Lodging question

“Hi everyone,

I'm new to the board and hope to have a chance to go thru and read and post soon.

However, I'm trying to do some market research for a school project on starting a business. I'm hoping that y'all can help me with some information.

I'm researching the possibility of starting a B&B that caters to day hikers. Specifically, I want to provide healthy food choices for all 3 meals (I'm also thinking of offering vegan and vegetarian meal options). Additionally, I'd like to provide hiking ideas/maps/ recommendations/etc. for the general area of the B&B.

I'm hoping that y'all can provide me with some feedback (good/bad/indifferent) on the idea and anything that would make you choose this kind of B&B over another B&B or hotel/motel. Also, have you stayed at a B&B that did something that made you want to go back for a return trip.

Thanks for any feedback that y'all can provide. I really appreciate the help!

B”

“Where would this be?”

“There's a similar B&B in Lake Placid, NY. I believe it's called Trails End. There's many set-ups like you are talking about. There is a really great lodge in Mount Assiniboine Park in Canada. You should look into that one.”

“There must be some kind of B&B owners' association. Most state/provincial govts have a service that helps people start small businesses - advice about investment, banks, et c.”

“Pack food hikers can take out with them on the trail too.

Pizza and fried food in addition to the healthy stuff.”

“Thanks for the responses, keep them coming :)

I'm thinking the Hill country in Texas for the location.

Adventurist, thanks for the info on the B&B. In the research I've been able to do, I hadn't seen anything along these lines, but B&Bs are numerous and it's often difficult to find exactly what you're looking for :)

Gremlin, I have looked at the information provided by the b&b organizations, but I'm hoping to get some feedback from the kind of people that would visit this b&b. What do YOU want when you stay at a b&b? :) I know what I want, but I'm hoping y'all can provide me with some additional feedback on whether this is an idea with merit or if I need to rearrange my thinking to make this plan feasible to my professor. Having feedback from y'all provides me with some market research :)

mtnsteve, thanks for the feedback on the food options. I was thinking a packed lunch might be something that would be wanted by guests, but hadn't thought about what food to pack.”

“LOL...Serve alcohol to minors!!!...sorry, personal story...my wife and i got married very young, 19 and 20...we stayed at a b&b on our honeymoon...the owner put a bottle of champagne in our room knowing we were newlyweds...we, of course, drank it and then told her how old we were...the look on her face was priceless”

“The last B&B I went to had served the best dinner I have ever had. Leg of troll in a light mushroom, white wine reduction. Whipped sweet potatoes and green beans fresh from the garden.

If you open a B&B, make sure you serve this.”

“We have stayed at a few B&B's that catered to hikers on our various hikes. The requirements for a successful hiking oriented B&B - cheap rates, good and very abundant food, willing to drive people to the trail, early breakfast (since a lot of thruhikers are used to getting up with the sun, they don't want to wait until 9 to eat breakfast), hot shower (stayed in one in Colorado that didn't have a shower, only a tub - after five days in the mountains, I didn't want to soak in my own dirt). A few places offered dinner as well, though that is rare. Still it's nice if you don't have a car to have the option of eating real food for dinner. Hot Springs NC had two B&Bs that were vegetarian and offered dinner - both were very popular with the hikers. One place in NJ had pasta suppers for the thruhikers, but not for their regular guests. They also had a pool and were across the street from a beer store. It was so nice to hike all day, then float in the pool with a beer in hand, then go up to our Victorian bedroom. Luxury. We stayed there for two nights, and the owners drove us up the trail so we hiked all day and stayed with them at night. Atmosphere is important - relaxing with lots of plants, books, a nice view . . . Worst B&B experience I had was in Alaska - no coffee was available and the food was just cereal and frozen/thawed muffins. Our room was next to the living room and we were kept up until really late by loud guests, who then took off fishing at the crack of dawn. Some B&Bs do a full service breakfast but we have stayed at several that just did cereal, hard boiled eggs, and sweet muffins or cakes. That way the owners could set it all up ahead of time and you fixed your own when you were ready. That feels less 'special' - but works well for hikers.”