• People are looking for packages – because guests want the most bang for their buck and spending their money frivolously is not an option, guests are looking for package deals.  This year, I’ve put together more packages than ever, and have been pleasantly surprised to see them selling well. We have a 3-Night Biltmore Ticket & Room Package, a Girlfriends Getaway Package, a Singles Package, and several Romance Packages. A little something for everyone.
• People are traveling in groups – guests want experiences that include those closest to them and we are seeing more group reservations this year than in the past.  We offer a Group Discount for 3 or more rooms for 3 or more nights, which is available year-round.
• More people are traveling with their pets – people come to Asheville for outdoor adventure and it’s the perfect place to bring their pets. Blake House has always been pet-friendly, but we’ve turned up our focus on dogs and have added a page dedicated to dogs as well as a Romance Basket for Fido. We’re also running a monthly Cutest Dog Photo Contest on the Inn’s Facebook Page and the winning dog each month gets a $150 Blake House Inn Gift Certificate.

While 2011 is just getting started, travel trends are showing us what guests want, and we are doing our best to offer the types of packages and experiences that people are seeking.  Guests are always welcome to submit their ideas for packages that they’d like to see or experiences that they want us to focus on.  We have a Contact Form on the website for anyone with a travel trend idea. You never know, if we use your idea, you may get more than just a Thank You!

Amber Goins-Finley started here last weekend and after 2 days of training, took over on her own on Monday. There is a lot to remember about this place and I am excited to say that Amber has fit right in with the Inn and my personal style of doing things.  She also brings her own point of view and I look forward to her suggestions for improvements.

You can read all about Amber on our Meet the Innkeepers Page. Not included in her bio is the fact that Amber also assists her husband with his motorcycle parts business, Pirate’s Lair Motorcycles.  I am not personally a motorcycle girl, but many motorcyclists come through Asheville, enjoying the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blake House has housed a few and we have a nice sized parking area, perfect for motorcycle trailers.

I hope our guests welcome Amber with open arms. She is a wonderful, and much-needed addition to the family.

I love dogs, all dogs!  And Blake House welcomes dogs of all shapes, sizes, and breeds. We’ve had a lot and appreciate every dog that chooses to stay here. Asheville is a pet-friendly city, but it is still difficult to find B&Bs that allow dogs. Of the ones that do, most have size restrictions or room restrictions. But not Blake House. In fact, we only have one room that is NOT pet-friendly.

As you can see, I love dogs!  And want to see more come to the Inn. To accomplish this, I’ve made some changes to the website and our offerings to be even more enticing to our four-legged guests.  The website now has a Doggie Scoop page, solely dedicated to our canine guests. And this page will evolve and grow over time. Check it out, there’s a hilarious video of a dog’s leg that is trying to steal the bone from its owner.  I crack up every time I watch it!

We also offer, dog walking services, for a very nominal fee, for our doggie guests. Jake Rusher Park is next to the Inn and while mom and dad are out enjoying Asheville, Amber or I will walk your dog(s) around the park so he/she can exercise and take care of business.  We also provide pet sitters and doggie daycare information on the Doggie Scoop Page for those looking for even more for their dog.

Lastly, we offer all kinds of romance packages and spa services for mom and dad and we’ve just added a romance basket for your dog. Fido’s Doggie-Style Romance Basket treats your canine companion to a little pampering.

But, onto the purpose of this post – our newest contest – the Cutest Dog Photo Contest

All the details and rules are on our Facebook Page, but this is a straight photo contest. Each month, send in one photo of your cutie patootie, and your dog could win a $150 Blake House Inn Gift Certificate.  Winners will be selected by votes on the site, but you must be a Fan to enter.

How cool is that? Maybe Fido can use that gift certificate for all the things discussed above.  The only catch is that mom or dad, or both have to tag along on the trip.

Check it out and in the meantime, here are a few shots of some of my cuties (most will recognize Rocky in the middle picture, sleeping, as usual, in a drawer I converted into a bed):

On the left we have Jenny & Squirt, Jack Russell/Chihuahua mixes. On the right is Sophie, our Jack Russell foster dog from Animal Compassion Network.

What is a QR Code?

