I have the opportunity to see a lot of inns in Maryland. I am the (friendly) inspector for the Maryland Bed & Breakfast Association (MBBA). The Association strengthens its commitment to the full guest experience by ensuring that certain standards (usually focused on housekeeping and safety), are met by ALL of its members.
On my visit to the other side of the Chesapeake (I live on the Eastern Shore), I visited Butterfly Fields, a remote inn, serene and away from the noise of the highway. Dan and Lynda Ells have built (literally…by hand) their inn around their hobbies and interests. With their commitment to a life of self-sufficiency, the inn is energy efficient, with incredible insulation and solar features (Dan’s expertise). Lynda is a massage therapist and, together, they have built and operate “Goose at the Door Pottery”, a shop where they hand throw gifts and keepsakes for use and sale in the inn.
Guests are invited to the workshop (which, literally, has chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys just outside the door!) to enjoy the crafts, perhaps take a class at the wheel, and have a story and a keepsake to take back home with them. What a great addition to the total guest experience!
And what a great way to put your non-innkeeping skills to good use at the inn. Scott
