Our Hotel Rooms - The Furniture

The main reason of the furniture we place in a hotel room, is to be making your stay comfortable, give it a homey feeling and a minimal challenge to be dealing with, creating flawless little spaces for each task.
It is rather a simplistic way of saying "thank you, we designed the space for you to easily navigate around, and we hope there is nothing in your way"

During the years, I leaned that people will change the furniture around in the room and, no matter what we do, everyone has an idea they like you to listen to and eventually expect you to change the furniture according to their suggestions. It's not going to match everyone's taste.

The hotel owners, proprietor or whatever you feel like calling us, have a greater responsibility that many can think of! In everything we do, at least 99% of the time, we will have you in mind: when we furnish a room, when designing that, when we decorate, with every move and purchase we are taking in consideration how functional that is, how that particular product services the purpose of making your stay comfortable, how easy is to have appliances placed in a particular spot in a room...

We are people with knowledge, - or all of us should be, knowledge of interior design, - color coordination, educated ourselves and have the information on how our facility should have a lasting impression on your visit and,  we hope you to build great memories of your stay and to remember our place for a long time.

So, as much as we love to listen to your suggestions, they are not always to the most's benefits and furniture is set in the room with a purpose, of design and comfort in mind!
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Travel - renovation and a competitive advantage!

Interior makeovers give historic buildings new life as hotels

Historic buildings that evoke the elegance of a past era are finding new lives as modern, instantly iconic hotels.

One benefit of the reuse, recycle mindset that has developers creating fabulous new properties in the shells of once-grand buildings is that elegance and glamour are returning to interior design.

This is just an informative article for our customers.
http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=13065

Renovations:

The development of capital replacement budgets and the setting aside of reserves for replacement are long term strategies that keep a property fresh and competitive in the marketplace. If an organization has reserves for replacement set aside, now may be a good time to implement needed renovations which will allow the property to emerge stronger when the economy improves.

The accelerated price of energy earlier this year suggests that renovations related to energy efficient technology would yield future returns. If the property is experiencing reduced occupancy, renovation disruptions will be minimized relative to the guest experience. So, I think we did very well for the past year!

A native of Germany, he says this is a European sensibility. "In America you think, 'It's bigger, it's better,' but many places in Europe you didn't have the space, so you made very small jewels."

This is exactly how we think about our property as a "JEWEL" - that is!

Renovation, staying in business in tough times and meeting the "GREEN" guidelines

http://www.ahla.com/Green.aspx?id=24560

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and just another 'Green" fun link!

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/8/twelve-amazing-shipping-container-houses.html

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Spring is in the Air!

It might not be that Spring had arrived yet, but, we get the feeling of the whole nature returning to life and getting ready to revive, to bloom, to challenge the entire environment (atmosphere) with all kinds of fragrances! ... with those birds songs, geese are lined up in the sky and started migrating....

The sun is on the ski mostly every day, all day, sometimes all week. It's long since we had any forecast,...it's like we need that, and we are awaiting for something to happened, maybe some rain,...

Leaves will grow fast and will enhance the sound of winds in the area, coming through and going by and again, carrying life and beauty along to perfect our enjoyment and fulfilling what is usually missing those winter months.

This winter it wasn't as long and dragging, I was busy with different projects. I managed to take a short vacation.

With spring coming there are some other events we are celebrating this time of the year!

Starting with St Patric's Day, then is Earth day - we do have a special event for that date!

Then there is a proposed "GREEN" Open House and Busness Fair on the premises planned for last weekend of March and 1rs in April. More to be listed in details on our Calendar on the web page. We are remembering the Customer Appreciation date as well - now called "Sprint into Spring," so, visit us and enjoy shopping in our great area.

Keep an eye on our calendar of events! (Off my web page - it's constantly being updated)

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Making any place Sustainable

There is so much anyone can do about becoming Green, you can take the smallest steps and you can still see results.

I wrote soome articles about the subject, and I would say it's a list of rewards we got for accomplishing a "GREEN" establishment. See for yourself.

How to get your house green in small steps

and

Making our Historic Inn Sustainable,


For those in the industry,

"You are invited to sign up for a FREE subscription to the lodging industry’s only weekly environmental news publication. (See sample below.) You will never be charged to receive it. How does one sign up? Go to www.greenlodgingnews.com and fill in your e-mail address in the form on the right hand side of the home page."

We wish everyone a successful 2009!

"GREENING" My Place!

Ah...GREEN, when I say the word, I think of CLEAN!
Green is also my color of preference!

It's always great to share your story; someone might learn something from it!

I. Even the 1st year when we took over, the one small thing we took care off was the light bulbs - CFL (compact Fluorescent Lights). They were replaced with the CFL in all fixtures that we could fit them in, indoor or outdoor lighting.

II. Recycling was always a passion of mine, I could call myself a "recycler" fanatic. We determined that we will continue our habits, no matter were we live. (P.S. - I am also making arts out of recycle goods)

TIPS (for the house):

• Invest in a dishwasher, you will be using less water, detergent and time to accomplish the task!
• Do not place stove, dishwasher or other heat producing units next to the refrigerator or freezer
• One common thing is, people overlook using cloth rags instead of towel paper; it's still a better option even so you have to do laundry - or use sham-wow!
• Find a better cleaner - non-toxic, organic
  

III. I immediately implemented the bed sheets/towels program,


For those that are not familiar with this: if a room is occupied more then one night, we ask customers to request when they want the bed sheets changed and for used towel to drop them in the shower area, like this I know to leave fresh towels for them. (this saves you on laundry, detergent, water and labor.) - for more info visit here!


IV. Replacing old windows, imagine they were the originals, one pane window on old frame....
We looked for an energy star product and had the job done the 1st winter here, double pane, locally produced...
I can FEEL the difference now!

Concluding after one busy season, we decided to remodel the bathroom, however, I call this a DESIGNER MAKE OVER - it is so much more then just deep skin cleaning and having a new shower area.

Improvements of the bathrooms where to start fresh, everything went out the door and the new and sustainable products were replacing those old things.

MORE savings tips:

• replacing soap bars with liquid soaps
• install a toilet that - preferably, has a dual flush, (I went from a 4gal/use to 1.6gal/use)
• place recycle bins in your work and kitcken area, this is a good reminder.
• use a low flow shower head that can save you some money and give you even more then you expect
  

Overall, I felt like I had 2 Full Time Jobs, even so I like to call this establishment my business.
The East wing was finished this past spring and now we are almost done with the West wing, as I like to call it.

Taking Charge of our Business

When we took over this property - The Usonian Inn, - Frank Lloyd Wright, architectural design building, we vowed to make it a sustainable establishment.

First year, I was just learning the business, and I pulled it off; we finished strong - even better then what was happening here before. Great occupancy rate and customers satisfaction as well.

We started with raising the standard this property could offer, to enhance its potential, to meet our expectations first and create more comfort to our valuable guests.

All rooms have refrigerators, microwaves and individually coffee makers.

The TV service was upgraded to DirecTV, 200 channels with game lounge and non commercial movies, Cinemax, Showtime, HBO, FLIX, and sport package, football, tennis, etc.;

We implemented the provision of High Speed Wireless Internet Service throughout the building, at no cost to our patrons. (previously no service was offered at all)

A full package of business services - fax, printer,copy - is offered as well.

This was then,...

Read more of my blogs to follow our progression on the great improvements and the DESIGNER MAKE OVER!