“About check-in. We have this great software I can hook the hotel up to. It tracks room occupancy and allows guests to check in directly from their phones.”
Bev looked at me unconvinced. “I’m sure that’s great and all, but a lot of guests like to check in at the front desk. It’s part of the small town charm to welcome them and give them local recommendations.”
“Right, of course. And they still have that option. This would just be for people checking in late that maybe want to get straight to sleep or something like that. Trust me. It’s a great time saver.”
“If you say so.” Bev gestured toward the stairs. “Let me show you the basement. Not much to look at down there, but it’s where the laundry machine is and the supply closet.”
We walked down the stairs, and Bev opened the door.
“There isn’t a lock or anything on it to keep guests out?”
“Haven’t ever bothered with one. Usually, guests aren’t wandering around down here.”
“Might be a good idea to add one, just in case.”
I surveyed the small basement. There was a large industrial washing machine and shelves stacked with linens and other supplies, as well as an old green couch in the middle of the room.
“We dragged that thing down here years ago. Sometimes it’s nice to sit down here when you’re doing a bunch of loads and folding everything.”
“Of course,” I said. “This setup looks pretty organized. Do you keep an inventory of everything?”
Bev laughed. “So many questions.”
“Sorry. I’m just excited to jump right in.”
“We don’t have an inventory list but feel free to knock yourself out.”
I pulled out my phone to make a to-do list.
Bev led me upstairs and through the hallway, back to the lobby area.
“You’ve already seen this room, but let me give you the lay of the land.” She gestured to the front desk. “Obviously, this is our check-in area. We’ve got two employees that take most of our night shifts. In the center, we’ve got what I like to call our gathering area. We light a fire most evenings.”
“Have you ever done a complimentary happy hour for guests?”
She shook her head.
“Might be a nice idea to do once a week. Builds a sense of comradery and often leads to glowing reviews, and all we have to do is invest in a few bottles of wine.”
I jotted down a note.
“Welp, that’s pretty much the tour.”
“What’s that room used for?” I pointed to the space beyond the fireplace that I had noticed yesterday. It was sparsely furnished and separated from the main lobby by a half wall.
“We used to offer a complimentary breakfast that we served in there. But since most folks that come here are looking to get an early start on the slopes, we never got many takers. We transitioned to coffee and muffins by the front desk for people to grab and go. Now this room basically sits empty.”
I walked over to it and examined the room. An extended bar area, likely used as the breakfast buffet, ran along the right back wall. I noticed the room had an exterior exit that led to the main street, which was just a block away from the ski resort.
There was also a double door on the left side. I walked over and poked my head through to discover a small kitchen.
“It almost seems like it used to be a restaurant.”
“Once upon a time, when my parents owned this place, it was. They served homestyle meals to locals and anyone visiting. I used to love coming in here as a kid. Made the whole lodge feel alive.”
“Why did it close?”
She shrugged. “Too much work, I guess. They had it open for at least two decades before calling it quits when they got older. It had been shut down for years by the time my sister and I took over the place.”
