The Wayside Inn Bed & Breakfast, located in Ellicott City, MD, was recently honored by admittance into Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America, the premier innkeeping association in the United States and Canada. Out of the thousands of inns in North America, only an elite few will be invited to join Select Registry this year. The Wayside Inn Bed & Breakfast joins more than 400 other exceptional properties that are already members of the Association.
Founded in 1972 as the Independent Innkeepers' Association by Norman Simpson, "the Father of Country Inn travel in America," Select Registry is an offshoot of Simpson's popular and pioneering book, Country Inns and Back Roads. The name and logo of the organization were changed several years ago to reflect the group's approach to marketing its selective and distinguished member properties. Originally established in the Berkshire area of New England, the nonprofit organization is now headquartered in historic Marshall, Michigan. Member inns must meet the rigorous standards of a Quality Assurance program, and represent the most prestigious establishments of their type.
A marketing association, Select Registry partners with other brands and organizations-such as BMW, Karen Brown's Guides, DiRoNA, UK Tour Operator Select Vacations, PhoCusWright, Ontario's Finest Inns and the American Heart Association to name a few-to promote its members to target audiences. Its celebrated guidebook-now in its 20th Edition-is distributed each year to nearly 400,000 guests throughout North America. The organization also maintains a critically-acclaimed website, supervises gift certificate and loyalty programs, and organizes promotions for its members, including last year's inaugural "Inn-credible Breakfast Cook-off," a breakfast recipe culinary competition that produced nearly 30 million media impressions.
The Wayside Inn Bed & Breakfast exemplifies the high quality and service championed by this Association," says Select Registry Executive Director Keith Kehlbeck. "Select Registry assures the traveler that each of its inns is regularly inspected-anonymously and with an overnight inspection that measures the quality of hospitality, as well as the physical plant. Our members share a high standard of excellence, and each of our country inns, luxury B&Bs, and unique small hotels has its own distinctive character."
The owners of the Wayside Inn Bed & Breakfast are Susan and David Balderson.
As one of the newest members of Select RegistryT , the Wayside Inn is proud to continue its long tradition of upscale hospitality to both the business traveler and to the discerning leisure traveler. Since its opening in 1999 by owner's Susan and David Balderson, the Wayside Inn has provided luxurious lodging and delicious gourmet breakfasts to thousands of guests. The Inn has hosted hundreds of wedding night couples who are looking for a special romantic place to spend their first night together. These couples often return again and again to revisit the Inn on the subsequent anniversaries. Owners Susan and David have become ambassadors for Ellicott City, making sure that all their visitors know about and visit local area attractions, both historic and entertainment, and encourage them to visit local restaurants and drinking establishments. "We are so lucky to be surrounded by scores of quality establishments", said Mr. Balderson, "with five of Baltimore Magazine's Top 50 restaurants within a 5 mile radius from the Inn. We have even established special relationships which allow us to offer our guests special packages for both lodging and dining."
The Wayside Inn Bed and Breakfast is conveniently located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. In fact, it is the only Maryland Select RegistryT member located between Washington, D.C and Baltimore, along the Interstate 95 corridor.
In June the Baldersons' will open their newest addition which will include their sixth guest bedroom. This room will feature a private patio entrance, double spa tub in the ensuite bathroom, a remote controlled gas fireplace with a large LCD flat screen television mounted on the wall above the fireplace and guest controlled central air conditioning system. Off the entrance hall of the Inn, the Baldersons' will open the new fully conditioned Sun Porch which will become the perfect place for morning breakfasts, afternoon teas, as well as being available for small business meetings, wedding and baby showers, family get-togethers, and club functions. The Sun Porch is topped with a useable roof top deck which looks over the Inn's pretty back yard and pond.
This is the third major renovation the Baldersons' have undertaken since they purchased the property in 1998.
To find out more about the Wayside Inn Bed & Breakfast, call 1-410-461-4636 or visit it on the web at www.waysideinnmd.com. To search for other Select Registry inns, meet innkeepers, purchase gift certificates and much more, visit the Select Registry web site at www.selectregistry.com.
Standing Out in a Crowded Industry
According to recent surveys, country inns, small hotels and B&Bs are more popular than ever. One online bed and breakfast web site identifies over 27,000 such properties in the U.S. and Canada. Reports have surfaced-including a recent New York Times article-that the industry has developed problems with quality control, pricing, and misrepresentation. "The field is becoming saturated," states Kehlbeck, "which makes being selected for this prestigious organization so important to our members. It sets the Inn apart in the public's mind. Our standards are very high for member inns, making for outstanding travel experiences for the general public."
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