Staying Inn
The Heart Behind Two North Country Landmarks
Visitors come to the North Country for its beautiful views, many mountains, breezy summers and snowy winters. However, there is more to a vacation here than what you see outside. This region has numerous places to stay, including historic inns with welcoming staff. It’s those people behind the scenes that make a visit special. Much training for staff is done in the field, but for many, that education happens beforehand, in vigorous hospitality programs.
The Valcour Inn and Boathouse is a nine-room bed and breakfast. It is located in Peru, on the shore of Lake Champlain. The nine-acre property boasts architecture from the early 1920s. In 1926 the original inn burned down and was rebuilt by Celia Sibley Wilson that same year.
In the late 1960s, the property was purchased by the College Auxiliary Services at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. Today, the Valcour Inn and Boathouse can be booked privately and is used for retreats, events and conferences.
Taylor Staight is the general manager of the property. Staight went to the State University of New York at Fredonia, and originally majored in biochemical sciences. But she later switched her major to communications with a concentration in media management, business and marketing.
At Valcour, Staight says it is challenging to maintain the property without changing any of its historic features, something she faced while updating and renovating the property’s wallpaper and bathrooms.
She says she approaches life and her work at the inn in a positive, optimistic way, and feels grateful when guests tell her they enjoyed their time at Valcour. In recent years, the inn’s occupancy has tripled, a statistic Staight is proud of.
When she’s not at the inn, she enjoys being outside. During the pandemic she says she became a “pandemic hiker,” exploring the nearby mountains. She also traveled around the North Country, visiting places that, like Valcour, had historical significance.
Learn more about Valcour Inn and Boathouse at www.valcourinn.com.
The Mirror Lake Inn and Spa, in Lake Placid, is a resort owned by Ed and Lisa Weibrecht, parents of two-time Olympic medalist, alpine skier Andrew Weibrecht. The inn, along Mirror Lake, has been welcoming guests since the 1920s.
One of the people who make staying at the inn special is spa manager Victoria Dow, who has worked there for 14 years. She says she appreciates that the Mirror Lake Inn is a place where the owners know your name, want to get to know you, your passions and goals.
At the salon, Dow manages about 30 people, including massage therapists and estheticians, those who work at the front desk and the salon staff.
She attended Paul Smith’s College, majoring in service management and culinary arts. “Within any field or career, you learn through textbooks and assessments in school. But real hands-on experience isn’t something you can predict or prepare for,” Dow said. “College helps, but real life experience is priceless.”
She said it’s important to always go the extra mile for guests. For example, “Even when it’s a customer’s birthday, and we know about it, we can give complimentary drinks when they come in. We want them to have a wonderful experience here,” Dow said.
Her goal is to give every guest an unforgettable experience while visiting the Mirror Lake Inn and Spa.
Learn more about Mirror Lake Inn and their properties at https://mirrorlakeinn.com.
