B2B Travel ~ Why a Bed and Breakfast is a Strategic Choice for your Next Business Trip

 Know Before you Go: Why a Bed and Breakfast is a Strategic Choice for your Next Business Trip

When traveling for business professionals often find themselves choosing between two extremes clinical convenience and overpriced luxury.  A third option exists that perfectly melds high end luxury and the comforts of home.  By booking your stay at the local Bed and Breakfast, your experience can be customized to your dietary preferences, be given local expertise and provide unique value that a cookie cutter hotel simply cannot replicate.  

To ensure your next trip is productive and enjoyable here are four key questions that emphasize why a Bed and Breakfast is the superior choice for a business traveler:

1. Can you accommodate my specific dietary preferences at breakfast?  

Unlike a hotel that caters to the masses with a generic continental breakfast, your innkeeper at a Bed and Breakfast will be more than happy to tailor your experience and take into consideration your allergies or preferences.  The best part will be that everything will be ready when you are,  many innkeepers will adjust serving times to allow you to make the meetings you have planned.  

2. What are  your local  “hidden gems” for client dinners or downtime?  

The concierge desk at hotel chains usually will point you to the most touristy chains, that give none of the local feel.  While the innkeeper is part of the community and will share all the local expertise of the best restaurants for business dinners and local landmarks.    Be sure to take into consideration their suggestions for the most authentic visit, and see the glass bathrooms or the larger than life sized cows in the area you will be visiting.

3. What unique history or personality does this property have? 

Many hotels are modern builds on the side of the interstate with little to no personality not to mention the sound from the road traffic.  While many Bed and Breakfasts have a rich history just waiting to be explored.  Many properties have been meticulously restored to their former beauty and provide visitors with a sense of place and calm from the otherwise high-stakes business trip. 

4. What extra are included in my stay beyond the room?  

The “nickel and dimeing” of corporate hotels is a major frustration for many business travelers.  White at many Bed and Breakfast’, they provide value-added perks such as; free high-speed Wi-Fi, free parking or complimentary refreshments.  Beyond the logistics, the cozy common area can provide space for you to catch up on emails or explore a good book.  While providing that small business vibe that feels more inviting and professional than a crowded hotel lobby.  

Regardless of the duration of your trip, your choice of accommodations dictates the productivity and well-being.   This year make the trade from a sterile hotel to a Bed and Breakfast. Discover the character and personalized service that local hospitality can make on your professional journey. 

B2B Travel ~ Your Secret Weapon for Client Meetings

     Picture this, you are traveling for business to a new town and it’s a smaller market than you are used to and you still want to impress your clients with your local knowledge.  How can you best achieve this with a minimal amount of effort?  This is where a Bed and Breakfast is a great option. The innkeeper will have all the local knowledge and send you to the best locations to help impress your clients.

As a hospitality business owner, I believe the best travel experiences offer the same personalized service and local expertise I provide my own guests.  That’s why, at the Oaks Bed and Breakfast in Sulphur Springs, Texas, we treat every business traveler as a VIP with dedicated concierge service. Your stay is more than just a place to sleep; it’s your point of entry to a successful, memorable trip.  

We serve as a personal concierge to each guest, especially our business travelers.  The personal touch each guest receives is what marks every visit as unique. A lot of that personal touch is directing our guests to the best places to eat and find entertainment.  By choosing to stay at a local inn where you are a name instead of a number, your business travel experience is instantly elevated.

Imagine, it’s your first visit to Sulphur Springs, Texas and your clients asks you to select the dinner spot. Do you rely on generic online reviews or do you ask your local innkeeper for the best spot to take your client?  The smart choice is the latter. 

Your innkeeper knows the ins and outs of town and can guide you to the perfect choice for the entire group. Every time you travel to a new environment, you have an opportunity to make a powerful impression.  Do you need a unique venue for a client lunch, or a refined atmosphere to wine and dine a prospective customer?   

Choosing a local bed and breakfast or boutique inn offers a unique and authentically local stay that a chain hotel simply can’t match.  The local insight of a small business owner levels up your business because they are personally invested in your comfort and success. 

Demonstrate your willingness to learn and impress by leaning on local knowledge.  Your innkeeper will know the perfect spot to create an unforgettable experience for your client. We can direct you to a local caterer or, hint, we might even be able to prepare delicious, locally-sourced meal right here at the Oaks.   

Why take the predictable road?  Even if you have visited the same city multiple times, the next best restaurant is the latest food truck or just downstairs from your room.  Why not take the adventurous road and stay somewhere new and exciting to experience the town from a different point of view.  Discover the difference when your accommodation is more than just a place to lay your head it’s the launchpad for your business triumph.  

Around Town ~ Pink Brizilia

     

    This month we stopped in to visit with one of the newer boutique owners in Sulphur Springs.  Shelly De La Rosa, owner of Pink Brizilia.  After working in construction with her husband, Shelly decided that she wanted to branch out on her own and open a boutique featuring women’s clothing.  Fast forward four years later, and you can now find her boutique in downtown Sulphur Springs.  While she might miss working with her husband on a daily basis she is excited about her boutique and sharing it with all of her customers.  

