About Us
"Built as" contemporary B & B at Lake of the Ozarks - with eight (8) consecutive 5 star Certificates of Excellence from Trip Advisor and back to back Trip Advisor Hall of Fame awards. Private hot tubs, fireplaces, twosome tubbies (jetted tubs) and fabulous showers - plus a dock on the Lake! Come see us; leave with happy hearts! www.HarbourRidgeInn.com
How We Got Started
Sue left the corporate banking world nearly two decades ago to enter the hospitality field - and has never looked back!
The products and services we offer
Recommendations Received (16)
"Hotel and Lodging"
"Sue is the shining star for the Bed and Breakfast Community at the Lake of the Ozarks! She..."
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"Sue is the shining star for the Bed and Breakfast Community at the Lake of the Ozarks! She continues to promote the quality and outstanding service that those of us at the Lake offer for our guests while vacationing at the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks! My many thanks to her for her time and dedication!"
Products & Services
Discover what pampering is all about. Sleep like a baby on our luxurious Comphy Company linens. Enjoy fireplaces (flicker fireplaces to set the mo...
Our four guestrooms and guest cottage in our adjacent Big Red Barn are all zoned for privacy, have fireplaces, decks or patios to relax on with a g...
Choose a simple or elegant winter fireside elopement ceremony, spring garden wedding or small wedding in the gazebo! We handle all the details to ...
Gallery
Recommendations Given (5)
"The Lake is so fortunate to have a venue like Ozarks Amphitheater here. The open air concert..."
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"The Lake is so fortunate to have a venue like Ozarks Amphitheater here. The open air concert arena itself is very well done; the lighting amazing and we like the 'country' atmosphere of the snack area. Staff has gone out of their way for us - with or without a VIP wristband. Check out their 2018 schedule and make plans to really enjoyed yourselves!"
"Service is always spot on (thanks, Angie)! Onion rings, bloody marys, and steaks .... all to die..."
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"Service is always spot on (thanks, Angie)! Onion rings, bloody marys, and steaks .... all to die for! Love to send our Inn at Harbour Ridge Bed and Breakfast guests there - know they will be well cared for!"
Recent Activity
I echo Andrew and Rossana's response. Our Bed and Breakfasts are our passions as well as our livelihoods; we take innkeeping personally. . .corporate headsets are thrown out and service or servanthood drives us. Most guests understand and appreciate that they are in our homes and with that comes...
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I echo Andrew and Rossana's response. Our Bed and Breakfasts are our passions as well as our livelihoods; we take innkeeping personally. . .corporate headsets are thrown out and service or servanthood drives us. Most guests understand and appreciate that they are in our homes and with that comes a certain graciousness - hopefully on both sides. Hotels are not our competition.
I try to "freeze the rate" for return guests whenever possible...but after 17 years in business that's not a hard fast rule or always possible so sometimes I lower the rate by $10 a night. We also have a 'feets in sheets' program for our returning guests so they'll get a $125 gift certificate to...
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I try to "freeze the rate" for return guests whenever possible...but after 17 years in business that's not a hard fast rule or always possible so sometimes I lower the rate by $10 a night. We also have a 'feets in sheets' program for our returning guests so they'll get a $125 gift certificate to the Inn after six return visits and/or guest referrals...We'll bend some of the rules for past guests and do a one night weekend stay - something I don't normally do. Occasional complimentary chocolate covered strawberries for an anniversary, big 'to do' for birthdays at the breakfast table and a birthday cake for two for their room, their favorite cookies in their personal cookie jars in their guest room - just little things, a card for their 50th wedding anniversary .....We offer complimentary drinks, snacks, movies, lotions and potions, signature soaps, fresh flowers in our rooms to all guests and have built those things into our rates - but not "appreciation" gifts. Oh, and when it suits me, I give little Inn logo gifts to our 'clean plate club' guests. Most folks have too much stuff-and love the gift of travel and good service. Guess I look at myself as a business wanting to make money!
Are you a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and/or Convention and Visitors Bureau?? Here at Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri our CVB has a group sales department that does site visits to all lodging properties, knows and understands convention hall sizes, food services, and room...
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Are you a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and/or Convention and Visitors Bureau?? Here at Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri our CVB has a group sales department that does site visits to all lodging properties, knows and understands convention hall sizes, food services, and room numbers, handles large groups (weddings, reunions, corporate meetings and conferences), and represents the Lodging Community at a myriad of shows across the US for the different markets (everything from the sports market, to religious, associations and conferences). I think you need to know what your local community is doing to attract conferences and conventions first. Are you part of a chain or franchise?
What kind of credentials does your B & B have? Are you a member of an organization that has an inspection process - like your state B & B association? Are you a member of PAII or AIHP (national bed and breakfast associations) or Select Registry? Do you have local or regional awards to tout? Do...
