Monthly Archives: February 2012

Tips for Taking Pictures of Your Inn

24 Friday Feb 2012

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We enjoy taking pictures of inns we tour and interview  for Suite Exchange. This article contains some down-to-earth tips for preparing for a photo shoot of your inn and rooms.


Preparation is #1

Photographers often show up and very little preparation has been done. Some things can’t be “Photoshopped” out and it’s always better if they don’t have to be. The more prepared you are when the photographer arrives with bundles of equipment, the better your pictures will turn out.

When taking room pictures:

  • Make sure the rooms are ready. This might mean a special housekeeping push that day.
  • Try to schedule the shoot during a slow time of year and during midweek when less guests are on property.
  • Most multi night guests are very understanding if you let them know a photographer is coming. Offer them a $25 gift certificate if they will let you move their items into the bathroom so you can tidy up the room and take pictures.
  • Horizontal photos typically work best for website design, so the majority of your images should taken in landscape mode.
  • Move unsightly items like trash cans out of the camera angle. Look around the room and identify what you don’t want in the picture. Hide cords. See the picture below. Notice the recycle can and the cords?Room with trash can and cords showing
  • Turn on all room lights, even bathroom lights that can shine out into the room. It gives the photos a natural glow to the room with or without extra lighting.
  • Only take pictures of the bathroom if it’s attractive. Most bathrooms aren’t “amazing” and are a pain, not to mention a waste to shoot. Focus on your rooms.
  • It’s easy to prepare a tray of food and place it on one of your beds. You get some depth of field effect and it’s all kinds of artsy.

When taking pictures of the inn:

  • The weekend before do some serious yard work, no matter the season. Like the rooms, move unsightly items, make sure the trash can will not be in the picture, etc.
  • Let guests know you are having pictures taken. Ask if they would be willing to park in a special place for their stay. Maybe offer some extra cookies or a special drink for their effort.
  • Pray for excellent weather. Bright blue sunny skies look amazing.

Have High Expectations

We are our toughest critic. We notice what’s not perfect about our businesses. Most guests only notice the obvious. It’s ok to be nervous about having pictures taken and worry about how they will turn out.

However, it’s mind blowing what modern cameras can do. More times than not a professional digital camera can make any room or any inn look better than reality. Even some $100 digital cameras do so as well.

When we are on a shoot, there are times where we take a picture and it’s easy to realize the camera took a picture of what the room would look like in perfect or near perfect lighting; lighting that can’t happen without extra equipment. So prepare to be blown away because a good photographer will show you what your rooms and your inn would look like with better than natural lighting.

Enhance but don’t over cook

Taking the pictures is only half of the process. A lot of the time is correcting and enhancing the images afterword. And yes, there is even an app for that! Pictures don’t even have to be perfect during the photo shoot.

But be careful not to overcook the pictures. With all the modern software to enhance pictures, you want the picture to look amazing but still realistic. Saturation is one the most common photo filters that makes colors more vibrant (saturated).

Photos are:

Ugly | Unattractive  | Attractive | Amazing | Unrealistic

Go for amazing through great preparation!

Some of our recent work:

William Miller House – Mike Rohde Innkeeper Story

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Mike Rohde and Pat Daniels at the William Miller House in Richmond, Virginia run a beautiful bed and breakfast, which they want to let everyone experience. From delicious food to making your trip an exciting adventure and retreat from daily life, a stay at the William Miller House sounds like just what the doctor ordered. I had the opportunity to interview Mike and ask him a few questions about how he got into the innkeeping business and what works in the industry as well as what does not.

William Miller House

We aren’t off in the country; we are in the middle of it all. A trip to our bed and breakfast will be relaxing but it will also be an active, vibrant experience…

Q:   What made you decide to turn the house into a bed and breakfast?
A:   When we were both working in the corporate world we traveled a lot and we love to stay in bed and breakfasts. We decided we wanted to retire early and take what we had learned from our years of experience and apply it to something new.

