Duluth: The History. The Romance. The B&Bs.

• Terry Mattson

Terry Mattson

Talk about it

At one point in the 20th century, Duluth was home to more millionaires per capita than any other city in the United States. Really. As Minnesota’s mining, timber, railroad and shipping industries began fueling the country, the men and women leading them made Duluth their home. And they built wonderful homes.

Today, the legacy of many of these homes — and some newer ones — thrives in the Historic Inns of Duluth. These seven bed-and-breakfast inns are some of the finest in the country, offering unparalleled experiences driven by the women and men that own them today.

But it takes much more than an elegant home to sustain a good bed-and-breakfast inn. The creativity and diligence of these business owners ensure that their guests have the best experience possible. Everything from breakfast to gardens to guest service must be exceptional to fuel their popularity.

Fortunately, the Historic Inns of Duluth are popular, not only with visitors, but with the media and other associations as well. Recently, the A.G. Thomson House was recognized by TripAdvisor with one of its top honors: a Travelers’ Choice 2012 Award, and as the No. 1 rated Bed and Breakfast in the entire United States. This acclaim also landed the A.G. Thomson house on NBC’s “Today” show.

Congratulations on a well-deserved honor.

While we celebrate this tremendous recognition, we would also like to acknowledge that the Historic Inns of Duluth have long been considered at the top of their category. They have been prominently featured in media throughout the country, and are the winners of dozens of awards.

In 2010, the Cotton Mansion was listed in Delta’s Sky magazine as one of the “Top Ten B&Bs in the World,” and compared to inns in Rome, England, San Francisco, Dublin and New Orleans.

Recently, the Ellery House was selected to be in The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook, which features Minnesota restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts that strive to support local growers and serve “homegrown” food. Truly, a notable honor for guests who relish the wonderful meals our inns serve.

The Olcott House was chosen as one of the top 100 Romantic Places in the world by romanticplaces.com, and was named one of America’s top bed and breakfasts by Coastal Living magazine. Coastal Living also ranks Duluth as one of its top 10 B&B towns.

Among The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek’s accolades is its listing in “10 Best B&Bs By The Water” by Country Almanac magazine, as well as a featured article in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

A newer addition to Duluth’s inns, Solglimt Bed and Breakfast has been awarded top honors by The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association’s Green Journey, a “green” self-certification program to recognize member inns who are making a commitment to be good environmental stewards. It was also chosen as one of the “10 Great Minnesota B&Bs” for “can’t miss getaways” by Minnesota Monthly.

The Mathew S. Burrows 1890 Inn’s accolades include a Minnesota Monthly listing for “best porches” for bed-and-breakfasts, being listed in the book Romancing Minnesota, and frequent mentions in travel sections of major metro newspapers.

Since the “The Mansion” opened in the early 1980s, the Historic Inns of Duluth have treated visitors to truly world-class experiences. The work of this entire group has raised the standard for all, and helped to identify Duluth as one of the best places in the country for those that favor bed-and-breakfast inns. And Duluth’s tourism economy is made better by the men and women who call them home today.

Terry Mattson is the president and CEO of Visit Duluth, the city’s convention and visitors bureau, and is responsible for leading the official destination marketing efforts. Contact Mattson by telephone at (218)722-4011 or by e-mail at tmattson@visitduluth.com.

Tags: budge opinion, budgeteer