Riverside

We run a bed and breakfast. Some ask us how we can do such a thing. Don’t we value our privacy? The truth is that there are some days when we would prefer to be alone, but there are very few of these. Most of the time the people who seem to wander in our lives fascinate us. Every one of them has a story and I do my best to draw it out of everyone.

Before we decided to get into the business, we visited many establishments in the United Kingdom and a few in Canada. We noted what we liked in each and what we didn’t. The result is what we provide our guests with today.

We wanted to grow slowly, so in spite of everyone telling us to advertise here or there, we are only on the Internet and in our town’s tourism brochure, mainly to show support for St. Marys.

From the very start we have said that if we couldn’t grow by word of mouth, we didn’t deserve to grow.

From the moment our guests’ foot hits our beautiful, Victorian front porch we are doing our best to look after them. We show them to their rooms and ask if we can get them something to drink. One particular gentleman had had a difficult time at customs and on the drive and he asked, “Do you have a beer?” A few minutes later he was relaxing on the front porch, brew in hand, watching the river float by.

We have a menu from which they can choose their breakfast. Guests often ask us what time breakfast is. We in turn ask them when they want it. We make it very clear that we are in no rush to get rid of them.

We constantly ask if there is anything we can do for them.

Our breakfasts are rather hearty. We have fruit salad, baked goods, yoghurt, three kinds of juices, the best coffee in the world and an entrée. Many guests can’t finish everything. No problem. We will pack them a doggie bag.

Do you like sausages? We get the best we can, but we go one better. We barbecue them. It doesn’t matter if there is a raging snowstorm outside or if it is minus 20 Celsius, I am out there in the morning cooking them. Why? They taste better and are less greasy this way.

The result has been that many of our clients come back time and time again. We go that extra mile. The reward is the smiles and compliments we receive. That’s not to say that things go perfectly every time, but we do our best to do our best. We have fun doing it.

Our philosophy sums up how we feel: Come as guests; leave as friends. Perhaps one day we will have the pleasure of pampering you.

You can see our website at www.riversidestmarys.biz.