Winter Schedule:
The Inn is open Dec 28 through Jan 24, and will be closed Jan 25 - Feb 17.
Miss Rebecca's Cottage is ALWAYS open with 25% off Jan - Mar.
QUESTION: WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO
RUN A B&B FOR 32 YEARS??
This is the only time of year when we have the opportunity to ask ourselves this question! The busy part of the season is over, the phone isn't ringing (as much), and we aren't working seven days a week buying groceries, baking, and trying to keep things shipshape for a parade of guests. January & February will bring guests on weekends, a little snow, some end of year accounting (how could our expenses add up like that?), confirming advance reservations, tying up loose ends and getting ready for a yearly vacation. Spring means prioritizing projects and maintenance, updating our internet presence, and deciding how to confront yet another season in Highlands. As you can imagine, there aren't many breaks in the action when you run a "Mom-and-Pop" business like this one.
But December is quiet. Leaf Season, Thanksgiving, Culinary Festival, and the Christmas Parade are over and there is a little lull in Highlands. Most people are home going to holiday events, finishing school projects, and preparing for family gatherings. So we take a break and try to rest and reflect a little.
The answer to the question lies in the photo above. This magnificent view of Whiteside Mountain is right in our neighborhood on Big Bear Pen Road - a two minute drive from the Inn. There is also a newly reclaimed hiking trail, the Kelsey Trail, which takes you from the Inn through the woods to this same location in about 30 minutes. But remarkably, we lived here 30 years before we discovered how close and accessible this iconic scene was.
There is ALWAYS something new & different to discover about Highlands!! It is an ever-changing canvas that is being painted over time with remarkable embellishments. It has evolved from a cute but sleepy little mountain village into a dynamic town with a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly Main Street, year-round events in visual and performing arts, and new venues from which to enjoy the outdoors - a new in-town park with ice skating, a year-round indoor public swimming pool, and a system of walking trails that connect town streets with nature areas. Forget the country clubs - the new sought-after place to live is IN TOWN!!
So, the answer is - it's INTERESTING!! Our town is interesting, our guests are interesting, and it's interesting to see how we can continue to operate when the trend is toward pricey luxury hotels. We love being able to offer a reasonable alternative while providing our guests a quality experience in food and accommodations. Doing this is a creative challenge and is one of things we love most about running a B&B. Fifteen other B&Bs have opened and closed in our 3 decades here, and I suppose our time for that will come, too. Maybe sooner, maybe later - but at least right now, we know that every single day, we will have something interesting to do!!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING 2015
ANOTHER GREAT SEASON!
HAVE YOUR OWN WONDERFUL
ENDING & BEGINNING!
We hope to be your hosts in 2016 for our 33rd Season,
so call now for the best choice of rooms.
Donna & Chris Alley, Innkeepers Since 1964
541 Hickory Street, Highlands NC
(828) 526-2060
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