WEST CAPE MAY- TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, announced the winners of its 2013 Travelers’ Choice awards for hotels with two of the winners located in Cape May County, the Albert Stevens Inn in West Cape May and the Marlane Motel in Wildwood.
The Marlane Motel was named the 13th Top Bargain Hotel in the U.S. The number one choice was the Sea Coast Inn of Hyannis, Mass.
Chris and Lisa Visalli own and operate the Marlane Motel. Chris Visalli purchased the motel from his uncle, Pat Visalli, who owns the Fleur De Lis motel in Wildwood Crest, 30 years ago.
The property once was occupied by tourist cottages which were demolished in 1960 to build the current motel, said Chris Visalli.
The motel’s exceptional status may be due to numerous renovations to the building.
“Last year, we took the face of the whole motel, every door and window out of it,” he said.
Chris Visalli said all doors and windows were replaced to improve the aesthetics of the Marlane and make the building more energy efficient. The new doors were matched to the original color of paint used in the 1960s, he said.
The motel is receiving a new roof this week. In 2012, 16 rooms received new furniture, said Chris Visalli. This year, those rooms are receiving new bedding.
You won’t find shag carpeting from the disco era at the Marlane. The rooms received Pergo floors six years ago, said Chris Visalli.
“We put so much money into this place every year and the people appreciate it,” he said. “We only increase the rate by just a little bit so it’s affordable.”
The 25-room Marlane has a large number of repeat guests.
“Seventy percent of our people come back every year,” he said. “I know their names, I know their kids.”
Chris Visalli said he is up every morning at 6 a.m. brewing coffee for guests. He has included a number of features at the motel designed to save guests money on their vacation.
Every room has a microwave oven and refrigerator. Two barbecue grills are available for use by guests in the motel’s large backyard equipped with six tables.
He said guests can go to a nearby deli, get steaks and cook them on the grill.
“We’re mom and pop,” said Chris Visalli.
He said the motel’s reasonable rates likely contributed to TripAdvisor’s high rating.
The Albert Stevens Inn was named the 5th Top Bed and Breakfast Inn in the U.S. The number one choice was the Point Clear Cottages in Fairhope, Ala.
The Albert Stevens Inn has been owned and managed by James and Lenanne for 12 years.
“Our primary concern is to focus on the needs of the guest,” said James Labrusciano.
The inn has received numerous renovations.
“We’ve pretty much turned this inn inside out,” he said.
A trip to Rome influenced a redesign of the inn’s bathrooms.
Wallpaper has been replaced, floors resurfaced, new bathrooms installed and a 24-hour coffee and tea bar maintained. Bicycles, beach chairs and beach towels are available for guests.
“We offer concierge service,” said James Labrusciano. “We try to find out where guests want to eat.”
He said he believes Cape May is much more in tune with the needs of visitors than it may have been years ago. The inn is closed for renovation work in January but like most B&B’s, reopens for Valentine’s Day.
Repeat guests are also a big factor for Albert Stevens Inn. The inn was full for the weekend for the annual Christmas parade, he said.
West Cape May’s strawberry and lima bean festivals bring back repeat guests, said James Labrusciano.
“For Labor Day, we’ve had almost the same people every year for the last 10 years,” he said.
What makes a guest choose a B&B over a hotel? James Labrusciano said B&B guests want to meet and talk with other guests.
“They love to share stories and love to converse around the dining room table, they love to share afternoon tea…” he said.
Guests like to compare notes on shops, restaurants and wineries, said James Labrusciano.
He said the recession has not affected his business with increased stays over the past few years.
The inn faces Wilbraham Park and is within walking distance of restaurants and the Washington Street Mall. The inn, built around 1898, was originally the office and residence of Dr. Albert Stevens. The home became a B&B in 1982.
Up until that year, the home was occupied by a member of the Stevens family, said James Labrusciano.
A Cape May B&B almost made the TripAdvisor list: the Mission Inn of Cape May was rated the 25th top B&B in the United States.
TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of reviews and opinions covering more than 650,000 hotels and collected in a single year from travelers around the world, according to its website.
The average nightly rate for winners of the 2013 Travelers’ Choice awards for hotels is $213; fully three-quarters of winning hotels have an average nightly rate of $200 or less. Average nightly rate for the Best Luxury hotels is $296, Best Bargain $152, Best for Service $288, Top Small Hotels $241, B&Bs and Inns $120, Top Hotels $225.
The complete list of winners of the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards for hotels can be found at http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice.
