Little things mean a lot

Clio Suite

Angels dwell in details.  As I'm sure I've mentioned before, every room in our inn is a different color.  This doesn't only mean the walls.  All the ceilings are a different color, too.  Shall we take a tour of the ceilings in the Clio Suite?  I don't have anything better to do.

When the suites are unoccupied, I like to linger in them.  By unoccupied, I mean that no one is currently staying in them.  They aren't rented.  I don't hang out with people's luggage while they're out sightseeing and having adventures.  

Someone rang our doorbell the other day and asked to see all the suites.  "I thought that everyone would be out in the afternoon and you could show me the rooms.  I have family coming to town in June and I'd like to rent the whole house, but I want to see the suites first," she said.

I informed her that the house was full.  "You mean everybody's home?" she asked.  I answered, "No, but all the suites are rented.  If you rented a suite, would you want strangers traipsing through?"

"I don't see what difference it would make if they're not here," she answered.  It was a difference of opinion and our opinion mattered more.  When you stay with us, your space is sacrosanct.  Frau Schmitt or I, or Tammie the Housekeeper, will go into the suite to change replace the glasses, make the bed, sweep the floor, and clean the bathroom, but nobody else.  Nobody else.  What you do in the suite is nobody's business.  Not even ours.  We are very discreet.

Tammie the Housekeeper

We are not a hotel.  We are a small boutique inn.  Our inn meant to be an oasis.  I informed our visitor that I thought we have a day toward the end of May when the house will be empty.  That was as of this writing.  It being May in New Orleans, we will probably have people staying with us that day, too, but not as of this writing, and we won't be able to show any rooms that are occupied.  "The end of next month is a little close to when I want to make a reservation," she told me, "I'll see if someone else will show me their rooms."  I bid her goodbye.

I don't know what the policies are at other B&Bs.  Maybe someone else will let her see their guests' unmentionables.  We won't.  If we don't get her business, so it goes.  We think some things are more important than getting as much business as we possibly we can.  As professional innkeepers, we are in this for the long haul, trying to do what is right.  By doing what it right consistently, we hope to build our reputation.  It takes time, but it is the right thing to do.  What's the point in having locks if anyone off the street can go into your rooms?

Didn't this start out as a tour of ceilings?  It was supposed to be.

Corner in Clio

The ceilings in the Clio Suite are purple.  The walls in Clio's sitting room are a shade of teal.  The ceiling in the sitting room is a dark purple.  Why not?  Frau Schmitt always tells me, "You can't be afraid of color."  She is usually right about these things.  We love the fact that our house is so colorful.  Our guests do, too.  Have you ever slept in a room with purple ceilings?  It's very relaxing.

Another corner in Clio

The bedroom in the Clio Suite is pink.  I know, teal and pink.  It shouldn't work, but it does.  It works because of the purple ceilings.  The ceiling in the bedroom is a bit lighter.  There are angels in the details.

Also the Clio Suite

There are about 150 licensed B&Bs in New Orleans.  There are plenty of unlicensed ones, as well.  We are licensed, inspected, bonded, and insured.  We are up to code.  We are professionals.  As ambassadors for our city, our job is to ensure that you are comfortable and cared for.  Our job is to ensure that you enjoy your stay.  Our job is to ensure that you leave New Orleans full of good memories.  Everyone has stories to tell after they leave New Orleans.  Our job is to ensure that our guests have only good stories to tell about their stay.

A votre santé,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.