According to Wikipedia, the technical definition of a QR Code is a two-dimensional barcode, sort of like the barcodes you see on store items that identify what they are and how much they cost when you scan the code into the register. The QR code is shaped like a square and can be encoded with text, data, or in my case, the URL the the Blake House website.  It’s my business’ fingerprint. This is the QR Code for Blake House:

How is a QR Code used?

It is used by the camera function on your smart phone.  First you have to download a FREE QR Code Reader app onto your phone. I have an iPhone so I downloaded the QR Code Reader app from i-nigma. You can use other versions or readers. From your iphone, click the App Store icon and do a search for i-nigma. There is an app for the new iPhone4 and one for the rest of us who still have the iPhone 3GS or lower. Once you download the app, you can start reading QR Codes for any business that has one. It is literally that simple.

You’ll see QR Codes in store windows, on printed material, Facebook Pages, emails, etc.  You may have already seen them, but like me, didn’t know what they were and haven’t paid much attention to them. Now you do.

When you see a business with a QR Code (like the Blake House one shown above), you click the QR Reader app on your phone and it opens your camera.  Hold your camera up so that it sees the QR Code and as soon as it registers the code, it will take you to whatever online information has been programmed into the code.

The Blake House Inn QR Code takes you to the Blake House Inn website. Other QR Codes may be set up to take you to the business’ website or a coupon page or their Facebook Page.

What is the value of the app?

Here are 2 examples:

1. Let’s say you pick up one of Blake House Inn’s rack cards in the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, but you haven’t been to our website.  The rack card only has so much information and you think you’ll remember to check out the website when you get home later. Maybe you will, but maybe you’ll forget.  If the rack card has a QR Code on it (mine don’t right now), you can use your phone to very quickly get to my website, just by opening your camera.  And instead of having to wait to look at my business, you can access it immediately.
2. You’re at a restaurant and you notice they have a QR Code displayed on their menu or in the window. By clicking on it, you find out that they are offering a discount, but only for patrons who reference the promotion on the QR Code.

Of course, there are many other uses for the QR Code, but its greatest purpose is to allow people on-the-spot access to information about the business they are interested in. It can be used for informational purposes only or it can be used to promote specials or promotions for those who access it.

If you own a business, you should consider getting a QR Code (or multiple codes) to help promote your business.

For everyone else, you should start reading QR Codes for the businesses you patronize that have them because you never know what kind of deal you just might score.

On the weekend of April 16th & 17th, the member inns of the Asheville Bed & Breakfast Association will be opening their doors for tours from 12-4 pm.  Fourteen inns total will be on tour over the weekend with 8 inns open on Saturday and 6 inns open on Sunday.

Blake House will be open on Saturday and we have partnered with Frankie Bones in South Asheville to offer a sampling of their extensive menu for tour goers.  Each B&B on the tour is partnering with a restaurant so tour goers will have the opportunity to taste food from 14 different restaurants as part of their ticket price.

I advise purchasing your ticket online. Tickets can be purchased online through the Asheville B&B Association website for $25 for a single ticket or $40 for a couples ticket (credit card required) and your ticket is good for both days of the tour. The food alone is worth the cost of the ticket!  Tickets can only be purchased online through April 8th. After the 8th, you will have to purchase your ticket at the Asheville Shop in the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Walk-in ticket prices are $30 for a single ticket or $50 for a couples ticket (cash or check only).  Each B&B on the tour will have a very limited number of tickets for purchase the day of the tour so purchase early and save!

This is a fundraiser, with proceeds from ticket sales benefitting MANNA FoodBank. We’re also going to raffle off a $250 Asheville B&B Association Gift Certificate. Only select B&Bs will carry raffle tickets so you should visit all the inns on the tour since you won’t know which ones will be selling the raffle tickets.

Some of the inns will also feature donations or products for sale from local businesses and artists.  This tour is not just a tour of historic homes; it’s a chance to enjoy the local culture of Asheville through its neighborhoods, houses, gardens, restaurants, and artist community.

We hope to see you on the tour!

Room rates at Blake House are not going up this year and all rooms in the main house are $150/night or less (double occupancy).  PLUS, a full gourmet breakfast is included in the nightly rate.

