The Great Name Game!

[Russ H]

OK, time for some fun.

We're naming our room "types" at the new B&B.

There are 4 "classes" of rooms:

(all have 11-12' ceilings)

1. Standard Queen

Very small room (10x12) with a private bathroom w/shower (no tub). 40" TV, armoire, and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Best for short stays. Small fireplace. Our cheapest room.

2. Queen Spa

Very small room (10x12) w/private bathroom w/combination tub/shower. Tub is a jacuzzi air tub. 40" TV, DVD, Armoire and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Small fireplace.

3. King Spa

Small room (11x13) w/private bathroom w/combination tub/shower. Tub is a jacuzzi air tub. 40" TV, DVD, Armoire and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Small fireplace.

4. King Spa Salon

Our largest room (13x16) w/large private bathroom w/separate pedestal spa tub and shower (bathrooms are 120 sq ft+). 60" TV w/surround sound, DVD, Closet, large dresser, wine frig, 2 leather chairs, small table. Larger fireplace.

*******

We'd like to choose 4 names to describe these types of rooms. One idea: Names that will indicate that one room is smallest, two others are mid-sized, and one is largest.

Funny/whimsical/humorous names are OK, provided they aren't insulting.

Note that many, many other Napa B&Bs have chosen names like Cabernet, Merlot, Champagne, etc. Or appellations (Oak Knoll, Rutherford, Stags Leap, etc), or wine terms (Verasion, Angel's Share, Harvest, etc).

We are open to ideas.

Have some fun w/this. Don't worry-- if you come up w/silly or sarcastic names, you won't hurt my feelings.

A note: When we had only 2 types of these rooms, we called them Poet and Painter. Poet was the smallest (poets often lived as starving artists, and poetry could be seen as saying things w/few words). Painters often lived lavish lives, were more in the spotlight, and needed more space for all of their canvases (so the Painter rooms were larger, and more impressive). If you found 2 other names in the middle, between Poet and Painter, that would tie in w/our previous theme-- but this is not necessary.

Note: Here are the actual room names for our other B&B:

-Allegria
-Secret Garden
-Chocolat
-LaBoheme
-Biblioteca
-Starry Night
-Night in Paris
-Bella Tuscany
-Walden Cottage

These new names don't have to tie in w/these names at all, but I'm posting just FYI.

*******

Feel free to ask any questions, if that helps.

-Russ H.

 

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[yveskleinsky]

Hmmm. Well you could go with an Italian theme and do something like:

Piccole e dolci (Small and sweet), Appena a destra (Just Right), etc.

....Maybe you could rally your B&B team and hold some sort of contest?

Regardless, here are some sites that might come in handy (if nothing more they're very entertaining.)


Translation site (why say it in English when you can say it in French or Italian?) Free Online Translation

Paint chip names are always the best, lol. Ralph Lauren Paint - RalphLaurenHome.com

Or maybe a name origin directory: http://www.behindthename.com/

I'll be curious to know what you guys come up with so keep us posted.

 

[Russ H]

I was hoping you'd weigh in on this, Yves.

Sharon loves paint names! The shade she chose for our little one's room is "Evocative Sunshine".

We use lots of Ralph Lauren paint. I like the shades. I think sometimes she just loves the names!

Staff has already given lots of ideas on this:

-Local geographical landmarks (Mayacamas, Atlas Peak, Carneros, etc)

-Bird Names (Eagle, Titmouse (j/k), Turkey Vulture, etc)

-Spices (Cayenne, etc)

-Herbs (Lavender, Rosemary, Basil, etc)

-Russ H.

 

[Russ H]

oops--- should have mentioned:

Our current B&B's slogan is:


"Like Staying with Friends".

(my "Made To Stick®" version of that is "Stay with friends.")

-Russ H.

 

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[yveskleinsky]

lol, I'd combine the names. Maybe you guys could write down like 50 adjectives and 50 nouns and put them in different hats and draw combos and see what you come up with. Personally, I think this brainstorm would be best over a bottle or two of your Napa wines.

Hey, you could also open the contest up to guests! That'd be fun, and have people vote. If their name is chosen they win a night or something.

 

[Russ H]

I like the guest idea!

I like the drinking wine idea, too . . . er . . . what was I supposed to be doing while drinking wine . . . ?

-Russ H.

 

[yveskleinsky]

Russ,

I just tried sending you a PM but your mailbox is full. Just know that my answers were, yes, yes, no, maybe and of course. lol

 

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[NerdSmasher]

One peculiar way of naming comes to mind... why not after certain historical figures?
For instance, the smallest room may be called Napoleon Bonaparte, and the largest may be Abraham Lincoln. Could include your favorite people, or perhaps if there are any local stories, so you could have some lore to tell the guests? Or, simply going off of California's current political spectrum, you could call the King Spa the Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Ideally, having powerful names would make the rooms sound important and luxurious, which may be helpful

 

[jportz]

I was recently in Venice..

Standard - Torcello (quiet and sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon)

Queen - Murano (Famous glass making island)

King - Lido (island) or Doge Palace ("Duke"'s palace)

King Saloon - Rialto (Most famous bridge of the grand canal)

 

[Russ H]

wow, here I had expected all of you would be coming up with wine country themed names (b/c we're in the Napa Valley)-- not one yet!