After all, variety is the spice of life and downtown shopping has seen lots of changes and evolution in the shops over time.  One of the new additions to downtown Sulphur Springs shopping is Pink Brizilia.  The boutique is located at 220 Connally Street, Suite A, with hours Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Of course you can find great deals twenty-four/seven on their website at www.pinkbrizilia.com.  They even offer local, free pick-up with online orders there at the store, saving their customers money on shipping.  

Shelly is the owner and founder of Pink Brizilia and has had a storefront for almost four years, when she started her business in Mount Vernon.  Six months ago she made the move to downtown Sulphur Springs and has fallen in love with the location, warm welcome and the people.  Her overall goal for the store is for her customers “to know God the way she does and to be a blessing to those who walk into her boutique.”  When a customer walks in you are welcomed by her or her clerk and soft music, and beautiful clothing. 

Her clothing line is very unique compared to other boutiques in the area.  She offers modest attire and different collections for her customers, as well as clothing with bold patterns and colors.  Her favorite line has to be the dresses she offers.  From Maxi, Midi, and Mini, she offers dresses of all different lengths for a variety of occasions.  There is a dress for everyone at her boutique.

Now some of you may be wondering where she came up with the name for her boutique, Pink Brizilia. To start, pink is her favorite color so that was easy and Brizilia is her mother’s and daughter’s name. Add them together and you get Pink Brizilia. Family and God run deep in her store and heart so it was only natural for her boutique to be named after those she loves. 

Shelly is looking forward to an amazing fall and some wonderful new lines that they will be offering soon. Be sure to stop by and explore this great new boutique in downtown Sulphur Springs during your next stay at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast. They will even have  a booth at the Uncorked Wine Festival on October 11.

March Happenings

    March is just a few days away and things are starting to heat up in town.  There is something for everyone going on this coming month.  Here are a few that we found, that you might be interested in checking out.

As always Canton First Monday Trade Days will be the first Monday of March running from Thursday, March 3 - 5.  Be sure to stop by if you are looking for that hard to find item on your list or just want to help support some local businesses.  There is always something there for everyone.  

    The Hopkins County Civic Center has a full weekend calendar of  Horseshows and Longhorn Shows for everyone to attend.  Along with the High School rodeo finals towards the end of the month.  Be sure to stop by and support all those young athletes as the show off their skills.  

    The fun doesn't stop there, when the Circus comes to town.  The George Carden Circus will be here for two night on March 15-16 for everyone to see.  Come on down to the Civic Center to see the show.  This show will be a delight for everyone in your family, so grab your tickets today and pull up a seat.

    Saturday, March 19 is the Annual North East Texas Beer Run at Backstory Brewery.  This event will be a fundraiser for the Sam Kopal Foundation.  You won't want to miss this chance to get out and stretch your legs while helping to raise money for a good cause.   You can get tickets to enter at by clicking this link.  

    The following Saturday, March 26 Backstory Brewery is hosting a corn hole tournament for the Sulphur Springs Adult Leadership class.  This tournament will be a fundraiser to help make repairs and Kids Kingdom.  Come out and support, Lights, Stain, Action! This will be a fun day for the whole family.  Grab your cornhole team and sign up soon, before all the spots are filled.  

Let's Eat ~ La Victoria

    

     A wonderful, somewhat hidden, gem in Sulphur Springs is La Victoria.  A little Mexican food market that also happens to have a restaurant inside that serves food during the hours of operation.  Not only can you get authentic Mexican food to eat in house, you can do a little bit of grocery shopping as well.  La Victoria can be found at 1135 S. Broadway St, in Sulphur Springs.  

   

     They offer a good variety of choices for dining in or taking out.  Tortas, quesadillas, tacos and burritos.  Plus they have a daily special for each week day, we happened to go on Thursday (Jueves) and the special was Pozole.  One of our favorites but we all ordered something different.  I really want to go back and eat again on Friday for their special. 

   

     Breakfast tacos can be had, with just eggs or chorizo and eggs.  You can select your meat for your tacos, quesadillas and tortas.  The flavor is genuinely delicious and it makes you want to go back for more.  Not only do they make their dishes from scratch, they fry fresh chips and make homemade tortillas that you can purchase and take home with you.

    

    One of my favorite reasons to visit La Victoria is to enjoy a pastry.  Made fresh on the premises, the variety and scale of pastries can make any carb lover fall head over heals.  

   

     After you have finished eating be sure to check out the rest of the store to find fruits and vegetables that can not be found at your local grocer.  They even have a meat counter where you can get fresh cuts of meat to try your own hand at authentic fair at home.  

    

    Today we enjoyed breakfast tacos, veggie tacos, and beef quesadillas.  All made fresh for us while we waited.  This place was hopping for lunch, so be sure to go early and grab your food to go or stay to dine in.