Innkeepers: Bill & Laura Sleighter![]()
307 North Alexander Avenue
Washington, Georgia 30673
(706) 678-3166
Fax: (706) 678-3166 (call first)
Email
1. How long have you been in the B&B and/or hospitality business?
5 years
2. What is your favourite part of the job?
The people
3. What is your least favourite part of the job?
The waiting around for arrival
4. What is your best marketing tip?
Us. The town, our porches, my art and cooking classes
5. Do you have a staff or do everything yourself?
just us
6. What type of marketing do you find most effective?
word of mouth, internet
7. Do you attend seminars? Buy B&B Guides? no
8. Which recipe do you always get rave reviews for?
my pecan tree rolls, my strata’s, and a chocolate treat called Bark I serve in the afternoon
9. Do you work with other Innkeepers in your area or consider them competition?
competition is good and many of the local innkeepers are good friends of ours
10. Tell us about your most memorable guest?
we had Mr. Santa Clause U.S.A. with his grandchildren (i’m talking beard and all in July) and a superior court judge the next night
11. Do you have any horror stories from past guests?
just can’t keep them out of our kitchen when I’m trying to cook breakfast. we’re too laid back I suppose, they feel too compfortable here.
12. What do you think the biggest misconception is about staying at a B&B? That the owners want to talk all night and not let you have privacy. We make it clear it is their home until checkout.
13. What would you like to change about the industry? Local support from city government, afterall we are paying chamber salaries with our hotel tax!
14. Do you have any time saving tips or marketing treasures that you would like to share? The internet
15. What makes your B&B unique? Promoting something other than old homes in our town, Washington, Ga. I teach candlemaking, soapmaking, cooking classes, floral arranging classes. My husband and I both play guitar, there is a pump organ and piano in the front room, a banjo, dulcimer, to name a few. I serve a full candlelight breakfast. I have a local color book that the guests get a kick out of (funny clippings and goings on in Washington), great front porch sunsets. When they leave they always comment “you’re right, I do feel like I’m in Mayberry!”
2979 Big Texas Valley Rd.![]()
Rome, Georgia 30165
706-235-8002
Email | Website
1. How long have you been in the B&B and/or hospitality business? Ten years
2. What is your favourite part of the job? Meeting people from around the world and seeing them have a good time
3. What is your least favourite part of the job? When people destroy the property- furniture, etc
4. What is your best marketing tip? Take good care of your visitors and they will spread the news for you- word of mouth is the best advertising
5. Do you have a staff or do everything yourself? We have a staff that takes care of the guests- when we started it was just my family
6. What type of marketing do you find most effective? Having a good web site and being easy to find on the web
7. Do you attend seminars? Buy B&B Guides? I attend business related seminars
8. Which recipe do you always get rave reviews for? Our chef prepares outstanding crab cakes, pecan crusted trout, and wonderful homemade soups
9. Do you work with other Innkeepers in your area or consider them competition? we refer guests to the other B&B when we are full
10. Tell us about your most memorable guest? There is a family of four that visit here every few months- they are originally from Belgium - the kids love to ride horses- take as many lessons as they can when they come, the mom calls the chef directly and makes her requests and the kids always love helping the stable staff with chores and always bring gifts when they come for staff
11. Do you have any horror stories from past guests? Only the few times the guests have been abusive to the property- which usually have been the result of too much alcohol from a wedding reception- those times are never fun to deal with, but have only occured a few times- but you never forget those times
12. What do you think the biggest misconception is about staying at a B&B? I suppose that some people may not understand that most B&B’s have a somewhat “communal feeling”- although Zion Farms offer private cottages, the guests eat together family style for breakfast- some times guests are uncomfortable with this, but the majority of the time they like meeting different people
13. What would you like to change about the industry?
14. Do you have any time saving tips or marketing treasures that you would like to share? Be organized, be prepared, always have a back up plan
15. What makes your B&B unique? Zion is located on a large horse farm, the Cooper family is very involved with the day to day happenings on the farm. The guests enjoy spending time with the fam, and most of all I think the guests really enjoy the accommodations- very unique- rustic elegance





