In This Issue:
PAII News
Membership Minutes
PAII Forum Digest
PAII Food Feature
PAII Pointer
About INNfo

PAII INNfo Archives
2006 Volume 1
November:
Issue 1
Issue 2
Issue 3
Issue 4

December:
Issue 5
Issue 6
Issue 7
Issue 8

2007 Volume 2
January:
Issue 1
Issue 2
Issue 3
Issue 4
Issue 5

February:
Issue 6
Issue 7
Issue 8
Issue 9

March:
Issue 10
Issue 11
Issue 12

April:
Issue 13
Issue 14
Issue 15
Issue 16

May:
Issue 17
Issue 18
Issue 19
Issue 20
Issue 21

June:
Issue 22
Issue 23
Issue 24
Issue 25

July:
Issue 26
Issue 27
Issue 28
Issue 29

August:
Issue 30
Issue 31
Issue 32
Issue 33
Issue 34

September:
Issue 35
Issue 36
Issue 37
Issue 38

October:
Issue 39
Issue 40
Issue 41
Issue 42
Issue 43

November:
Issue 44
Issue 45
Issue 46
Issue 47

December:
Issue 48
Issue 49
Issue 50
Issue 51

Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Volume 2, Issue 22


PAII News & Announcements:
PAII Convention Success Stories

Did you return to your inn after the 2007 PAII Convention and implement ideas gathered during educational sessions and from trade show vendors? Have you seen results? Please share your success stories by emailing them to PAII's Director of Meeting and Events, Jeanine@paii.org.

The Bass Cottage Inn in Bar Harbor, Maine launched its completely new website (www.basscottage.com) in early April, shortly after the conclusion of this year's PAII Convention in Myrtle Beach, SC. "While site work has been underway for months, we were able to scramble to incorporate numerous valuable tips acquired during general sessions, breakouts and vendor meetings at the PAII Convention. The result is that bookings are up 200% over same time last year. The website has much to do with this and my PAII conference time was very well spent." Jeffrey Anderholm, The Bass Cottage Inn, ME
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PAII Membership Minutes:
Getting Inn

Getting Inn, is PAII's monthly electronic newsletter that is specifically designed for new and aspiring innkeepers. Getting Inn has lots of basic information about buying and running successful bed and breakfasts and country inns. It also covers great topics: working with a realtor; financing a purchase, website do's and don'ts, marketing plans, housekeeping, handling guests, software and more. Getting Inn also shares breakfast recipes from PAII member innkeepers along with other handy tips and pointers designed to save you time, effort or money. Getting Inn is complimentary and available to non-members as well. Let us know if you would like us to add you or a friend to the mailing lists by emailing laura@paii.org.
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PAII Forum Digest:
Changing Your Rates, & 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.

Changing Your Rates
We have been open for a few months and are re-assessing our rates. We had not finished our rooms when we initially priced them, and feel we put too much value on size of the room and not enough on location, views, and other factors. This issue sort of came up this weekend when a guest had reserved one of our more expensive rooms and when he arrived, I showed him our other open rooms and they chose the less expensive room (not because of price). Do I refund him the difference?

Cheese Plates
We've had our first request for a cheese plate (with crackers) to be put into a guest's room. Those of you who do these plates, how much cheese do you offer?

BedandBreakfast.com on Wheel of Fortune
In case any of you missed it, Bedand Breakfast.com was featured on the TV show Wheel of Fortune. Eric Goldreyer of BedandBreakfast.com states that "we continue to try and push the envelope to find new ways to drive more business for the industry."

Bad Guest Comments: Learning from Trip Advisor
Phone rings during breakfast as 8:15 am, I answer. Guest is in town and lost. Upon arrival his room is not ready so I escort him to adjacent room to relax and I do an express check-in. Meanwhile, I telephone guests who indicated 8:30 am breakfast on there private terrace telling them I am running late. Turned out to be 30 minutes. I thanked them and explained what had happened. I issued them a refund of $30. I think these leisure guests will definitely be back.

Finance Structure Specific to Country Inns: Recommended Books, Studies?
Does anyone know of a book, guide, textbook, or published study that specializes in discussing the finance structure for "Full service country inn" properties?

Pressing Sheets
My husband and I are aspiring innkeepers and are in the process of purchasing sheets. I understand that we should purchase white or beige sheets because they do not fade as colored sheets would. However, I am very unsure of the thread count we should purchase. I understand that we should not consider anything less than 400 thread counts. Do all 400 count sheets have to be ironed? Are their nice sheets out there that one does not need to iron?
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PAII Food Feature:
Stonewall Jackson Inn's Egg Orleans
Let us feature a recipe from your inn!
Please send your submission (and a photo of the dish if available) to L1simpson@msn.com.

Waye and Roger Engel from the Stonewall Jackson Inn (www.stonewalljacksoninn.com) in Harrisonburg, VA offers this delicious recipe for Eggs Orleans. 4 Servings

Ingredients
Crab Cakes:
16 ounces quality lump crabmeat
1 large egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Splash of liquid crab boil
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 tablespoon grated carrot
1 tablespoon diced roasted red pepper
1 tablespoon sliced green onions
Bread crumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter

Eggs:
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
8 large eggs
4 English muffins, split and toasted
1/2 cup hollandaise sauce
8 slices tomato

Directions
For the crab cakes: Combine all crab cake ingredients, except oil or butter, using enough bread crumbs to help form cakes. Make 8 relatively thin cakes the size of an English muffin. Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes until golden brown; drain on paper towels

For the eggs: Bring 4 cups of water and white vinegar to a boil (the vinegar helps the eggs coagulate). Gently crack eggs into water. Cook for about 3 minutes, until eggs are set and yolks are still soft. Remove eggs with a slotted spoom, rocking the spoon over a towel to drain excess water.

Put 2 English muffin halves on each plate. Top each with a slice of tomato and a crab cake. Gently top with 1 poached egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of hollandaise over each egg. Sprinkle with paprika to serve.
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PAII Pointer:
Prevent Mildew

The following are tips to help prevent mildew in your bathroom(s).
1. Keep surfaces clean. Dirt, grease, body oils, and so forth are all like Thanksgiving dinner to mildew.
2. Leave the shower door open or the shower curtains parted after a shower.
3. Open a window to keep fresh air circulating.
4. Leave the bathroom door ajar during showering.
5. Hang the towels, so they will dry completely before the next day's use.
6. Put a portable fan in the bathroom, and turn it on after showering to help exchange wet bathroom air for drier air from other rooms.
7. Get a dehumidifier
8. Get really serious and install an exhaust fan
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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
Laura Middleton

Production Coordinator
Laura Middleton

Editorial Staff
Laura Middleton, 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, Laura Middleton, at 856.310.1102 or Laura@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