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Doily Campaign 2012
Today’s inns and B&Bs are burying old stereotypes about B&Bs. You may not realize this, but more than 95% of inns and B&Bs offer free wi-fi and a complimentary breakfast that blows the frozen waffles at your typical hotel or motel away. Plus many offer complimentary snacks and refreshments, free parking, TVs and always – honest local service with a smile. It’s time we buried these old stereotypes and showed the world that today’s inns and B&Bs are a Better Way to Stay.
MOVE OVER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, IT’S TIME FOR A MORE IMPORTANT VOTE. Now is the time to put Presidential politics aside. The destiny of the doily is at stake.
The Presidential primaries are nearing an end and the candidates are lining up. It’s now time to take a break from Presidential politics and move on to more important issues. The B&B industry asks travelers to set aside the political ambitions of Republicans and Democrats and focus on more important issues…the destiny of the doily at today’s inns and B&Bs.
The Better Way To Stay campaign asks all loyal Americans and Canadians to choose their party – Pro Doily or No Doily – in Doily Decision 2012, a ground breaking popular vote sure to guide legislation into the future.
The Pro Doily party is setting the doily stimulus package at the forefront of their campaign, running on a platform of freedom to crochet for all. “A doily on every surface,” is the mantra of the Pro Doily party, lobbying for tax-free status for doilies among other amendments.
The No Doily party maintains doily reform is long overdue, with doily anarchy having gone on long enough at inns and B&Bs. “Death to Doilies” is the cry of the No Doily Party promising to support capital punishment for doilies and vowing to put an end to doily excess, while eliminating doilies from every bureau in the country.
It’s time to cast your vote on the destiny of the doily. Choose your party and vote for the future of the doily at today’s inns and B&Bs. There’s a doily filled or doily free B&B for every traveler. Diversity is at the forefront of the B&B experience. Cast your vote in Doily Decision 2012, then find the B&B that’s perfectly decorated for your taste.
Thank you for this article and campaign. It is an energizing read and I know that the Innkeepers in Alberta will enjoy reading it when I share it with them. The “No Doily” campaign has inspired some marketing ideas for our group. Thanks!
We understand the thought behind the ‘no doily’ campaign, however we have found a way to blend some ‘doilies’ with the modern amenities offered at our inn and approach doily use without discrediting them. Many inn-goers seek ‘the nostalgia’ and thats why they stay at a B&B. That IS what sets each inn apart from a hotel !!! All are original! Our guests love our collections of vintage china, depression glassware, antique collectibles and YES…,a few doilies…and we incorporate it all into their stay..in addition to the modern amenities such as flat panel tv/dve and wifi! With a touch of ‘the ole’ they are brought back to bygone days…so ‘the doily’ in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing…SO, we vote neutral on the doily thing! No, Our inn does not smell like mothballs or potpourri! Our 1901 inn lends itself to a few doilies (used sparingly…just here-and-there) along with a sprinkling of the vintage items that we SO LOVE and our guests SO ENJOY! …All inns need to be original and reflect the innkeepers without being cookie cutter…SO, in conclusion…neutral on the doily use.. ’nuff said!
Welcome to the Doily Independent Party! The idea behind the Doily Campaign is to show there is a B&B for every taste, and being Doily-Neutral is great! There are many travelers that join you in going both ways on doilies!
Just like the other political issues of the day, I find it difficult to align myself with a ‘party line’ that tends to be polarized. As such, my support as an Independent voter (and thinker) recognizes that party dogma is often one-sided and biased without looking at what is truly best. I cast my independent vote as supporting the inns that are authentic in their being and creative in their experiential offerings.
We own two historic homes on the Nat’l Register, and yet we have managed to stay mostly doily free….that’s not to say we don’t have lace curtains and LOTS of beautiful antiques. Our guests have mentioned how much they appreciate our uncluttered decor, while they ooh and ahh over the period antiques. It’s good to be able to mix eras I think!
The Blue Goose Inn
While we embrace the homes c1885 colonial style, and are happy to share it’s colorful history with any who care to listen, we are proud to offer a doily free zone, with our easy breezy tropical style. I say Down with the Doily.
We are Doily Moderates… using doilies only between fruit dish and plate and for our swan butter pats. The rest of the crocheted doilies are packed away and brought out for those curious about antique linen.
We must remain Doily Neutral to protect our right to use doilies when the time & place is appropriate. We are a historic Victorian home and doilies are part of the era. However, we mostly just use them to dress up platters when we serve snacks in the evening.
I think doilies add a bit of beauty to a bed and breakfast that sets it way apart from a generic hotel or motel. I mean if I wanted to stay at a place with no frills or doilies I would stay at a generic hotel/motel chain.
My grandmother was making doilies all the time, and sometimes she would let me help starch them.I always thought doilies added a good home feeling to the house.We still have some of her doilies.
Doilies have no place in our b&b and our guests like it that way. We are anything but “generic” and there are many other ways to “add a bit of beauty to a bed and breakfast” beyond doilies! Unfortunately the stereotype for b&b’s is a doily filled home with lots of florals and wallpaper. There is space for no-doily b&bs too! Don’t call us generic because we refuse to conform to the doily agenda!
Before opening our b&b “1908 Ayres Inn” we decided we did not want to have any of the typical b&b stereotypes. The house itself has a lot of architectural elements and detail that we didn’t feel the need to add “stuff” and people love that. Most of our guests choose us over other b&b’s because of that. – No doilies!
1908 Ayres Inn
We love the doily discussion and use a few only for the purpose they are made for to protect our fine wood and furniture. Keep up the discussion.
Pat
Captain’s Inn
Lexington, Michigan
On the doily issue, we intend to be the Switzerland of B&Bs.
thank goodness we decorate in our own way it keeps guests interested in visiting all of us at some point. I still do use doilys, under lamps or statues that might otherwise scratch the wood, we use them in baskets of snacks or small ones under tea cups. Some are used on the top back of chairs. But, we so love going to other B&B without doilys or with doilys. We just love looking at everyones decorating skills and ideas to help pull us up from the comfy zone we tend to get use too. Fresh input helps incourage fun in decorating up my B&B. after 19 years in this 1910 home, I have changed from wooden craft country, to french country, to modern, to antiques.. now I am in the ecclectic mode. I have kept some wallpaper but I find I now paint more. I love the old and love the new…I now just try to mix them together to look alive. Currently I find that I buy more fresh flowers and set them on a doily. I believe this look keeps our B&B in the cozy, homey, elegant feel.
We have a renovated turn of the century farmhouse. We have an ecclectic mix of simple antiques , carefully chosen bedding and artwork. There is not a doily in sight! Our guest continually comment on how warm and inviting the space is and how they enjoy the lack of clutter.
We use some nice golden chargers on the breakfast table. When you place a dish of hot food on the charger, the centre of the charger expands upwards and suddenly the guest’s plate will begin to rotate when he or she attempts to use the cutlery. To prevent this disconcerting turn of events, we use a heavy lace doily on top of the charger, This provides both insulation and friction between plate and charger and the breakfast is more readily devoured. Vive Doilies.