From Canada With Love

Back in August, we had some delightful and lovely Canadians in the house (in fact this year we have many lovely Canadians in the house). After a few days of chatting and getting to know them it turned out that one of the party was a journalist for a local paper in Ottawa and wanted to write an article on us. We have just been emailed this article for our approval. You have it!

Mark’s workday was already four hours old when the clock struck 11.00 am, the beginning of the all-important three-hour window between check-outs and check-ins at Maison De L’Orb , when the entire house is practically turned upside-down to get it ready for guests. "So many people think, ‘I'd always love to run a bed-and-breakfast,'" says Mark, the owner of the bed-and-breakfast. "But behind the scenes, you're folding laundry, preparing dishes and fixing broken toilets - all in time for a two o clock check-in with a smile on your face." After that, of course, he has many more hours of duties to look forward to before it was time to turn in - and even at that hour, he is on his computer sending confirmations and checking feedback, setting his alarm for 07.00 a.m. and keeping a phone nearby in case of any early morning emergency calls. Then there is also the personal stuff that needs to be done the dog walked, the cats fed, the garden tidying, not to mention shopping. Such is the routine for owners of bed and breakfasts - where everything may seem peaceful and relaxing on the surface, but is anything but for those who must work around the clock to keep up the illusion of tranquility. Running a B&B is work, in every sense of the word - a challenging, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week responsibility in which every aspect of a guest's stay must be perfect, every section of a room clean and spotless, and every need met and question immediately answered. It's much more than many bed and breakfast owners’s ever imagined - but in the end, they wouldn't want to do anything else. "I definitely love the business," Mark said. "It’s tough but a great way to make a living." Passion. "In a funny way I was kind of destined to do this. My great grandmother had a guest house, my grandmother had a hotel and much of the family has been involved in either hotel or catering work.”

"I had a background in the arts industry, but here you're a lot more personable, and you get to cook, bake and even do gardening. It really is like a dream." Before Maison De L’Orb, Mark spent twenty years in London alternating between bar and acting work before publishing his first book (he has since published twelve books to critical acclaim). Check Out Check In During the three hour turn around window, Mark endlessly checks and rechecks the rooms to make sure all is okay. The towels are clean and put in the bathroom “Quite why some owners leave towels on the bed is beyond me it’s like saying I am a towel and look I have been washed, put it where it belongs." The hospitality tray is cleaned and refilled (“No UHT milk here we provide the real thing.”) flowers are displayed and windows are cleaned. The furniture is dusted the bathroom is shining, and time is taken to make sure even the little things are okay such as light bulbs and the TV remote works. Too often, Mark said, people will leave more than memories behind. "A lot of times, people leave things under the bed," Mark said, checking under the mattress in the Jardin Room. "We have the usual things, the odd pair of knickers, a plug but once we had a set of teeth." After that, they set up the dining room, water the plants, put out a tray of cake and biscuits for new arrivals, answer the phone to take future reservations and update all social networking sites. “Despite being just a B & B, people expect more these days. People expect fresh linen, plasma TVs and we provide that despite a good price. We have had some great reviews, some fantastic reviews and the odd bizarre review but it’s all part and parcel of the job. Sometimes I think it’s US who should review the guests not the other way round. And yes,sometimes we do get it wrong, we're not perfect, I wouldnt want to stay in a perfect place anyhow, they don't exist.” Downtime “We have have a dog, cats, a great garden and a good venue space for that all important downtime, but we also drive out and see the area. In the summer once all the guests are checked in and happy, we get down to the beach.” With all that has to be done, one thing that's clear is that B&B is a 24-hour, seven-day-a week operation. Expert On Everything Of course, in this business, everything revolves around the guests and their needs. "You have to be a concierge and know everything that goes on in the area," Mark said. “You have to be able to recommend restaurants, but also provide maps - plus, if necessary, written directions and even a picture with a phone number on it.” Plus, he added, "Things like church schedules, different types of boat tours. ... You have to know to be able to provide these answers." "It's also about reading people as well." "With the numerous amounts of restaurants, you have to know where to send them. One couple may enjoy a certain restaurant, and another one may not." How guests spend time at the inn also varies, Mark said. "Some guests will come here and not want to be bothered, and spend time alone and out on a sun lounger," he said. "Some guests like to talk to you the whole afternoon." "One of the amazing things is the diversity of the people," Mark said. "You're always learning new things from people you might not otherwise be exposed to on a regular basis, coming in and out of your life." And, of course, there's the cooking. "I love to cook, I love to bake, I am turning into Nigella every day, When it comes to compliments, "It makes you feel good to hear that. I hear that every day. It never gets old."