The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast [Paperback]

Park Davis (Author), Susannah Craig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

This book holds all the secrets to opening and running a successful inn. It gives you guidelines for choosing a profitable location and describes a day in the life of the average inn owner. You can find information about how to write up a business plan, what to include on you Web site, what "house rules" you need to set up to keep your guests and your investment safe, and how to use your own personal touch to make your inn unique.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book holds all the secrets to opening and running a successful inn. It gives you guidelines for choosing a profitable location and describes a day in the life of the average inn owner. You can find information about how to write up a business plan, what to include on you Web site, what "house rules" you need to set up to keep your guests and your investment safe, and how to use your own personal touch to make your inn unique.

About the Author

Park Davis is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a travel counselor who left Long Island, New York, and "washed ashore" at Provincetown, Massachusetts, eight years ago. With a bit of money, the kindness of strangers, and a healthy dose of blind ambition, Park set out on a course of buying, rehabbing, and selling guesthouses. He now concentrates his efforts on his luxurious Benchmark Inn & Central in Provincetown, where he hopes to have the pleasure of welcoming you.

Susannah Craig, a Connecticut native, worked for six years in both the editorial and marketing sides of book publishing. She currently is a full-time freelance writer and researcher whose other book projects include The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being a Smart Landlord.

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Alpha Books (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028640004
• ISBN-13: 978-0028640006
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Hospitality Businesses

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone contemplating purchasing or starting your own B&B, April 24, 2001

By 

JEFFREY F HOUSTON (PALM SPRINGS, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast (Paperback)

As a former Inn owner I found the book extremely informative. I actually purchased the book as a gift for a friend who is opening a Bed N Breakfast. I was very impressed with the wide range of topics covered. Such as buying in bulk, reservation scripts, cancellation policys, when a laundry service makes sense, hiring employees, and the "do you have what it takes to run a B&B test". I could have saved a lot of time and money if this book had been available when I was first starting out.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bed & Breakfast Book, February 18, 2004

By 

"sklarbeth" (Vail, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast (Paperback)

If you are considering purchasing a B&B, this book is an absolute essential. Clever and concise, the book covers a broad spectrum of topics. Everything from an example of a typical innkeeper's day to a discussion of tax-writeoff's is addressed. The experience and vision of Mr. Park Davis is invaluable, particularly in chapters involving operational issues such as marketing strategies, budget planning, and "expecting the unexpected." After having read many "How To..." B&B books, this book truly outshines all others as the definitive guide for owning and running a Bed & Breakfast.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Idiot's Guide To Running a Bed & Breakfast, May 5, 2004

By 

Heather Salter (Bishop Farm B&B, Lisbon, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast (Paperback)

Mr. Park Davis really hits the nail on the head with this book.
He has an amazing way of getting right to the point, with out feeling like you missed anything. He is realistic about the business and his experience shows that.
I was having a hard time with expenses. The chapters on Business and Marketing cleared this up for me. Now I feel I completely have a handle on where my money is going! I knew it was going, just didn't know where.
I would recommend this book to anyone involved with a B&B. I personally am just starting, however, the book was recommended to me from a women in San Diego who has had a B&B since 1982.
Thanks for writing a book that is answering all my questions!!!