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Concerning Mack Oetting’s “Letter to the Editor” Nov. 25, 2021 “Opinion of the Concerns for the Air BnBs in Our Area”


After reading Mack’s “opinion,” I would like to respond to his comments. First of all, I have been in the B&B/Inn business for 22 years, so I kind-of have some knowledge of what I am talking about.

I am also all for people starting their own business. Competition is good. It keeps everyone on their toes as long as the playing field is level.

Yes, times are changing. From when I started the B&B in 1998, to today, the difference is huge.

Airbnbs serve a purpose for some and, to be honest, I am not a fan of Airbnbs-VRBO. When this all started, I contacted So. Central and Garkane Energy to see if they would be charged “Commercial” rates, and I was told no!!! It’s 1-house. I said, no, it’s a business. My reasoning fell on deaf ears Oh well…

Mack’s comments on rates are confusing. People will afford what they want to afford. When he mentions a hotel room for $160/night and a 3-bedroom Airbnb for $135/night I, myself, have to question this. A 3-bedroom home for $135 a night?? What’s wrong with it. A hotel room for $160 night, that’s normal. I understand families needing a place with multiple bedrooms.

Having literature and knowledge of the area is a no-brainer. If you do not have the knowledge of where to go, what to see, local events, going on now and in the future, you are not a good host.

Breakfast is another story in itself. I did breakfast for 18 years, and when I stopped doing it, it was not even a factor in people staying here. If breakfast is such a big deal, Las Vegas would not be in business. I personally do coffee with something to go with it. People comment on my “breakfast.”

Changing bed linens every day is not realistic. Like I said, I have been doing this for about 22 years, and I have not had 1 guest/couple, NOT ONE, ever come up to me and say I would like my bedding changed every day—sometimes towels, but never bed linens. As a matter of fact, I would say 95% PLUS of my guests do not want their rooms touched. The reasoning is we don’t do that at home, so why have it done on vacation.

Making Panguitch a destination place to stay IS NOT going to depend on, “Making the Panguitch motels more like BNBs would make them more competitive. Serve breakfast, change the bedding daily and be helpful to all their customers.”

I never have and never will go to a place on that statement. I go to places because of what they offer in the way of attractions, not because my linens are changed daily or I get breakfast. I pick my destinations on their attractions that I want to see, NOT because of a particular hotel/motel/etc. changes my linens or then serves me breakfast. I have questioned my guests on why they elected to come here, Escalante. The overwhelming answer was The Monument. You’ve seen [articles regarding] Calf Creek overflow in The Insider, Spooky and Peek-A-Boo, Devils Garden, Coyote Gulch etc. so my knowledge evolves around what they can easily see with local knowledge, little short cuts, best times to go and why; Guests LOVE that.

We ALL offer something different in the way we do business. Refer back and forth, talk to your guests, what do they want to do. Why did you come here; what do you want to see?

Making Panguitch a destination city is not going to depend on your hotel/motel/Airbnb-VRBO selection; it will depend on what your area offers so people will want to come there. Their place to stay is the last piece of their vacation.

Tom Mansell, Escalante