Give your guests a taste of bed and breakfast hospitality during their visit. Use these four innkeeper tricks of the trade to recreate a little country inn ambiance in your house.
Innkeepers always remember the little details, so be sure to stock your guest rooms with plenty of amenities. There are many low-cost ways to add ambiance to a room. Place a basket of helpful items on the dresser and include razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste, lotion and other toiletries your guest might have forgotten. Fresh flowers or a basket or pretty vase filled with potpourri are other welcoming additions. At Casa Laguna Inn & Spa in Laguna Beach, California, the innkeepers place fluffy robes in the closet and top the beds with fine, hypoallergenic linens and fluffy comforters, as well as stocking the room with CD and DVD players. Consider providing your guests with interesting reading materials and maybe even a selection CDs or DVDs.
The guest bathroom is another spot that needs careful attention. While guests at Beazley House in Napa, California, enjoy amenities such as Jacuzzi tubs and Turkish bath linens, the innkeepers at this Napa inn include plenty of easy-to-do amenities that your guests will enjoy. Provide some luxurious soaps and lotions, and be sure to stock up on fresh shampoos and conditioners. Place extra toilet paper and Kleenex in attractive baskets, and place lavender-scented soap on an antique dish. Hairdryers are another thoughtful item to include.
Now that you have dealt with the "bed" portion of the equation, it's time to create the perfect breakfast. You don't have to be a gourmet cook to create a great breakfast. Simply setting a beautiful table will make the morning meal a special occasion. At the Fairthorne B&B, a charming Cape May, New Jersey inn, the staff sets the breakfast table with lovely tablecloths and fine china. You can even light some candles to really make the meal special. Following Fairthorne's lead you could serve a breakfast beginning with home-baked muffins or coffee cake, followed by an entre. You could also add a fresh fruit course. If your guests are light eaters, set out a small buffet with fresh fruit, toasting breads and don't forget gourmet coffee and selection of good teas.
Another fun option is to provide a light afternoon tea or provide refreshments in the early evening. At the Captain's House Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts, afternoon tea is an institution. Their daily Cream Tea includes a selection of fine loose teas, as well as scones, cookies and sweet cakes. This Cape Cod inn also offers an English Tea with sandwiches, savory items and all the aforementioned sweets. Your afternoon treats could be as simple as a glass of vermouth with a lemon twist or as elaborate as the Captain's House's tea. Even providing a plate of homemade cookies and tea, coffee or hot chocolate will make your guests feel special. You could also purchase a bottle of local wine and offer some light snacks, such as cheese, crackers, mixed nuts and gourmet olives.
More ideas and some great innkeeper recipes are available at iLoveInns.com, the premier source for all things bed and breakfast. This detailed website includes listings for more than 19,000 country inns, B&Bs and boutique hotels. The site also offers printable gift certificates, a quick, easy and thoughtful gift option. - 16492
Innkeepers always remember the little details, so be sure to stock your guest rooms with plenty of amenities. There are many low-cost ways to add ambiance to a room. Place a basket of helpful items on the dresser and include razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste, lotion and other toiletries your guest might have forgotten. Fresh flowers or a basket or pretty vase filled with potpourri are other welcoming additions. At Casa Laguna Inn & Spa in Laguna Beach, California, the innkeepers place fluffy robes in the closet and top the beds with fine, hypoallergenic linens and fluffy comforters, as well as stocking the room with CD and DVD players. Consider providing your guests with interesting reading materials and maybe even a selection CDs or DVDs.
The guest bathroom is another spot that needs careful attention. While guests at Beazley House in Napa, California, enjoy amenities such as Jacuzzi tubs and Turkish bath linens, the innkeepers at this Napa inn include plenty of easy-to-do amenities that your guests will enjoy. Provide some luxurious soaps and lotions, and be sure to stock up on fresh shampoos and conditioners. Place extra toilet paper and Kleenex in attractive baskets, and place lavender-scented soap on an antique dish. Hairdryers are another thoughtful item to include.
Now that you have dealt with the "bed" portion of the equation, it's time to create the perfect breakfast. You don't have to be a gourmet cook to create a great breakfast. Simply setting a beautiful table will make the morning meal a special occasion. At the Fairthorne B&B, a charming Cape May, New Jersey inn, the staff sets the breakfast table with lovely tablecloths and fine china. You can even light some candles to really make the meal special. Following Fairthorne's lead you could serve a breakfast beginning with home-baked muffins or coffee cake, followed by an entre. You could also add a fresh fruit course. If your guests are light eaters, set out a small buffet with fresh fruit, toasting breads and don't forget gourmet coffee and selection of good teas.
Another fun option is to provide a light afternoon tea or provide refreshments in the early evening. At the Captain's House Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts, afternoon tea is an institution. Their daily Cream Tea includes a selection of fine loose teas, as well as scones, cookies and sweet cakes. This Cape Cod inn also offers an English Tea with sandwiches, savory items and all the aforementioned sweets. Your afternoon treats could be as simple as a glass of vermouth with a lemon twist or as elaborate as the Captain's House's tea. Even providing a plate of homemade cookies and tea, coffee or hot chocolate will make your guests feel special. You could also purchase a bottle of local wine and offer some light snacks, such as cheese, crackers, mixed nuts and gourmet olives.
More ideas and some great innkeeper recipes are available at iLoveInns.com, the premier source for all things bed and breakfast. This detailed website includes listings for more than 19,000 country inns, B&Bs and boutique hotels. The site also offers printable gift certificates, a quick, easy and thoughtful gift option. - 16492
About the Author:
Jane Leisteiner has visited many B&Bs and loves blogging about them. For more information on New Jersey bed and breakfast inns or Cape May bed and breakfasts, go to the iLoveInns website.
