Thinking of opening B+B in mansion offering cooking/art classes...

[Jeff Potter]

My in-laws, who live in Western Michigan, are expert in the areas of
hospitality, cooking, art history and art instruction. They have a
classic, perfect, beautiful mansion with attached unit where they
live. They are currently not living in the old-house portion.

They've taught/done art and cooking all their lives. They've traveled
and entertained to beat the band. Their world is a world of art and
food and local knowledge.

They've remarked about how they should rent out rooms in their main
house to foreign exchange students (they've hosted many over the
years).

I just had a notion... What if they offered a week's lodging with art,
food, local history and tours... Think anyone would be interested in
that?

They already have had many casual acquaintances they've met overseas
come and stay and party with them for long periods. They've already
readily run a worldclass catering operation. They aren't independently
wealthy. This seems perhaps a way to combine several things they
already do with a way to share the wonderful old house!

I particularly imagine that Europeans who really wanted to live it up
in the U.S. and learn about true high-level heartland regional US
cooking, art and living, that they couldn't find a better opportunity
or enjoy a better time.

I suppose the first thing to do would be to set up a website... : ) Or
maybe they should just have their internatl friends tell their
friends....

Maybe such an idea would go over in among Americans. But I find that
most residents miss the forest for the trees. They don't appreciate
what they have because of its familiarity. Now, they usually don't
have it at anything like a decent quality level, but maybe Americans
don't think "Michigan" when they think world class cultural education
and travel. : ) Your views? Thanks...JP