Q:   What’s unique about your inn?
A:   It’s a “walking inn,” once you check in you don’t have to use a car to get around. We are located where there is easy access to public transportation or you can walk to most any of the sites. There are over 25 different restaurants and the capital within walking distance. It is a great way to experience the city and relax without driving all over to see and do things.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
William Miller House BreakfastA:   We like to call our breakfast a “full hearty gourmet breakfast.” No one will walk away from this meal hungry. We serve breakfast on our collection of platters we have gathered in our world travels. There are two breakfasts that could be considered signature, which are the Monet French toast and poached eggs over grit cakes with a chipotle cream sauce.

Q:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   We like to call ourselves “your home away from home.” The real tagline we use most often is “Come back to the middle of it all” since we are located in the city. But we really want our guests to feel when they come here they’re at home or an extension of their home. However, when they come here they can really take advantage of all that there is to do and also release themselves from the daily grind. We aren’t off in the country; we are in the middle of it all. A trip to our bed and breakfast will be relaxing but it will also be an active, vibrant experience, no listening to crickets, there’s a lot to take advantage of here.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
William House Regency BathroomA:   Really concentrating on the fact that “breakfast” is half of our name. I spend a lot of time researching recipes and making sure we deliver a high quality breakfast. We want our guests to try something new. I am the chef and I love to incorporate foods and styles from around the world. France has become a home away from home for us and whenever we are there I am always looking for new ingredients and new recipes. I like to find a great recipe, not even necessarily a breakfast item, and turn it into a gourmet breakfast dish.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   Currently we only have two rooms but I wish I could go back to when we were renovating for the inn and add on two more rooms. When we did the renovations we did an addition onto the house that is a single story and we could have easily put a second story on top of that for the additional rooms. At the time the bed and breakfast was just a thought, we didn’t really know we would be this successful. When you have a quality product people recognize that. We have been on and off the number one bed and breakfast on Trip Advisor for our area and we have a lot of returning guests. I just wish we were able to share our bed and breakfast with more people.

Q:   What did you do before you started your own business?
A:   We both worked in the corporate telecommunications industry for 30 years. We traveled a lot in the U.S. and the northeast New England area became one of our favorite spots to visit. We loved the quaint hometown feel.

Q:   What recent challenge have you overcome?
William HouseA:   There were a lot of challenges when we first opened. We had to apply for special use permits since the city of Richmond was a little old world when it came to bed and breakfasts. We were the second one in the city and it had been ten years since the first one opened. No one had the knowledge of what a bed and breakfast is and should be we had to do a lot of educating. We pioneered the process and now there are six more bed and breakfasts in the city.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not at work?
A:   I enjoy cooking a lot outside of work as well. I also consider myself quite the computer geek. I run several websites for local businesses and I also like to program and do web development.

Did you know?

The William Miller House in Richmond, Virginia is an urban inn located within city limits. A stone and marble cutter from New Jersey named William Miller built the house in 1869.  Pat Daniels and Mike Rohde bought the house in 1994 and lived there until 2000 when they opened the William Miller House as a bed and breakfast.

Kalamazoo House – Laurel Parrott Innkeeper Story

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Laurel Parrott of the Kalamazoo House located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan was a delight to talk to and loves the Kalamazoo House. She and her husband Terry have a great desire to make every guest feel at home and make every trip a unique experience. Over the years before becoming owners Laurel had stayed at many bed and breakfasts and caught the bug to become an innkeeper herself. I had the unique opportunity to ask Laurel some questions about herself and the inn she has been running for the past three and a half years.

I constantly working on “don’t sweat the small stuff.” I haven’t mastered it yet – but it’s a great motto to live by.

Q:   What’s unique about your inn?
A:   We are located in a vibrant urban area very close to the theater and nightlife. Unlike many bed and breakfasts we are not in the countryside or a resort area, we are right in downtown. We love being in the city and sharing that with other people. This location is great because it caters to a romantic getaway, holiday travels, and business travelers. We get a lot of artists, musicians, and actors staying with us as well.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
The Kalamazoo HouseA:   We serve a full cooked breakfast seven days a week with the guest’s choice of entrée and what time they eat. It’s pretty much all cook to order. We offer five or six entrées daily with several sweet and savory items. Two signature items are the banana nut crunch French toast and cheesy eggs Benedict.

Q:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   I constantly working on “don’t sweat the small stuff.” I haven’t mastered it yet but it’s a great motto to live by. I also have moved around a lot and love the saying “bloom where you are planted.”

