Anyone here have any experience with a small hotel/inn/b&b?

Hello all,
 
Have a chance to purchase a small 2 story inn thats been closed for awhile due to owners simply running out of money and losing interest. Has 12 smaller rooms and 3 suite size rooms. Lots of original wood and details.
 
Also has real nice little full service restaurant attatched on side. Room for about 10 4 tops. Kitchen is in great shape and set up to do most any kind of service. I was thinking classic diner fair.
 
Most of the hard work has been done. Almost all the inspections are complete and building is up to code. Really a nice little place and was wondering if anyone on here had any advice or insights into this type of venture.
 
Any help would be appreciated.
 
Harry

You'll get lots of input here from some very experienced business people. I'm at the low end of the scale BTW. Whenever I hear someone say, "I'd love to own a little restaurant," I ask...
1. How much food experience do you have in each part of the house? How much pure business experience do you have? Accounting, inventory, human resources, operations, estimating and so on and so on...
2. What separates your dining establishment's experience from everyone else's?
3. How deep are your pockets?

okay 4. Why do you want to go into the food service/restaurant business? There are a number of other business opportunities with - a.)less risk  b.)require less start up/working capital and c.) are more forgiving in the "learning curve" phase of the business

Diner fare in a B&B? That would seem to fly in the face of thekids of things B&B-inclined patrons would be interested in eating.

craw daddy


Hello all,
 
Have a chance to purchase a small 2 story inn thats been closed for awhile due to owners simply running out of money and losing interest. Has 12 smaller rooms and 3 suite size rooms. Lots of original wood and details.
 
Also has real nice little full service restaurant attatched on side. Room for about 10 4 tops. Kitchen is in great shape and set up to do most any kind of service. I was thinking classic diner fair.
 
Most of the hard work has been done. Almost all the inspections are complete and building is up to code. Really a nice little place and was wondering if anyone on here had any advice or insights into this type of venture.
 
Any help would be appreciated.
 
Harry

Offbeat for your area, many a places in PA older motels are like this are turned into restaurants. Couple owning the place live upstairs and bottom part Restaurant, my favorite place in PA  is like this.
Best BOOMBA place in the country.

I went looking for a restaurant space to open, that way I could avoid the silly impact fee and came across this property. Was offered with the attached little hotel for a real bargain price.

Not really looking for a B&B type operation. Too touchy feely and 24-7 involved. Just used the term in my question to emphasize the smallness.

The restaurant area is my real interest and the design and appearance screams neighborhood roadside diner to me.

The hotel/inn would be a bonus. Might even lease that area out to someone to run. I have no knowledge or experience in this type operation. Have some ideas of how I think should be done but was hoping someone on here had any past experience in operating a small hotel.

The main building was built in 30's and the restaurant was added on in the 50's they can easily function as independent businesses feeding off of each other.

My original BBQ idea doesnt seem right for here but the diner deal does.

Harry

Harry

I think you are right about the bbq idea not being ideal for this location.  The guests of the inn would not want the wafting smoke driving them hungry all day and night.

That type of place in the south screams out to me comfort food, stick to the ribs, good food.

I worked for a large chain hotel for a few years, and the day to day operations are not that complicated but can be 24/7 if you are not careful.

If I were presented this opportunity, i would try and find someone interested in the inn side and have them run it for you so you can focus on the food side.  Once the place is established you can look deeper into the running of both businesses.

just my two cents

CJK