This guide is intended to assist the potential small business proprietor in successfully starting a business in the hotel and catering industry. It is divided into five sections. The first section discusses factors to be considered in making the initial decision of whether or not to seek self-employment in the industry (options, potential enjoyment, personality traits and skills required of successful hotel owners and caterers, and affordability). The next three sections cover the following individual steps in a systematic approach to seeking and selecting a business to match individual requirements: building a model of one's own ideal business (factors, personal circumstances, and procedures in planning the first step); exploring the market (selecting and interviewing an agent, selecting a business to view, planning the viewing, and viewing the business and assessing its potential); and making the decision (factors, affordability of buying and running the business, preparing estimates, and making the final decision). The final section examines the actual acquisition of the business and the professional help available in negotiating the acquisition (including sections on making the offer, instructing a solicitor, dealing with bank managers and accountants, purchasing insurance, hiring a surveyor, seeking other professional advice, going through the handover procedure, and negotiating the purchase in Scotland. (MN)