While you can find cheaper places to stay like an area motel or hotel, if you are looking for a complete experience, why not stay at an Asheville B&B?  Blake House is pet- and child-friendly. The perception that B&Bs are exclusive and too expensive is just not true.  Let me list just a few of the things about a B&B that recommend it as an accommodation people need to consider:

1. Uniqueness – Every B&B is different from every other B&B. In other words, no two B&Bs are alike and no 2 rooms within a B&B are alike.  That’s because the majority of B&Bs are in historic homes where the craftsmanship and quality of construction tend to be better (thus, the reason they are still standing after hundreds of years), making each room a study in history. I have nothing against hotels, but if the walls could talk in a hotel, what do you think they’d say? In a historic B&B, you may very well find out what the walls have said because many are on National and/or Local Historical Registers and much of the historical information has been researched and provided for guests’ entertainment. Also part of the character of an historic house are the quirks and creaks that make it unique. Some houses may even be haunted by past occupants (if you’re into that kind of thing).
2. Personal Service & Area Knowledge – Some of the best tour guides and keepers of knowledge about all things Asheville are your local innkeepers. Innkeepers are fantastic resources of information on where to go to eat and experience this wonderful city.  They have intimate knowledge of the good, the great, and the avoidable places and they are more than willing to share their opinions and experiences with their guests.  This is an often overlooked benefit for guests, but its priceless when you consider your overall experience.  The average hotel concierge may or may not even live around the hotel where they work and, therefore, may or may not have intimate knowledge of the area.  Hotels tend to refer guests to the big attractions and places where the hotel has a financial interest.  If you really want to have a great time in Asheville, trust your innkeeper to provide personal service with a strong desire for you to enjoy your entire trip.
3. Home-made Gourmet Breakfasts – While breakfast is also offered at hotels, most are offering breakfast buffets for hundreds of guests. The average B&B is serving breakfast to a much, much smaller group of guests and you know it was made fresh and brought to you straight from the oven and had not been sitting under heat lamps for extended periods of time. Innkeepers are quite adept at working around dietary restrictions (with advance notice) and in a city like Asheville, it is not uncommon to have guests with food restrictions. When you look at breakfast in the context of the overall B&B experience, it becomes a more personal experience as well. Guests get to meet and chat with other guests, sharing their experiences in the city thus far and trading information about where they live, what brought them to Asheville, etc., etc.  Do you ever speak to anyone at a hotel breakfast other than your server?  I have seen so many guests make new acquaintances/friends during breakfast and exchange contact information afterwards. How cool is that? Yeah, MacDonald’s and Denny’s are cheaper, but can they really compare to the B&B breakfast experience?
4. The Best in Amenities – While historical houses suggest that everything inside is antiquated, that couldn’t be further from the truth.  The majority of B&Bs have been retrofitted and renovated with modern conveniences, including individual bathrooms for each guestroom, central heat and air conditioning, wi-fi, TVs and DVD players, ipod/cd docking stations, and so on.  Yeah, some do it better than others, but in some cases, it’s not possible to totally modernize a centuries-old house without defiling the integrity of the original structure. So, we work around those inconveniences as best as possible. B&Bs also include many freebies that the average hotel/motel does not, including snacks and homemade goodies for the guests, free movies for guests to watch and games for guests to amuse themselves with. Think any of these things are free or even offered at hotels?

So when you consider your next trip, be it for business or pleasure, consider the B&B. They may not be out of your price range. Call and speak to the innkeeper before making your reservation so you can “meet” first and you can get a feel for that particular B&B and whether or not it fits with what you are looking for. Remember that every B&B is different so if one is not to your liking, there are many more to choose from.  Figure out what is most important to you in your stay and find out from the innkeeper if they can fill your needs.

Blake House is located in the city limits of Asheville, but we are not in downtown and while a 15-minute drive to downtown from the Inn doesn’t seem like a lot of time, for some it is and I understand that.  What’s great about South Asheville is that it is building up quickly, having added the Biltmore Square Town Center with a modern movie theater, a handful of restaurants, and boutiques. South Asheville also has several fabulous independent restaurants and some of the downtown restaurants are opening South Asheville locations (Tupelo Honey Cafe and Fiore’s Ristorante Toscana is coming soon).  Before long, South Asheville will be as big as downtown and guests will have to think of reasons to leave our south location. This South Asheville B&B plans to keep its room rates affordable and our guests as happy and comfortable as possible.

