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
Issue 13

April:
Issue 14
Issue 15
Issue 16
Issue 17

May:
Issue 18
Issue 19
Issue 20
Issue 21
Issue 22

June:
Issue 23
Issue 24
Issue 25
Issue 26

July:
Issue 27
Issue 28
Issue 29
Issue 30

August:
Issue 31
Issue 32
Issue 33
Issue 34
Issue 35

September:
Issue 36
Issue 37
Issue 38
Issue 39

October:
Issue 40
Issue 41
Issue 42
Issue 43
Issue 44

November:
Issue 45
Issue 46
Issue 47
Issue 48

December:
Issue 49
Issue 50
Issue 51
Issue 52

Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Volume 2, Issue 4


PAII News & Announcements: Board CEO Search & Shareholders Meeting

PAII Board Meets to Form CEO Search Committee
The PAII Board of Directors met in New Jersey last week. Agenda items for the meeting included approving the final budget for 2007, setting up a meeting schedule for the year, and reviewing the various activities and programs of the association. Foremost on their list was finding a new President for PAII. Chairwoman Debrah Mosimann appointed Dan Brown, (Swift House Inn) to head the newly formed CEO Search Committee. Dan will be assisted by PAII co-founder Jo Ann Bell, John Felton (One Main B&B), and AnneMarie DeFreest (Inn at the Round Barn Farm). The Search Committee has already met to review the CEO job description and to create a plan for finding suitable candidates. Information regarding the position is now available on the PAII website at www.paii.org/CEOSearch.asp. The Board urges you to pass this information on to anyone that you think has the qualifications to lead the association going forward.

DIA Shareholders Meet in Philadelphia
Approximately 20 shareholders of the Distinguished Inns Alliance (DIA) came to Philadelphia last week for their annual meeting. DIA is PAII's parent company and all of its shareholders are affiliated with the innkeeping community in some way. The shareholders spent the morning hearing presentations regarding PAII and its activities from former PAII Chairman Hugh Daniels, Chairwoman Debrah Mosimann, and President Pam Horovitz. The Philadelphia location made it possible for shareholders to cross the river and visit the PAII office in Haddon Heights, NJ. The PAII staff appreciated having the opportunity to meet shareholders, many for the first time. We all thank them for their support of the industry.
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PAII Membership Minutes: Hire an Interim Innkeeper While at the Convention

If you plan to attend the 2007 PAII Convention in Myrtle Beach and want to use the services of an Interim Innkeeper to keep your inn open, see the list of PAII Member Interim Innkeepers for resources.

2007 PAII Convention
March 26-29
Myrtle Beach, SC
www.paiiconvention.org
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PAII Forum Digest: PAII CEO, Valentine's Day, & 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.

PAII CEO
We will all miss Pam Horovitz. She has taken this organization to a higher level. She will be hard to replace, but that said, I have trust that the board will be working hard in replacing the position soon.

Valentine's Day
The good news is that the next big B&B holiday is Valentine's Day. The bad news is that it falls on a Wednesday. I'm filling up quite nicely for the weekend before. I hope to fill my Jacuzzi's on the 14th, but the other rooms will probably have single business travelers (if anyone at all). I'm sure that people who don't plan well will be calling late for the weekend after. Does anyone have any mid-week holiday ideas to fill rooms besides some sort of discount?

Bedbreakfasthome.com
Anyone with any experience with bedbreakfasthome.com?

Guestroom Size
We're in the process of making remodeling decisions to convert our rambler into a B&B. This is a rural community that mainly attracts leisure travelers as well as visiting friends and families. We would appreciate your observations on whether guest rooms of a certain size tend to be more in demand. I am referring to square footage, not bed size. Do people ask about room size before deciding to book? Does the size of your rooms seem to affect which rooms get booked more frequently?

What Do People Want to Drink?
We just got our license for hard liquor in the mail. We have a very upscale, full-service restaurant and have had a license to sell beer and wine for years. Now that we can sell hard liquor does anyone out there have any ideas as to what sells? Do you sell a lot of things like strawberry daiquiris, or just the basic scotch and soda? Any ideas as to how to maximize the revenues/profits from the investment we just made in this license would be greatly appreciated.

