Fearless

Bed Breakfast & Beyond

By now we’ve all been heavily steeped in COVID 19 restrictions. We’ve missed every social gathering, vacation, sports games and school events, even holiday festivities. As a country, we’ve tried to stay connected with Facebook Live events, Zoom meetings, and FaceTime video. But it’s just not the same. With the roll-out of vaccines, hopefully, we are on the downhill side of this mountainous problem. The impact of COVID 19 on our social lives can seem to pale in comparison to the economic impact.

One especially hard-hit area is that of mom and pop restaurants, shops, and business across the world. There has been a huge push to support local restaurants and shops who cater to carry out and car door delivery of food and goods. But what about the massively hit hospitality or travel industry? When you think of shopping local, do you think of the Bed and Breakfast down the road? If not, don’t worry, most people don’t. This unique industry is not kept afloat from neighbors and the towns they occupy. They earn their income from countrywide and worldwide travelers. That’s where this post comes in handy. Here’s my list of ways you can help support your local or favorite Bed and Breakfast.

(Disclaimer!) You don’t have to spend the night! A Bed and Breakfast can be so much more, especially with social distancing guidelines in place. Hear me out. The traditional inn has a minimal number of people in and out and owners typically have pride in their work unmatched to hired hotel staff. So you can ensure COVID19 cleaning guidelines are being followed to the T.

    • Many bed and breakfasts would love the challenge of serving a lite fare or a cocktail party instead of their usual breakfast fare. So get a few friends together for afternoon tea/coffee/happy hour, host a small book club meet up, or for that matter, almost any type of small club meetup. Lite fare does not have to be provided. Simply renting the
      space for a couple of hours would help.
    • Does the inn have an outdoor entertainment area? Firepit? An evening of campfire S’mores with the family sounds fun. Bonus points for being outside!
    • Hold your next small company meeting in the common area or any small meeting.
    • Enjoy a comfortable get together with friends you haven’t seen in a while for an evening of chatting and catching up.
    • How about a library alternative. The common areas of a bed and breakfast will beat library seating any day. Pay for an hour or two of a comfy chair, quiet reading.
    • And my favorite. Have a night out without really going out too far. Skip distanced restaurant dining or outdoor seating. Bring carry out and ask the host to serve it for a unique dining experience Covid style.

Most people don’t realize that a large number of bed and breakfasts can be the answer to your venue dilemma. Hosting wedding and baby showers is quite common and some might even offer up their kitchen for a catering company if that is your preference. In these seemingly desperate times, consider other ways you can support your local bed and breakfast, even for only a few hours.

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Author

Lisa Brooks
Superpowers include finding multiple uses for everything