Seven Years at the Jeremiah Mason House

On October 3rd, I marked seven years since I purchased the Jeremiah Mason House Bed and Breakfast. It is hard to believe it has been that long.

Before becoming an Innkeeper, I spent most of my adult life in sales. As I approached 50, I knew I wanted something different. I wanted to build something of my own, do work that felt more personal, and create a place where people could genuinely feel welcome.

So I took a leap.

I purchased an 1859 historic home in Limerick, Maine, and became the owner and Innkeeper of the Jeremiah Mason House. Four months later, COVID arrived.

Needless to say, that was not how I imagined my first year in business. Travel stopped, reservations disappeared, and I found myself owning a large historic Bed and Breakfast during one of the most uncertain times the hospitality industry had ever faced.

But I stayed.

Eventually, the doors opened again. Guests returned. Breakfasts returned. Suitcases began coming through the front door again, and little by little, the house came back to life.

What Innkeeping Really Means

Owning a Bed and Breakfast is not quite as romantic as people sometimes imagine.

There are early mornings, room turnovers, mountains of laundry, grocery shopping, bookkeeping, repairs, renovations, marketing, cancellations and all the unexpected things that come with owning a home built in 1859.

As a single owner and Innkeeper, there is no large staff behind the scenes. I am the one preparing breakfast, changing rooms, answering questions, managing reservations and trying to make each guest feel comfortable.

But there are also moments that remind me exactly why I chose this life.

A guest tells me they slept better than they have in months.

Someone returns for another stay.

A couple celebrates an anniversary here.

Travelers who have never met sit around the breakfast table and suddenly find themselves laughing together.

Those are the moments that make a traditional Bed and Breakfast different.

Why I Still Believe in the Bed and Breakfast Experience

There are many ways to travel today. Hotels, vacation rentals and Airbnbs all serve a purpose.

But a true Bed and Breakfast offers something different.

You are not simply renting a room.

You are staying in a home with history and personality. There is someone here who knows the house, knows the area and can help point you toward the scenic route, the little town, the antique shop or the place you might otherwise drive right past.

There is breakfast waiting for you in the morning.

There is conversation.

There is hospitality.

And there is a sense that, for a short time, you are not simply passing through.

Seven Years of Stories

The Jeremiah Mason House was built in 1859, long before I came along.

Families lived here. Lives unfolded here. Generations passed through these rooms.

More than 165 years later, the house is still welcoming people through its doors.

Some guests arrive for weddings or family gatherings. Some come to explore Maine. Others are hiking, antiquing, leaf peeping, visiting the mountains, heading toward the coast or simply looking for a quiet place to rest.

Some stay once.

Some return again and again.

And every person who stays here becomes a small part of the story of this house.

Looking Back

Seven years of Innkeeping have certainly not been easy.

There have been challenges I never expected and lessons I never planned to learn.

But there have also been wonderful people, memorable conversations, returning guests, friendships and moments that I would never have experienced had I not taken that leap seven years ago.

I am proud of what I have built here.

And I am grateful to every guest who has chosen to stay at the Jeremiah Mason House, every person who has recommended the inn to someone else, and everyone who has supported this small business along the way.

Seven years ago, I stepped into a life I could not fully imagine.

I am still discovering where the story goes from here.

Thank you for being part of it.

— Valerie

Owner & Innkeeper Jeremiah Mason House Bed and Breakfast in Limerick, Maine

In the Middle of Everywhere