Country Comfort on the Outskirts of Town

Just a couple of miles from downtown Lexington, Virginia sits a marvelous hospitality property with great business and lifestyle potential. The Cottages of Lexington is comprised of three upscale rustic cottages on a private, 39 acre parcel of land with stunning views of the Alleghenies. Lexington is an historic town which is home to Washington and Lee University, Virginia Military Institute, and the Virginia Equestrian Center, among other attractions, all set in a gorgeous corner of Virginia near the intersection of I-81 (N/S) and I-64 West.

Each of the three cottages is designed with guest comfort in mind. Two, which measure about 675 SF, are open great rooms with combined kitchen, living, and sleeping areas with double whirlpool and separate full baths. The third cottage of about 750 SF has a living/dining/kitchen area, bedroom, bath, and separate double Jacuzzi room. All three have front porches, private side or rear decks, are fully equipped, have wood burning fireplaces, telephones, satellite TV, and grills.

The property is complemented by a spacious barn/garage with an overabundance of storage. The intent of the owners was to build their retirement home on a private interior site with dramatic mountain views, but they are opting instead to leave that opportunity to a future owner.

Priced largely on asset value, the Cottages of Lexington generate a solid revenue with minimal labor and overhead, allowing for free time to pursue other interests and a high margin lodging income from the three cottages. $775,000.

Peter Scherman
 The B&B Team
 P.O. Box 399 Scottsville, VA 24590
 Telephone: (434) 286-4600
 Email: bbteam@bbteam.com
 Website: www.bbteam.com

A special thanks to Heather & Bob Newman of The Granaries on Bear Mountain for taking the time to answer our questions.

1. How long have you been in the B&B and/or hospitality business?
We opened summer 2003.

2. What is your favorite part of the job?
Attending to the little details to personalize each stay and make it special.

3. What is your least favorite part of the job?
Closing up at the end of the season, ensuring everything is in order for the long winter, and, mechanical problems.

4. What is your best marketing tip?
Our first summer, we offered our gardens and the B&B for the annual Horticulture Society Tea and Tour. People had no idea what to expect and were simply amazed by what we had done with three old granaries. Nearly 500 people wandered through and went away and told all their friends about it.

5. Do you have a staff or do everything yourself?
No staff. Most things are done myself. My husband and daughters help with some of the gardening and maintenance chores and occasionally help deliver breakfast .

6. What type of marketing do you find most effective?
Word of mouth is always the best and maybe slightly easier if you live in a smaller community. Having an open house, hosting a garden tour, giving away nights for non-profit events, networking with other related businesses, all help start the ball rolling. As well, capitalize on any news or occasions that can be publicized by submitting a story to the local paper. We invited the newspapers to our open house and scored a front page article with picture. The other winner is to have a great website that will wow people .

7. Do you attend seminars? Buy B&B Guides?
I’ve attended regional Tourism conferences and read some good books on B&B’s and marketing. I make sure I keep the local tourism office up to date on what’s happening and utilize any research and statistics they collect. It’s their job to promote tourism related businesses so they can be very helpful.

8. Which recipe do you always get rave reviews for?
I like to meet people before I decide what to serve them . That way I hope to match their personalities to their breakfast and get rave reviews for everything. My favorite is an orange cream stuffed French Toast and it’s always a hit.

9. If you weren’t a B&B Innkeeper what would you be doing?
Some other creative venture be it polishing my French,trying to pick up other languages, taking art classes, designing things, writing, traveling,hiking and getting involved in whatever offered an opportunity to learn something new. I’m planning to squeeze some of it in during the off season so I’m not really missing anything.

10. Tell us about your most memorable guest?
We have enjoyed all our guests but especially connected with a german couple who experienced a fall, winter and summer holiday all in the space of 4 days. We outfitted them with extra clothing for their touring and invited them for a family supper. They took some amazing photos that we’ve shared on our website’s “Guests Gallery”. Since their visit, we’ve been in touch several times. They truly did come as guests and leave as friends.

11. Do you have any horror stories from past guests?
The only horror story stemmed from a miscommunication. I was all set up expecting a couple and they didn’t feel the reservation was confirmed so had made other plans. I now make copious notes to self to make sure I follow through and remember all the details of the initial booking conversation.Advance payment also makes sure they turn up.

12. What do you think the biggest misconception is about staying at a B&B?
That you’d feel uncomfortable staying at a strangers home with even more strangers staring at you round the breakfast table. B&B hosts are in the business of looking after guests and putting them at ease. BB’s are so varied you can almost always find one that appeals to your particular needs.

