Inn Keeping looks like it may be fun but it sure looks like a lot of work. So what is it like? (Part 2)

In "Part 1 of Innkeeping What is it like", we explored what work needs to get done in our innkeeping day. As promised we are back to provide the answers  to your assignment.

It  is always our desire to have all of our three special guest rooms constantly filled,  but there are some days where it is a bit more quiet at the Inn. On those days Leopold wonders where everyone has gone and has to witness strange happenings. We then undertake the tasks to make our Blue Door experience even better.

The ladders come out and Leopold delights in the new but strange smelling colored liquids being applied to the walls and ceilings, and to the backs of our white foyer steps. These same liquids also make funny marks on the floors when he just so happens to see what they are about. There are floors that are wet to the paw, freshly mopped, and furniture sometimes in the hallways while strange sounding construction noises eminate on the other side of a closed door.

We also look forward to our annual trek to the International Hospitality Conference each November in New York where we get to go shopping for you, our guests. There are all sorts of things to pick and choose from to make our guest experience very special. Our sheets, which have made their way into several on-line review comments, and our lounging robes that seem to fly off our shelves as soon as we re-order more for our gift shop are acquisitions from our trips to New York. Shopping is fun especially when you throw in a night at the theater and some great restaurants.

So you remember those daily tasks from Part 1?

Here is what happens: 

• Up at 6:00AM starting with breakfast service and ending the day at 7:00PM when all of our guest rooms are turned down for our guests. comfortable return from dinner.
• Table is set, breakfast is prepared for serving starting at 7:00AM
• There is paperwork to be done (email, bills, website updates, Facebook and blog posts like this one to name a few), and relax until guests arrive to begin breakfast.
• Serve breakfast and enjoy conversation
• Breakfast service is over at 10:00 with dishes cleaned up usually by 11:00. There are breaks in the action - rarely do we see 4 straight hours of breakfast service, but it can happen.       
• Cleaning starts around noon and  finishes sometime around 2:30 PM with a little help from our housekeeper on the fully booked days.
• Then it is our time to slow down the pace, relax over dinner, attend to our guests who will check-in until Turndown at 7:00PM.  In between we may learn more about Baltimore from where guests when they explore. Multi task finishing previously started  things and starting new ones.       
• In between all that, we answer the phone, taking reservations, answering questions, and dealing with vendors.  We are also shop for groceries and office supplies,  and bake the breads and pastries, in addition to the night time treats. 
• When everyone is staying over we can decide to put the crunch on to catch up on a specific set of tasks (like the laundry which is never done completely) or put things on hold  till the next rainy day and go out and play ourselves.     
• It will start all over again at 6:00AM the next morning so do not be surprised if your phone call at 10:00 PM is met with voicemail.      

In 2011 (Thank you for your reservations so that we can show you these numbers): 

• 403   Check–ins
• 780   Room nights served up
• 1400 Breakfasts made
• 3600 Breakfast breads, and pastries baked
• 3100 Cookies, brownes and fudge made and presented for turn down
• 3900 cups of coffee served
• 780 Beds Made – (1800 Sheets washed, 3600 Pillowcases washed and steam pressed, 600 duvet covers washed and steam pressed)
• 2600 Assorted Towels Washed
• 1400 Robes laundered and folded
• 1600 Assorted table cloths and napkins laundered and ironed
• 3100 cleaning cloths laundered

Oh, about the pictures for this posting series. These are from the entire house checking out on the same day. One load of breakfast dishes for dishwasher number one. One load of pots, pans, prep items and guest room servicing items for dishwasher number two.  Ten loads of Laundry if you take into account on a check out day with three sets of king bed linens  (two top sheets, a fitted bottom, six Pillowcases and Duvet cover), two to four robes, assorted towels, bathroom rugs, breakfast table linens, and cleaning cloths. 

REMEMBER WE DO NOT NEED TO FINISH ALL OF THE LAUNDRY TODAY. We can take the time to enjoy all of our wonderful guetst while you stay at The Blue Door, too.

Comments

[Clark Wayne]

You guys aren't kidding when you said it's a lot of work. Keeping everything about the inn - from ceiling to floor - is definitely no easy task, even you had a lot of staff to help out. Still, a job well done and more power to you guys.

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