Professional Association of Innkeepers Int'l

The PAII room block at the Sheraton is full. There are many other hotels in Myrtle Beach with availability. Start by calling the Best Western Carolinian. See more information.

Don't miss innkeeping's best resource:

65+ Workshops to help you increase revenue, decrease expenses, and make guests happier!
75 Exhibitors with everything you need to run your inn; many have show specials that will save you money!
Hundreds of other innkeepers with whom you can share ideas, make friends, and have fun!

PAII Convention Workshop Times Now Online
Create your own personalized convention schedule using the PAII Convention Workshop Schedule.

Wanted: Your Best Unusual Packages
Linda Hayes is presenting a PAII Convention workshop with David Scyoc regarding non-room revenue/packages for profit. She would love to hear from member inns about their best unusual packages. If you'd like to contribute to this PAII Convention workshop, please reply to Linda by March 7th at riverbendlady@gmail.com.

For more information about the 2007 PAII Convention (March 26-29 in Myrtle Beach, SC), please visit www.paiiconvention.org.

PAII Membership Minutes:
New PAII Provider, New Benefit Program, & More!

New PAII Provider
PAII is pleased to announce that we have a new Preferred Provider for credit card processing. Tom Weiskotten of Payment Alliance International (formerly Payment Transaction Solutions) is a vendor member of PAII, a supporter of our industry, and has serviced the lodging trade for 10 years. Many of our members are already working with Tom and we have received nothing but compliments about his personal service and excellent rates.

After learning the "ins and outs" of different payment charges associated with credit card processing, he has developed a program for inns and B&Bs that reduces most charges to the bare minimum while totally doing away with others! As David Hiler of Hiler Hospitality, LLC, reflects, "[Tom is] an honest person who knows how to make sense of a complex and often deceptive business."

If you are contemplating a switch in credit card processors, or are in the process of obtaining this service, we encourage you to give Tom a call or visit his booth at the trade show in Myrtle Beach. Please join us in welcoming Payment Alliance International as a PAII Preferred Provider!

Tom Weiskotten
Payment Alliance International
626 Point Road
Willsboro, NY 12996
518-963-7272 phone
518-963-8608 fax
tmw@willex.com
tom@weiskotten.com

New Benefit Program
We have a new PAII member benefit program that will save you money!

Our new partnership with EBSCO Reception Room Subscription Services will provide our members with discounts of 30-50% on over 200 magazine subscriptions for your public areas, guest rooms, or private use. We have selected specific titles that we feel will be of interest to you and your guests. You can view that list by clicking on the following link: http://www.ebscoincentives.com/downloads/Paii_EBSCOPriceList.pdf

If you would like to place an order online, please go to www.ebscomags.com and put PAII in the promotional code field on the checkout page to receive the PAII special pricing. Otherwise, feel free to contact Christina Ogden for additional details at 800.527.5901 or via e-mail at cogden@ebsco.com.

New Exhibitors This Week
Following is a list of the new vendors that have signed up this week to exhibit in Myrtle Beach. We are really excited about all the new companies, products, and services that will be on hand to meet with our attendees!

Ductless HVAC Supply: Split minis
Granny's Tea Cozies: Tea and tea accessories/gift items
Petal Soft: Rose petals in pure glycerin soap
Sky V Spa: Natural private label amenities
The Insurance Link: Health insurance

PAII Forum Digest:
Tea Party for 4 Year Olds, Acne Medication Damages Towels, & More
If you have not had time to log on to the Forum located in the Members Only section of www.paii.org,
here are some of the interesting topics that have been discussed this past week.

Tea Party for 4 Year Olds
I am hosting my first tea party for over a dozen 4-year-old girls. Any suggestions on what to serve? Mom would like some kind of finger sandwiches and a strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Acne Medication Damages Towels
We have just purchased Chris Madden hotel towels from JCPenney in the past month and have had 5 towels damaged. I have contacted both Chris Madden and JCPenney. They are replacing the towels and have offered this explanation: The towels appear to be "bleached" by benzoyl peroxide found in acne medications such as Oxy10 and Clearisil.

