INNfo
Tuesday,
March 13, 2007
Volume 2, Issue 11
PAII
News & Announcements:
Your
State at Myrtle Beach, Extended
Industry Study Deadline, & More!
Is Your State Association Represented in Myrtle
Beach?
Each state association may have a table in the Exhibit Hall on which to
display your membership materials. Don't miss this opportunity to recruit
new members for your state association! Whether your state officers are
attending the PAII Convention or not, your association can be represented.
To reserve a table for your materials, an officer or staff
must complete the State
Association Questionnaire by March 15th. If you do not complete the
questionnaire, there will not be a table for your state materials. (The
only states that have completed this questionnaire so far are UT, NC,
IN, and MN.)
It's simple: Just have someone from your state who is attending
the convention bring the materials to the Exhibit Hall when the trade
show opens at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27th. They will need to straighten
the table each day and pick up what's left before the trade show closes
at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 29th. To find out who is attending the
convention from your state, contact Laura@paii.org
for a list.
State Association Leaders Seminar
For board members, officers, staff, or other designated representatives
Monday, March 26th
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Myrtle Beach Convention Center
$59 Per person, member or nonmember
Join association leaders from across the country for a day
of enlightening discussions and informative presentations designed specifically
for state B&B association leaders including information about your
liability and the liability of your organization. You do not have to attend
the convention to attend the Association Leaders Seminar. The states that
are registered to date are FL, IN, NC, PA, SC, and UT. Please encourage
your state leaders to have representation at this important meeting!
PAII Industry Study Deadline Extended to March 23rd
The deadline for completing the PAII Industry Study's online survey has
been extended to March 23rd. We’ve got 436 back, but we’re going
for 500 responses! The questionnaire takes about an hour to two hours
to complete. The survey is designed so that you can log in and out, and
work on answering the questions as you have time available. Remember,
you need to complete the entire survey in order to receive your free copy
of the results. Thank you, again, for contributing to this important
research for our industry.
Click here to participate.
On-Site Registrations Welcome
Pre-registration for the convention is closed and we are really excited
about the response! We welcome additional attendees to register in Myrtle
Beach. The Convention Registration Desk opens Monday, March 26th, at 7:00
a.m.
PAII
Membership Minutes:
Home Depot Discount Program & We Want Your Cookbooks!
New Home Depot Supply Discount Program
PAII is very excited to announce a great new member benefit program
designed to save you money! We have partnered with Home Depot Supply,
the online Hospitality Solutions division of Home Depot, to bring you
discounts on over 18,000 maintenance, housekeeping, and operational products.
They are your one-stop shop for reliable, quality products. Their vast
distribution network ensures you'll get fast, on-time, FREE delivery
from coast to coast.
PAII members will receive their lowest published catalog price on every
item with no need to reach minimum thresholds on your purchases! This
means you can buy a quantity of one and automatically receive the case
price break. Just look for the check-marked price in their catalog or
online and that is the discounted PAII price. This adds up to an average
savings of over 14% off their everyday low prices.
In addition to the products you would normally associate with Home Depot,
you may be surprised to learn that they offer such merchandise as flat
screen televisions, bamboo and other linens, more than ten amenity product
lines, furniture, mattresses, environmentally safe cleaning products,
guest room supplies, and much more!
In addition to great prices and an extensive product line, you receive
FREE delivery (a few items are plus freight and these are noted
in the catalog) directly to your inn usually in a day or two. There is
a $50 minimum order to avoid a $5 handling charge. Visit Home Depot Supply
online today at www.hdsupply.com
or call toll free at 800.431.3000. Be sure to identify yourself as a PAII
member to receive your discount. PAII has provided Home Depot Supply with
a list of our members so you have all been added into their system and
are ready to go! You will be receiving a catalog by mail shortly.
Home Depot Supply will be in booths 517 and 519 at the PAII
Trade Show in Myrtle Beach.
We Want Your Cookbooks!
If you have a cookbook and are attending the upcoming convention
in Myrtle Beach, we would like to offer you the opportunity to sell it
at the PAII bookstore. If you are interested in participating, please
email karen@paii.org for details before
March 16th.
State Association Cookbook
Does your state association have a cookbook that you'd like to sell in
the PAII Bookstore at the convention? If you have a member who can bring
a small quantity, contact karen@paii.org
, 800.468.7244, for details. (We do not accept shipments of books.)
PAII
Forum Digest:
Ladies & Gentlemen Serving Ladies & Gentlemen &
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.
Ladies & Gentlemen Serving Ladies & Gentlemen:
A Keynote Speaker in Myrtle Beach
The famous motto of the Ritz-Carlton hotel—from busboys and concierge,
alike: "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen."
Have you ever wondered where this phrase came from? If you attend the
PAII Convention in Myrtle Beach this month, you will meet the author,
Horst Schulze who was named Ritz-Carlton's executive vice president in
1987 and president and chief operating officer a year later. He is now
President and CEO, The West Paces Hotel Group.
"Black Listing" Guests?
We have been very fortunate for the 3+ years that we've been open and
have only had a few couples that we really do not ever want to see again!
I am wondering how others handle such situations. Do you just keep their
names on a list and never have any availability for them or do you handle
it some other way?
Do You Expect Tips?
Do you? I'm a newbie so bear with me! I NEVER thought of tipping
a B&B owner.
