Ten Properties in 20 Days

It is always fun to be on the other side of the hospitality equation. We recently had an opportunity to sample ten different properties during a 20 day road trip throughout the Eastern and Southeastern US. By design, we stayed at a mix of five star properties and smaller boutique inns.

My favorite part of planning a trip is agonizing over the lodging, and then driving up to the property and seeing where your hours of research landed - either a fantastic find or a big miss. Sometimes the most gorgeous luxury properties are the most disappointing once you walk through the door and are greeted by a pretentious staff member. Sometimes the properties with less impressive curb appeal have the most helpful front desk staff that you can overlook a few little snags in the carpet, literally. 

These are the top takeaways from our travels:

1. Hospitality matters. From the front desk to the housekeeping staff to the manager, everyone matters and when someone is unhappy with their job, it is apparent. A smile and friendly greeting go a long way toward making a guest comfortable and valued. 

2. Basics are important. A clean room, a modern bathroom, a comfortable bed and nice linens are the bedrock of any positive overnight stay. Top notch amenities are nice touch, but if you do not have the basics down, it does not make the difference. 

3. Knowledgeable staff is key. Asking for directions, wanting to know the best place for tacos, looking for a local flea market- the staff should know these things and not shrug their shoulders and say they are new to the area. Inexcusable! 

4. Breakfast is a wildcard. A lot of properties are now serving complementary breakfast, and in my opinion, many should not. I would rather pay extra for a delicious homemade breakfast than settle for some boxed eggs and stale bagels. Also, I am a sucker for a full on, no holds barred, first class breakfast buffet- think silver chafing dishes and an omelet station. 

5. Tipping should not be expected. This may be an unpopular opinion, but tipping is out of hand. Hopefully the staff is paid a living wage and is not reliant on tips for income. When on vacation, I do not want to constantly have to worry about carrying cash to hand out in case someone helps me lift a suitcase or brings me an extra coffee pod or calls me a shuttle. 

6. Ask questions before you arrive. If you want a quiet room, ask for it. If you want a room that has a fan, ask for it. If you want twenty pillows on your bed, ask for it. Once these requests are in your reservation, the front desk can adequately plan for your visit and has time to accommodate your requests. Also, it is a good idea to follow up on requests a couple days before your arrival to ensure a smooth check in. 

We love sampling different properties: It gives us a chance to come back to the Inn and recognize what we get right and what we could improve upon. It also gave us a chance to appreciate and recognize our amazing staff, who always put on a smile each day and provide our guests with top notch service!

Microweddings are Here to Stay!

Fabulous florals by Blue Jasmine Floral were one of the highlights of this Microwedding.

In 2020, many brides and grooms were forced to cancel their large weddings because of Covid related lockdowns and travel restrictions.  Just thinking of planning an event where guests would be coming from afar or where older family members might be at increased risk, had many couples reevaluating their special day and opting for a much smaller event. What seemed like a 2020 trend is now looking like a longer term shift.

The many microweddings and elopements we have witnessed this past year have varied greatly. Some are simple affairs that involve the couple, an officiant and a photographer.  Some are more elaborate, full blown celebrations, where the couple has decided to splurge on things that matter most to them.  Sometimes that means gorgeous floral design and gourmet catering.  Sometimes it is a celebrity wedding photographer. Sometimes it is a big city stylist and a couture wedding gown. Sometimes it is all of these things and no expense is spared for the lucky handful of invited guests. However the event unfolds, it is as special and unique as the couple involved.

At some point, the pandemic will be a distant memory, and time will tell if the shift toward microweddings is long lasting. Until then, we will continue to provide a blank canvas for our couples to design their perfect wedding day. We wish all of our couples a lifetime of happiness and will look forward to seeing them back at the Inn to celebrate their anniversaries!

Inn at Glencairn receives the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award!

Inn at Glencairn receives 2020 Travelers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor

We are thrilled to receive the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award! The award has replaced the former Certificate of Excellence, so this is the sixth continuous year the Inn has received this award. As our guests know, we take our job seriously, and we strive to give each guest a wonderful, authentic stay. Thank you to the nearly 400 guests who took the time to sit down and give us their honest feedback. We continued to maintain our pace of hitting the mark with 98% of our reviews in the Excellent to Good category! Kudos to our Innkeeper, Lydia, who is often mentioned by name and whose breakfasts are nearing legendary status. 2020 has been a tough one, to say the least, but it is the kind words of our guests that keep us going!

Inn at Glencairn recognized in TripAdvisor Hall of Fame!

We are so thrilled to be recognized in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame for receiving the Certificate of Excellence award for five continuous years from 2015 to 2019. We strive to give each guest a wonderful visit, and we take our reviews seriously! Thank you to the nearly 400 guests who took the time to sit down and give us feedback on their stay. Luckily, we hit the mark more often than not with 98% of our reviews in the Excellent to Good category! Kudos to our past Innkeepers who have laid the groundwork and to our current Innkeeper, Lydia, who has elevated our breakfasts and customer outreach to an exciting new level. Looking forward to another great year at the Inn at Glencairn!

