How to Start & Run Your Own Bed & Breakfast (How-To Guides) [Paperback]

Ripley Hotch (Author), Carl Glassman (Author)

Book Description

Series: How-To Guides | Publication Date: October 1, 1992

All the knowledge needed for running a profitable business

Revised and updated with new information on computers, the Internet, and cell phones

Experienced and first-time innkeepers need reliable information to help them meet the challenges of running a successful inn. This book reveals the secrets of the best inns, including information on securing financing, buying and managing the inn, attracting the right guests, developing a business plan, addressing legal and insurance needs, marketing the inn effectively, and locating professional organizations.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As innkeepers, Hotch (who is also author of How To Start a Business--and Succeed , Stackpole, 1991) and Glassman (who conducts innkeeping workshops) know their business. They offer glimpses into other owners' views and advice via quotes gathered by a survey. While this work covers the gamut of concerns for the potential innkeeper (acquiring the inn, handling finances, planning for legal and insurance needs, promoting the business, and taking care of guests), it covers these concerns to varying degrees. Repetition of thoughts and statements could be distracting and construed as condescending by some readers, especially if they already have familiarity with the innkeeping business. Still, this is a good basic practical guide for public library collections.
- Margaret B. Bartlett, Rochester Inst. of Technology, N.Y.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Ripley Hotch is co-owner of Biltmore Village Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, and author of How to Start a Business and Succeed.

Carl Glassman is co-owner of the Wedgewood Collection of Historic Inns in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and has offered how-to workshops and consulting services to aspiring innkeepers since 1982. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books; 1st edition (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811724417
• ISBN-13: 978-0811724418
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,508,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent and fact filled, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Start & Run Your Own Bed & Breakfast (How-To Guides) (Paperback)

I just read a library copy of this book, and now I'm buying my own copy for future reference. It was filled with essential information about innkeeping, and not just for those who want to start a two to three bedroom B&B in their house. Most of the information was applicable to small inns and hotels, as well. It is definitely the best book I've read on the subject so far (out of about six books).

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fairly complete beginners guide, October 15, 2002

By 

Benton Prentice (Westport, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Start & Run Your Own Bed & Breakfast (How-To Guides) (Paperback)

While this book seems fairly complete as a guide, it certainly is for total novices, not only to B&Bs but to those running their own business as well. Much of its information is common business sense in its foundation and offers little that one would not realize on one's own-unless they had never run any sort of business in the past. Even an individual who has operated a business for someone else, especially if that business were in the service industry, would know much of the basics found here. Most obviously lacking is any discussion of the value or how-to of Internet marketing, research, promotions, reservations or purchasing. Secondary to that is a lack is discussion on yield management, rate versus occupancy managment and adapting one's room rates to current occupancy and market room-availability and other market forces. The author also provides no discussion of purchasing principles or the advantages of economies of scale that can be gained with co-oped or group purchasing ventures.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Describes the business well, June 17, 2000

By 

R. Bolton "Read A Lot" (Orange, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Start & Run Your Own Bed & Breakfast (How-To Guides) (Paperback)

Tells the nitty gritty of running the business aspect of a B&B without going into the details of how someone should decorate. With running one so hard it was nice to see the bery clear and well laid plans to help keep an inn running smoothly from taking care of guests to taking care of yourself at the same time. I would recommend this book before someone lays out any money and gets themselves neck deep in trouble from inexperiance.