Inside, the public areas bespeak elegance with an informal guest gathering room, an intimate library/pub and two dining rooms for creative dining for the guests.  Sleeping chambers are…well, magnificent!  Most are oversized with excellent furnishings.

We have not told you about the view but you can guess that it is…yes, magnificent.  The Inn sits upon a hill with open views of the Great Smoky Mountains that go on forever.  Facilities for the guests are also…well, you know.  In addition to the above, guest amenities, add to our description.  There is an in-ground pool, a complete spa facility, walking and hiking trails on the Inn’s 200 acres.

The Inn has everything needed to be an upscale destination resort. Guests need not venture further to enjoy a complete experience.  Still, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the resort town of Gatlinburg are just a short drive from the Inn.

We have saved an additional “magnificent” for last and for some it may be the most magnificent. A scant 200 yards from the Inn, current owners have built a magnificent home.  Three bedrooms and baths, a soaring two-story living room (of course with the same magnificent views of the Smoky Mountains), state of the art kitchen and much more.

This Inn reminds us of The Swag in North Carolina with its views, amenities and $800/night room.  This Inn has all the elements to be an upscale Destination Resort.  It awaits new Innkeepers with the vision and energy to take it there.

• Breathtaking views
• Private 200 acre estate
• Fine Dining by Reservation
• Double Whirlpool
• Fireplace
• Heated Pool
• English Style Pub
• Wireless Internet
• Fitness room
• Hiking trails
• Weddings and Events
• AAA Four Diamond Award
• Voted Area’s Best Dining

What made me think of that was conversations I’ve had lately with seminar graduates, when I felt their distress, anxiety or maybe discomfort in their new role as an Innkeeper. I feel that I want to make sure a new innkeeper instead feels good about their decision to be an innkeeper, that innkeeping is what gives them zest and vitality, that they have chosen well and have confidence in that!

In the old days we gave weekend seminars (now they are one day episodes), for which I devised a form to be filled out with your strengths and each partner’s identified “weaknesses”, your abilities, likes and dislikes. These could be things like embracing guest’s diversity, having a generosity of spirit, achieving cleanliness with a vengeance and being vigilant about endless details. We discussed quality in linens and décor, the need for the newest technology, updated outlets in the rooms and online reservation systems, websites that entice guests to your inn and partnering with local vendors.

In the seminar “So You Want to be an Innkeeper,” I stressed the personal concerns: your need for private time, taking care of yourself, spending time with your significant other, feeding your soul at odd times, a day off with each other and some alone time. Usually the first year has a big “learning curve”… you do it all! Learning from experience is what Innkeeping is all about. Buying a viable inn business, what is that? Buying an inn large enough to hire staff? Thoughtful training and supervising of your staff is vital: learning from them their local wisdom adds individual flavor and creates rapport as you teach them to be clones of your gracious and honest hospitality. The staff is your ultimate support and their efforts count in your guest’s satisfaction.

My main concern is that even so, some attended the seminar and were not honest with themselves about what they liked about hospitality. No, it is not entertaining friends at parties on weekends when you joined the fray! No, you do not drink with your guests at afternoon hors d’oeuvres or after dinner. Your guests are not your best friends, they pay your bills. It means giving up those free evenings you spend lounging around after work, those Saturdays you spend shopping with friends at the mall and going out to eat.

You choose linens not because they need “no–ironing”… but because the quality they present reflects your standards of excellence. In the same spirit, there is no compromise in the quality of the service you provide because you are paid for the excellence of all that you offer.

Yes, Innkeeping is a job, and it does not stand for compromise, but it is a lifestyle that is very rewarding if you personally create a milieu that is uniquely yours and one your guests appreciate. It provides a living that totally reflects your talents and values and allows you to be like no other profession: the master of your own fate!

Best wishes and I truly hope that you chose well.
Heide

Bristol is a small town located in what is colloquially known as “Downeast” Maine – the area of peninsulas and promontories that jut out into the breathtaking Atlantic Ocean. Bristol is known for many things including its history of fishing and lobstering, its stunning lighthouse, and its popularity with tourists during the summer months. Finding a bed and breakfast for sale here is like finding a four-leaf clover – either one is a rare and lucky thing.

