Bed and breakfast classes provide an appealing way to attract more guests. With more people embracing lifelong learning, innkeepers can offer to teach classes on what they know. Moreover, with more people eager to return to traveling, this is a creative way to satisfy both needs.
Promote Your Classes, Activities, & Events
First, a great way to continue to update your guests is by sharing your activities and events in an online calendar. Second, you can also feature your events in blog posts. Third, you can post across social media.
Applewood Manor in Asheville, North Carolina
Rob Sales was the Listing Real Estate Agent for Applewood Manor in Asheville, NC when this Select Registry property sold in 2022. The new owners, Stephen and Robin Collins, along with their equally talented staff, are hosting some incredibly entertaining events. Applewood Manor Calendar Events include:
- Michelin Star Guest Chef Experiences: Kane Sorrells; Xavier Mathieu
- Dinner at Applewood: French Bistro Nights
- Featured Artists: like Angela Alexander
- Featured Authors: like Tom Collins
- Free Cycling Every Saturday Morning (weather permitting; bring your own bike or rent one of their 3T Exploros): “Starts from Fudruckers on Charlotte Street. Join the fastest men and women’s cyclists in Asheville for a demanding rumble to the town of Marshall and back. The A group requires advanced levels of fitness and group riding skills. Regroups after the descent of Early’s Mountain and in Marshall.”
The Lady Mary Inn at Hurd Manor in North Berwick, Maine
The Lady Mary Inn at Hurd Manor in North Berwick, Maine shares their full calendar of various 2023 activities. The following is a sample of the activities that chef & owner Ryan will be hosting at his Select Registry property.
Artistic Events:
- Murder in the Manor: a mystery game with a theme tailored to the group, all guests will receive character personas in advance of arrival to allow each guest time to practice their role & to come prepared with festive outfits specific for their character, only after the characters sort through the evidence, gossip, and search for clues will the murdered be revealed
- Creative Writing Weekend: a writing-intensive weekend in a delightful place full of inspiration, guided by a gifted teacher, balanced with interactive group discussions and focused, free time for writing
- Intro to Painting: spend the afternoon with painter Dennis Poirier as he teaches you how to find your inner artist talents, all art supplies provided; you only need to come with your creative eye, this is great for everyone, no experience required
Culinary Opportunities:
- Beginner Intro to the World of Wine: learn about the process of making wine, tips for buying wine, how to taste wine, how to order wine with confidence, how to host a wine tasting, and how to further develop your interest in wine
- Baking Weekend: spend the weekend in a hands-on, in the kitchen session with chef & owner Ryan, focused on the intricate art of baking, a short into class on baking methods, learn pro tips on how to master some baking classics, like the perfect pie crust, classic cream puffs, and unique (and easy) clafouti–am entertainer’s secret dessert
- Valentine’s Day Chocolate Class: spend the weekend in a hands-on, in the kitchen session with chef & owner Ryan, there’s a chocolate tasting to better understand the qualities and varieties of chocolate, you will learn professional tips on how to work with chocolate, bake a chocolate cake, and go home with several chocolate confections
- Beer Brewing Weekend: spend the weekend getting a first-hand look at brewing craft beer, we will go to Orchard Hill Farm to create our own farmhouse ale, assist in bottling, and sample some local craft brews
Outdoor Events:
- Garden Clean-Up: “April showers bring May flowers”, but May flowers also come with garden clean up, bed preparation, & planning; spend the weekend enjoying a hands-on intensive with gardener & host Ryan, you will learn sustainable gardening methods, have a crash course in composting 101, and obtain a new perspective to gardening
- Pollinator Weekend: spend the weekend in the gardens at Orchard Hill Farm, understanding the sustainable gardening methods that allow us to have ever blooming gardens and provide a sanctuary for our pollinator friends, you will learn the benefits of a garden free of harsh chemicals, and if the weather allows, we will open up the bee hives for a first-hand look into the amazing honey bee colony
The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island in St. Simons Island, Georgia
A remote and remarkable Select Registry getaway, Little St. Simons Island is an all-inclusive eco-lodge beloved for its gracious hospitality and natural beauty. Accessible only by boat, this secluded island escape offers seven miles of pristine beaches and over 11,000 acres of wilderness for 32 nightly guests.
Experience the Island’s unique wildlife and ecosystems on naturalist-guided adventures, from hiking to kayaking. Stays include charming accommodations, ferries to and from the island, three meals daily, outdoor gear, and guided excursions. Experience the Island where nature is the luxury.
Special Events (depending on the time of year) include:
- Turtle Days: Little St. Simons Island’s pristine coastline provides critical nesting habitat for endangered Loggerhead turtles. Each summer, female turtles venture from the Gulf Stream to beaches along the Atlantic to nest.
- Fly-Fishing Workshop: Whether you’re a freshwater fly fisherman looking to test new waters, or a spinning reel fisherman looking to learn a new method, there is no better opportunity than the Little St. Simons Island Fly Fishing Clinic.
- Marine Clean-Up: Marine debris clean-up days at LSSI are a wonderful opportunity to participate in marine conservation. Our January event will be a clean-up of Little Saint Simons Island’s 5-mile main beach.
- Spring Birding Days: Celebrate the spring migration on Little St. Simons Island! Guest ornithologists join our staff naturalists on excursions, highlighting the abundance of species that flock here during this special time.
- Oyster Roasts: A coastal custom, oyster roasts are a classic way to experience the bounty of the low country on Little St. Simons Island. Hosted in the Lodge yard beneath towering oaks and Spanish Moss, delight in regional fare as Naturalists grill a fresh bushel of oysters over an open fire.
- Shark Days: This event is a deep dive into shark biology and the role of sharks in marine ecosystems! Join shark biologists and Little St. Simons Island naturalists on adventures and activities that give you and your family hands-on experience with real research.
Your Own Bed & Breakfast Classes & Special Events
If you need help thinking about what bed and breakfast classes and special events you could offer, we’ve got some ideas. First, start by asking questions, like the following:
- What could we teach guests who visit our inn? (culinary classes, floral arranging, yoga, etc.)
- What types of guest activities and interests does our local area attract? (artists, wine tasting, etc.)
- What special weekend retreats could we host at our bed & breakfast? (photography, writing, etc.)
Next, if you know a local expert who can teach a special retreat, you can work with them to host the event at your accommodations. This should be scheduled well in advance to have time to organize and promote it.
Thus, there is no limit to the creativity of your events. However, please make sure that this is something your ideal guests will love. For example, consider emailing your list and/or polling potential guests on social media to get their feedback.
B&B Consulting
If you’re looking to buy or sell a bed and breakfast inn, please don’t hesitate to contact licensed realtor Rob Sales, of B&B Consulting. Notably, Rob specializes in B&B properties. Moreover, he successfully owned and operated B&B inns, alongside his wife Jane. Thus, Rob is an experienced real estate agent with a solid reputation for excellence. Contact Rob today for a complimentary phone conversation.