Annapolis Royal in Top 10 places to see in Canada

According to MacLean's magazine Annapolis Royal is among the Top 10 places to see in Canada.

To view the article and video they produced visit placestosee.macleans.ca and click on Annapolis Royal.

NS: Yarmouth-Portland ferry service on target for start-up, says Nova Star Cruises

www.novastarcruises.com

Nova Star Cruises, the company that will reestablish ferry service between Yarmouth and Portland, ME, says it is on schedule for a May 1st. To read the full article click here

HILLSDALE HOUSE INN CHOSEN AMONG TOP 10 B&B’s IN CANADA

ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, NS December 8, 2011 -- Hillsdale House Inn in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia has been selected among the Top 10 B&B’s in Canada in the seventh annual Best of BedandBreakfast.com™ Awards, 2011-2012. Hillsdale House Inn is recognized as a top inn around the world providing the best travel experience, hospitality and customer service.

BedandBreakfast.com is the most comprehensive global site for finding bed and breakfast properties around the world, with more than 11,000 properties worldwide.

The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award winners are selected based on the quality and quantity of the traveler reviews from the past year on BedandBreakfast.com, as well as the quality of inns’ photos, listing descriptions and overall online customer experience on BedandBreakfast.com.

“The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award winners, including Hillsdale House Inn really exemplify the special experience that travelers expect from staying in a bed and breakfast,” says Martin Slagter, vice president of HomeAway, Inc, which owns BedandBreakfast.com. “Take one look at Hillsdale House Inn’s reviews and you’ll see guests who share stellar accolades for its quality accommodations, breakfasts, amenities and outstanding hospitality and service.”

"It's a true honor to be chosen for a Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award, and we thank our guests for the positive reviews that resulted in this award, says Val & Paul Stackhouse, Innkeepers. "It is gratifying that our guests took the time to share their comments about our hospitality, accommodations, breakfasts and attention to the details which set our Inn apart." Here's an excerpt from one of our reviews: “We loved this experience. The Inn was wonderfully cared for. The breakfast was exceptional. The furnishings throughout were thoughtful. Perfectly located within walking distance of all there is to see and do in the town.”

For a complete list of Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award winners, please visit http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/about/BestofBedandBreakfast.aspx

This recognition is now added to the TripAdvisor® Travellers’ Choice Awards that the Inn received in 2010 and 2011 where it also placed among the Top 10 Inn’s in Canada.

For more information please contact the Inn directly by phone 902-532-2345 or email info@hillsdalehouseinn.ca.

$1-million expansion set to start at Upper Clements Parks

Work on a major expansion of Upper Clements Parks is expected to begin this summer and possibly be open by the fall, says general manager Gregg Gaul.

To read the full story click on the Zipline Rider photo.

We look forward to offering special packages to stay and play when the new part of the park opens in the Fall.

Weekend with The Cottars

The Cottars are coming to King's Theatre in Annapolis Royal on Saturday, May 21st and we have put together a special weekend package for you to take in the concert and everything else that our area has to offer.

Your package includes 2 nights accommodations (Fri./Sat. or Sat./Sun.) plus 2 tickets to The Cottars performance at King's Theatre. Package price is $212.00 plus tax and applies to any available room.

To Book Online "Click Here". For more information email reservations@hillsdalehouseinn.ca or call 902-532-2345.

Don't miss this opportunity to see great talent in an intimate theatre setting.

Hillsdale House Inn receives TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Award for the second year in a row

TripAdvisor® has recognized Hillsdale House Inn with a 2011 Travellers’ Choice Award placing it among the top 10 B&B’s/Inns in Canada. This is the second consecutive year that the Inn has been honoured with this award. Once again Hillsdale House Inn is the only recipient east of Ontario. TripAdvisor® Travellers’ Choice Award winners are determined based on the unbiased reviews and opinions of subscribers about accommodations on TripAdvisor.com and other web content.

“We are so pleased to hear that Hillsdale House Inn has been recognized as one of the top ten Inns in the country by these prestigious awards,” said Percy Paris, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. “I commend Paul and Val Stackhouse, and all of their staff, for helping to build Nova Scotia as a world-class travel destination.” Phil Roberts, Mayor of Annapolis Royal, was extremely pleased to hear of the recognition received by the Hillsdale House Inn. “Annapolis Royal is noted for its fine accommodations, ranging from large Inns to small Bed-&-Breakfasts. We are proud of them all, but particularly proud of the Hillsdale House Inn in having received its second national TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award — the only one east of Niagara-on-the Lake Ontario to do so. Congratulations to Innkeepers Paul & Val!”

