Running a Motel

[lockstock]

We're kicking ideas around. There's an oldish thread on here but just wondering if anyone else is thinking about it/has thought about it/is doing it.
We used to run a B&B in Wales but this would be a major life change if we went through with it. Any ideas, comments, points of view? All observations welcome.

[cani]

It's a 24/7 job. Unless you have family or staff that can take over so you can get away once in a while it's very draining. I manage a rail lodge and have been able to get away for one week in the last two years. Considered doing it in NZ but feel tired just thinking of doing it anymore. Looking into something more Monday to Friday, 9-5. If you're in an area that's seasonal so you have a slow down part of the year it may not be too bad, you can catch up on sleep. Whatever you decide, good luck.

[Carey]

Close friends of ours run a beautiful hotel; very, very hard work, 24/7, the customer's always right etc. makes it very demanding job. Got to really like people and not mind your personal living space being invaded constantly.

[StevieD]

Good luck if you go for it!! It is hard work though...

[Nick88]

I did it for two years, nine months, ten days and three hours, not that I was counting.....When we first took it over it was the worst motel on the best street, and it needed a huge amount of work, which ended up being 14 hours a day seven days a week for 15 months (not a single day off). By the end of it we needed a holiday.

It is really hard work (which I'm not afraid of), and you get very little privacy (which I value very highly). You are on call 24/7, which means you can never be sure if you will be called away from whatever you are doing, be it getting a littlun off for a nap or just going to the toilet. Customers will think nothing of calling you to ask for more towels at 1am, or ringing to make bookings mid afternoon (in Europe!).

I nearly ended up turning into Basil Fawlty!

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Definitely something we've considered and still would consider if the opportunity were right.

Our main concern was getting enough opportunities to have time away from the place which involves one of - having enough staff to run the place; having enough 'owners' to share the load; having enough income to afford relief managers.

Maybe we should get together and go halves on one.

[nippa&pippa]

Our friends own motel near hagley park/hospital in Christchurch. I just saw them yesterday as they kindly take us to hospital in my car and brought my car home while i was hospital for whole afternoon (save $10 on parking!!). I asked them about running motel. They love their jobs but very hard work as they rarely get time off, even they haven't been over to my house for while because they were so busy. Recently, wife was so exhausted, so husband arranged her have time-off by staying with his friends in australia for 5 nights, doing shopping She look much fresher yesterday
They said it is hard to get time off, also annoying is the customers call you for milk at 6:30am when the sign said they're not open till 8am!! but best of running motels is meeting customers and get to know us! They love playing with/babysitting our kids

[Moorf]

We've "almost" bought into a motel several times since being here... the factors that always change our mind are the privacy, time off and having to deal with annoying people at all hours... it's always been a nice idea but in reality it's not for us...

[Ojai]

I thought a nice B&B in Napier would be a great idea, but after some thought I figured that I would have no privacy at all, ever. Like Nick88 said, I think I would turn into Basil Fawlty in about a month!

Shame though, as it seems like it would be such a nice life, but it does look like the reality doesn't match the dream to me.

Now if I can just get that charter boat idea off the ground...

[lockstock]

I nearly ended up turning into Basil Fawlty!

My ambition precisely!


BBB...guess who would be doing all the work when the Test Matches are on!