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By Maxine Pinson

Since becoming a travel writer, almost ten years ago, I have had the pleasure of experiencing dozens of B&Bs from Maine to California. The inns I have visited range from old/new, small/large, rustic/grand, enchanting/humdrum. However, some of my most memorable B&B experiences have been visits to inns which have developed a unique theme for their inn or thematic “rooms to remember.”

Themes for inns may be as varied and extensive as one’s imagination. I recently made a trip to the Midwest where I visited six different B&Bs; four of them focus on a specific theme. These B&Bs also share another common characteristic: each is located off-the-beaten path. When situated in a well-traveled tourist area, innkeepers do not always need to employ elaborate schemes to attract guests to their inn. However, when an inn is located in a remote or unknown area, more ingenuity may be required to help the B&B become known and enticing enough for reservations to be made.

I have visited inns housed in unusual historic properties: a 12th century English castle, an 18th century New England barn, a 19th century jailhouse, a frontier log cabin, a tin-roofed tenant bungalow, former slave quarters. Some of these B&Bs chose to incorporate a theme to embrace the uniqueness of their structure, but others did not. The choice is an optional one to be determined by the preference of the innkeepers. Owning a historic dwelling is not a prerequisite to implementing a theme for a B&B any more than purchasing a Pullman car is required for developing a train-related inn. Not every B&B needs a theme to be successful; if every inn were thematic, these inns would lose their novelty. Another important point to remember is that it is better not to have a theme at all than to have one overdone to the point of becoming tiresome.

For marketing purposes, weaving an inn’s theme into the inn’s name enables potential guests to determine the focus of a particular inn. If your B&B is already established and has a name, you still have the option of developing one or more theme rooms to add more pizzazz to your inn. Consider the special natural attributes or attractions of your locale when deciding on a theme. If your area lacks theme material, think about special interests or hobbies you have upon which a theme room or suite might be built. If you have an attic, a basement area, or an out building, consider converting it into thematic guest quarters. Or, if you have the space and funds, building a thematic cottage (or having a small cabin moved to your property) for guests desiring additional privacy or ones traveling with children. I have seen each of these options actualized in an effective manner which added to the inn’s marketability and ultimate success.

If creative ideas do not come to you easily, do a little research to help generate workable ideas. Begin by researching historical facts or local folklore of interest in your immediate area around which a theme might be fabricated. Even though it is not permissible to use word-for-word verbiage (without permission) from another inn’s Web site or brochure, I see nothing objectionable about getting theme ideas from other inns—especially from ones located in other parts of the country. By and large, I have found the innkeeping community to be a close-knit group willing to share ideas with each other in order to improve the bed and breakfast industry as a whole. However, even though having a special idea replicated might be considered a compliment by one innkeeper, it might be resented by another one. When an idea originates from someone else, use as many adaptations as possible so your personal imprint becomes apparent. Later, if someone asks you where you came up with such a “great idea,” give credit where credit is due.

Whether you are an aspiring innkeeper (interested in developing a thematic inn) or an innkeeper considering an expansion or changes at your present B&B, an inn with a theme can be fun for you as well as your guests. When fresh and innovative ideas are launched and woven into your marketing scheme, the results can be rewarding in more ways than you might anticipate—whether the concept involves a theme or something else entirely. Give it a try and see what happens!

Maxine Pinson is editor/publisher of The INNside Scoop (www.innsidescoop.com), a bi-annual B&B newsletter and author of INNside Scoop: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Bed and Breakfast Inns.” Maxine resides in Savannah, Georgia and may be contacted at innscoop@cs.com.