Airbnb versus a "real" Bed and Breakfast or aka my Airbnb Rant

When it comes to Airbnb, I have issues. Maybe it’s because I own a “real” Bed and Breakfast, and I find most Airbnbs to be cheap copycats that skirt around the edges of what’s legal and ethical. An Airbnb is not a business, it’s an under-regulated, over-hyped, step above couch surfing. But I digress.

When I opened the Inn at Glencairn, it was after a long, arduous year of renovations, planning board meetings, township approvals, and numerous fire and health inspections. Had I opened an Airbnb, I could have skipped the time and money that went into the renovations, meetings and approvals and simply cobbled together a page on the Airbnb site and opened up for business. It definitely would have been the easier route. And cheaper. And less risky. And probably more profitable.

Until quite recently, Airbnb sales were “under the table” and exempt from paying state and local occupancy and sales taxes. A “real” Bed and Breakfast is a full-fledged lodging business and is required to pay occupancy and sales taxes, like a hotel. In our municipality, that equates to 16.625%, which is quite a chunk of cash and figures prominently into our pricing model.

Did you know that an Airbnb might be illegal in the city or town you are visiting? Roughly 70% of the Airbnb reservations taken in NYC were illegal in 2014. The influx of Airbnb accommodations in some cities are driving up the prices of affordable housing for residents. Sure Airbnb is a lower cost alternative to other lodging options, but maybe the lower price is a result of an illegal sublet or an owner skirting the law when it comes to paying taxes.

Each year, the Inn at Glencairn is inspected by our local fire inspector. The inspector spends about two hours going from room to room and making sure our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are up to date. The inspection can be unnerving because we take our responsibilities very seriously. Our smoke and carbon detectors are hard-wired to a central station that is notified immediately and automatically dispatches the local Fire Department if an alarm is triggered.

Does your Airbnb have working smoke or carbon monoxide detectors? If it does, are they the most up-to-date and recently inspected? If an alarm is triggered, who responds? Is it up to the occupants to determine what to do in case of an emergency? Our fire inspector also requires us to have fire extinguishers on every level and tag our rooms with directions to evacuate in the event of an emergency. Does your Airbnb have emergency evacuation instructions or fire extinguishers? Maybe not.

Also once a year, the Health Inspector comes in and inspects our kitchen to make sure our appliances are in working order. She makes sure that our dishwasher reaches the proper temperature to disinfect our plates and cutlery and that our refrigerator maintains the proper temperature to keep our food fresh and free from bacteria. Also, she inspects for pests to make sure we are maintaining a clean and sanitary environment. Does your Airbnb provide documentation that it is inspected and is pest free? Maybe not.

It is much easier to “game” a review on Airbnb than it is on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google, Expedia and Booking.com. In fact, misrepresentation runs rampant on Airbnb. Reviews for a “real” Bed and Breakfast are vetted by the aforementioned sites and guests must provide proof that they stayed at the lodging establishment for a review to be considered valid.

Running a “real” Bed and Breakfast means you have a staff on hand to assist with any issue that may arise during your stay. At an Airbnb you are literally on your own unless the owner lives nearby and is responsive to your requests. Have an issue with the thermostat, good luck! Unless the owner is a quick call away, you may be sitting in the extreme heat or cold waiting for assistance. What about the lack of amenities in an Airbnb? Maybe it has enough towels, maybe it has enough toilet paper, maybe it has shampoo, maybe it has a hair dryer. Then again, maybe it doesn’t have any of these things, and maybe you have to spend your hard earned vacation time purchasing them.

So, next time you consider an Airbnb over a “real” Bed and Breakfast or even a hotel, consider the time, energy and expense that goes into providing an authentic local lodging experience. Consider the inspections, the taxes, and the staffing. Then make an informed decision on how you want to spend your vacation dollars.

The Microwedding Trend

Some couples dream of a large wedding, complete with ice sculptures and an over-sized guest list. Other couples dream of an intimate wedding, with only their closest confidants in attendance. Elopements, while seemingly spontaneous and romantic, can fall short of expectations, especially when you often have to settle for a stranger as your witness. Many couples crave the intimacy of an elopement, yet would prefer having a handful of their close family and friends present to share in their celebration. That’s where we come in!

The Inn at Glencairn specializes in microweddings. We define microweddings as a wedding ceremony with fewer than 25 guests, including the bride and groom. A microwedding can have all the trappings of a larger event, but the size, and therefore the expense, is much less. You can wear your fancy threads, carry a luscious bouquet, stand under a stunning arbor, and have that expensive cake. The only thing missing will be the over-sized guest list, and if you think about it, you might only want to talk to the people at the first three tables at that megawedding anyway!

Give us a call today at 609.497.1737 or visit us online at www.innatglencairn.com and let us customize a microwedding package for you!