Mention this blog post when making your reservation and receive $10 off your total, in addition to any other special/discount you may qualify for.

• Friday, December 17th in the Dogwood Room.

Veterans can read all about the program from our earlier blog post (link is provided below).  Not only did our Asheville Bed & Breakfast participate in the B&Bs for Vets program in November, but we have extended the benefit for the entire year!

http://blakehouse.com/2010/11/blake-house-inn-offers-monthly-veterans-recognition-program/

Why not come to Asheville during the holiday season and stay with us for FREE?  Asheville has much to offer and we are thankful to our Veterans and active duty military year-round.  If you know a Veteran who would love a trip to Asheville, NC, send them our way.

1. Lake Julian Festival of Lights – Starting December 3rd, the annual Festival of Lights runs from 6-9 pm nightly until December 19th.  This cheap thrill is a drive-thru light show located in a neighborhood around Lake Julian Park (about a mile from Blake House). The cost per car is just $5 ($10 for vans) with a portion of the proceeds going to the Buncombe County Special Olympics. A must-see for the holidays!

2. National Gingerbread House Display – I wrote about this in an earlier post. The competition is over, but the display goes on until January 2nd.  Walking through and seeing the displays is free Mondays – Thursdays. New for 2010 will be gingerbread cookie workshops called “Baking Memories.” Participants will be able to create their own gingerbread cookie masterpieces with the help of The Grove Park Inn’s chefs and staff. The “Baking Memories” workshops will be available Wednesdays through Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The cost is just $10 per participant and includes a sweet take-home treat. “Stories of Gingerbread” guided tours will allow guests to go behind the scenes and get details about the construction of unusual entries as well as the workings of the judging, competition and display itself. The hour-long tours will be available Wednesdays through Saturdays at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.  The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 & under.

3. Biltmore Village Dickens Festival – The first weekend in December (12/3 – 12/5), Biltmore Village transforms into a quaint Victorian village with horse-drawn carriages, carolers, storytellers, and instrumentalists. Everyone will be in period clothing and the Montford Park Players will perform excerpts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.  Cost is FREE! Hours: Friday, 5:00 to 7:00 pm; Saturday, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm; Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. For a full schedule of events, click here.

4. Santa on the Chimney at Chimney Rock Park - Watch Santa practice his climbing skills on 315-ft Chimney Rock. Santa sightings are between 11 am – 2 pm on December 4th & December 11th. Check out the website for more details. Park admission is required and we carry $1 off coupons at Blake House!Cost per person is $14; $6 for children age 6-15; children under 6 are free.

5. Downtown Asheville Jingle Fest – Sunday, December 5th from 3 pm – 6 pm. Cost is FREE! The first ever Downtown JingleFest will start off at 3 pm at Reuter Terrace in Pack Square Park with traditional Christmas caroling by Asheville Chorale Society, a few dance numbers from Asheville Ballet’s Nutcracker, a 6th grade African Drum group and girls choir from Delta House, the Montford Park Players portraying Dicken’s characters from A Christmas Carol,” the North Pole mailbox and a visit from Santa (the real one!), elves, reindeer and hot cider and snowman building competitions, snowball throwing contests.  At dark, we’ll go inside Pack’s Tavern to the Century Room (second floor) for some hot toddies and a special performance by Mark Keller and friends previewing their upcoming Holiday Jam benefit for Mission Hospital. More games and prizes… “Did someone say “Pin the tail on the reindeer?”  In keeping with the season of giving, people are asked to bring a blanket, gloves, scarf, etc. for ABCCM and/or cans of non-perishable food for MANNA Food Bank.  This will become an annual family-friendly (not beer-friendly until after dark), festive celebration of the season!

6. Last, but not least, I am running a couple of VERY Festive Specials at the Inn. One special per reservation. They are:

• BILTMORE ESTATE TICKET SPECIAL – Book a 3-night stay between 11/26 – 12/23 and receive a general admission ticket to the Biltmore Estate for half price!  Add a 4th night and receive a second general admission ticket for half price. All reservations are based on room availability and must be made with at least 48 hours notice before arrival.

• HALF OFF SPECIAL! – Through January 5, 2011, stay 2 nights, get the third night 50% Off! – Offer valid on stays between Sundays – Wednesdays (not applicable Thursdays – Saturdays).

