Behind the Scenes: Turning a Home into an Inn

Happy May, everyone! The year has been flying by, and this month we wanted to slow it down and reflect on how exactly we got to the place we are now here at the Hornsby House Inn. In this post, co-owner David Bowditch and his wife Rene give you the inside scoop on the surprises, challenges and fulfillment of converting his family home into a renowned Bed & Breakfast.

David, how did you and Phil come up with the idea to convert your family home into a bed and breakfast?

It had really been in the back of our minds for a long time. Much later in our mother’s life, she lived in the house with caregivers. We were trying to figure what was going to happen to the house after she passed. Phil and I eventually ended up owning the house together. Tanya, mom’s caretaker who lived there for 8 years, suggested turning it into a bed & breakfast. We liked that idea, so renovated the house room by room, added bathrooms, and opened in the fall of 2011. Tanya helped in that process too.

Rene, were there any surprises that came along with the new lifestyle as an innkeeper? 

Well, the first year the Inn was open, my husband, David, spent more than 200 nights there after having dinner and spending part of the evening with me! It was sort of like we were dating again, but it’s also why I am particularly grateful for the wonderful young women (taking a gap-year from college or paying off student loans) we have had as House Managers ever since then! I got my husband back, well, most of the time.

I often tell people that I’d been married to David for 32 years before I learned he could cook, clean, and iron. That was the biggest surprise of them becoming Innkeepers. I will never forget the night I watched them ironing sheets on an ironing board set up in the sunroom while watching football on the TV.  Having ironed sheets was all their idea! Eventually they calculated the cost in time if they had to pay someone to iron all the sheets in the house multiplied by an estimated number of room turns and decided it would be less expensive to purchase a rotary iron to help. Guests now can find them in the office watching a Netflix show and “Mangling” (the brand of iron) the sheets!

David, what changed about the Hornsby House in its transition from private home to a hospitable haven for visitors? 

Well, it’s a long-standing joke that Phil and I don’t agree on anything! So we thought it would be great to have a third party come in and take the real designing work out of our hands. Karan Mulkey, our dear friend interior decorator, took on the role perfectly. Karan owns a consignment store in Hilton Village, Newport News called Rooms Blooms and More and is absolutely talented with an eye for unique design.

Now, what has changed and what is the same? All beds are brand new, and one or two sofas are new throughout the house, but all the major antiques, the dining room table and corner cupboards are family heirlooms. I’d say 90% of the Inn’s furniture is original to the house – and that is one of the most special things about it.

Rene, what was it like watching David and Phil learning the in’s and out’s of running an inn? How long did it take them to get the hang of it? 

They totally surprised me! Very quick studies, both of them. That’s why I think it must have been a latent gene that was waiting for the opportunity to present its talents! Their mother, Marian Hornsby Bowditch, who grew up in the house and raised her 4 sons there, was the consummate hostess and purveyor of hospitality. She was very active in the community and the house was used to entertain often. She even did our wedding and reception, herself and her friends chipping in, right there in the house.

So I believe they come by their gift of hospitality, making people feel welcome, naturally.  That’s why the Inn’s motto is “For Three Generations the Hornsby House has been a center of Hospitality in Yorktown.” David and Phil are admirably carrying on that tradition, and enjoying every minute of it.

David, what is the best part about being an innkeeper?

The interaction with the guests – we have had over 9,000 guests! Meeting so many neat people who tell their stories over breakfast or wine & cheese simply can’t be beat.

Rene, are long-standing connections made between the innkeepers and the guests? Do you have any specific examples of people you’ve kept in contact with? 

Oh my, yes! David and Phil often join the guests for breakfast and wine and cheese in the evening, so relationships develop. This was just posted on BedandBreakfast.com recently by a couple who have stayed with us for two years and already have booked for next year:  “This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful settings you could ever wish for. Our hosts David and Phil make you feel like they’ve known you your whole life and that they are welcoming an old friend back home.”  We just had a guest this week who had been there during our first year and has been back several times in the five years since.  We have others who have stayed with six, seven times already. Several specific dates, like Yorktown Day in October, we have the same full house every year!  In fact, David and I as a result of a group of them staying at the Inn every year, are now members of the American Friends of Lafayette organization and have made good friends through them.

Oh, David always invites couples who marry at the Inn back for a complimentary one night stay on their first anniversary, so we often keep in touch with those couples. We also tell them that as we were married in the house 39 years ago that weddings there are always blessed with longevity, and that if they have any problems, call us – we offer free counseling! LOL.

If you have stayed with us, what made your visit stand out to you? We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes post… stay tuned for more next month!