Bristol has a lot to offer visitors besides scenery. Its famous lighthouse is open for tourists to visit, and there are also a number of museums to visit in the area, such as the Colonial Pemaquid museum and the Farnsworth Art Museum in nearby Rockland. There are also plenty of natural attractions, such as fishing, hiking, biking and guided sailing trips.

One other attraction that should not be missed is a trip out to Monhegan Island, a tiny island 12 nautical miles off the coast with a history dating back to at least 1603. Famous for its relaxed atmosphere, natural beauty, and popularity with local artists, Monhegan is a rustic throwback to the early days of Maine history – there aren’t even any cars on the island’s single square mile of land. Monhegan is a must-do for any visitors to the Downeast area – and it’s conveniently accessible from New Harbor in Bristol.

This full-service coastal bed and breakfast for sale is one of the most promising properties we’ve ever offered, and you’re sure to love everything it has to offer. And as always, if you have questions about this or any of our other bed and breakfasts for sale, please contact the Inn Partners team today.

I drove those 26 miles to Jamaica leaving my home before 6:00 a.m., at least six days a week — no walks in the snowy woods for me during that jaunt. My first task was to make a roaring fire in the large field-stone fireplace outside the dining rooms, to get the ambiance going. Offer guests fresh coffee, the local paper (as well as the New York Times, when available), while the smell of fresh baked muffins or scones wafting, whet the guests’ appetite.

David and his wife, Stacy, outside the Three Mountain Inn.

Did you ever think of your guest room like the stage for a luxurious experience? Those fine cotton-thread sheets and pillow cases, crisply ironed with an inviting air of elegance and pristine care. Everything in their guest room is simple, but tastefully displayed; robes and soft towels, accents of impeccable cleanliness. Details, details, details!

I loved taking the guests to their rooms, hearing their sigh of contentedness, knowing I had done my best to anticipate their needs. I loved our motto: “We give you Vermont.” We hung half curtains in the rooms that allowed you to look on the mountains of the state park behind our Vermont inn. We had shades for the windows that went from the top down or the bottom up, allowing you to see out or seclude yourself fully. And we opted for electric fireplaces and placed them on a painted platform so guests could get the mood of the fire while lying in bed.

We honored their requests at breakfast, brewed for the Europeans their tea in a tea-pot, steeping it as requested. We served local eggs and apples, and named the owner from the farm or orchard in our menu. Often guests wanted to visit the farm to pick up goods to take home. We had maps ready to direct them. Our chef engaged a local woman to teach him to forage for mushrooms out in the woods, and our menu featured: toast points with local sautéed mushrooms. It was a great hit!

We had an arrangement with a local gallery to display their artist’s work in our public rooms and dining rooms, and we had a sculptor’s statue on display on our coffee table in the living room. The galleries referred to us for dining as well as accommodations, and we directed our guests to buy a painting or invest in a sculpture. It was our way to give back to the community; it was a win-win situation.

I learned to love decorating the inn and supervising construction projects. I also loved setting the tone of an understated, elegant 1790 Country Inn, with weekly fresh-cut flowers everywhere in the public rooms. Even after 5 years, I left the inn with many more ideas unfinished. An innkeeper whom I deeply respect, Bev Davis, from the Captain Lord Mansion, once told me that a room doesn’t last more than 7 years, so I guess I had done alright.

Innkeeping challenges us to maintain our graciousness, while not missing the beat on moving forward with a new perspective for today’s guest. While working to build relationships with customers, remember to WOW yourself and have some fun!

Heide

This gorgeous inn lies just outside the little town of Chestertown, New York, a quiet hamlet of only about 700 people — roughly 30 minutes from Lake George and 1 1/2 hours north of Albany. And though it may not be as close to the big city as other bed and breakfasts, this spectacular inn more than makes up for its isolation with atmosphere and natural beauty. More than a place to stay, it’s a true destination.

The northern Adirondack mountains are known for their breathtaking beauty and charm, and this bed and breakfast for sale is right in the middle of them. With easy access to miles of hiking and biking trails, this inn is a haven for nature enthusiasts. There is also a nearby golf course for the summer months, cross-country ski trails for the winter, horseback riding and even a whitewater rafting route on the nearby Hudson River.

