01-05-2009, 08:31 AM
B&B: I agree with csgray about the king bed - they are very useful to people who have a small child too.
I don't think you need a pool. People don't expect a B&B to be a destination in itself (like the Hilton Waikoloa). They want something clean, with a nice bathroom and maybe a little private lanai looking over some nice landscaping. You can offer to set up an inflatable paddling pool for young kids (though I have no idea what the liability would be for that).
Opening a B&B at this point in Puna would be brave. There are some lovely B&B's already and I don't think they are running full. One thing I would look at is providing room and board for overseas college students. I was helping a student find accommodation and the situation is dire - people wanting $700 a month for a damp unfinished basement with a 6 foot high ceiling. Students are also happier than tourists to share a bathroom. From what you save on that, you could buy a couple of old cars to "rent" to the students to solve the obvious problem of doing this in Puna (i.e. transport to UHH) or position yourself near a Hele-On bus route.
I don't think you need a pool. People don't expect a B&B to be a destination in itself (like the Hilton Waikoloa). They want something clean, with a nice bathroom and maybe a little private lanai looking over some nice landscaping. You can offer to set up an inflatable paddling pool for young kids (though I have no idea what the liability would be for that).
Opening a B&B at this point in Puna would be brave. There are some lovely B&B's already and I don't think they are running full. One thing I would look at is providing room and board for overseas college students. I was helping a student find accommodation and the situation is dire - people wanting $700 a month for a damp unfinished basement with a 6 foot high ceiling. Students are also happier than tourists to share a bathroom. From what you save on that, you could buy a couple of old cars to "rent" to the students to solve the obvious problem of doing this in Puna (i.e. transport to UHH) or position yourself near a Hele-On bus route.