Decorating Tips for Small (10x10) Guest Sleeping Rooms
When I was considering buying this place, there were two small rooms that looked exceptionally small to me. I had my doubts about them. I even considered adjoining them with a door to make a two-room suite. Well, I kept them as two separate rentable rooms each with their own bath (yes, small). They rent well when folks are visiting relatives, or just for a one night stop-over, or people new to B&Bs and are afraid to spend money—gives them something small to "test" the inn.

hE (High Efficiency) Washer Detergent Preferences
We have a hE washer now that we exclusively use hE detergents for, but are finding our colors fading. Innstyle recommends Cheer Free which does not come in an hE formula. We used Cheer Color Guard for hE, but it contains "brighteners" that can dull colors (as we discovered in a recent Consumer Reports article). Most top name brands contain brighteners. Do any of you who own hE washers and need to wash deep colored linens have any recommendations?

Exchange of Database at PAII Convention
Just wondering if anyone thought this was a good idea. I have a database of about 1,500 guests. Would anyone be interested in an exchange at the PAII convention of guest information for marketing purposes...especially with inns in the northeast US?

RE: Business Guest #9
Check with your State Department of Revenue. I have never heard of a non-profit being exempt from local sales taxes on lodging. The bottom line here is that you are the one responsible for paying the tax to the local/state government. If you don't collect it from the guest, if you don't pay the state, the state audits you, and says they should have paid the tax then you pay it! So unless you are 100% sure that the guest does not have to pay the tax then collect it from them!

Opportunity Knocks—Aspiring Innkeepers
After having 10 great years innkeeping in Angel Fire, NM, we have decided this will be our last year. We won't be selling our inn at this time, but my reason for writing is we are in need of B&Bs in Angel Fire! I hate leaving all our previous guests in the lurch, but must! We are the only B&B in town, and are 1.5 miles from the ski lifts! There aren't any homes to re-do as an Inn—we built ours from the ground up, but there are many lots for sale and opportunity is here for several B&Bs!

Mattresses: Opinions Please
We are going to be purchasing new mattresses from Innstyle and would like to get some opinions. We are considering both the Sealy Encore Plush series and the Dynasty Plush series. Since we understand that both of these mattresses are sold to commercial establishments only and not retail, we cannot drop by a showroom to try them out. Thus, we would like to know if any of you have opinions about these mattresses.

Breakfast in Room vs. Buffet
Planning to open to the public in February. But I'm wrestling with wanting to serve breakfast in the rooms versus in the dining room. But I don't want to kid myself with what's involved in it either. I know it's more time consuming, but I'm thinking it would be more satisfying to me and the guests. I was thinking of having a breakfast doorknob menu where guests can select what they want the night before and hang it outside to be picked up the next morning.
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PAII Food Feature: Asher Rock Guest House's Boursin Eggs with Ham & Asparagus
Let us feature a recipe from your inn!
Please send your submission (and a photo of the dish if available) to L1simpson@msn.com.

Danielle and Phil Roscher from the Asher Rock Guest House in Grande Prairie, AB, Canada (www.asherrockgp.com) offers this delicious recipe. It is best served with fresh fruit salad and a loaf of Strawberry Bread, Banana Bread, or Multigrain Pumpkin Seed Bread on the side. Make this recipe your own by changing the type of meat, bread, or vegetable: There are many options you could choose. Serves 2.

Ingredients
2 Slices of French bread, cut fairly thick
2 Slices of black forest ham
8 Asparagus spears, steamed and buttered
2 Eggs, poached
2 Tbsp of Herb and Garlic Boursin cheese (you can buy it in the deli section)
1-2 Tbsp of heavy cream, coffee cream works fine
1 Tbsp vinegar

Instructions
Everything must be ready to go, as all steps should be done simultaneously. Boil water for steaming asparagus. Fill frying pan ¾ full with water, add vinegar and bring to a low boil (for poaching eggs).
Toast bread in toaster. While bread is toasting, drop eggs into water. Drop asparagus into pot, cover with lid and steam for exactly 3 minutes. Microwave ham for 1 minute. Mix cheese and cream together and microwave for 30 sec, stir, microwave for another 30 sec. When toast pops, butter it and lay on plate. Layer toast, ham, buttered asparagus, egg, and drizzle cheese over it all.
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PAII Pointer: Fingerprint Patrol
When wiping fingerprints, here are a few shiny surfaces to remember that are hotspots for frolicking fingers: windows, mirrors, glossy tiles, glass furniture/doors, metal knobs/handles, kitchen/bathroom fixtures, and gold/silver/brass anything.
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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
Stacey Bleistein

Production Coordinator
Laura Middleton

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