They moved in on a Monday and on the Wednesday Debra and Hugh MacLennan welcomed their first unexpected overnight guest at their newly acquired Bed and Breakfast. No ordinary establishment Millisle Bed and Breakfast in the quaint village of Merrickville, Ontario, is listed as one of the few ‘honeymoon’ B&Bs in Ontario.
Buying an Establishment
The five-bedroom house boasts private bathrooms with each room, Victorian antique furnishings, seven original stained glass windows, and a secure carriage house for storing bicycles or skis. Originally built in 1858, it was once the three-story Victorian brick home to William Magee, the Irish immigrant who established the Merrickville Foundry. Cast iron details from the foundry are sprinkled throughout the house.
For the Maclennans it’s almost as if it were meant to be. They had been living abroad for the better part of the past 20 years when Hugh came to Merrickville last November to visit his wife’s family. He wasn’t looking for property at the time, but when he heard that there was a couple interested in selling their B&B, he decided to take a look.
“I spent a couple of hours with them, and by the time I left I knew I wanted to buy it,” recalls Hugh. The deal closed on April 2, 2007, just one week after Debra saw it for the first time.
“This is a beautiful home, and you can tell this house has been loved. This is the first house we’ve ever bought that I haven’t had ‘buyers remorse’ over,” says Debra.
Hugh admits he knew all along that she’d love it, although he also knew which parts of the house she’d find less than adequate.
“I knew she’d have a problem with the kitchen,” he says.
A Few Add-Ons
A graduate of culinary arts from the Art Institute of California in Santa Monica, Debra is an award-winning chef who plans to bring her art and skills to bear on the business in the near future.
“It’s attractive to use Millisle’s reputation as a bed and breakfast and blend in the culinary aspect with it,” she says.
The MacLennans see the potential for turning the picturesque house with its one and a half acre property into a calming Victorian retreat; a place where guests can indulge and escape.
“If a guest decides they want to shop until they drop, then want to come back here and have dinner in their pajamas in our dining room or in the lounge, we can do that. There are many places in the world where bed and breakfasts offer breakfast and dinner to their patrons,” says Debra.
Already they offer a valet service to their guests, but their immediate plan is to raise the occupancy rates during the week. Currently the facility is booked months in advance for weekends and so far they’ve had a minimum of three rooms booked every day. They are particularly gratified to find that many of the patrons are repeats.
“One Saturday we had a couple who were down for their 20th visit,” says Hugh.
And More
Leaving behind the fast-paced lifestyle of L.A., California, where Hugh was an IT executive and where Debra worked as a chef with Air Gourmet, the couple decided it was time to find balance.
“After awhile you want to be a bit more grounded – and I wanted to be closer to my mother,” says Debra. Already familiar with the region thanks to many visits with Debra's sister, the MacLennans had an idea they might come to this area eventually.
“We’re part of that vanguard of people who want to move to the country,” says Hugh. “When we tell our friends that we live in the country now, they think it’s nirvana,” he chuckles.
Gracious, warm and friendly Hugh and Debra plan to build on Millisle’s already stellar reputation as one of the best places to Bed and Breakfast in Ontario, and offer more specialty services including her culinary skills to patrons.
“It’s really a full service B&B, and if people come here and want a foot massage, I will find someone,” concludes Debra.
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