The Innkeeper's Diary

An aspiring innkeeper makes the shift to professional innkeeper

Eleanor Ames, co-owner of the former Bluemont Bed and Breakfast in Luray, Virginia, wrote several columns for this site about the life of an innkeeper. These "innkeeper's diary" entries give an inside look what life is really like when you buy a bed and breakfast and prepare to open it.

Below are links to all of her entries into The Innkeeper's Diary, which I consider must-reads for any aspiring bed and breakfast innkeeper.

The Dream Begins (Entry #1)
How the idea to run a bed and breakfast first entered Eleanor's mind.

The Search is On (Entry #2)
Eleanor talks about her experiences trying to find a bed and breakfast to purchase.

It's All in the Details... Creating Calm from Chaos (Entry #3)
Eleanor arrives at her recently purchased inn only to discover it's not nearly as ready for business as she thought it was.

We Are Open! (Entry #4)
Finally! Eleanor's inn is open for business and she welcomes the first guests to Bluemont Bed and Breakfast.

NOTE: Since this feature was originally posted, Eleanor and her husband ran the Bluemont Bed and Breakfast for several years before retiring.