Good News, On The Rocks

A young pregnant couple came in a few days ago and just got back from sitting on the beach.

"We found out whether we were having a boy or a girl today. We got the card and waited to open it until we were sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean. It was a really special moment."

I know, sweet. I do like to think that the inn is not only a place where people come on vacation (which seems quite trivial) but also a place where important things can happen.

By the way, it's a boy. No names yet... Maybe "Bay Ledge"?

OK maybe that's being a little too enthusiastic about a vacation, but we are hoping that this is the beginning of an important tradition for this couple of coming up to the Maine coast to remember their love for one another, and the start of their family.

How Are You Different Then A Hotel?

Someone called the inn this afternoon and asked us a very valid but interesting question:

How are you different then a hotel?

I told her a few things:

• I have compared the feeling of staying here to feeling like you are staying at your favorite aunt's vacation house in Maine. It's a nice place, but very cozy and personal at the same time.
• We serve breakfast, and not just a continental kind!
• We have tea and freshly baked cookies (or scones or cheesecakes or brioches...) every afternoon.
• There is a lot of interaction between guests and between staff and guests.
• We are on a private road and a few miles from town so it's very quiet.
• We have a private beach, and a sauna/steam room... a couple added bonuses that no one expects but can certainly be appreciated.
• We have well maintained common areas where you actually want to hang out (not like the lobby of a hotel).

It was hard to put a price on what I was telling her, then I saw this:

BedandBreakfast.com has analyzed the value of bed and breakfasts verus hotels and found that when considering a complimentary home cooked breakfast, parking, internet, afternoon refreshments, etc. what a bed and breakfast includes in a guest's stay would cost an additional $150 at a hotel.

That is certainly a higher figure than I was expecting!

For those of you who know the Inn At Bay Ledge, or maybe have just stayed in your share of hotels and bed and breakfasts/inns, how are they different? What value would you put on an inn's 'extras'?

And Then There Was Sun

For almost 20 days, Maine has been pelted by rain, obscured by fog, and otherwise a sad place to be.

Yesterday and today, the sun made brief appearances and made everyone noticeably happier.

"The forecast was completely wrong!" one of the guests said.

The atmosphere is a chaotic place and weather can only be determined 24-48 hours in advance. Plus Maine has odd weather anyway.

So you might as well be optimistic about it all and wear a few layers, just in case.

And while the sun is out, sit on a porch and take it in. After all this rain, we all certainly deserve it!