• • Offer valid on any room, based on availability.
  • All other Inn policies apply.
  • Days must be consecutive and in the same room.
  • 50% Discount is on the nightly room rate only.

• SECOND PET STAYS FREE – Now through 12/23, pay the nominal $10 per day pet fee for the first pet and the second pet fee is WAIVED! This special applies for stays of two or more nights, any pet-friendly room, any days of the week.
  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Besides yoga, guests can enjoy massages (Thai, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Hot Stone, and Couples), and meditation classes. Blake House guests will receive a 15% discount off all services when you mention that you were referred by the Inn. In exchange, people who are referred to the Inn through Yoga South will receive a 15% discount off the nightly room rate for stays between Sundays – Thursdays.

If you want to relax a little before a hard day of shopping, Yoga South is offering a Black Friday Hot Flow Yoga Class:

Black Friday Hot Flow Yoga: November 26th, 8 – 9:30am

Burn the calories and sweat out the bad stuff from Thanksgiving. Come to a pre-shopping/post-turkey day detox class to recover from Thanksgiving and get mentally set for the rest of the year (as well as all the upcoming holiday shopping).

I have a couple of cards for a free yoga class to the first two Inn guests who mention this post.

I am a big proponent of social media and believe that it is not a fad, but something that will become more prevalent as a method for the exchange of information. I recently read about the B&Bs for Veterans program that was started in 2009 by the West Virginia B&B Association as a local, grassroots program to recognize  our Veterans. Participating B&Bs are offering a free night’s stay to Veterans on the night of 11/10 (or 11/11 which is actually Veterans Day).  And it was through Facebook that I learned of the program. Someone I knew in high school was wounded in Iraq and he began a company called IraqandBack.com that offers recognition, support and information for wounded warriors and their family. He posted something on his business Facebook page and as a Fan, I saw the post and thought, how wonderful that the B&Bs for Vets program was specifically designed for someone like me, a B&B owner. When I first signed up to participate over a month ago, mine was the only B&B in Asheville participating. Now, there are several in this area and over 900 across the country and internationally. And all of this is as a result of  people getting the word out to their friends and family. What a terrific first-hand example of the power of social media.

At first, I was very excited to have signed up and within 24 hours, I had booked all of my free night rooms. Of the 4 reservations I took, 3 have canceled, so I only have one room booked for Thursday night. While the three cancellations are disappointing, I started thinking that it’s highly likely that many vets just can’t come on the 10th or 11th. How can I continue the spirit of the program, but do it in a way that makes it accessible year-round and by all veterans? So, I came up with the Monthly Veterans Recognition Program.

Through this program, I will offer a free night’s stay every month to a Veteran. Each month, the date will change, but the free night could be any day of the week, including a Friday or Saturday night.  At the beginning of the month, I will post the date for the free night for that month on the Inn’s Facebook Page, Twitter (@blakehouseinn), LinkedIn, and any other social media sites I can. Any Veteran who wants the free night just needs to be a Fan of the Inn and respond to the post. The first responder gets it. Anyone who sees this should forward it to their family, friends, and veterans so that they can possibly enjoy a free night in a bed and breakfast and enjoy a wonderful, home cooked breakfast. However, there are some conditions…

Conditions -

1. The free night’s stay is for double occupancy. If the winning Veteran wishes to bring his/her family, there is a minimal Extra Person charge.
2. If the room being offered has a maximum occupancy of 2 people and the winner needs a larger room, you may upgrade and pay the difference between the rate for the free room and the rate of the upgraded room.
3. We do require a credit/debit card to hold the reservation. The card will not be charged, but is needed in case of damage or cancellation within our cancellation policy. Please only respond if you know you can make it. I would hate to give the room to someone who isn’t sure they can come and cancels at the last minute, leaving the room empty. If you aren’t sure, hold off until the next month.
4. All other Inn policies apply.

That’s it. Not so bad, I hope. I am excited to offer this program and thank all of our service men and women for all they have done and continue to do for this great country! If anyone is still looking for a place to stay on Veteran’s Day (Thursday, November 11th), give me a call (888.353.5227). Otherwise, follow the Inn on Facebook and look for the December free night date sometime around the 1st of December.