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Annapolis Inn – Joe Lespier Innkeeper Story

20 Monday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Talking with Joe Lespier of the Annapolis Inn in Maryland was a real delight. To say he puts his heart into his work and life is aAnnapolis Innn understatement. He does a great deal of service for guests by keeping his historic inn in its original state and serving a large breakfast each morning. In addition, he gives back to the community by opening his inn to the local Naval Academy and sponsoring its Midshipmen. A stay at the Annapolis Inn seems like it would be a trip well worth having.  I know that next time I am in Maryland I will be sure to make a stop to see this historic home and meet its welcoming host again.

I am a firm believer in the Amish saying: when there’s room in the heart there’s room in the home.

Q:   What’s unique about your inn?
A:   It’s a very upscale piece of property. Historic buildings like this are usually owned by foundations or institutes and kept as museums. People can visit them but that’s it. We are private owners and it’s a bed and breakfast where people can stay and not just visit the property.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
A:   Eggs Benedict is a classic that a lot of guests like. But a signature of ours is French toast that we put an Italian accent on. We don’t use regular bread, we use Italian Panettone. We enhance it even more with special ingredients that you won’t find other places. It’s really delicious and people are always asking for the recipe.

Annapolis InnQ:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   I really believe it’s my responsibility to try my best to make sure the guests have a great time. I can’t do much about the weather but what I can control is my responsibility. Coming to us is like coming to a car wash, shift into neutral and let us take over.  We don’t mind doing the planning for guests. We often have guests call and ask us to make all the decisions for them. We pick the restaurants and even tell them what to eat as well. I think people have ‘option anxiety’ sometimes and don’t like making any decisions on vacation.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
A:   I think the best thing I’ve done for the business is also the best thing I’ve done for myself. Being so close to the Naval Academy we participate in the program to sponsor Midshipmen. We become their home away from home and regularly have about 25 boys to sponsor. These kids really appreciate and need you. Many of them don’t feel like they can talk to their parents about certain things but they can talk to us.

Annapolis InnBefore I did this program I really didn’t like kids this age, I felt they needed to grow up and stabilize their lives and then maybe we could talk. My career was in human resources and after so many years of dealing with people’s problems I didn’t want to deal with anyone under 35.

My opinion has drastically changed; I can’t imagine turning my back on these kids. It’s unbelievable to see how much you can accomplish with food and love. The boys appreciate you so much and stay in touch for years to come. On Christmas day I get calls from all over the country and the world, I’ve even received calls from astronauts. Guests who stay with us will see the Midshipmen around the house and are really impressed and moved by these young kids. People are proud to be a part of this and often leave checks for the kids or for us asking us to do something special for them.  It adds so much to the guest’s experience.

I am a firm believer in the Amish saying: when there’s room in the heart there’s room in the home. You never know what the future holds for these kids so I will never turn away someone who needs a sponsor. I feel so proud to get pictures of them later in their lives. I never thought I would have an influence in the world to this degree but I see them in Iraq or working in the Pentagon and it hits me that I’ve impacted the rest of their future.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   Nothing, I have no regrets. I love making an insignificant weekend become the most important weekend for guests. We’ve had people come who are struggling to hold on to maybe their marriage and they come here to get away together and I can play a role in changing their lives. The best things that happen in my life never had anything to do with the business plan.

Did you know?

The Annapolis Inn was built in the 1700’s when much of the land still belonged to England. Even the home’s building materials were brought over from England. The home was built and belonged to President Thomas Jefferson’s personal doctor. Today the house still stands and is the Annapolis Inn.

Garden Isle – Dan Currier Innkeeper Story

18 Saturday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Dan Currier of the Garden Isle Bed and Breakfast and Vacation Home in beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington was a loGarden Isle Bed and Breakfastt of fun to interview. He shared about his unique location, being on one of the largest islands in the continental United States, and some of the best things he has done for his bed and breakfast. In addition Dan shed some light on how he would have added a hot tub to his business a lot sooner than he did. This incredibly well-seasoned innkeeper has been operating his bed and breakfast with his wife Darrellyn for 20 years and still going strong.

Our central location on the island is ideal for visiting the island’s state parks and beaches, or great for day trips to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, Canada and more.

