November 20, 2008 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
Hill B&B hosted visitors from all around the world
For the past decade Teresa Vesey of Chestnut Hill has been welcoming visitors to the area. First as a hostess of a bed and breakfast and now as landlord of extended-stay apartments, Vesey and her organization, Anam Cara Accommodations, has hosted visitors from across the country and the world. Many of her guests visit to attend one or two-week long classes at the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Wyndmoor. They come from all over Europe, Latin America and Canada to provide assistance to their children facing physical or mental challenges. Vesey has become close to many of these families since they often return several times a year. As owner of the Hill’s only bed-and-breakfast for the last 10 years, she spent hours with the families helping them acclimate to the area, serving meals and listening to stories of their homelands, children’s health issues and their own life experiences. In Gaelic, “Anam Cara” means soul friend. Vesey who was raised in Mayo, Ireland, chose this name because she wanted to create a friendly atmosphere for her guests. She believes the clean, comfortable environment of the B&B and apartments combined with the information she makes available to her guests and the one-on-one time she spends with them have made all the difference. She admits however that achieving that atmosphere was not easy, “People have no idea how much work it is to run a quality B&B. They seem to have romantic ideas about B&Bs, but when I explain how much laundry, bed making, shopping, decorating you have to do (and then save energy to spend with guests), they seem to quickly lose interest.” Though she recognized a growing business need for longer stay accommodations and additional amenities for her guests, it was the intense level of work and time commitment that ultimately led to Vesey closing her B&B earlier this year. “I just got so tired of working hard seven days a week. It was difficult to get away. I was looking for something that would give me more autonomy.” When she purchased the two twin homes on Ardleigh Street eight years ago, she had a vision — four large, fully furnished studio apartments, each with its own dining area, kitchen, bath and amenities for extended-stay travelers such as wireless internet and laundry. Vesey did not seek a zoning change before opening up the homes to paying guests. The first few years were spent renovating and decorating the apartments. Today, she offers four studio apartments in one of the twins. The other twin has two apartments; one for her to live in and a two-bedroom furnished apartment she rents for extended stay as well. The extended-stay studios and two-bedroom apartment have minimum stays of one week and start at $695/week. The nature of extended-stay rentals has significantly changed Vesey’s schedule. “It was a tough transition getting used to extended-stay guests. You don’t see them very often, and they don’t require that much from you.” For 10 years, Vesey lived in the basement of her Bed and Breakfast on Wooddale, and her guests stayed in the four bedrooms on the second floor. They shared the kitchen and living space. Many of her friends could not understand how she could let strangers into her home. “Growing up in Ireland, your village was your family. There were always people in and out of homes, so I guess it just is natural for me.” Perhaps her hospitality expertise is in her genes. When she first came to the States in the early 1970s, she was a 20-something eager to try out the country where many of her cousins had previously moved. She first started working at the Stouffer’s Hotel in Center City. Later she lived in Boston, working with Meridian Hotels. As she moved up the corporate ladder, she was transferred to different cities when new hotels opened. Vesey lived and worked in Manhattan and Little Rock before coming to Philadelphia to help open The Rittenhouse. She loved the lifestyle when she was younger, “It was great fun to move around when I was young. I definitely had some hard work and long hours in management, but still it was real fun.” After two decades working in hotels, Vesey decided to try the B&B industry. She spent a few summers running a B&B in Cape May and later started her own reservation service. After a brief stint selling cars for Margarity Chevrolet, Vesey did some soul searching and realized she really wanted to open a B&B. She looked at the large empty home she was currently living in and realized, “I gotta do it.” Though she never changed the zoning on the property, she spoke with neighbors, got help from a career counselor and made significant investments in beds, linens, rugs and the cozy décor for which her rooms are known. Selling the home that housed the B&B in April was very emotional for Vesey, but she knew it was time. Her work life now gives her much more time for personal activities. She enjoys yoga classes, hiking, biking and trips visiting friends in Northern and Southern California. “I have much more freedom with extended-stay guests. My staff can address immediate issues, and I never travel without my laptop and cell phone.” Her travels have included a hiking trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and a yoga retreat in Cancun. She recently spent two weeks in Bali with a friend who was there teaching martial arts classes. Vesey fell in love with Indonesia during her extended hiking tours and temple visits, but what really captivated her was the grace and warmth of the locals. Vesey knows how much a positive interaction with local residents can impact a visitor’s experience. She has spent the bulk of her career trying to create just that! For more information or to make a reservation, go to www.anamcarabandb.com.
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