13. What would you like to change about the industry?
I’d like to see more B&B owners take their business seriously rather than just as a take it or leave it sideline.There is a need for more accommodation in general in our community and it would be nice to see more enthusiastic B&B owners join the scene.

14. Do you have any time saving tips or marketing treasures that you would like to share?
Doing as much as possible the night before eases the breakfast panic in the morning, even if it’s only visualization of what needs to be done. We deliver the breakfast to guests so how to fit it all on the trays and carry it without mishap is a big consideration.

15. What makes your B&B unique?
Unique setting, unique architecture and unique art. We imported three vintage wooden prairie granaries to our rural acreage and crafted them into a unique and luxurious retreat set in beautiful private grounds by a garden lake. It a real draw for locals who think it’s great fun to sleep in a granary. It’s a novelty for travelers too.

Glen and Char Carlson of the Steamboat House in Galena, Illinois have taken the time to answer our 15 questions. They have given some very helpful tips.

1. How long have you been in the B&B and/or hospitality business?
We’ve just begun our sixth year in business.

2. What is your favorite part of the job?
We’ve met wonderful people and made great friends; we are also thrilled to be working for ourselves and for the opportunity to be together all the time, making decisions about the business, and sharing the experience. We’ve been married a long time and after retiring from demanding careers, the chance to spend our days together is a real blessing.

3. What is your least favorite part of the job?
The tedium of cleaning the same rooms over and over and over. . .

4. What is your best marketing tip?
Stay informed of new trends. Technology changes every day and marketing strategies have to change along with it. Your computer is your most valuable friend in marketing.

5. Do you have a staff or do everything yourself? .
We do everything ourselves. Our reputation is on the line every time a guest checks into the inn; we don’t want to depend on anyone doing something in a shoddy way, or being inadvertently rude to a guest.

6. What type of marketing do you find most effective?
Of course, the Internet is the most valuable marketing tool, but we find that the referrals we get are almost as effective.

7. Do you attend seminars? Buy B&B Guides?
We’ve been mentored by two of the very finest innkeepers in the business, so attending seminars isn’t really necessary for us. We always had someone to ask when questions came up.

8. Which recipe do you always get rave reviews for?
Our home made breads, particularly our apricot bread, which was featured in a national cookbook.

9. If you weren’t a B&B Innkeeper what would you be doing?
Glen would still be a contractor; I’m not sure what I’d be up to. I would probably still have retired from my old career and maybe opened
an antiques store.

10. Tell us about your most memorable guest?
Memorable — Well, two of our guests have been here over 15 times in the last couple of years and have become close friends. They are now seeking to become innkeepers themselves and that makes us feel good.

11. Do you have any horror stories from past guests?
Not really; we’ve been lucky.

12. What do you think the biggest misconception is about staying at a
B&B?
That it’s just like a hotel; people don’t realize that this is a business, and it’s also someone’s home.

13. What would you like to change about the industry?
The trend to “become” hotels. Catering to every whim and trend is destructive. B&B’s should be wonderful, warm experiences. A clean, comfortable, preferably historic, home where innkeepers offer great
hospitality at a fair value is what they should remain. Retrofitting parlors into modern whirlpool suites makes a B&B just a smaller hotel that serves breakfast. The niche that B&Bs fill — friendly surroundings, character and charm, great food and interesting conversation, quiet places to relax, having someone to ask about local
attractions and restaurants — THAT’s what the industry should concentrate on.

14. Do you have any time saving tips or marketing treasures that you would like to share?
Cook ahead. When time allows, fry bacon and freeze it in pound quantities; do the same with sausage. Bake breads in 2’s and freeze one to be ready for that unexpected guest

15. What makes your B&B unique?
We’ve tried to maintain the true historic nature of this wonderful mansion by furnishing it in high quality heirloom antiques and offering guests the opportunity to be pampered by the finest of surroundings with crystal chandeliers, a breakfast served with sterling silver flatware and lovely china. Guests love to be “part” of the history of the house and feel special while interacting with other guests, playing billiards or just enjoying a glass of wine on the front porch in an old-fashioned rocking chair or swing.

Nancy Galloway of the Wedgwood Country Inn has been kind enough to share some Innsight with us.

1. How long have you been in the B&B and/or hospitality business? One year full time, plus 3 years part-time.