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
A:   When we purchased the house the bed and breakfast wasn’t being heavily promoted. We weren’t in many directories and the website didn’t get a lot of activity. Also, the reservation system was pen and paper. About six months after we bought the inn I got over my nerves of having an online reservation system and went with Reservation Nexus. The day after the system went live I wished I had done it sooner. We also updated the website and have gained a much stronger presence which has been an immense help to the inn.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   Not a lot. I would probably do some small things better now but I have learned from the past and keep moving forward.

Q:   What recent challenge have you overcome?
A:   We recently renovated a The Kalamazoo Housevery large bathroom and painted the house during our busiest month. It was very chaotic but I am so please now that it’s over and I am thrilled with the results.

Q:   What did you do before you started your own business?
A:   Originally I worked in the hospitality industry in hotels as a meeting planner. I then took a detour and worked in education and educational research for many years.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not at work?The Kalamazoo House
A:   I am always at work! But really I love to garden and read. Of course I love to travel and do so as often as I can. I also make stained glass and teach a few classes on making stained glass. I am also learning glass blowing right now. The inn is currently decorated in stained glass for the holidays but there are some permanent pieces around the inn. Someday, if things calm down, I would love to put some stained glass in every room.

Did you know?

The Victorian style Kalamazoo House was built in 1878 by the Lilianfels family who owned a large cigar company that was in the town. In the 1980’s the house was threatened to be torn down but local historical fanatics convinced the city to keep it as a historical bed and breakfast. Thus the Kalamazoo House was born.

Annapolis Inn – Joe Lespier Innkeeper Story

20 Monday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Talking with Joe Lespier of the Annapolis Inn in Maryland was a real delight. To say he puts his heart into his work and life is aAnnapolis Innn understatement. He does a great deal of service for guests by keeping his historic inn in its original state and serving a large breakfast each morning. In addition, he gives back to the community by opening his inn to the local Naval Academy and sponsoring its Midshipmen. A stay at the Annapolis Inn seems like it would be a trip well worth having.  I know that next time I am in Maryland I will be sure to make a stop to see this historic home and meet its welcoming host again.

I am a firm believer in the Amish saying: when there’s room in the heart there’s room in the home.

Q:   What’s unique about your inn?
A:   It’s a very upscale piece of property. Historic buildings like this are usually owned by foundations or institutes and kept as museums. People can visit them but that’s it. We are private owners and it’s a bed and breakfast where people can stay and not just visit the property.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
A:   Eggs Benedict is a classic that a lot of guests like. But a signature of ours is French toast that we put an Italian accent on. We don’t use regular bread, we use Italian Panettone. We enhance it even more with special ingredients that you won’t find other places. It’s really delicious and people are always asking for the recipe.

Annapolis InnQ:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   I really believe it’s my responsibility to try my best to make sure the guests have a great time. I can’t do much about the weather but what I can control is my responsibility. Coming to us is like coming to a car wash, shift into neutral and let us take over.  We don’t mind doing the planning for guests. We often have guests call and ask us to make all the decisions for them. We pick the restaurants and even tell them what to eat as well. I think people have ‘option anxiety’ sometimes and don’t like making any decisions on vacation.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
A:   I think the best thing I’ve done for the business is also the best thing I’ve done for myself. Being so close to the Naval Academy we participate in the program to sponsor Midshipmen. We become their home away from home and regularly have about 25 boys to sponsor. These kids really appreciate and need you. Many of them don’t feel like they can talk to their parents about certain things but they can talk to us.

Annapolis InnBefore I did this program I really didn’t like kids this age, I felt they needed to grow up and stabilize their lives and then maybe we could talk. My career was in human resources and after so many years of dealing with people’s problems I didn’t want to deal with anyone under 35.

My opinion has drastically changed; I can’t imagine turning my back on these kids. It’s unbelievable to see how much you can accomplish with food and love. The boys appreciate you so much and stay in touch for years to come. On Christmas day I get calls from all over the country and the world, I’ve even received calls from astronauts. Guests who stay with us will see the Midshipmen around the house and are really impressed and moved by these young kids. People are proud to be a part of this and often leave checks for the kids or for us asking us to do something special for them.  It adds so much to the guest’s experience.