Q:   What is unique about your bed & breakfast?
A:   Location and character distinguish our B&B from others on the Island.  Our cottages and vacation home overlook the historic 1853 district of the quaint seaside town of Coupeville.  The property is located directly across the street from the town park, within easy walking distance to the wharf, beach, and all of the local shops and restaurants.  Our central location on the island is ideal for visiting the island’s state parks and beaches, or great for day trips to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, Canada and more.

Our cottages are unique in that they are located on two lovely acres, with the vacation home overlooking the entire estate.  The vacation home’s large front windows offer views of Penn Cove, with Mount Baker and the Cascade Mountains framing the horizon.

The character provided by the open spaces allow our guests to enjoy their privacy, but still experience the amenities of being in town and allows them to enjoy all the festivals, art walks, parades and the farmers market that take place throughout the year.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
A:   Guests are provided a continental breakfast in their private cottages, which allows them to wake up in the morning and eat whenever they like.  Our signature breakfast typically consists of homemade pastries (cinnamon rolls, muffins or banana bread,) cereal, fresh fruit, and an assortment of beverages.

Q:   What is your motto?
A:   Many of our guests have never been to the Northwest or Whidbey Island.  It has always been very important to me to make them feel welcomed to the island and also informed of the unique sights, locales and restaurants they can visit and explore during their stay on the island.  Allowing them to make better use of their time ensures that when they return home, they can tell their friends about the great experiences and we can anticipate them returning again.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you have done for your business?
A:   Improving our technology by switching to an online reservation system has really increased the amount of reservations we are able to close.  Guests can confirm availability and reserve dates anytime, anywhere, which has really helped us keep up with online trends.

Q:   What would you do over if you had a time machine?
A:   I would have built the second cottage and hot tub sooner.

Q:   What recent challenges have you overcome?
A:   Over the past two years, I have remodeled both cottages to reflect a coastal living-type theme.

Q:   What did you do before you started your business?
A:   I worked for Seattle Pacific University’s Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island from 1978 to 2000, where I helped to manage the maintenance at the conference center facilities which housed over 550 people.  In 2000, I started a tour business which I ran for four years, called Whidbey Tours, and provided guided bus tours of our beautiful island.  Currently, along with our B&B, I help my wife run a Montessori School which we have owned and operated since 1990.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time?
A:   I enjoy sailing in my free time and because we live on an island surrounded by some of the best sail boating areas in the world, I try to do it as often as possible. I sail with my friends just about every week, year round, weather permitting.  Each year, Whidbey Island hosts one of the top ten sailing regattas in the country.

Did you know?

Whidbey Island is located just an hour and a half North of Seattle and was considered one of the top dream vacation destinations in the world by authors of a special travel  magazine put out by Life Magazine in 2008. Located on the Puget Sound, Whidbey Island was also one of the first areas to be settled in the Northwest.

 

Nob Hill Riverview Bed and Breakfast- Tana Phemester Innkeeper Story

17 Friday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Tana Phemester of the Nob Hill Riverview Bed and Breakfast in St. Helens, Oregon was an absolute delight to interview with. She had so much to share about taking advantage of her bed and breakfast’s location to make for a memorable experience, how to create a delicious breakfast and urban farming to provide the freshest possible ingredients. I know that as soon as I get the opportunity to go to Oregon I will be staying with Tana!I really enjoyed my conversation with Tana and learning about Nob Hill Riverview Bed and Breakfast. It was a great opportunity to get some insight into what she has learned in her over the years about running a bed and breakfast.

Nob Hill Riverview Bed and BreakfastQ:   I’ve heard that you raise chickens?
A:   Yes, their names are Margaret and Mildred. We do what’s called Urban Chicken Farming. We often use the fresh eggs in our breakfasts.

Q:   What is your signature breakfast?
A:   We love breakfast time! Our guests awake to the smell of coffee and fresh baked treats wafting from the kitchen. Our dining room is next to the main sunroom with sunlight and views from every direction. It truly is the perfect start of a great day. An example of our three course breakfast could include chilled orange juice, French pressed coffee, seasonal fruit cups with organic yogurt, warm homemade scones with English style clotted cream and jam, and finished with Dutch Baby Pancakes drizzled with Marion berry sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of smoked chicken and apple sausage.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
A:   This answer is twofold and they work hand in hand. First a must is having a good website that show cases our Inn and to stay on top of updates as well. The other is investing in and having a full service reservations system. With these two they work for me 24/7.  It’s hard enough just being an Innkeeper and if you have these two tools then you can plan on making your life a lot easier.  I also have an automated online reservation system with a full marketing package which provides me with all the services I need and then some!

