New England Country Inn - What Is The Difference?

Many people often wonder the difference between bed and breakfasts, country inns, and historic inns. One kind of bed and breakfast, known as a homestay, is usually a private home with just a few rooms and offers a simple breakfast to its visitors. Homestays are often a part-time operation run as a means of extra family income.

Most bed and breakfasts, however, are professionally run and offer more rooms than homestays. The Camden Maine Stay has nine rooms, while the Cliffside Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, and Captain’s House Inn, in Chatham Massachusetts, have around sixteen. B&Bs are owner managed and operated, and usually employ additional staff to help with cooking, housekeeping, and guest services.

Country inns are bed & breakfast inns that offer dinner service as well as breakfast. Often, their dining rooms are open to the public like Gateway’s Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, which is an ideal getaway for conferences and weddings. Country inns tend to have between five to thirty rooms and, like the Windam Hill Inn and Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont, or the Chesterfield Inn in New Hampshire, can have a staff of 20-30 people to maintain the inn and care for their guests. Some inns go one step further by offering on-site spas like those found at New Hampshire’s Manor on Golden Pond and Inn at Thorn Hill.

Many inns and bed & breakfasts are also historic inns as they are located in historic areas or are themselves a National Historic Landmark like the Deerfield Inn located in Deerfield, Massachusetts. The Deerfield Inn opened in 1884, and is part of a 350 year old village that is home to an assortment of 18th and 19th century museum houses.

Whether you are looking to visit a quaint bed and breakfast, a renowned country inn, or an inn that is part of history, New England is your destination and the Distinctive Inns of New England offer it all.

Tips for Bed & Breakfast Owners: Innkeeping can be dream come true

It was nearly 30 years ago when Brian and Mary Ellen Shields began to dream of operating a B&B like the best of those they visited. For them, the love of travel eventually led to the love of innkeeping at the Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness, New Hampshire.

When their two daughters graduated high school, the couple began their search in earnest for an inn to call their own. They knew they wanted to be in New England. Mary Ellen explains, "We have always enjoyed the change of seasons, the diversity of the Northeast, and most of all the freshness of the air and the beauty of the landscape."

Their previous careers had prepared them well. As a senior manager for Procter and Gamble, Brian had traveled the world and experienced quality hospitality. He also had became skilled at fixing infrastructure problems and creating good management systems. Mary Ellen had been an accountant, an interior decorator, and a culinary school graduate, developing skills she now applies at the Manor.

"When we travel," Mary Ellen says, "we enjoy having all the comforts of home with added pampering from our hosts. So we ensure that experience for our guests." Brian enjoys serving the breakfast and acting as concierge for guests who are planning their days. Mary Ellen loves the pace of the evening diningroom and the satisfaction of serving guests a wonderful meal.

Together, they have improved and expanded the inn's services and facilities, and they have developed a highly skilled staff. Their efforts, combined with the inn's beautiful setting overlooking Squarm Lake, have earned the Manor many accolades. Now approaching their eighth year as innkeepers, Brian and Mary Ellen continue to relish their dream come true.

Tips for Bed & Breakfast Owners: Barclays share their love for New England

Peter and Laura Barclay always traveled in New England when they wanted a getaway, so when they decided to pursue their passions in life, they chose to become innkeepers in New England and purchased the Newcastle Inn.

Peter had been a licensed irrigation contractor, and he and Laura had run a New Jersey business together for 18 years. Newcastle, Maine, was a perfect place for them. Says Laura, "We always wanted to live in a small town, and we love our new life here. There is much natural beauty in Maine, and many ways to enjoy it. We’re outdoor enthusiasts and have particularly enjoyed the hiking and kayaking in the area."

Yet how does one explain the extreme shift in their businesses, from irrigation to innkeeping? Peter quips, "We were always entertaining at home, so I figured we might as well get paid for it!" Laura adds, ‘Seriously, we enjoy meeting people from all over the country and the world, and I’ve always loved cooking and having happy people in our home."

Now with four years of experience, the Barclays look forward to a long future in innkeeping. Advice from veteran DINE innkeepers has been useful. Explains Laura, "It was a big help to hear the voices of experience when we were starting out, and we continue to enjoy getting together with fellow innkeepers and learning from each other."

The Barclays encourage DINE Innsiders to visit all of the DINE inns. "You are certain to have a wonderful time at any of the inns. The DINE innkeepers truly care about their guests."