11/01/2022
Over 20 years ago we moved to this quaint little town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains from a townhouse in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. We naively thought that we could create a life for ourselves as innkeepers of this big old farmhouse, converted to a B&B about a decade earlier. After all, we took an innkeeping class, so how hard could it really be?
At times it IS hard. There are times when you want or need to get away, but you can't. There are times when your awesome housekeeper moves out of the area and you have to scramble to find a replacement. There are times when the well pump dies or the power goes out or the boiler stops working. But those times are rare. What's not rare are the wonderful guests that continue to come through our front door with smiles on their faces, happy to be getting away for a day or two to enjoy some good wine or beer, hike up a mountain, or visit the home of a founding father. And maybe be pampered a bit. It's those smiling faces that keep innkeepers going.
People have always asked us how long WE plan to keep going, and our answer lately has been that it's much harder to stop than it is just to stick with it. There is definitely a momentum that takes over once you've established a business for a few years. Stopping the train isn't so easy. But we have finally come to that point where the prospect of getting off the train - to take some time to enjoy real life again - is more attractive to us than staying on board. So this will be our last month as owners and innkeepers at Afton Mountain Bed & Breakfast. We will be handing over the keys to new owners who we know will bring with them a fresh and exciting approach to making this great home and property a great destination for future guests.
As we come to the end of our stewardship of this place, we want to thank all those people who supported us along the way, starting with our family members for their patience and understanding, our "family" of fellow innkeepers for their advice and expertise, and local vendors and businesses for their support and collaboration. Most of all we want to thank the thousands of guests who have stayed with us over the years, especially those who have come back many times, for their kind words and encouragement that continually reinforced our commitment to the business. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
- Orquida & Dan