Q:   What did you do before you started your own business?
A:   My husband and I have been business owners for the past 23 years in the Portland Metro area. We have commercial real-estate holdings, a retail store, a drive thru coffee shop and for the past five years an Inn. For the past 15 years we had a retreat in the Ensenada, Baja Wine Country area. At the working Ranch/campground we hosted youth groups from all over the United States of many different denominations. It was great training on how to run an Inn.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not working?
A:   Spend time with family and friends as they are the most important part of life. When we can, we love to travel. We enjoy tasting the foods of different cultures. We boat and sail since we live on the River and we find the water refreshing on stressful days. We kayak at nearby Scappoose Bay; it is a safe estuary to paddle in with not much currant running. We take our RV to the coast and around the Northwest from time to time. This year we are keeping it in Seaside Oregon (an hour and half away) to explore that area better when we have some time off. I enjoy cooking, growing plants and organic gardening. I’m learning about essential oils and would like to take a class this winter. I have taken several watercolor classes and want to pursue Art even more when I can.

Q:   That’s wonderful that you really take advantage of your beautiful location and the outdoors. It also sounds like you’re both quite business savvy. But if you had a time machine, is there anything you would do over?
A:   I don’t think I wouldn’t change a thing. We worked diligently on the refurbishing part of our Inn so now having guests is like having icing on the cake. When we see them enjoying the restored Historical Home that takes the cake!

Q:   I can tell you really bring a passion to your work and your life. What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   I try to live one day at a time since tomorrow is not ours. In doing so, we strive to live each day to the fullest. Remember we can’t take it with us, so it’s the journey not the destination.

Q:   That’s a great motto to take especially now in the rough economy. What recent challenge have you overcome?
A:   That’s an easy answer for many Americans. It has been the down turn in the economy we’ve had. It takes creative marketing and polished skills to make it through harder times. It’s just like my husband says “it’s time to work smarter and harder.” We both know that this too shall pass with time and we keep the picture before us of how posed we will be when things do turn around. As Americans we need hope and encouragement and at the Inn I do lots of extras for our guests because I know that many of them are also feeling the pinch of it all. We are grateful that they chose to stay with us. I see this as an honor and privilege to serve them and hope that in some small way they are enriched because of their stay with us.

Did you know?

Nob Hill Riverview Bed and Breakfast was built in 1900 for a doctor and his family. The beautiful 5,000 sq ft inn is a craftsman style building which sits on top of a cliff with breathtaking views that span miles of the Columbia River. From Nob Hill they have views of three mountains Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, and Mt Hood.

 

Clipper House Inn – Barbara Hopper Innkeeper Story

17 Friday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Mallory Peterson]

Barbara Hopper of the Clipper House Inn was a delight to talk to and you can tell right away she loves the town of Kemah, Texas and what she does. Her vibrant town is full of festivals, a boardwalk and some amazing city folk who love to find new ways to celebrate. Talking with Barbara it’s easy to see how this exciting hostess brings guests back year after year with her upbeat attitude and friendly nature. From individual guest cottages to an on-site winery, Barbara shared some tips in her interview on what has worked for her inn as well as some of the unanticipated challenges of being an innkeeper.

Clipper House Inn

Q:   What’s unique about your inn?
A:   At the Clipper House Inn guests get to stay in individual cottages and not in a single house like most other bed and breakfasts. This gives guests more privacy and freedom to do what they want and not bother the person next door. We often have guests tell us their stay was the most relaxing time they have had in years. Even though we are in the heart of Kemah and close to many attractions our property is quiet and secluded. We have beautiful gardens with water features and even a Bocce ball court. Guests often spend their afternoons just reading a book or relaxing with friends in the gardens.