Of course, it’s also a perfect place for anyone seeking a quiet getaway in a pristine, rustic setting. This bed and breakfast has all the amenities any vacationer could ask for, including many rooms with their own Jacuzzi tubs, antique furnishings, and wood-burning fireplaces. There are also meeting rooms and accommodations for business retreats, as well as a separate 4-bedroom owners house. Locally-run Adirondack helicopter tours provide a memorable birds-eye-view of the stunning grounds and peaceful Friends Lake, located just across from the inn.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the wine. This inn has a particular reputation for its emphasis on wine and fine dining, and in 2012 it won Wine Spectator‘s prestigious “Best Of” Award of Excellence for the fantastic wine cellar. The inn also has four different dining rooms, including a single-table room for parties within the wine cellar itself. It’s the perfect place for both guests, and the owners, to uncork and bask in the tranquility of the Adirondack region.

For more information on this or any of our other bed and breakfasts for sale, please contact any of the InnPartners team today.

This is a unique property, in town on two acres, nine guest suites in seven separate buildings with upscale boutique hotel features accompanied by the owners’ 3 bedroom, 3 ½ bath home purposely built for the Innkeepers’ family in 2007. In this setting the guest suites are completely separate from the accommodations of the Innkeepers yet, the Inn is run with the personality of a Bed and Breakfast – the Innkeepers are available but discreet.  Breakfast is delivered to your suite at the requested hour.  Guests regularly make selections from a large DVD library for viewing in their suites.

Each guest suite has a separate sitting room with comfortable furniture and a large flat screen TV over a gas-burning fireplace.  The bedroom has a king bed; a bathroom with a two-person Kohler spa tub, heated floor, separate tiled shower with body jets and a heated towel bar.  Two of the suites have two bedrooms each with their own en-suite bath.  All have wet bar/breakfast areas.  All suites have porches with inviting rockers—heavily used in season.  Many SevenOaks guests return again and again.

The Innkeepers’ house has 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths, a full personal kitchen, dining room, living room, study/office, a huge bonus playroom, and a media room.  To support guests this personal space was augmented with a Reception/Office, a separate kitchen for guest food preparation and a much larger laundry than a single family home would have.

Lake Geneva is a very strong seasonal destination.  The lake, shops, restaurants, golf and lake activities draw many guests from Spring into November.  The proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison creates an opportunity for get-away bookings year round, especially on weekends.

This Bed and Breakfast for sale is an excellent facility in a strong destination, with a top level TripAdvisor guest rating.  There is solid business now and an opportunity for growth in the future.

Contact Inn Partners for more information about this special property.

]]> http://www.innpartners.com/lake-geneva-wi-bed-breakfast/feed/ 0 http://www.innpartners.com/new-york-adirondack-inn-friends-lake-inn/ http://www.innpartners.com/new-york-adirondack-inn-friends-lake-inn/#comments Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:41:50 +0000 Bill and Heide http://innpartners.rtcamp.info/?p=1262 Exceptional Price!  Friends Lake Inn is an elegant Country Inn in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The 17 guest rooms feature antique furnishings, fine linens, and many have private balconies and or whirlpools, fireplaces and lake views. While the Inn is true to its Adirondack identity, it is replete with the modern amenities Inn guests desire.  The Inn combines authenticity with comfort and the result is a highly successful business in an upscale segment of the Inn going market.

While the Inn has earned a four diamond rating from AAA, the restaurant accolades far surpass that. Among others, the Inn’s restaurant has received the “Best of ” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator for its wine cellar.

The wine emphasis has a positive impact on the reputation and marketing of the Inn.  It also serves as a basis for regular special wine dinner events.  The wine theme continues with a private dining room for groups and very special tastings, and a retail wine shop on the premises.

The Inn offers other amenities to attract guests year round.  In winter, there are about 30 kilometers of cross-country ski trails and a ski shop.  The summer is enhanced by a private and delightful swimming pool and a sauna house overlooking a small pond.  The Inn has a dock for enjoyment of Friends Lake Inn.

The Inn, restaurant, the separate 4 bdrm owners home and wine and other inventory are exceptionally priced at $2,295,000.00.  We are happy to make arrangements for you to visit this Inn to experience what an outstanding business opportunity this is.

