Today I noticed a scury in the bed and breakfast yard as some of the squirrels seemed to be running around frantically almost as if they too have been affected by our unseasonably cool mid September weather. Could it be that they know something we don’t? Hopefully not as we sure would appreciate a long and colorful fall tour season for our bed and breakfast guests to enjoy.
The unusually chilly weather today and this week at the bed and breakfast and across all of the Saugatuck Michigan area has caused many of us to not only bring out sweaters and coats again, but to also start thinking of the seasons to come. Fall decorations came out yesterday at the Inn and we are beginning our transformation to the fall seasonal decor so that the bed and breakfast guests visiting us during the romantic fall season for their getaway trips will be delighted by the many wonderful things that autumn brings to us all.
This week marks a milestone in the Kingsley House bed and breakfast’s history as Terrie and Scott Hunter take over as Innkeepers of the fabulous Kingsley House. We have every bit of confidence that the two of them will make great Innkeepers and continue in the tradition of serving the Inn’s many guests over many years to come. Both from West Michigan, they are very familiar with the surrounding communities and bring many talents to their new roles, including pastry chef, meeting coordinator, decorator and great customer service experience just to name a few. Welcome Hunters to this new milestone in Kingsley House history and welcome to your new home!
Often times during September we see great temperature changes from the early morning hours to the afternoon hours in West Michigan. Today is one of those days at the bed and breakfast where early this morning it was barely 50 degrees and yet today’s afternoon temperatures are approaching 80….all in a matter of just six hours. But we sure don’t mind it as the cooler night time hours is great sleeping weather and the afternooon warmth is a great late summer/early fall weather pattern that can stick around as long as it wants.
Each year around this time, the amount of traffic at neighboring Cranes u-pick apple orchards increases quite a bit as apple picking season begins once again. Typically from labor day to Halloween, the apple picking season in this part of West Michigan is a very popular activity for our bed and breakfast guests visting the area but is also a very popular activity for locals as well.
Almost as if the weather knew the calendar when labor day weekend hit, our weather of late has been much more fall like and the temperatures have been cooler over night. It seems as though fall has come in over night in a way. But after the hot spells of this last summer, it sure does feel nice to feel the cool nights and have such great sleeping weather. It’s also given the air conditioning at the bed and breakfast a rest too!
We are often updating and changing things at the bed and breakfast all in the name of progress. One of the Inn’s most popular suites of years past, the Empire suite is now back as the Empire Elite suite. We have updated, added to the suite, changed the decor a bit and made it more spacious and more appealing than ever before. A king size bed, gas log fireplace, enclosed patio and suite refridgerator are just a few of the additions to the Empire suite. But today the suite had a new exterior french door installed as well.
Every morning this time of year we continue to set the tables for our bed and breakfast guests on the wrap around porch of the Inn. The past few mornings it has been very evident that we may not be able to be setting the tables outside too much longer if the cool nights and mornings continue as they have. It is always great to feel the cooler nights as we edge slowly into the early fall season, but the mornings are almost “too” cool for outdoor dining. So far though our Inn guests have still been loving the option of dining at breakfast outdoors, so hopefully it will last at least a few more weeks.
Every year around this time it becomes evident that our bed and breakfast guests and visitors to Saugatuck, South Haven and Holland areas are all busy getting back to the business of schools, returning kids to college, etc. There always seems to be a bit of a lull from late summer to early fall when guests to this part of west Michigan are “taking a break” from visiting the area. I always think it is the perfect time of year for a vacation in this area as it slows down temporarily before the fall leaf peepers seasons kicks into high gear.
Some mornings at the bed and breakfast, it seems as though everyone is completely mellow and moving at a slow pace. It seems as though this would indicate that we have done our job as Innkeepers because this same group of people were all rushing around at a fast pace when they checked in to the bed and breakfast on Friday evening. To see that our guests are all more relaxed and moving at a slower pace is a compliment to us and to the surrounding west Michigan beauty that they have been enjoying this weekend during their stay with us at the Inn.