Q:   What is one signature toClipper House Innuch you put to the inn?
A:   After hurricane Ike we moved our winery from down the street to a building we used for serving breakfast. Now in addition to a daily breakfast basket in each cottage our guests receive a complimentary wine and cheese tasting at the winery. My signature touch is fresh baked breads. I love baking and each week I make wine cakes from our signature fruit wines for our guests. I am often asked for recipes and I love sharing what I make with our guests.
In addition, when guests make a reservation I always ask if they are coming for a special occasion. If it is something special like an anniversary, birthday, or girls’ weekend, I will do extra things to make their stay even more memorable by putting a bottle of wine with a personalized label in their cottage. Now that we have the winery onsite we can do lots of fun things for our guests on a moment’s notice.

I try to treat our guests like I would want to be treated as a friend.

Q:   What would you say is the best thing you’ve done for your business?
A:   Having the winery onsite has really increased our business and helped the winery get more exposure and repeat customers. We recently entered four wines in a big wine competition and three of them won, so people are starting to seek us out as we do not sell our wines outside of the winery. The winery also brings many events to the inn like weddings and corporate retreats. Next week we have the executive team from a large restaurant chain coming to spend the weekend with us. While they are here we have organized a bottling party for them and each person will each get a personalized bottle of wine to commemorate the event.

Q:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   I try to treat our guests like I would want to be treated as a friend. I get teased at times that I go overboard for guests but I just want to do all that I can to make it the best stay for each person. Sometimes that means doing things out of the ordinary. I often will pick up birthday cakes, fresh flowers, or write special notes for guests. I once had a husband that wanted me to write a love letter to his wife and leave it on the bed before they arrived. It was a little out of the ordinary but I was happy to do it for him. I think it’s true that what you give out, you get back.

Q:   What recent challenge have you had to overcome?
A:   Hurricane Ike. When it hit one of the cottages had five feet of water, almost to the ceiling, and the rest of the cottages had two to three feet. It took from September 13, the day the hurricane hit, to July 4th of that same year to get back up and going. It was very devastating after putting in all the work to get the inn where I wanted it to and then having to start all over.

Q:   What did you do before you started your own business?
A:   For six years I was a tour guide out of Oklahoma and traveled all over the world. Over the years I have found many special touches and customs that I try to incorporate at the Inn. If I could go back in time I would probably spend three or four more years as a tour guide. I really loved it. In that whole time I never lost a person and only one piece of luggage! For 30 years before that I managed a dental office.

Q:   Do you get a lot of world travelers at the inn?
A:   Yes, I’ve had guests from Australia, Italy, England, Ireland, Norway and many other countries. We also get many well-traveled guests from the US and especially Louisiana. In 2006 I had a writer from a Louisiana newspaper stay Clipper House Innat the inn and we have been advertising with him ever since. We often have travel writers stay with us. Recently a reported from San Antonio came to do a news story on NASA. We started talking about the area and by the end of his stay he wanted to do a story on the inn. It’s going to air in San Antonio the first of January. As you can tell I’m not shy and enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with our guests – because you never know what will happen.

Did you know?

Barbara now arranges massages for guests at the Clipper House Inn. It became such a common request that she researched therapists in the area and found local doctor with certified massage therapists. Now whenever the request comes in, she knows she has a personal contact that is trustworthy and certified so that she can give her guests the best experience possible.

Leaping Lamb Farm Stay – Scottie Jones Innkeeper Story

17 Friday Feb 2012

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[Interview by Riana Frahm]

Scottie Jones is a smart and savvy businesswoman and part time college professor.  She is also an innkeeper of Leaping Lamb Farm Stay and the leader of a brand new national farm stay association called Farm Stay U.S. I enjoyed getting to interview this fascinating woman who is not only changing agribusiness, but also educating her guests about farming and food production at her lively bed and breakfast farm stay. During the interview I also learned how Scottie helps her city guests to avoid the seemingly innocuous hazards of being on a farm.

In terms of problem solving, when issues arise I make sure I listen first and then overcompensate.

Q:   How long have you been in business?
A:   My husband and I got started 5 years ago when we realized that we were losing money on our farm. We had a cabin on the property and were very familiar with farm stays in Europe.
For our first summer we practiced on friends and listened as they made suggestions. I really didn’t know what to expect or do at that time. Coming from the city we knew what city people were looking for out in the country. That and having been involved in the hospitality industry with customer service our farm stay has turned out to be highly successful.