Names of historical figures is an interesting thought--many B&Bs do this-- but typically, the rooms are named after who slept there!

I love the Venetian idea-- in part b/c my previous life was spent designing movie theaters, and the names Lido and Rialto are classic cinema palace names!

Thanks all-- please keep 'em coming!

-Russ H.

 

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[randallg99]

anything sex related is ideal. lol.... the "nookie room" ....

seriously-
I like islands in the mediteranean.... it's very relaxing and the scenery is magnificent, as is Napa as well..

maybe just use a few of the popular ones- Ibiza, mallorca, santorini, etc....

shit, I am booking a trip this week. I've got to get away.

 

[Russ H]

randallg, ya crack me up. You try to help me out and wind up booking a vaca for yourself!

We have a contractor who's been an incredible help to us on this project, and I was telling him earlier this week that we'd name his favorite room the "Ron Lehrer Memorial Suite"-- but then I realized that "memorial" was posthumous-- so I quickly amended my suggestion to the "Ron Lehrer Hubba Hubba Suite"!

-Russ H.

 

[Russ H]

Hmm . . .

1. A little Nookie
2. Salmon Chanted Evening
3. Hubba Hubba
4. Makin' Whoopie

#2 doesn't fit, does it?

Change it to "Enchanted Evening".

-Russ H.

 

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[Russ H]

bump.

 

[Russ H]

UPDATE:

OK, here are the latest:

*******

Our in house abbreviations, where you see them:

KSS = King bed w/spa tub, our largest rooms
KS = King bed w/spa tub,
QS = Queen bed w/spa tub,
Q = Queen bed w/shower

********

Bliss
Joy
Magic
Peace
Celebrate
Happiness

********

Tranquility (KSS)
Serenity (KS)
Harmony (QS)
Peace (Q)

*******

Cabernet (KSS)
Merlot (KS)
Malbec (QS)
Petite Verdot (Q)

******

Etoile
Soleil
Terre
Lune

********

Bordelleaux?

********

Magnifique
Splendide
Superior
Premier
Grand
Petit

*********

Champagne (KSS)
Bordeaux (KS)
Burgundy (QS)
Provence (Q)

******

There are others, but these are the front runners . . .

-Russ H.

 

[GoldenEggs]

My initials used to KSS and at work, everyone called me "kiss" because they said my actual name was "too hard/too long" to pronounce. So I started thinking about types of kisses...

What about:

French Kiss = King bed w/spa tub, our largest rooms
Kiss = King bed w/spa tub,
Smooch = Queen bed w/spa tub,
Hug = Queen bed w/shower

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Historical cities of riches ...

Alexandria
Babylon
Sparta
Constantinople

 

[Russ H]

I love this stuff-- Sharon will love the hugs and kisses idea!

And I've never thought of cities-- that's a cool idea, too. Even if we do something like Rome, Paris, etc.

Thank you!

-Russ H.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

My thought with the cities being in history ... you can travel to Paris or Rome ... you can't travel back to ancient Babylon or Alexandria. You offer something unavailable and that is a great marketing angle. Each room could be a luxury abode from a time past, fit for a king.

"Travel back in time to a historic time of luxury and riches ..."

 

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[Russ H]

To review, here are the room types we wanted to name:

1. Standard Queen: Very small room (10x12) with a private bathroom w/shower (no tub). 40" TV, armoire, and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Best for short stays. Small fireplace. Our cheapest room.

2. Queen Spa: Very small room (10x12) w/private bathroom w/combination tub/shower. Tub is a jacuzzi air tub. 40" TV, DVD, Armoire and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Small fireplace.

3. King Spa: Small room (11x13) w/private bathroom w/combination tub/shower. Tub is a jacuzzi air tub. 40" TV, DVD, Armoire and small dresser for clothes (no closets). Small fireplace.

4. King Spa Salon: Our largest room (13x16) w/large private bathroom w/separate pedestal spa tub and shower (bathrooms are 120 sq ft+). 60" TV w/surround sound, DVD, Closet, large dresser, wine frig, 2 leather chairs, small table. Larger fireplace.

**********

And the names we chose . . .

1. sole'

Italian for SUN, also, a play on "sole", or one, since this is our smallest room. Even though these rooms are small, each has a large window which makes for a very sunny stay.

2. aria

Italian for "air", in reference to the light, airy feel this small room has (and a tongue in cheek reference to the air tub in the bath!)

3. terra

Italian for earth, for the earthy pleasures available in this room


4. acqua

Italian for water, to highlight the 120+ square foot bathrooms and 2 person spa tubs in these rooms

*******

sole' * aria * terra * acqua

We will use these 4 elements (sun, air, earth, and water) as a symbol for the good life in Napa-- these are the things that help the grapes grow, and what locals (and visitors alike) cherish when they visit.

Thanks to all for your incredible ideas, suggestions, and feedback!

-Russ H.

 

[yveskleinsky]

I love it Russ! Photos! Photos! I want photos when you are done!