What's an Innkeeper to do when they need to get away from their Bed and Breakfast?

When we owned our own Bed and Breakfast, there were times when we needed to get away.  We had an eight room inn and sometimes we just couldn't be there.  We, as innkeepers, needed time off to renew our own energy.  Sometimes, a family emergency, or happy occasion, may have happened, and we wanted or needed to be away.  For us, as for many other innkeepers, it was not an option to just close the doors of the bed and breakfast.  Over the ten year period of time that we owned the B&B, when we needed to get away, we used the services of professional interim innkeepers to help give us some relief.

So what are  professional interim innkeepers (also known as inn sitters)?  They are individuals who may have owned their own inn at one time (such as ourselves), have taken classes and have done some supervised shadowing of other innkeepers, or had actual experience working at B&B's.  They act as independent contractors.  Many of us also belong to professional associations such as PAII or the Interim Innkeepers Network, however, these groups are not placement agencies.

Professional interim innkeepers strive to operate your Bed and Breakfast in the same manner as the owner/innkeeper does so that the Bed and Breakfast guests do not see any difference in the type of service they get. Can we be the owner/innkeeper, of course not. However, we try to come as close to what is currently done as we can.

So next time you feel that you have reached overload or you have some family matter that you want to attend, don't despair, think of us.  We can help give bed and breakfast owners or innkeepers peace of mind in knowing that their revenue stream will continue and that they can get some special time away to renew and recharge their energy.

Lynda and Howard Lerner 

Inn Caring 

www.inncaring.com