Q:   What makes your farm stay unique?
A:   I’ve discovered that a lot people are fearful about being at a farm stay because they think that they might have to work. That’s not a requirement of staying here. What’s really unique about Leaping Lamb is that the families who stay here become families here. They eat meals together, take hikes in the woods and visit nearby fishing hatcheries and waterfalls.

Q:   What is the number one challenge you’ve had to overcome in this business?
A:   First off I had to learn how to handle my reservations better. When I first started out I did all my reservations via email and calendar. I even had to send contracts to guests. I had an enormous fear of double bookings and didn’t know what the solution would be. Each of these things was taking a fair amount of my time until I switched to online reservations. So really my number one challenge was learning how to optimize my time and streamline bookings. For example, to clean the cabin takes 2 hours. So I hired someone else to clean it to optimize my time.

Q:   Do you have a signature breakfast?
A:   Instead of preparing breakfast I provide the fixings. The cabin has a full kitchen and cabinets stocked with breakfast foods. It has a Belgian waffle maker, pancake iron and baking stuffs so people can make what they want. Since there’s no restaurant in town my guests make most of their meals in the cabin. I even fill it with necessary baking ingredients like flour, sugar, brown sugar etc. By providing the breakfast materials, it also allows people to make their breakfast whenever they want to.

Q:   What saying or motto do you absolutely live by?
A:   To treat people better than they would expect to be treated. Surprise them, give them more than they think they’re going to get! In terms of problem solving, when issues arise I make sure I listen first and then overcompensate.

For example, I had returning guests coming to stay with me once and I had forewarned them that there was this mouse in the cabin that I had been unable to catch. Well, I didn’t know that the wife had a major mouse phobia. They had driven all the way down here from Seattle. They saw the mouse in their cabin that night and that was it. They weren’t going to stay any longer. Going above and beyond, I contacted a friend of mine who worked for another property on the beach far away from country mice. So I comped their reservation with me and put them up there for the weekend.  By going above and beyond on that one, I got a booking from friends of theirs for a week that weren’t afraid of mice.

Q:   What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not at work?
A:   Actually I have another brand new business that I just launched. It’s called Farm Stay US. It’s a website that identifies and coordinates with all of the farming stay ranches in the US that we’ve been able to find so far. Then there’s a back end part of it, which is in development, where we’ll have tutorials on how to operate your farm stay and other resources such as member forums for questions and answers.

The ultimate goal of this website is to come up with a national farm stay association. You see, a lot of small farms are in the red. When it comes to a farm stay there’s either one or both people working off the farm. This is a special opportunity for some extra income. The website itself is only 6 months old.

In addition to Farmstay Us I also teach a college class on how to start a small business.

Q:   Tell me a little bit more about your new project Farm Stay US.
A:   We do have criteria for those who want to participate in our farm stay association. We are looking for working farms and ranches around the US that offer lodging.  We’re still searching for them. We’re still asking out and about, which means they haven’t done a good job identifying themselves online. Now when I say working farm or ranch, they’re either producing something or they’re a self-sustaining farm. We just had a BB who was questioning whether they fit our criteria. They are a cattle ranch, but they don’t involve their guests in their operations. They still fit our criteria.

In addition to forming a national farm stay association, my other primary objective is to provide education for visitors to understand the work that goes to providing the food that goes from the grocery store to the table. This information for visitors is readily available on the website.

Did you know?

Scottie says that owning a farm stay requires a patient understanding that not all your guests know how to safely conduct themselves on a farm. According to Scottie, most accidents have happened within roughly the first 30 minutes of her guest’s arrival. In response Scottie began taking her guests on a tour of the farm and pointing out these simple everyday dangers. Don’t jump on the dog, don’t go in the creek and don’t play with the tractor are just a few examples of simple hazards Scottie is able to help her guests avoid.

Riana Frahm is the marketing assistant and public relations specialist for Convoyant.  She is also a Hospitality Trainer at Reservation Nexus.  Riana’s energy and outgoing personality makes her a natural with people.  In our “Innkeeper Stories” series, Riana will interview innkeepers from around the world so she can share their wisdom, experiences, and stories with you.

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