the hard copy they have printed off and make their decisions; hence you move to the top of the pile!!

INNKEEPER'S TIDBIT – New Teas and Coffee Drink

Often times we do not realize the importance of keep our stock of all items rotating though our storage areas. We remember food as it will spoils or indicated expiration dates, but do you think about your bath products – all those liquids have a shelf life, not as critical as food, but they will deteriorate. Remember to rotate linens to keep them fresh and balance their wear ability. Gardening materials and liquids need to also be rotated and checked for expiration dates. Potting soil has a “shelf-life” too!
Taking a little time to do this every month or two will reduce waste and keep your supplies fresh and useable at all times.

Decaf Black	Ginger Peach	Decaf Apricot	French Vanilla Cappuccino Coffee drink

Located on BBAmenities.com web site under Guestroom/ Coffee and Tea Assortments

RECIPES –  Lemon-Walnut Tea Bread:

½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
¾ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in walnuts, lemon rind, and lemon juice. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. ( I do not suggest using convection oven setting as the outside comes out too dark before the center is done). Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar while still warm or frost with a butter lemon frosting when completely cool if desired. We found a lemon glaze makes the total flavor of the tea bread too tart!

Customizing Bath Amenities with Your Logo

Personalize your bath amenities with a customized label just for your own Inn or Country Club. BB Amenities will put your name and logo on all amenities with a minimum order of only 200 pieces (20 units). We can do color or black and white. Send us your logo and we will send you a custom sample label before you order. This is the ultimate in personalization and communication to your guests. BB Amenities looks forward to serving you for all your bath and guest room amenities. If there is something we do not presently offer, we will be happy to try and source it for you.

BB AMENITIES NEWSLETTER

BB Amenities supplies that special touch your guest love so much! Each month BB Amenities will publish a new Newsletter with ideas and shared ideas from other B and B and small inn proprietors. If you have ideas to share please send them to bbamenities@entouch.net. Thank you.

BB Amenities (281)-693-6046

view last month's newsletter