Laurence and Glenn; proprietors of the Trellis House and the Blue Shutters Inn & Studios
Ogunquit, Maine
The Trellis House and
The Blue Shutters Inn & Studios
In the past seven years, Laurence & Glenn have created very unique and upscale lodging at The Trellis House and now at their new venture, The Blue Shutters in Ogunquit Maine. “Trip Advisor” recently named The Trellis house “One of the top Ten Bed & Breakfasts in the United States”! We recently interviewed them to learn more.
What is the secret of your success? If you read our reviews our guests consistently tell us that it is our personal connection and attention to detail. From the moment a booking is made our communications are geared towards sharing our enthusiasm for their arrival. We greet each guest in person and welcome them as individuals. We realize each guest is unique and do our utmost to treat them with gratitude for choosing to stay with us. Then, of course, their room must be spotless and gorgeous and the details must exceed their expectations. We continue to make sure that each step of the way from check in, through Happy Hour, to our breakfast service which is very personal and special, to planning daily activities, our guests are met with kindness and support to have the best possible experience.
What is the funniest/worst disaster you’ve had at your Inns? We once had a couple that left the property to renew their vows on The Marginal Way and did not return to the Inn until late at night. During that time we snuck into their room and left them a small celebration cake and locked their door behind us without realizing that they had left their key in the room. In the morning we saw their text..."We are locked out of our room and are sleeping in our car"! Needless to say, this was a terrible moment for an Inn Keeper. Walking out to their car at 6am to knock on their window to give them their key still haunts us.
What is the biggest challenge to running these establishments? Like any successful endeavor it takes total commitment and one of the biggest challenges is to make it look easy for each and every guest.
What kind of guest is your biggest challenge? The ones that say "We are easy"!
What kind of guest is the most enjoyable? The ones that notice every detail and appreciate all we have done to create a great foundation for them to have a great experience. We love happy guests! We also especially love guests who have never been to a B&B before, we get to open them up to a whole new world.
What advice do you have for guests booking with you? Recognize we are all looking to make the guests' stay a great experience - ask for what you need and give us a chance to make right any problems that may arise during their stay.
If you had it to do again, would you leave your corporate/professional jobs to go into the hospitality business? Absolutely, we have loved every chapter of our 26 years together, and owning our own business has been so rewarding. We are so proud of all that we have built.
What is the biggest challenge for the hospitality business today? Seasonal staffing continues to be a major challenge for our business. Unfortunately, hiring workers who want to clean our rooms, cook our food, do our laundry, and provide hospitality/service of all kinds is nearly impossible to find locally. There are however people from all over the globe that want these jobs but our immigration policies as it relates to these workers is a gauntlet of costs and barriers which prevent us from getting those that want these much needed employment opportunities.
What is your underlying philosophy in running a top-level Inn? We make every effort to be leaders and participants in our guests' experience, not just staff members behind a desk. We want to have a positive impact on the experience. We share what we think makes our properties and our town special and we invite guests into our world. Be friendly, have fun and make every effort to connect with each guest.
What is the next step in your career as hoteliers? Retirement! ha We just purchased the Blue Shutters Inn and Studios and plan to operate The Trellis House Properties for many years to come.
Have you had any “Faulty Tower” moments? I don't know what this means lol but if it means a comedic guest moment I'd say the time our guest was locked in her bathroom with only her phone and a towel...we were all on the outside trying to unlock her door, trying to take the handle off, trying to slide tools under the door so she could take the hinges off and nothing worked. We had to call the fire department! and the whole time we were on the phone with her laughing through the door at how ridiculous the situation was. Her husband just sat on the bed shaking his head the whole time. Luckily she was an amazing person who found the humor in the situation.
What was your philosophy in decorating and outfitting your rooms? When we design and decorate our rooms we become our own guests. Treat each room like its own living accommodation. Each guest room has it's own distinct personality, style and vibe. Our beds are the highest quality and we outfit them with custom duvets and pillows and the softest, crispest sheets you can imagine. Each room must be a welcoming retreat filled with special touches - flowers from our garden on the bedside table with a personal note and a sweet treat welcoming them to our Inn. We design our rooms to not only look beautiful and inviting but practical in every way. Each room has live plants and we always keep books and magazines stacked on shelves to entice readers. For our tech-savvy guests, we offer chargers and docking stations for electronics. And for the guests who love to unwind with a drink, we supply ice, coasters and a tray of barware with glasses, corkscrew and an ice bucket. We ask how we can use each room to its best advantage. Where would a guest want to put down their room key? bags? hang their towels? We try to think like a visitor and then provide all that is expected and way more.
What do you advise your guests to do when they stay with you in Ogunquit? In each room, we provide books with information on what to do in Ogunquit and all the surrounding areas. We offer our very best suggestions for curated activities, and our personal favorite restaurants and sites to see. At breakfast, we engage with our guests asking if they need suggestions on how to spend their day. We love hearing from guests at the end of the day that they followed up on our suggestions and loved their day of fun!
Looking for a special weekend away? We highly recommend a stay at one of Laurence and Glenn’s properties. Tell them Clark and Mark sent you.
Phone: 207-646-7909
Follow On: Facebook | Instagram | TripAdvisor
Online At: https://TrellisHouse.com | https://BlueShuttersInn.com