Hi, Everyone! A Question From a Newbie
How do you prefer being contacted by a vendor? Do you prefer a phone call with an introduction followed by an e-mail with info, or do you prefer being contacted by e-mail? I know you are all very busy in the mornings with breakfast and check-outs, and I know afternoons are check-ins and preparing for your next guest. I truly appreciate the fact that you need some quiet time and that you read e-mails at your leisure. Any advice for a newbie?

Again, Questions Re Handling Groups
We are constantly being booked by groups of people traveling together—not weddings (as we refuse to do these anymore)—but just groups of couples or women. The problems with these are: 1) We might book a bunch of rooms for a group (four, five, six, or more of our 10 rooms) and almost every time we have trouble with cancellations, as everyone always says they are coming so they can feel a part of the group, but when it's actually time to put up some money, they decide they are not actually coming. 2) If the group doesn't book the whole place (ten rooms), we seem to always get complaints from our other guests that the group with noisy and disruptive. So, we're thinking of policies for groups.

innkeeping 's Question of the Month
PAII's monthly newsletter, innkeeping, poses a real innkeeper's query each month in its section entitled, "Question of the Month: What Do You Do?" March's question: A young couple is staying with you, and you happen to hear a fight between them: The guy was talking about spilling wine. When they stepped out later that night, you went into the room to assess the damage done. You were expecting a simple stain on a sheet, but found large stains on two sheets, the sham, the coverlet, two robes, and three towels: Essentially, damage amounting to about $600. Normally, you do your best to get out wine stains, and if you can't, you simply chalk it up to the cost of doing business. This seems extreme to you, however. What do you do? Post what you would do in the Members Only section of www.paii.org and your response will be included in next month's issue of innkeeping.

PAII Food Feature:
The Cedar House Inn's Four Cheese Soufflé
Let us feature a recipe from your inn!
Please send your submission (and a photo of the dish if available) to L1simpson@msn.com.

Jack and Mylene Martin from the Cedar House Inn (www.cedarhouseinn.com) in St. Augustine, FL, offer this delicious, simple recipe for a wonderful Four Cheese Soufflé.

Ingredients
3 Cups of shredded cheese (Sharp Cheddar, White Cheddar, Monterey Jack & Swiss)
1 1/2 Tsps of powdered mustard
1/2 Tsp each of salt and pepper
3/4 Cup half/half
9 Eggs
Chopped Parsley (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9.5 inch round glass Pyrex baking dish. Stir the powdered mustard, salt, and pepper into a bowl with two tblsp of half/half. Wisk until smooth. Add eggs and remainder of half/half. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with parsley. Give dish a little shake to ensure the cheese is evenly distributed. Bake for 45 minutes or until set. Top with salsa or serve on the side.

PAII Pointer:
Spring Ahead on Saturday Instead
For Daylight Saving Time this weekend, try taking time on Saturday afternoon to spring ahead. Time-keepers to remember: Watches, microwave and other appliance clocks, DVD players and other electronics' clocks, vehicle clocks, and of course, your alarm clock!

INNfo is published weekly. Annual subscription is included in the price of membership.

Editorial Staff
Laura Middleton, Stacey Bleistein, Pam Horovitz, Karen Hudgeons, Jeanine Zeman

Editorial Suggestions and Contributions
Editorial comments and suggestions are welcomed. In addition, if you have a suggestion or would like to contribute news and announcements for INNfo, please contact INNfo’s Editor-in-Chief, Stacey Bleistein, at 856.310.1102 or stacey@paii.org.

Advertising Rates & Information
Weekly sponsorship ads are available. Please send all inquiries to Marlene Sapir at marlene@paii.org or 856.310.1102. MC/VISA/AMEX/DISCOVER accepted.

Editorial Offices
c/o PAII
207 White Horse Pike
Haddon Heights, NJ 08035
Phone: 856.310.1102 • Fax: 856.310.1105
membership@paii.org • www.paii.org