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What kind of credentials does your B & B have? Are you a member of an organization that has an inspection process - like your state B & B association? Are you a member of PAII or AIHP (national bed and breakfast associations) or Select Registry? Do you have local or regional awards to tout? Do you have Certificates of Excellence from Trip Advisor? Have you been named the "best of......anything?" Toot your horn. Do you have a tag line on your website, business cards, FB page....wherever you market? The person who did our decorating and some marketing when we were brand new used the tag "the Lake's Most Inviting Bed & Breakfast" - kind of nebulous but it sounded good and I love hospitality and innkeeping so even though that was 17 years ago, it still works well for us and is part of our brand! Really need to get associated with your state group, if you aren't. Your local Chamber or Convention and Visitors Bureau may have a marketing department that you haven't fully utilized.....Good luck and cheers to lots of feets in your sheets! Sue
I'd have to agree with 'different strokes for different folks." What is beneficial to a B & B, retail business, and professional service? Probably not the same thing. Yes, of course, the personal touch is always best, but let's face it, many folks don't open their personally addressed mail,...
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I'd have to agree with 'different strokes for different folks." What is beneficial to a B & B, retail business, and professional service? Probably not the same thing. Yes, of course, the personal touch is always best, but let's face it, many folks don't open their personally addressed mail, answer an unrecognized phone number, or buy off the first Facebook ad they see. Social media IS social, but you can make it personalized, do it yourself (rather than paying many of the marketing companies who have outspokenly offered their opinions) and have a little fun at the same time. My guests are looking for service and personality; they see that on my website, here it again on my multiple social media platforms, read it in my newsletter and e-mails. Yes, it even spills over into the little bit of print advertising I do. We're all different and different things work for different folks.
2 Replies
Roll up your sleeves! No one single answer....are you members of your local Convention and Visitors Bureau? Do they (or another similar organization) have a group sales dept? If so, invite them for a tour and show them how beautiful your cabins and group lodges are. Do you ask for guests to...
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Roll up your sleeves! No one single answer....are you members of your local Convention and Visitors Bureau? Do they (or another similar organization) have a group sales dept? If so, invite them for a tour and show them how beautiful your cabins and group lodges are. Do you ask for guests to review you on Trip Advisor? Do you have a social media presence? What about belonging to a Tour Bus (Smoking Mountain Tours) Association? Have you looked into a website directory called Resorts and Lodges, I think? I agree with the Homeway/VRBO comment, too ! I personally think your 50% occupancy is great - wish I had that so I'll learn from your question! Good luck!
1 Reply
Do you have Google analytics on your Colorado lodging website? Do you review those stats? Does your reservation software allow you to ask the question "where did you find us?" If you take reservations over the phone, do you ask that same questions. Do you pursue "from the Internet?" If you...
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Do you have Google analytics on your Colorado lodging website? Do you review those stats? Does your reservation software allow you to ask the question "where did you find us?" If you take reservations over the phone, do you ask that same questions. Do you pursue "from the Internet?" If you list with your CVB, they should have statistics about how often your listing was at least viewed.....some things to consider! AND Hubby and I had a cabin on Elk Creek in Sphinx Park for years (which we also rented out on VRBO!)....he's just back from a visit.
TripAdvisor seems to lead the pack in our Midwest area. I personally haven't had many guests who use Yelp (isn't that more of a coastal and metropolitan thing)...Seems like anymore EVERYONE goes to TripAdvisor to cement their purchasing decision. I have a small bed and breakfast at Lake of the...
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TripAdvisor seems to lead the pack in our Midwest area. I personally haven't had many guests who use Yelp (isn't that more of a coastal and metropolitan thing)...Seems like anymore EVERYONE goes to TripAdvisor to cement their purchasing decision. I have a small bed and breakfast at Lake of the Ozarks, a resort and tourism area in Missouri, embraced TripAdvisor almost since their inception, and find that guests comment regularly on our TA reviews! I feel certain because of the reviews on that site we get more reservations than a property who has few.
TripAdvisor seems to lead the pack in our Midwest area. I personally haven't had many guests who use Yelp (isn't that more of a coastal and metropolitan thing)...Seems like anymore EVERYONE goes to TripAdvisor to cement their purchasing decision. I have a small bed and breakfast at Lake of the...
(more)
TripAdvisor seems to lead the pack in our Midwest area. I personally haven't had many guests who use Yelp (isn't that more of a coastal and metropolitan thing)...Seems like anymore EVERYONE goes to TripAdvisor to cement their purchasing decision. I have a small bed and breakfast at Lake of the Ozarks, a resort and tourism area in Missouri, embraced TripAdvisor almost since their inception, and find that guests comment regularly on our TA reviews! I feel certain because of the reviews on that site we get more reservations than a property who has few.
