Neil_Oz

Liz, I value precision in language, and an employee of a government business enterprise is not a public servant - this point is not "moot". Public servants are tasked with administering government legislation and strictly speaking are employed under the Public Service Act.

More importantly, my working conditions, objectives, performance measurement and (non-) security of tenure were virtually identical to my counterparts in other IT&T companies. Having provided consultancy services to one of them I can speak with some authority here.

In any event, my recollection is that that aspect of my (somewhat varied) employment history was, if I'm not mistaken, disclosed to you in a private email in which from memory I was discussing your difficulty in getting a broadband service. Obviously I shall have to be more circumspect in future.

Now I suggest we both get back to the point of the thread and stop making an emotional mountain out of the molehill of some light-hearted comments which were NOT aimed at the majority of B&B proprietors, a business which I'm happy to concede I know as much about as you know of mine.

lizF

If you behave then I will behave Nei. You may have told me in a private email that you worked for Telstra but you also wrote that in one of your posts.

fuzzylogic

The OP will forgive, I hope, but need to come back on this. I have learned much from the posts from folk who have run/do run a B&B. I can see that govt regulations have contributed to the demise of the B&B as it once was. So, experts, does that mean that someone with a spare room can't have what used to be called a "paying guest" without fire doors and all that stuff. I mean the room could just as well be used by a non-paying family member who happened to be visiting? Are we talking public liability here - of the venous and insane variety that seems to have been imported from the US?

Is that where we're at?

And I grant you that $100 is not expensive for a DOUBLE, A DOUBLE, A DOUBLE!! You will get my drift.

What about people travelling alone?
And I really don't care what's offered for breakfast - it's only food, and all I want is a place to SLEEP with access to a shower.

I don't want a five course breakfast. I actually don't care about breakfast at all - a coffee is all I ask; and I'd be more than happy if even that was not offered as long as there was a kettle somewhere.

And I wasn't really talking about tourist hotspots like Cairns. More about heading away from the coast. With the net the compulsion to book in advance has grown. But you can't expect small B&Bs to have a website. Neither, now that the fashion is for lots-of-frills places, can you be sure that there will be anywhere just ordinary when you arrive in that small town.

And I find that sad.

Another sign of the homogenisation of everything.

You, yes, I feel strongly about this.

lizF

Fuzzylogic you have hit the nail on the head. For instance ( and I am 4 years out of date here) the NRMA/RACQ/RACV etc charge about $450 to rate your accommodation and for them to put it in their booklet stating great things like 1Qbd,ph,sh,tv ***
The local Council charge several hundred $ to arrive unannounced and do a raid on your kitchen etc in the name of health regulations, when I had my B&B we had to have a corning wear chopping board, a green one for vegetables, a red one for meat, a white one for bread etc etc. Fire door, fire extinguishers, blankets, alarms were to be checked ( at a fee) several times per year. My drinking water and my septic/sewerage arrangements were inspected 4 times per year at $85 per inspection. That is for starters - then there are the annual fees for licences for this and for that.
You cater for the market you have i.e. my market was for people getting away for a relaxing weekend and therefore a great breakfast was part of the deal. In other areas where your B&B is more for travellers then they will cater for that market and the breakfasts will be according to those needs. The days of the extra bedroom being used for the odd overnighter for rental is over and the fine for having your establishment unlicenced is mega-bucks. Yes we have entered an era where things have been made more structured, cost heaps more and have more red tape than a ticker tape parade. We used to budget on the first four months being for costs and overheads - the next four months being for taxes etc and the remaining four months may be yours if you are lucky.
Actually with the exception of breakfast the difference in expenses in having one person compared to two is very little - perhaps $10

pat_woolford

fuzzylogic, I don't think any B&B would survive these days without a website, or at least belong to a B&B association that provides one.

I couldn't care less about breakfast either, a cup of coffee and a piece of toast would do, but would say 90% of guests will go for a full b'fast if its offered. And often won't come to a B&B if its not. After all, it is Bed and Breakfast. It gives guests a chance to sit down together and interact, talk about their travels, and usually fills them up enough not to need lunch.

pat_woolford

Just wanted to add that Liz's remark re AAAT (umbrella group for RACQ, NRMA, etc) is particulalry valid. Its the only official body to award "star" ratings and once upon a time this service was free - now you have to pay for the joy of being inspected. Coupled with the Gestapo-like tactics of some of the inspectors, this is why many B&B's choose not associate with AAAT these days and prefer to have no star rating at all. Interesting to note that this month's edition of Australian Traveller, purported to be Australia's largest selling travel magazine is carrying a four page ad from AAAT aimed at dissuading travellers from using B&B's without AAAT's official star rating.

Neil_Oz

Pat, another trap I'm sure you know about is Lonely Planet listings. We stayed at a motel at Port Stephens and I tried my luck for a senior's discount, only be told honestly and straightforwardly by the owner that ever since they made Lonely Planet she had no need to offer any kind of discounts. Well, fair enough. It was a friendly and convenient place with character - translated, the rooms seemed not to have been updated since the 1960s, and the number of backpackers in residence seem to have taken all the urgency out of any plans for a makeover.

("Character" is a great word. An English motoring writer once said that if you ever hear somoene say of their car "Well, yes, you're right I suppose, but it has so much CHARACTER..." you can bet they're talking about either a Jaguar or an Alfa Romeo.)

weweresad2

Thankyou all: adeben,fuzzylogic,Fabio,amaclise,NeilOz,SnRSeattle ,lizF,speckles,wombat,pat woolford and Andrew David ALL your comments and suggestions have been noted and we appreciate it a great deal.This is a wonderful web site, isn't it?Travellers helping travellers and having a good time doing it .I've updated our itinerary with some changes (thanks to you) and hope you will look at it.Different thread,same title.It will be on this web page soon . Regards, Ian&Allora