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#Post#: 351--------------------------------------------------
The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: Generic Date: November 16, 2023, 8:38 am
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The slow season has started. We just got back from vacation. No
guests until the weekend. All the rooms are clean and ready.
But I have noticed that prices are still creeping upward for
breakfast items and I will likely have to adjust prices again if
I want to keep making the same quality breakfast. I don't want
to cheap out on breakfast. That's the first thing that guests
notice.
We have started to bring out new towels, new bedding, etc. As we
like to break these in before the summer abuse.
How about you?
#Post#: 352--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: gillumhouse Date: November 16, 2023, 11:13 am
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I actually have reservations for next weekend - although no one
booked the thanksgiving Package this year(yea) - and I have a
couple in December! Rarity. It has been steady, busier than
usual in October and a few November (other than my Veterans). I
expect January thru March to be DEAD!.
My daughter has been here for a few days. She does NOT like what
was done in the Gillum Room by her brother (it took care of a
lot of uglys though). She is going to come back in the Spring
and will put up some sort of foam (she tells me) tiles on the
ceilings upstairs. She will measure the rooms before leaving
tomorrow so we can order them begore she comes back. She says it
will take her about 10 days to do all of them - she used this in
her house in Iowa.
#Post#: 353--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: Tom Date: November 16, 2023, 4:21 pm
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Agree. I get marketing phone calls saying they will put me on
page one for Google. I tell them I'm an old man, if I had more
business, I'd have to work harder.
Fall is busy weekends, slow weekdays. Winter is very slow. We do
have Thanksgiving this year, guests and their in-town family.
Maybe 20 in all. I'm going to buy a pterodactyl.
#Post#: 355--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: JimBoone Date: November 17, 2023, 5:11 am
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[quote author=Generic link=topic=54.msg351#msg351
date=1700145517]
We have started to bring out new towels, new bedding, etc. As we
like to break these in before the summer abuse.
How about you?
[/quote]
@ Generic - We tend to "dress up" more for summer or the leaf
lookers in the fall. If weather cooperates, we get a shorter ski
season from some slopes in the area but often tends to be a
younger less caring crowd.
[quote author=Tom link=topic=54.msg353#msg353 date=1700173277]
Agree. I get marketing phone calls saying they will put me on
page one for Google. I tell them I'm an old man, if I had more
business, I'd have to work harder.
[/quote]
@ Tom - Sounds familiar. Guess they are hungry for business,
don't yet understand that life should be about being happy as we
pass through more than money. Energy is the limiting factor, or
should I say daughter's energy as I depend on her to keep things
going and look after mom and I.
#Post#: 356--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: Thebeachhouse Date: November 17, 2023, 6:22 am
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Gotta agree. We are so relaxed right now. Maybe not so much
next week. We locked the door on November 1. October was as
busy as august. We have one couple booked for thanksgiving
even though we are officially closed for the season. They are
regulars for ten years, staying here two or three times a year
including thanksgiving. Their family lives on our street.
We are offering them no breakfast or linen service. Just a
room. They are happy. We also have four rooms filled with in
laws here for our family dinner. 25 around the table this year.
Sister has another big house up the street. She also has four
rooms full of family.
One telemarketer started to tell me how I could target people
searching for hotels from the area by locating their phones. I
told him, thank you, I realize this will make me sound old, but
I honestly cannot take one more piece of technology in my day.
He hung up.
#Post#: 357--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Slow Season... is Wonderful!
By: gillumhouse Date: November 17, 2023, 7:33 am
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I also get the calls and e-mails "This will double your
reservations" or some such claim. So far no one has hung up on
me (please do) but I tell them I am old and trying to wind down
but m getting more reservations than I actually want.
I have never been a revolving door of reservations - except in
2007 when himself had the 6-way bypass. That period was a horse
event in Kentucky month plus other travelers. I was chasing my
tail keeping up with guests, a conference I was staffing for my
Association, and an Aspiring Innkeeper Workshop I was committed
to (for PAY!) as well as making the 50+ miles to visit him. I
miss visiting 1 day. Now I am getting enough to pay the bills
plus but right "on schedule" people book when I have things
going on here. Have asked the Monday night guests to arrive
before or after band rehearsal. I have stopped being reluctant
about saying I am involved in my community so please stop on the
way here for a nice dinner. The December 2 reservation has been
told if they do not arrive before 5:30, they will not be able to
get into town - Christmas Parade at 6. Then there is a Band
Concert which I am IN so it would then be after 9 for arrival.
And my guests comply graciously.
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