Innkeeper Profile: Passion for Hospitality

Meet Karen Meyer, innkeeper of Three Chimneys Inn and ffrost Sawyer Tavern. Constructed as a private residence in 1649 and the oldest house in Durham, the inn is the recipient of Meyer's passion for the industry.

NHHN: Have you always been involved in the hospitality industry?
Karen Meyer: I was raised in the Mt. Washington Valley and began waitressing when I was 14. Eventually, I was employed by The Chart House Corporation and worked in its Boulder, Colorado location.

NHHN: How long have you been at Three Chimneys Inn?
KM: I was hired as the food and beverage manager in 2000 and eventually was promoted to innkeeper.

NHHN: How have you promoted the property?
KM: I made sure the owners joined the NH Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA), where I serve as a member of the board of directors. Our most effective advertising tool is our Web site. The Web site's server sends a daily tracking report, which defines where the hits are coming from, the busiest times, etc. Based on this information, I've shifted our radio advertising to appeal closer to the Canadian and Massachusetts markets, which are very strong.

NHHN: How has the NHLRA benefited your inn keeping?
KM: The members all share a strong passion for the industry. I feel it's important for innkeepers to bounce ideas off each other and to work together to find solutions for issues that come up. Through the NHLRA, a number of us have formed the Liquor Alliance Project, which consists of NH Liquor Commission members, restaurateurs, innkeepers, wine brokers and hospitality educators. Our goal is to educate businesses on liquor-related issues, and we closely watch legislative changes that could affect the industry.

NHHN: Who cooks at Three Chimneys Inn?
KM: I have a fabulous chef named David Masotta, who's been here for two years. He's easygoing and once owned a restaurant, so he understands the stress and challenge of it all. I assist him with menu planning. We serve a full country breakfast for in-house guests, and we are open for lunch and dinner.

NHHN: What is your secret to success?
KM: Because of having to oversee so muchfrom playing hostess to managing the accounting end of thingsI find it helps to occasionally work on business issues at home.

NHHN: What do you like best about being an innkeeper?
KM: Every day is different. One moment I'm hosting a gathering, the next I'm running out to purchase plants for the property. No two days are alike.

NHHN: What's the story behind the spirit of Hannah Sawyer, the girl whose portrait hangs in the inn?
KM: Well, there's no doubt that there's a presence here at Three Chimneys Inn. There are many stories of how Hannah died as a young woman, but we believe she drowned. Strange, unexplainable happeningsmostly involving electrical devicessometimes occur. The numbers have appeared backwards on a calculator's 10-key, and my computer sometimes shuts off by itself.

NHHN: What advice would you give to a potential innkeeper?
KM: I would tell anyone who's thinking about becoming an innkeeper to go work in an inn before purchasing one. And be ready to work very hard!