I am a firm believer in the Amish saying: when there’s room in the heart there’s room in the home. You never know what the future holds for these kids so I will never turn away someone who needs a sponsor. I feel so proud to get pictures of them later in their lives. I never thought I would have an influence in the world to this degree but I see them in Iraq or working in the Pentagon and it hits me that I’ve impacted the rest of their future.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   Nothing, I have no regrets. I love making an insignificant weekend become the most important weekend for guests. We’ve had people come who are struggling to hold on to maybe their marriage and they come here to get away together and I can play a role in changing their lives. The best things that happen in my life never had anything to do with the business plan.

Did you know?

The Annapolis Inn was built in the 1700’s when much of the land still belonged to England. Even the home’s building materials were brought over from England. The home was built and belonged to President Thomas Jefferson’s personal doctor. Today the house still stands and is the Annapolis Inn.

Garden Isle – Dan Currier Innkeeper Story

18 Saturday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Dan Currier of the Garden Isle Bed and Breakfast and Vacation Home in beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington was a loGarden Isle Bed and Breakfastt of fun to interview. He shared about his unique location, being on one of the largest islands in the continental United States, and some of the best things he has done for his bed and breakfast. In addition Dan shed some light on how he would have added a hot tub to his business a lot sooner than he did. This incredibly well-seasoned innkeeper has been operating his bed and breakfast with his wife Darrellyn for 20 years and still going strong.

Our central location on the island is ideal for visiting the island’s state parks and beaches, or great for day trips to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, Canada and more.

Q:   What is unique about your bed & breakfast?
A:   Location and character distinguish our B&B from others on the Island.  Our cottages and vacation home overlook the historic 1853 district of the quaint seaside town of Coupeville.  The property is located directly across the street from the town park, within easy walking distance to the wharf, beach, and all of the local shops and restaurants.  Our central location on the island is ideal for visiting the island’s state parks and beaches, or great for day trips to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, Canada and more.

Our cottages are unique in that they are located on two lovely acres, with the vacation home overlooking the entire estate.  The vacation home’s large front windows offer views of Penn Cove, with Mount Baker and the Cascade Mountains framing the horizon.

The character provided by the open spaces allow our guests to enjoy their privacy, but still experience the amenities of being in town and allows them to enjoy all the festivals, art walks, parades and the farmers market that take place throughout the year.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
A:   Guests are provided a continental breakfast in their private cottages, which allows them to wake up in the morning and eat whenever they like.  Our signature breakfast typically consists of homemade pastries (cinnamon rolls, muffins or banana bread,) cereal, fresh fruit, and an assortment of beverages.

Q:   What is your motto?
A:   Many of our guests have never been to the Northwest or Whidbey Island.  It has always been very important to me to make them feel welcomed to the island and also informed of the unique sights, locales and restaurants they can visit and explore during their stay on the island.  Allowing them to make better use of their time ensures that when they return home, they can tell their friends about the great experiences and we can anticipate them returning again.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you have done for your business?
A:   Improving our technology by switching to an online reservation system has really increased the amount of reservations we are able to close.  Guests can confirm availability and reserve dates anytime, anywhere, which has really helped us keep up with online trends.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   I would have built the second cottage and hot tub sooner.

Q:   What recent challenges have you overcome?
A:   Over the past two years, I have remodeled both cottages to reflect a coastal living-type theme.

Q:   What did you do before you started your business?
A:   I worked for Seattle Pacific University’s Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island from 1978 to 2000, where I helped to manage the maintenance at the conference center facilities which housed over 550 people.  In 2000, I started a tour business which I ran for four years, called Whidbey Tours, and provided guided bus tours of our beautiful island.  Currently, along with our B&B, I help my wife run a Montessori School which we have owned and operated since 1990.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time?
A:   I enjoy sailing in my free time and because we live on an island surrounded by some of the best sail boating areas in the world, I try to do it as often as possible. I sail with my friends just about every week, year round, weather permitting.  Each year, Whidbey Island hosts one of the top ten sailing regattas in the country.

Did you know?

Whidbey Island is located just an hour and a half North of Seattle and was considered one of the top dream vacation destinations in the world by authors of a special travel  magazine put out by Life Magazine in 2008. Located on the Puget Sound, Whidbey Island was also one of the first areas to be settled in the Northwest.

 

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