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As of the writing of this sentence, the Baumholder Lagerhof Inn has just seven rooms filled. In about 30 days, that number will swell to 35 and could fill all 45 rooms.
Soldiers and families leaving Baumholder will pass Soldiers and families arriving. Many of those will be in a different country for the first time. Lodging Manager George Franklin knows this all too well.
“We have the chance to make a great first impression for Baumholder on these new arrivals,” Franklin said. “Our main goal is communicating. When we can communicate with our customers, and we do on a daily basis, we know what makes them happy just by listening to their voice and that makes the biggest difference in our operation.”
During the first months of the year, the staff takes advantage of the extra time and empty rooms to prepare for the peak season starting soon.
“Right now, we’ll do more extras,” said Heidi Bayer, who has been with the Lagerhof Inn more than 20 years. “Cleaning windows, hanging new curtains and stuff we won’t be able to do in the PCS months. It’s a hotel. There’s always something to do.”
Franklin, who has been the Lagerhof Inn manager 14 years, said the Inn has a dozen customers check out and just as many ready to check in every day during the Permanent-Change-of-Station season. Every staff member — from the front-desk clerks to the housecleaning staff to the groundskeeper — will be working non-stop each shift.
“We have to check everything out,” Bayer said. “I look at it as if I was the customer. What do I expect? And, that’s how I clean the rooms.”
“Everybody’s morale is high and they know we’re expected to do the best job possible. The PCS season is our Super Bowl,” Franklin said.
Franklin said he knows coming to the Baumholder Military Community is a blessing for some and jarring for others. But he hopes their stay at the Lagerhof Inn can ease that transition and make for a wonderful tour on The Rock.
“I would tell them to make this lodge their home-away-from-home,” he said. “We are your comfort zone when you’re our guest. We are your pedestal. And, we will be here from the beginning to the end of your stay.”
