The Innkeeping Blog

I just completed my stint working at the Australian Walkabout Inn Bed and Breakfast in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was a great experience, and I got to see first-hand how a 5-room inn operates. Bob and Lynne Griffin, who took over the inn in August 2007, are great innkeepers – they are conscientious and hospitable. Since they work so well as a team, coupled with the fact that it’s the slower season in Lancaster, my duties were not quite as rigorous as my time in Seattle last year. Nevertheless, I was able to learn a good deal. Maybe the slower weekend allowed me to have more down time for conversation with the Griffins than with Joyce last year (11 rooms turning and churning, feeding folks in three different rooms created a more frenetic experience). Maybe it wasn’t so frenetic for me this time, because I’ve learned so much about innkeeping since coming on board with PAII in June 2007. The experience with Joyce felt like a Baptism by fire. The experience with Bob and Lynne felt more like Baptism in a warm bath.

On Sunday morning we prepared breakfast for six guests. Bob and Lynne seemed to have a natural flow in the kitchen and dining room. They could have easily said to me, “OK, Jay…the kitchen is yours! Make it happen.” But they either took mercy on me or wanted to make sure I didn’t screw things up for their paying guests. I offered to help with the food prep. The first morning I helped prepare the casserole (as evidenced by the photo below), and the second morning I made the sauce for the baked pear dish. For someone who worked years in the kitchen of a busy Greek/Italian restaurant, this was light duty. Having so many hands available in the kitchen made me appreciate what it is like for those innkeepers who fly solo every day. God bless you folks!


All the guests during my visit swiftly devoured the baked pears, casserole, fruit and sausage. The conversation among the six guests the first morning was light. There were different generations at the table, and I wondered if the younger folks (who looked in their early twenties) were a bit intimated. The dynamic at the breakfast table can really change the B&B experience, and it seems the innkeepers need to have a good feel of when to intervene and try to stimulate conversation and when to back off. We had only one couple the last morning of my visit. The good part about having only one room booked is that it gives you a bit of a breather and the opportunity to have more dedicated one-on-one time with guests. The bad part is, well, there was only one room booked.

I happen to be someone who likes to clean my dishes, pots and pans as I cook, so there is minimal clean-up when the meal is over. Lynne likes the same approach, and it certainly gives her more time after breakfast is over to get to the room-turning. I am wondering if we should offer a class at the Innkeeping Show on how to wash dishes as you cook. If that saves 20 minutes of an innkeeper’s day, that would be worth the price of admission!

Lynne allowed me to turn some of the guest rooms with her. We were able to have great chats about the innkeeping experience while folding and unfolding sheets. I was impressed with Lynne’s sheet-folding system, which confirmed the truth that every innkeeper really needs to have his/her system for doing things. She folds the sheets in a way that allows her to unfold them quickly and efficiently for making the beds. Now, this is something that is probably very commonplace among innkeepers and housekeepers, and you’re probably giggling at the fact that I’m just now picking up on this reality. Nevertheless, I was impressed. At home, I don’t pay attention to the exact way in which I fold my sheets. Lynne’s strong organizational skills has her labeling bins and shelves in lots of places throughout the inn, which certainly helps for quickly finding what you need. She has a little portable label printer, which I fell in love with. Maybe we should sell these little suckers to PAII members.

I came to believe that if we could all do away with jetted/Jacuzzi tubs and not have an impact on income, we should do it. What a waste of water – to use and clean. But when you buy an inn that has these tubs in every guest room, you likely have to “make do.” Bob and Lynne will be tearing one out and replacing it with a stylish shower, which I would find more appealing as a guest. To have a tub in every room might be overkill. Any opinions out there on jetted tubs?

Throughout my stay, Lynne kept getting reservations from Sight and Sound, which is a local theatrical production that draws in tourists. Bob and Lynne have an arrangement with the folks at Sight and Sound, which seems to send many guests throughout the year at a pre-arranged price. And from what I could tell, the price was a good one! Good for them. The reservations that came in were not seamless with their Webervations system, causing Lynne to have to do some data entry on her own site and Sight and Sound’s. Still, witnessing this underscores the value of having relationships with others who can bring you business at a good price.

Bob and Lynne took over an inn that needed a great deal of improvement. They didn’t close the inn for any period of time to work on the improvements. It’s been “DIY” on the go from day one, and I’m thoroughly impressed with how much they’ve accomplished in such a short period of time. Still, everywhere I turned, they were pointing out things that needed updating. While I was in town, I lent a hand with one of their improvement projects. Their Outback Cottage, which is a detached little building, had been covered in outdated wallpaper. The Griffins had already conquered a few walls before my arrival, so I got to help take wallpaper off the final wall. It was the definition of tedium.


At first, I wondered why they wanted me to help with this project. On the one hand, I’m sure they could use the extra set of hands. On the other hand, it seemed to be a bit “off the syllabus” for my innkeeping education. But what I learned, which was the intent, was how difficult it can be juggling these improvement projects and keep the inn running like a top. The cottage was in a bit of disarray this week, yet Lynne received a request from a potential guest to see the cottage the very next day. And, she took a reservation for the cottage for the upcoming weekend. I’m thinking, “No way!” But when it comes to reserving the most expensive room in the slowest season, you find a way! And, I’m sure Bob and Lynne will find a way to make the cottage presentable to the gentleman who wanted to see it, and suitable for the guests who want to use it this weekend.

I was able to help get half the wall painted, while the other half still had to receive some attention. Bob was doing a good bit of electrical work to install a new light and thermostat for the heating system they will be installing under the ne
w tile in the room. Nice! Bob is a “Jack of all trades,” which comes in handy with all these projects.

On my last evening, Lynne and Bob hosted a reception and invited their fellow members of the Authentic Bed & Breakfasts of Lancaster County. I had a fantastic time meeting new innkeepers and seeing some familiar faces. I overheard some innkeepers say, if I was working at their inn, they’d sleep in and have me run the show by myself. I laugh at how some innkeepers want this to be a hazing experience for me. What was apparent from listening to the innkeepers was how supportive the Lancaster CVB is of the B&B community. Last year they determined that Lancaster has the second highest concentration of B&Bs among all markets on the East coast (apparently the count of B&Bs is 160). This revelation, as well as the diligent relationship-building the innkeepers have shown, has opened the eyes of the CVB to the contributions of the B&B segment of their market.

All-in-all, my visit with the Griffins was very worthwhile. Seeing how inns are run first-hand helps me gain the innkeeper’s perspective on many matters, which helps me run this association more effectively. I got lucky with this visit – it was smooth and manageable. I wonder if my next assignment will be laden with emergencies and difficulties. I imagine emergencies and difficulties are what TRULY make the innkeeping experience unique. The day I or my staff no longer understand the issues faced by innkeepers is the day we should move on to something new or immediately make an appointment to work at a B&B. Thank you, Bob and Lynne! Opening your inn to me was incredibly meaningful. I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta at the Innkeeping Show.