The Personality-Driven Inn

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One of the very first hospitality/style websites I started following religiously was DesignTripper, which in the words of founder Megan McEwan "explores the intersection of travel and design with genuine curiosity and good taste". (In fact, it was the subject of one of my very first blog posts on this site. )

Her most recent post caught my eye. In it she talks about her article for Condé Nast Traveller in which she explores the growing trend of "personality driven inns".

The personality-driven inn? Call it a trend that has yet to be named, where the clichéd innkeeper is replaced by a savvy curator with a devotion to detail. The inns they run haven’t been designed, decorated, or branded by someone else. Instead, every last thing—from the lavender- scented linens to the signature blend of coffee beans—is designed to let guests experience the innkeeper’s own charmed life. Whether a cluster of medieval cottages in Normandy, a bucolic Irish manor house, or a villa in the hills outside Seville, these three inns have one thing in common: At the helm are owners whose sensibility and passion are at the very heart of the stay.

(Bold emphasis my own.)

Yes! Exactly! That's precisely what the Spruceton Inn is all about.  Welcome to my little corner of the Catskills where yours truly has had a hand in everything from the doorknobs to the dishware to the drink of the day.

Sure, there are days when it can get a little overwhelming to be in charge of LITERALLY EVERYTHING. We need to choose between sprinkler systems? We need to get more mattress quotes? We need another permit from the county?  We need to design the kitchenette shelving? We need a sample menu for the liquor license application? We need to send out another newsletter? We need to hire a photographer?

No, WE don't need to. I need to!

My notebooks and calendars and to-do lists can look like the work of a madwoman.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything. It feels SO DAMN GOOD to use every corner of my brain, and to have had an idea that that is now coming to life in such tangible ways all because I've made it so.

Right about now would be an excellent time to mention that I could never have even pretended to think about doing this without the support of my family and friends. Steven and my parents in particular get a shout out for being the real deal.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You three can stay for free at my "personality-driven inn" any time.