How Safe Is Your Inn? A Reminder...
Sometimes, I think we as innkeepers become so familiar with our inns that
we can't see the forest for the trees. We miss the obvious: We don't see
the chipped paint, the worn out welcome mat, the ripped spot or frayed
edge on the carpet runner, or the rickety wicker chairs on the front porch.
It is also easy to become complacent and get used to the quirks of our
inn, the nuances, and such. And also to not recognize safety hazards.
What might not be a safety hazard to me, as the owner, might very well be a safety hazard to someone who is totally unfamiliar at my B&B. Maybe at the beginning of the year, now is a good time to do a thorough walk-around survey of your/our inns with clip board, paper, and pen in hand, noting any and all things that could be safety issues. It is smart to do a survey in daylight and also at night—interiors and exteriors.
What safety issues can you think of? I think it would be good to hear from a lot of you: vendors, innkeepers, aspiring owners. A refresher course from each other is a good thing.
Re: How Safe Is Your Inn? A Reminder...
One of the things I would like to do to improve safety is install
emergency lighting in the common halls. Does anyone know where I can find
lights that would plug in to normal wall sockets but run off of batteries
that would turn on during a power outage? I should also look at getting
a generator for those rare but annoying times the power goes out for several
hours. Any suggestions on those as well?
Buderus Heating System
We are in the process of getting estimates for a new heating
system and was wondering if anyone has a Buderus Boiler and what you think
of it. Some companies love it and others told us to stay away from it.
Very confusing. Please let me know your input if you have one.
Hello! I'm New & Have a Question Re Weddings
I just opened a B&B and had a young lady ask about having
her September wedding using my grounds. It's a small one, 30 or 40 people,
and I was wondering...any thoughts? I would only allow the "use"
of the grounds and require the B&B to have all four rooms booked for
the weekend. Has anyone ever just had their grounds used for a wedding?
Cost?
Alpaca + Bed and Breakfast
Has anyone tried having a bed and breakfast and raising alpacas?
Inns With Spas: How Do You Manage?
Last summer a couple approached me about renovating some storage space
into a spa. The couple who were running it split. There weren't many clients
and the ones from the inn who took advantage of it really liked it so
I want to continue it. I have created packages with local partners for
activities, a stay at the inn and spa services. I am looking for some
advice. We have massage therapists around every corner here so staffing
shouldn't be too much of a problem. I need to hear from folks who are
managing and can tell me about possible pitfalls.
Minimum Wage = Minimum Output? Some Thoughts...
I have had my eyes opened about wage practices in the hospitality
industry that before I did not know existed. I am not saying they are
wrong or unlawful, it is just that I was not knowledgeable. Are we paying
our B&B staff a decent wage? Something far and away above the minimum
wage laws for our state? Or are we paying only what is required?
How Is Business This Year?
We are getting off to a horrible start this year with rooms nights. Running
several specials on our website and directories. We have done e-mail blasts
to our database, and are trying Hotels.com, Expedia, B&B.com, etc.
to no avail. Locally, I have "heard" that others are slow, too.
What are the rest of you seeing?
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:
Casa de San Pedro B&B Inn's Mexican Eggs
Let us feature a recipe from your inn!
Please send your submission (and a photo of the dish if available) to
L1simpson@msn.com.
Karl Schmitt and Patrick Dome from Casa de San Pedro B&B Inn (www.bedandbirds.com)
in Hereford, Aizona, offer this delicious, simple recipe for wonderful
Mexican Eggs.
Ingredients
1 Can mild enchilada sauce
2 Corn tortillas per serving
1 Can low fat refried black beans
2 Strips bacon per serving
1/2 Cup Cheddar, Monteray Jack, or Mexican cheese mix, shredded
2 Eggs per serving
1 Tomato, chopped
1 Dullop sour cream per serving
Garnish:
Sliced olives
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Preheat enchilada sauce. Place 2 corn tortillas
on each plate. Warm refried black beans with a small amount of water in
a saucepan. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of beans in the center of each tortilla.
Place two strips of crisped bacon alongside the beans on the edges of
the tortillas. Top with a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese. Place
plates with prepared tortillas in oven to melt cheese for about 10 minutes
as you prepare eggs.
Immediately poach eggs in preheated enchilada sauce approximately 4-1/2
minutes or until cooked to your preference. Place poached eggs on top
of prepared tortillas. Top with enchilada sauce, cheese, chopped tomatoes
and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with sliced olives.
Adjust the spiciness of the dish by increasing the heat of the enchilada
sauce from mild to medium or hot. Do not allow the tortillas to dry out
in the oven; warm them thorough enough to melt the cheese.
PAII
Pointer:
Blimey! Sticky Blender Buttons
For many, the blender's going to be a major beverage-building component
this St. Patrick's Day weekend. To keep your blender's bank of buttons
from sticking, try this: Lightly mist the button bank with a degreasing
cleaning product (such as Formula 409™ or Red Juice™), rub
with a toothbrush, and then cover the toothbrush with a cleaning cloth
to dry between and around the buttons.
About INNfo
INNfo is published weekly. Annual subscription is included in the price of membership.
Publisher
Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII)
Editor-in-Chief
Stacey Bleistein
Production Coordinator
Laura Middleton
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
Title Image Courtesy of Jumping Rocks