A Secret, Shhh!

This week revealed to me a secret that I only wish I had known before becoming an Innkeeper.

It’s not a secret that for nearly all Inns, the busy season is summer. The weather is beautiful; theatre, art, and music abound; swimming pools beckon; and all manner of outdoor fun is in its prime.

Winter is the ugly stepsister of Summer. No one wants to travel on icy, snowy roads; it’s cold outside; the kids have school; and influenza is lurking in the shadows, waiting for you to let down your guard and catch just the slightest chill so it can pounce on you like some vicious jungle cat and spend the next 4 weeks eating you alive (graphic, I know, but influenza is mean like that).

Reasons like that are why Dan and I spent the last 5 days with only one guest in house. The first three were spent with a nice young couple, and the next two with a couple of ladies enjoying a bit of time away from family and home. And while these folks may have had to brave the risk of vicious viruses and damp, chilly, yucky weather, they certainly didn’t have any issues with getting a reservation to any of the restaurants in town. Nor did they have to worry about any loud, boisterous guests in the room next door. There was no fear of having their TVs too loud or any guilt for parking in the best spots in our lot.

On top of that, being the only guest gives you the opportunity to ask for a personalized breakfast. Now, don’t get me wrong, we have an amazing breakfast to start with. But there’s something great about being able to say, “You know, I don’t really like granola and I’m just not feeling like an omelet today. Can you make me oatmeal instead?” And Dan and I can say, “Sure, why not?” because we’ve got time now to whip that up. With all 17 rooms filled, that’s quite a bit more difficult. It lets Dan and I get a bit creative and the guest gets to eat a breakfast that is exactly what they wanted.

Not to mention the fact that room rates are lowest during the winter. And if you can manage to avoid weekends and come on a weekday, they’re even lower.

I’ve learned now that every day comes with a handful of lessons. And every week comes with a car and several suitcases full of them. This week, the lesson is: when going on vacation, it’s worth the oatmeal to risk the influenza.


With Love,
~Brande N.