Travel & Tourism Awards 2021

www.lux-review.com Page 25 LUX 2021 Travel & Tourism Awards Steeped in history and local charm, the Ashley Manor B&B is a business that prides itself on providing high end, private getaways in a busy world. Ashley Manor B&B of the Year - Cape Cod Dec20528 Based in the historic district of Barnstable on Cape Cod, Ashley Manor circa 1699 is a stately full-service bed and breakfast situated in the heart of the Mid-Cape. It is first and foremost a luxury establishment, and its location puts it mere minutes from Barnstable village, Millway Beach and harbour, as well as a short drive from many other beaches and leisure attractions. Ashley Manor itself boasts two acres of stunningly maintained and manicured grounds, including a spacious backyard patio, gazebo, and tennis court. It has a total of six guest bedrooms, all of which are elegantly appointed and are fitted with wood burning fireplaces, full private baths, and the four suites offer separate oversized jacuzzi tubs. Guests benefit from luxury amenities including wide screen HDTV, individual air conditioning/heat control, Free Wi-Fi, Beekman 1802 bath products, bespoke linens and textiles, garment steamer, and parking. In its stay packages, it also serves elevated food in-house with a multiple course chef inspired breakfast served either on the expansive patio or indoors next to a roaring fire. The core values that founded Ashley manor ring true to this day with the primary focus on hospitality and customer service in all aspects of its business. It feels that these values have become a lost art in the fast-pace and hubbub of the modern world. Ashley Manor strives to create a haven of positive traditional culture outside of it all, providing its guests with a private respite from the bustle of daily life. Overall, its successes have been derived from the flawless way in which it achieves this, to an ever-heightening standard of excellence. The clientele that it serves also vary greatly due to the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere it provides; Ashley Manor serves clients from locals needing a romantic weekend away to vacationers seeking a summer escape. A large part of the way it is found is through its internet marketing by way of the website, social media pages and online travel agencies. However, it also gains a lot of goodwill in its target market through glowing word of mouth reviews and the generation of an impeccable reputation in its local area. In short, Ashley Manor works to achieve perfection. Based on accountability, realistic expectations, and trust in itself, the reviews certainly show how it is maintained this. In the first year of business, its founders made the decision to brand Ashley Manor on the premise of not needing staff, handling all elements of its operation themselves; however, as the business grew both in services and demand, it decided to rethink this. When looking for new hires to join the Ashley Manor family, it prioritizes talent that puts pride and care into every aspect of their professional work. In this way, it seeks to cultivate an internal culture of dedication and nurture, one that revolves around providing the best service for its clients and the best support for the other members of the Ashley Manor team. Of course, due to the nature of the travel and leisure industry, Covid-19 presented Ashley Manor with significant bumps in the road throughout 2020. The tourism industry took significant hits to revenue streams on the macro scale, encountering issues that stemmed from severely reduced footfall and spending. With lockdown keeping everyone inside, many businesses found themselves either on the rocks or facing closure. Ashley Manor considers itself among the lucky few, as it has managed to find itself in a position to not just weather the storm of the pandemic, but in a position to step back and identify the positives about its business that allowed this resilience. It may accommodate less guests, for example, but its accommodations are on a grand scale; turning restrictions into an opportunity by allowing them to easily implement social distancing rules. It was also able to take advantage of temporary closures by undergoing renovations and upgrades, ensuring that when it could allow guests back in, it was the best version of itself it could be. Over the course of the next few months, this will continue to be Ashley Manor’s focus. It is planning to move ahead with many exciting further changes to the façade of its establishment. These will include an update to its interior design, the installation of energy efficient windows, repainting of both the interior and exterior, and continuing the growth of the business. All the while, it will of course be keeping its historical and traditional roots in mind. To this end, it will of course be keeping some of the Manor’s more esoteric features. Included in the things a guest can encounter are the hiding places, staircases, and ladders existing within its walls that date all the way back to its use as a safe house during the Revolutionary War. Company: Ashley Manor Contact: Keith McDonald Website: ashleymanor.net Instagram: @ashleymanorbandb