There are over 30,000 different bed and breakfast in the country and only 1% of them happen to be Black owned. I think that is a total shame and something that should be changed. So, in a little effort to promote Black business I put together this list of the top 10 Black owned bed and breakfast in the US. You can also find my post about 16 Black owned hotels in the US to use on your next trip right here.
Akwaaba
You can find Awaaba in the the North East of the United States. There are four different locations and you can find them in Brooklyn, New York; Cape May, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; and Bethany, Pennsylvania. I would truly consider this to be the gold standard in Black owned Bed and Breakfast. Monique Greenwood and her husband opened their first location in 1995 and have been growing ever since.
This is another Northeast location. This bed, breakfast, and spa is owned by Sylvia Daley and located near the beaches of the Peconic Bay. There are five different suites in this location and they have fire places for those cold New York winter nights. Quintessential Inn is also located near several wineries so you can adventure outside of the inn as well.
The Morehead Manor is located right outside of where I went to college. This establishment is located in Durham North Carolin and owned by Daniel and Monica Edwards. The B&B became open to the public in the year 1997 and has been going ever since. If you have never spent the night in an 8,000 sq ft home then this is your chance. I can also say that Durham has a lot to offer in the way of Black culture. I have spent extended time there myself.
This gem is located in Virginia. You can use this location as a great start to a honeymoon since the owners, Joyce and Langford, are certified ministers and have married over 70 couples. This Hampton bed and breakfast is has been opened for over a decade and seems to be going strong. Definitely worth putting it on the bucket list.
This Black owned bed and breakfast is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The inns are fairly new and have only been opened since 2012 but they have been going strong since they opened their doors. What sets this B&B apart from some others in the area is that this location also offers spaces for meetings. This is quite the perk and is more along the lines of a mainstream hotel. This one perk really does make the bed and breakfast stand out.
The Henderson bed and breakfast opened its door in 1994. The home is a renovated farm house in Columbus, Ohio and has plenty of midwest charm. This house has a bunch of history and was once owned by the former president, Rutherford B. Hayes. It has the prestigious history of being the first operated Black owned bed and breakfast.
I couldn’t find a website but you can find them on trip advisor.
Welcome Inn Manor
The Welcome Inn Manor is another midwest bed and breakfast. This B&B is located in the fabulous Chicago, Illinois. It happens to be rated in the top 5 of the 25 bed and breakfast in the area. It has been open since 2011 and the property itself was built in the 1880’s. If you are in the city, make sure to stop by this 7 bedroom manor.
This bed and breakfast consider themselves to be deluxe. This inn has 4 different rooms that all include feather beds and private baths. The Inn is located in Folkston, Georgia and should definitely be on your list if you are going through the southeast portion of the state.
This B&B is located in Nashville, TN. There are so many things that the music city has to offer and one of those things is this bed and breakfast. The Urban Cowboy offers eight different southwestern inspired rooms. Located in East Nashville, this bed and breakfast is instagram worthy in every sense of the word. Every woman should see herself soaking in a clawfoot tub.
This Black owned bed and breakfast is located in Oaks Bluff, MA. This beautiful B&B is located near Martha’s Vineyard. Not only can you support Black business but you can also take advantage of all that Martha’s Vineyard has to offer.
Charles Shearer, the son of an enslaved person, turned a beach cottage into the first Inn where African Americans could lodge. More than 100 years later, Shearer Cottage remains family-owned and operated with pride since its inception in 1903.
The average revenue per month for a bed and breakfast in the United States can vary significantly based on location, size, amenities, and other factors. However, a rough estimate might be between $3,000 to $6,000 per month.
These workers, sometimes called innkeepers or abbreviated to B&B owners, clean rooms, assign rooms to guests, keep books and records, and provide some meals.
The traditional B&B tends to have a live-in landlord or landlady, sometimes a couple, who have opened up their house to paying guests. Typically it is a private home with fewer than ten bedrooms available for commercial use. The owner does everything from preparing the breakfast to cleaning the rooms.
Founded in 1881, E.E. Ward Moving & Storage is the oldest continuously Black-owned business in America. What started as a stop for the Underground Railroad has flourished into one of most trusted moving companies in the country.
Reginald F. Lewis (December 7, 1942 – January 19, 1993), was an American businessman. He was one of the richest Black American men in the 1980s, and the first African-American to build a billion-dollar company: TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc.
In most cases, leaving a small monetary tip for the innkeeper is appropriate if you have had good service during your stay. A $5-$10 gratuity left upon check-out usually suffices as a sign of gratitude. If you received exceptional customer service from the staff throughout your stay, a larger tip can be considered.
It can be a rewarding business venture with considerable profit potential, but diligent research and planning are essential to success. Owning your own business comes with a lot of responsibility. However, you will enjoy being part of a unique aspect of the hospitality industry.
The amount of money you can expect to make all depends on the size of your property, the area you're located in and how luxurious your property is, but at the end of the day running a bed and breakfast is certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme. Or at least, if you treat it like one you'll be sorely disappointed.
Generally B&Bs are smaller establishments than guest houses. A Bed & Breakfast is usually up to 3 guest rooms, while a guest house can be 4 even up to 16 or more rooms. In a nutshell, most B&Bs caters for maximum 6 guests at a time.
"A true B&B is typically independently owned, and the owner lives on property or nearby, provides daily breakfast and housekeeping and the experience is very personal," explains Hana Pevny, an Airbnb host and the innkeeper at the Waldo Emerson Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Today, 44% of all B&Bs operating in the U.S. are in a small town, 30% are found in a rural area and 21% are located in an urban area within the downtown city limits. The average size of B&Bs nationwide is six rooms, and the average income is $135,000 per year, according to PAII.
So, to answer your question- yes, you can make a living off a bed and breakfast once your business picks up the pace and is steady. And also, it is absolutely worth it to give it a try even if it takes a lot to get yourself out there!
Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, with six being the average. In addition, a B&B usually has the hosts living in the house.
On Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Broadus Foods partnered with Post Brands “to add diversity to the breakfast foods category,” according to a press release. What's more, the press release states that the deal marks Broadus Foods as the first Black-owned cereal company with a national distribution deal.
James Wormley made history as the first African American to own a hotel with his own establishment, the Wormley Hotel in Washington D.C. In addition, J.B Stratford owned a hotel that sadly was burned down during the Tulsa Massacre of 1921.
Brian: E.E. Ward Moving and Storage Company is based in Ohio, and was founded in 1881 by John T. Ward. Between 1842 and 1858, Ward helped conduct the Underground Railroad and not only transported escaped slaves, but also provided them shelter underneath his home.
Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy
Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
