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her husband Norman, theirs was the first bed and breakfast concern to open in the county at a time when the industry was in its genesis.
“We were the first ones. The Board of Supervisors didn’t even know what a B&B was in 1981. When we went to get our license nobody knew what we were talking about, including us,” she laughed.
Now known as an “inn” rather than a “bed & breakfast” (the change in semantics is due to room count and amenities), the Conyers House has expanded its business throughout the years to include on-site horseback riding and an “elegant six-course dinner.”
Cartwright-Brown said each bed and breakfast concern in the county has a unique ambiance and something different to offer clients.
“When somebody calls me and I don’t have a room, they usually request a referral. I ask them if they are interested in staying in town or in the county, then I find out what they are interested in doing.”
“From the very beginning, we haven’t changed much as far as being a tourist promoter. Each of us acts as a chamber of commerce and visitors’ center for the area. It’s up to us to see that guests have a good time,” she said.
Cartwright-Brown said she views her fellow innkeepers as allies rather than competition. “I can only speak for Conyers House, but it has always been like that. I have never thought of any other B&Bs as competition. Somebody else offers something different. If we are too pricy for somebody (rates vary from $150 to $250 per night), it is to our advantage to suggest someplace else because if they leave Conyers House on a positive note' it helps the entire area. In a way, we might even have facilitated their ability to come out here.”
Cartwright-Brown said her business, now in its 16th year, no longer spends much money on advertising. Instead it relies on repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations. A great deal of its publicity, however, comes press coverage.
“I don’t do much promotion or advertising. I do cooperate with articles and books. We
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