• AAA 4 Diamond Inn
• Wine Spectator Grand Award for 11 years
• “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator in 2012
• DiRoNa Award of Dining Excellence
• Member of Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America
• A 4/5 bedroom owners’ home is included in the price with the Inn
• Wine inventory is included in the price.
• Gross Sales in 2012 were over $1,200,000
• Adirondacks offer year round appeal

Everyone appreciates loyal friends.

Many of you might not know that Tim Piper has joined Inn Partners as an Associate. While he transitions in, he’s residing at our farm and on some mornings has joined Chocolat and me on our adventure snowshoe tours through the woods. Tim‘s legs are longer, and he is younger and stronger than I. Even though I get my snowshoes on faster and can get about 300 feet ahead of him, he catches up in no time. I step aside to let him pass, while Chocolat, as usual, is sniffing avidly for bobcats, fisher cats, deer, moose, or maybe a scent of a bear’s awakening. Tim is ahead of me and Chocolat stops. She waits until he passes, gives him at least twenty feet, looks expecting, and leads ahead of me as usual. Running here and there, but always behind Tim and always ahead of me. I am astonished, touched by such loyalty.

What about when it comes to hospitality? I don’t always think about how we as humans form relationships, how we build trust and how we build loyal connections. How we, without much thinking, relate to others and they relate to us. In our “Seminar for Future Innkeepers”, I address the personal side of innkeeping and have said many times, “you look in the mirror and that is your guest.” Guests respond to you, your tastes and the ambiance you are creating. Not to mention your genuine personality and gracious hospitality.

Guests today have many choices. Do you ever ask yourself why they have chosen to stay with you? Sometimes I bet your guests don’t even know why they chose your inn or B&B. It might have been instinctual. It might have been the warm, inviting tone on your website, your response when they ask about “what’s going on in your area” or maybe your smile as you opened the door for them at arrival.

It isn’t always easy to be in a relationship, be it in a marriage or being hospitable to your guests, but is crucial and fundamental that you are instinctually a caring human being, steeped with unconditional love and trust of people. You must have integrity in what you offer and be able to sincerely apologize when you have missed, erred or disappointed someone.

Similar to Chocolat, the innkeeper must take the lead, but always be looking back to make sure the guests are following and happy. Like I do with Chocolat, they will appreciate the loyal relationship.

Heide

Mercersburg is a beautiful historic village tucked into the folds of the Appalachian mountains in southern Pennsylvania, just a few hours from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. It hosts a wide range of attractions to encourage visitors, including  historic destinations and some of the best skiing in the Mid-Atlantic.

One of the most notable attractions in Mercersburg is the Mercersburg Academy, a world-class college preparatory boarding school. Known for being highly selective and for admitting students from all over the world, Mercersburg Academy has been drawing students and parents to the town for more than 100 years. (And by buying an inn here, you’re sure to have some of them come through your doors.)

Winter is a big season for Mercersburg businesses, with the draw of skiing and snowboarding at nearby Whitetail Ski Resort. Featuring a vertical rise of 942 feet, two terrain parks, and even a 10-lane tubing slope, Whitetail is a great destination for tourists from all over the east coast. During the off-season, the par-72 championship golf course, fly fishing, and a local summer adventure camp keep (all within a ten minute drive) make the inn a hub for visitors.

Mercersburg also has a lot to offer nature buffs. Located a few miles from both Cowan’s Gap State Park and Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park, guests are able to hike, swim, and picnic to their heart’s content. Also nearby is the Tuscarora Trail, a more challenging excursion that offers serious hikers over one hundred miles of trail and vistas with picturesque views.

There are plenty of other things to do in Mercersburg, too – antiquing, theatre, and historical tours all abound in this little village. And by buying an inn in Mercersburg, you’ll get to experience all of it firsthand.

For more information on this inn or any one of our other inns for sale, contact a member of the Inn Partners team.

Financial performance of the Inn is excellent. Sales reached over $443,000  in 2012, up from $312,000.00 in 2011. The 2012 occupancy rate was 68%, with an Average Daily Rate of $161.00. We may have saved the best for last. The price for this special property is a very reasonable $1,500,000.00.

Awards and Memberships:

• Trip Advisor – Traveler’s Choice Award for 2012 – Top 25 in the US for Relaxation & Spa
• Trip Advisor ranks this #4 of 67 hotels in Palm Springs
• BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection Member
• Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America