I have been interviewing innkeepers for 18 years and it is my pleasure to introduce to you five outstanding innkeepers who have shown remarkable strength, passion, leadership and resilience through their innkeeping careers. From personal tragedy to professional accolades, to the diversity of these five incredible people who have made them outstanding candidates for this recognition. They are humble, committed individuals who I am proud to say thank you for sharing your inspiring story with us.
Chosen for: Extraordinary Staff Mentoring - Rick Litchfield of Captain Lord Mansion, Maine
Rick Litchfield and his wife Bev Davis are owners of the Captain Lord Mansion in Kennebunkport, Maine. Both Rick and Bev have been keepers of the inn since 1978. Imagine that 36 years ago, when Bev Davis and Rick Litchfield scraped together their life’s earnings to buy the Captain Lord Mansion yet they had never stayed in a bed and breakfast before. Was it a leap of faith or simply blind ambition? What ever it was it has worked for the last 36 years. The 20,000 square foot mansion has been lovingly restored and is a member in good standing of several associations including Select Registry – Distinguished Inns of America. Rick is merited on mentoring and inspiring his staff. He is a very humble man and has created a work environment that empowers his staff to make decisions and make guests feel #1 at the inn. He is complimented constantly that his staff look after their guests so well they feel like family! The longevity of his staff is apparent, as most of their employees have worked there 10 years +. Another testament to their innkeeping abilities is Rick and Bev were recently recognized this year as ‘Master Innkeepers’ by the New England Inns and Resorts.
800-522-3141 / 207-967-3141
6 Pleasant St, Kennebunkport, Maine,
Chosen for: Surviving a Devastating Fire - Linda Gallant of Auberge Des Gallant, Quebec
A destructive fire in April 2012 destroyed the 24-room inn that is located halfway between Montreal and Ottawa, Canada. The inn’s rooms and recently renovated 150-seat, two-room fine dining restaurant burnt beyond recognition, thankfully no one was injured in the fire. The fire was caused due to a cigarette in a pillar ashtray, which someone moved too close to a cedar wall outside.
Linda Gallant, is co-owner of Auberge Des Gallant in Ste. Marthe, Quebec along with her chef husband Gerry Gallant. Both she and Gerry have owned the property since 1972 that first began as a restaurant then the inn portion was added in 1988, a sugar shack-wedding pavilion in 2000 and the spa followed in 2006. The fire occurred at the beginning of their busy wedding season but it did not keep this family down for long as four days later they relocated a scheduled wedding to their unharmed sugar shack and reopened for business. They were not defeated! Linda says, “The best way to describe what we were going through is, when you’re handed lemons you make lemonade. This was our chance to upgrade what we wanted in the old in to do it here, it was all about turning a negative into a positive”. Linda describes the ordeal as time consuming it was a full time job dealing with insurance and another full time job to supervise the construction. They rebuilt within two years and that was a feat in itself and they also doubled the size of their inn to 42 rooms and made the restaurant and spa larger. They reopened December 15th 2013 and life is good again!
450-459-4241
1171 ch. St-Henri, Ste-Marthe, Quebec
http://www.gallant.qc.ca/monteregie-getaway/index_ang.cfm
Meet
Bev & Rick Litchfield
Captain Lord Mansion
5
remarkable
innkeepers
of 2014
By Mary Hughes