Autumn in the Valley

10/08/08

Well, it's finally autumn here in the valley. The leaves are just starting to change and the weather has been wonderful.

Most of our weekends are already booked, but we do have rooms available during the week.

This summer and fall we have seen a nice number if honeymooners. We are just a bit over an hour from Washington, DC. If you live in the DC metropolitan area, we are an easy drive ... whether for a weekend or for a week. If you are flying in to Dulles or National Airport, we make a great base for visiting the Shenandoah Valley and we are close enough to take day trips into Washington without paying the high costs charged by the hotels in the city.

Give us a call and we'll help you find lots to do here in the valley ... one of the most beautiful parts of one of the most beautiful states in the country!

Vacation in the Shenandoah Valley

With the price of fuel rising and air travel getting more difficult and expensive, why not spend your vacation close to home? The Shenandoah Valley offers everything you can get somewhere more expensive an hour from Washington, DC.

Sure the beach is fun ... if you like sunburn and sand in your ... clothes.

We have restaurants galore, beautiful scenery, and lots to do. We have some of the country's finest wineries within 20 minutes. The best hiking on the East Coast is along Skyline Drive and we're minutes from there.

Canoeing and rafting?? Where better than the Shenandoah?

Civil War history? Right in the back yard! Literally!!

We have it all!

We'll pamper you and you won't even have to work very hard to get here! We have a nice breakfast every morning and a pub in the house so you can pour yourself a pint or a glass of wine. Your toughest decision is whether to have your drink sitting in one of our overstuffed leather chairs in our parlor, in the rocking chairs on our beautiful screened in porch, or out under the wonderful old gazebo where you can watch out for our local humming birds.

Come out and spend a week with us and ask us for our vacation discount.

We're here just waiting to pamper you. Come on out!

On-line Reviews

Killahevlin is a proud member of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) and fully supports ... both in word and in deed ... the press release just published by PAII.

For Immediate Release Contact: Jay Karen, President & CEO
Professional Association of Innkeepers Internationaljay@paii.org
856-310-1102 phone
856-310-1105 fax
www.paii.org

Innkeeping Association Urges Ethical, Fair Behavior for Online Review Systems Haddon Heights, NJ, June 11, 2008 --- The largest international association of innkeepers is promoting standards to ensure fair and ethical use of online guest review systems -- one of the fastest growing segments of so-called "social media" on the Internet. The Board of Directors of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) is calling on its members to adhere to the highest ethical standards, for example to not offer incentives to guests for posting a review. Similarly, PAII is asking the companies that provide online review systems to respond fairly and in a timely manner when innkeepers complain to them about false or misleading reviews posted about their properties. In just a few years, online review systems have dramatically changed the way millions of people plan their travels. The web-based technology used by TripAdvisor.com, BedandBreakfast.com, and other companies enables leisure and business travelers to read first-hand reviews by other travelers of their experiences at hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, resorts, and restaurants. "The widespread use of online guest reviews is a fairly recent phenomenon, and many innkeepers feel at the mercy of exceptional situations, rather than what systems seem to be designed for - honest feedback from guests. The systems most widely used by B&B guests try to prevent fraud and unethical behavior, but they are not fail-safe," said Jay Karen, PAII's President and Chief Executive Officer. Karen said most of the problems he hears about from innkeepers involve mean-spirited, false and misleading reviews posted by guests, and the occasional difficulties experienced by innkeepers when pursing an expedient method of addressing problems. In a few cases, innkeepers have discovered false reviews posted by their competitors. "There have been media reports and assumptions that owners and managers of smaller independent properties, like bed and breakfasts, are somehow more prone to circumventing the rules of these sites. While this is not true, we want to set the record straight regarding the ethical standards this industry supports, and this statement articulates our position." PAII's position statement addresses the appropriate decorum which innkeepers should follow. In addition, the statement covers what the association's board feels is "fair play" for the sites that offer opportunities for guests to leave reviews. "False negative reviews on these sites can definitely color a potential guest's likelihood of making a reservation, and we want to encourage administrators of these sites to rapidly address grievances and reports of fraudulent activity," says Karen. "Lost business is a very serious matter, especially if you're an innkeeper with only 5 rooms in your inventory." Karen reports that the systems are generally working well for innkeepers, but that singular incidents of indiscretion seem to disproportionately impact innkeepers, who have reported grievances to the PAII office. "The leaders in the business of online reviews are TripAdvisor, which promotes its services to the general traveling public, and BedandBreakfast.com, which specializes in our industry. Innkeepers and guests should avail themselves to all reputable sources, but sites that demonstrate a deep understanding of the B&B marketplace are going to be most helpful when travelers are looking for the special experience offered by a stay at an inn or bed and breakfast." "While there have definitely been transgressions in any industry that has online user reviews, we believe the rules established by these web sites are only one piece of the puzzle," says Debrah Mosimann, PAII's board chair and owner of Swiss Woods Inn in Lititz, Pennsylvania. "It's important for an industry's representative group to establish its own benchmark of appropriate conduct. In many ways, these web sites are doing a great service for our industry by bringing to light matters that innkeepers need to address at their own properties, and yet also giving exposure to hidden gems in our industry that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Some days it seems like the Wild West out there with user reviews, and we hope to provide a little bit of guidance to the stakeholders in our industry - the user review sites and the several thousand innkeepers who deliver the experiences being revealed for the public to see." PAII's position statement, while not an official code of ethics, is intended to address a current matter of importance in the innkeeping industry. Contact:
Jay Karen, President & CEOProfessional Association of Innkeepers Internationaljay@paii.org856-310-1102 phone856-310-1105 faxwww.paii.org About PAII:The Professional Association of Innkeepers International is the innkeeping industry's trade organization, representing owners of bed and breakfasts and country inns. PAII provides education, communications, public relations, networking, and research services to its membership and the greater industry. PAII hosts the world's largest annual gathering of innkeepers, the Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show, and publishes the industry's leading trade publication, Innkeeping Quarterly (IQ).
# # #

Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII)Position Statement on the Ethics and Use of Online Reviews

Plan your vacation in the Shenandoah Valley

Trees are in full bloom.

Spring is in full bloom here in the valley and the weather is turning nice.

With the high cost of gasoline and the problems the air lines have been having, people are vacationing closer to home. The Shenandoah Valley offers physical activities such as hiking and canoeing and more relaxing activities such as visiting wonderful wineries, attending legitimate theater, or just reading a book here at the house.

We have all sorts of dining close by from fine dining to casual restaurants that offer wonderful food. Several restaurants offer live entertainment most evenings. We can help you find whatever you are looking for.

Why spend tons of money and fight the long lines at the air ports to go somewhere that isn't any prettier than the Shenandoah Valley. We are close to Interstates 66 and 81. You just don't have to travel thousands of miles to have a nice vacation!

If you are coming here from overseas, the weak dollar is great for folks travelling from Europe and we are easy to get to from Dulles International Airport.

Come to visit. We promise we'll do everything we can to make your stay memorable.

Hey! Where is everyone??

10/8/08 Update
Our good friend Tigger developed congestive heart failure and died this past week. He will be missed by everyone. He was always there to greet the guests and make sure they had the opportunity to enjoy his "fur therapy." Rest in peace old friend.

Tigger can't figure out where everyone is. He says to tell you that it's only 70 miles to Washington, D.C. and that you can come visit, spend a couple days seeing the wineries and hiking Skyline Drive and go home with gasoline to spare. The price of gas is lots cheaper out here. When our kids come visit from Northern Virginia and Maryland, they make sure their gas tanks are empty when they get here so they can fill up with our cheap gas.

Daffodil Watch

The Daffodils are opening and the weather is getting nice. Some of the flowering trees are starting to open too.

We have openings during the week and most weekends, so why not come visit?

Flowering Trees!

Well, a couple warm days and everything is popping out. We found our flowering crabapple tree has come out.

OK, maybe it's not a crabapple. Anyone know any different??

Daffodil Watch continued

It's been in the 60's the last few days and we have spent the last few days painting and freshening up the buildings.

Meanwhile, the flowers and shrubs are budding out. The daffodils are starting to open and lots of our bulbs are showing green. I imagine Kathy will soon be looking for plants so that the gardens that have been wearing their winter brown will be showing color.

Reviews

Lots of people have sites that allow the public to post reviews these days. We use those reviews before we spend our money. We hope people will post comments and reviews here and other places, but we don't ask them to do so and we won't engage in practices that corrupt the validity of candid reviews. BedandBreakfast.com has a place where our guests can post reviews. Tripadvisor.com is another.

We have become aware of people who are paying guests to post reviews on Tripadvisor.com. This practice is unethical in our opinion. Tripadvisor.com has been made aware of the specifics and has chosen to ignore this problem. Be aware as you read supposedly candid reviews that people can and will manipulate the system. We pledge that we will not do so!

Well, It's Spring

It's Spring here in the Valley and the flowers are starting to come up.

We found some daffodils back in the woods where the Carsons once had their gardens. The bulbs are pretty old and they weren't blooming because they had crowded themselves out and weren't getting any sun. We transplanted several clumps a couple years ago and for the first time they are starting to bloom. We'll update these pictures through the season and add more as our gardens start to bloom and maybe we'll be able to get a picture of a hummingbird when they come home for the summer.

Come visit and see for yourselves!