Hello, I’m Dany Hough, the Assistant Innkeeper at Castle in the Country. One common question that we get from guests is how is a bed and breakfast different from a hotel? I am definitely able to answer that question!
Before coming to work here at Castle in the Country as an Assistant Innkeeper, I was a Front Desk Representative at a large hotel where I gained extremely valuable lodging experience. Since taking a position here, I’ve really noticed the differences between what you get as a guest at a hotel with 150 guest rooms and what you get as a guest of our Southwest Michigan bed and breakfast with only ten guest rooms or suites.
Here at Castle in the Country, the major difference I noticed immediately between a hotel and a bed and breakfast was the training process. During my first few weeks here I was taught the ins and outs of each room through housekeeping. This was the first important step of training to be an innkeeper. What a great way to start! I was able to see each of the rooms and since I was learning how to properly clean them, I would later be able to properly check them prior to your arrival to ensure no matter which room you choose, each one has had every detail covered to create the best getaway experience.
While we don’t have nearly the same quantity of rooms compared to a larger hotel, we certainly make up for that with the quality each room possesses! Each room is unique in every way. At a hotel, the rooms are cookie-cutter-identical to each other. Here the rooms have names rather than numbers. Each room has its own personality, its own identity.
When I help a guest choose a room here at our Allegan Inn, it has nothing to do with the cost or the number of people they can squeeze in; Instead, it’s all about the atmosphere and ambiance each room will create for just one couple at a time. From the King Arthur Suite with its floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the pond, to the Romeo & Juliet Suite with aged and distressed wood work and a picturesque faux balcony, to the Crowning Suite with its unique combination of antique and modern which contrasts an original wood-burning fireplace against sleek black furniture. At our Michigan B&B, no two rooms are the same and most of them have 2 person whirlpool tubs.
At the hotel, we provided a self-serve continental breakfast every morning, which was more than most hotels offer. At the Castle, instead of frozen eggs, we provide a full gourmet breakfast freshly prepared each morning and served at your own individual table for two. This morning the breakfast menu featured a banana-nut muffin, fresh fruit, and homemade sourdough bread French toast with a fresh berry compote and smoked ham. Tomorrow, Herb is making sweet amaretto-cherry focaccia bread, fresh fruit, Savory crepes with scrambled eggs and Asiago cheese filling, link sausage and red potato hash browns. I’d take that over scrambled egg product and oatmeal any day and it makes Breakfast a truly special time at our romantic Michigan Inn.
Even the check-in process is much more extensive and personal than it is at a hotel. At a hotel the main goal is to get people checked-in and up to their room as quickly as possible. Our ideal at Castle is to pamper our guests and make sure we’ve taken care of everything they’ll need to have a memorable getaway. We go over the detailed Kingdom Map of our 65 wooded acres with each guest, explaining the features of their room, the walking trails, the paddle boats and kayaks in the summer, the snowshoes in the winter, and our resident outside tour guide – our cat, Miss Abby. We then go through our Adventure Map and point out the best and most romantic restaurants, wineries, and other attractions in the surrounding cities of Allegan, Saugatuck/Douglas, Holland and Kalamazoo. We try to answer any questions that might pop up before we send you on your way in order to ensure the absolute best possible experience.
We make sure to cover every detail to inspire your personal “happily ever after” and as an Assistant Innkeeper at Castle in the Country, I’m happy to be able to tell you about the benefits of choosing a B&B instead of a Hotel. I’m looking forward to meeting you at the Inn and helping you experience your best getaway ever!