For their part the owners are honoured and determined to continue to make the TripAdvisor.com Award an annual honour. To learn more about the Inn and to see what past guests have been saying go to www.hillsdalehouseinn.ca and follow the link to TripAdvisor® Travellers’ Choice Award.

Halloween Happenings in Annapolis Royal

Last evening we checked out two great Halloween experiences in Annapolis Royal. First we dared to go inside the Haunted House at the Sinclair Inn where we encountered a number of spirits from the past and wondered for a while if we would ever be able to return to present day. This was very well done and even provided a little ghostly historic education from previous times in our area.

From the haunted house we went on to Goblets & Goblins at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. Under the cloak of darkness the gardens provided an excellent venue for Halloween tricks and treats. The decorations throughout the gardens were great, including a carved pumpkin bonfire. The fire was burning in the Acadian cottage and there were a number of samples fresh out of the wood oven. We also took in a ghost story provided by non other than our own Mayor Phil Roberts, who was wearing his horns.

No doubt this is going to become an annual offering, so you should put it in the calendar for next year, and plan to include a night at the Hillsdale House Inn of course.

Butterfly Garden Workshop

Here at the Hillsdale House Inn we are creating a Butterfly Garden to assist in the cause to provide a protective environment for the “at risk” Monarch Butterfly. In doing so we have coordinated a workshop to take place on Saturday, June 6th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to give others the opportunity to learn why the establishment of these gardens is so important, as well as, what is required to set up a Butterfly Garden in your own yard.

In setting up the workshop we are partnering with the Mersey  Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) who oversee the Nova Scotia Species At Risk Program; Brennan Caverhill, MTRI Outreach Biologist; and Gilberte Doelle, owner of Wild Rose Organic farm in Gilbert’s Cove, Nova Scotia. Gilberte is a certified organic gardener who among many other things is growing plant materials that attract the Monarch butterfly.

If you are interested in more information about the workshop Click Here

Tourism Best Practice Mission - Day 1

I have the privilage this week of participating in a Tourism Best Practice Mission to the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. The mission is focused on "Iconic Touring Product" and how a region in Virginia has capitalized on it to develop and grow it's tourism industry.

Today I flew from Halifax to Washington Dulles airport where after a number of delays I eventually linked up with a many of my fellow participants to be shuttled to the George Washington Hotel in Winchester, Virginia where we first met as a group for dinner. The itinerary for the week ahead is quite full, but looks like it will be quite interesting and applicable for our region of Nova Scotia.

I will make a few more posts during the coming week to share some of what we have experienced.

Open For The Season!!

Val and I are very excited to be open again. We are anxious to receive visitors, whether returning or first timers. There appears to be some optimizism in people again that the economy is beginning to rebound somewhat. This is evidenced by an increase in reservation activity, especially out of the USA.

Once again this year there will be lots to see and do in the Annapolis Royal region and we will endeavour to keep you up to date as things are approaching. We have just started sending out a regular e-newsletter. If you would like to be added to the distribution list please send along an email.

Visit the Hillsdale House Inn website or the Special Offers & Packages section of our blog from time to time to see what's new.

We hope to see you this season in Annapolis Royal.

Calling all Golfers

[caption id="attachment_187" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="View from the 18th Tee of the Annapolis Royal Golf & Country Club"][/caption]

The flags are in again early this year and the Annapolis Royal Golf & Country Club opened for the 2009 season on Saturday, April 4th. Opening day was filled with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-teens. A few of the local juniors were even seen playing in shorts and short sleeve shirts.

To help all those anxious golfers who have been itching to get back out since the Fall the Hillsdale House Inn has partnered with the Annapolis Royal Golf Course to provide a couple value priced Spring golf packages. Check out our Special Offers & Packages page for details.

Established in 1925, the course can be considered an historic institution in its own right. In 1992, the course was expanded to a full 18-holes based on the same principles that made the previous course such a pleasure and challenge to play.

Today, the course displays a rare combination of inviting (but not wide open) forest-fringed fairways, natural water hazards, and tricky approach shots without the pretension of an overly tailored course.

We invite you to take advantage of these special offers to discover one of the less known golf courses in Nova Scotia. You will also have the opportunity to explore the first permanent European settlement in North America and the original capital of Nova Scotia, Annapolis Royal.

2008 Crystal Tourism Award of Excellence Winner!!

On Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at the annual Tourism Summit Gala Dinner held at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia the Hillsdale House Inn was one of the recipients of a Crystal Tourism Award of Excellence. Val and I attended the dinner to receive the Tourism Atlantic Technology Award. This award recognizes innovative and strategic use of technology benefiting your business and the Tourism Industry as a whole.