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.

So, here I am now in Dutch country with this hard-working couple learning how they run their 5-room B&B. I chose the Walkabout for my second stint, because I saw some worthy contrasts between this potential experience and what I did in Seattle. Joyce runs a very busy inn just off the campus of the University of Washington with high occupancy rates. She supervises some staff. And, Joyce has been doing it for many years. Bob and Lynne are relative newbies, who run a smaller inn that is part of a tourist destination (thus, the clientele are a bit different than an urban inn near a university). They have been working incredibly hard updating the physical plant of the inn during their first year and a half, and I wanted to see what it’s like trying to master all this do-it-yourself work, and run a successful B&B.

I arrived yesterday afternoon and got reacquainted with Bob and Lynne, whom I met last winter at the Mid-Atlantic Innkeepers Conference. Lynne showed me to my room, the Victorian Suite, which has a nice, warm feel to it (a good thing yesterday, considering the temperature outside). She quickly asked me what animal was on the bed, which was a creation from one or two towels. I guessed a pig, but was wrong – it was an elephant. Lynne is trying her hand at a bit of towel art. A Koala bear was also on the bed to greet me. I unpacked my bags and read about the inn, their services and policies in the notebook. I went down to the parlor and shared a bottle of wine with the couple, and learned a good deal more about the area, the B&B and their lives as innkeepers with a 10-year old daughter. We then departed for a lovely dinner with Bruce and Jan Garrabrandt, owners of the Artist’s Inn on the outskirts of Lancaster in Terre Hill. I was beginning to think this was going to be more R&R than work. So far…a bottle of wine, great conversation, a nice meal. I am thinking the life of a Lancaster-area innkeeper isn’t too bad! Of course, I know better than that.

The Garrabrandt’s, me, and the Griffins.

I learn what the innkeepers have in store for me tomorrow. Helping prepare breakfast for six guests, assiting with turning the rooms and peeling wallpaper in the Outback Cottage. I will be participating in the multi-tasking realities of innkeeping once again.