Published: May 02, 2008 03:22 pm            

VIDEO: Niagara Falls bed and breakfast owners band together

Louise Yots and her husband Tom are used to making things happen in Niagara Falls.

Louise created a program where volunteers stand on street corners and answer the questions of tourists; Tom is a former teacher and current city historian. His latest career involves helping preserve historic buildings in the city.

Even their home is a testament to their love of their city., a bed and breakfast that sits in an elegant old neighborhood once home to the scions of industry when the city was young.

The Yotses have meticulously converted their 1913 home to its original state as built by James G. Marshall, founder of Union Carbide.

In a city desperate to impress incoming tourists, the Yotses offer rooms with polished antique furniture, homemade food, personalized service and affordable rates.

You’d think they’d be turning people away.

Of course, they’re not, but things are looking up this season.

With room rates that range from $105 to $130, they — like many other businesses — still have to battle fuel prices and a struggling economy.

There is, however economic safety in numbers. The Yotses are among a group of five B&Bs in historic homes in the city that have banded together to support each other and to get noticed.

“We are screaming for attention,” said Louise Yots of the bed and breakfast industry in Niagara Falls. “We have so much to offer.”

The difference between a bed and breakfast verses an area hotel or motel isn’t about price but more about quality of experience, she said.

The quintet of B&B owners in Niagara Falls all provide experiences inside historical homes, she said, and each owner has a breadth of knowledge to share about local history and activities.

“Guests stand here with their suitcases and say, ‘This is my first experience. What do we do now?’ ” Yots said. “One of the things we're very loyal to is small business.”

Sometimes, however, area businesses do not return the favor. Those that could help the B&Bs, like convention planners and tourist information specialists, sometimes leave the B&B’s out of the loop when booking rooms for incoming gatherings, she said.

The gas crunch may actually work in favor of regional B&B owners, according to Barbara Leoncavallo Hanover House on Buffalo Avenue.

“I still feel that most people from the states want to see the rest of the country, and we are in Niagara Falls, which is a major wonder in itself, so we feel pretty confident it’s going to be a good year,” she said.

Laura Lee Morgan, owner of A Romantic Wedding Chapel at Rainbow House, concentrates more on her wedding business than her bed and breakfasts. She has a license to officiate weddings and performs nearly 300 ceremonies a year.

She, like all the B&B owners, is looking forward to the upcoming tourist season. “My year looks good so far, so of course, I’m happy.”

The owners realize their strength is in numbers and don’t consider each other as competition.

“It's like being on a street with a lot of antique dealers,” Leoncavallo said. “If you can't fill their needs, then somebody else can. That's very important.”

The B&B owners, who hope to meet soon with area tourism officials to gather support for their efforts, include Park Place, Rainbow House, the Elizabeth House, the Butler house and the Hanover House. All can be reached through their Web site, bandbniagarafalls.com, or by calling Yots at 282-6718.

Contact editor Michele DeLucaat 693-1000, ext. 157.

        

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