The Duchess of Wellington

Specialties

A unique Bed and Breakfast/​Boutique Hotel located in a Victorian Queen Anne Mansion that has been faithfully restored is the location for your talented hosts to provide all that you might expect, and more. The usual free services: parking, VIA pickup, wireless, and full gourmet breakfasts are complemented by spacious common areas (dining, library, piano, cable/​dvd, gardens) and theme suites featuring English Sporting Life and the legitimate theatre. A fortunate given is The Duchess’ site on a leafy street surrounded by century homes, but less than 10 minutes walking to downtown restaurants, theatre, museums, business, government, and medical centres. A ½ hour drive reaches most of Chatham-​Kent, including the beaches and parks on the shores of Lakes Erie and St. Clair.

History

Established in 2005.

The history is really quite simple. We wanted to do a bed and breakfast after our so-​called retirement, travelled through Ontario and the maritimes looking for suitable vintage properties, and found this faded 1896 house with a great tower and brickwork, stained glass, and gleaming woodwork. The licensing process was smooth, the structure of the building was easy to work with (we live in the servant quarters on the third floor) and we were able to offer three rooms with en suite baths less than 4 months after we moved in. We have developed a varied breakfast library, but sometimes guests insist «we want that again» and we did naturally work with dietary restrictions. Out traffic has seen some tourists, but more business people and purpose visitors (family, genealogy).

Meet the Business Owner

Antja B.

Business Owner

I had a business background in antiques and catering (not at the same time) and developed a real amateur interest in gardening, maybe in part because my husband and his family had owned a nursery/​garden centre.

I also had a dear friend who was a genius in style and decorating, and I think some of that (hopefully) rubbed off. In Chatham, we were lucky to find professionals who helped us pull it all together. We had stayed at a lot of B&Bs in the past, and had an idea of which features we wanted to incorporate in The Duchess.