While we’re still fully immersed in Christmas here at The Queen Victoria (and I’ll be featuring some Christmas content and gift ideas in the following articles) it is time to look ahead and share with you what the new year will bring. Anna Marie and I have been busy planning all of our special events for the coming months, and I’m sure we’ll have at least one that you’ll want to experience. Believe me when I tell you that every month features a great reason to return to The Queen Victoria.
Remember, there is NEVER a bad time to visit The Queen Victoria, and it is never too soon to start planning your next trip.
We’re always happy to assist you
find the best possible room for the dates you want to visit, or the best dates for the room you want to stay in. Call us at (609) 884-8702 to get started.
Room of The Month
Covent Garden
Though it is one of our most popular rooms, I have never featured this wonderful 2-room suite in one of my newsletters. I guess it says a lot for the room to be so popular without ever a mention.
So what makes it so popular? One thing is most certainly its ground floor location, in the garden area of the Prince Albert Hall building. Some guests prefer to avoid our beautifully ornate staircases, and Covent Garden gives them that option. Another attractive feature of the room is the daybed located in the sitting room, which makes it perfect for a “Girlfriend Getaway”, or a third person in the room (child, sister, mom, etc.).
As you can see from the photo of the bedroom above, the queen sized bed sits in a charming 4 poster brass canopy frame. The room’s decor is romantic and soothing, and features a beautiful marble top antique dresser. Covent Garden has a very large bathroom with a one-person whirlpool tub with integrated shower.
If you’re in search of a new room for your next visit, you may just want to check out Covent Garden. It is a wonderful room in any season of the year, and has some special qualities that might appeal to you. My advice to you is to plan ahead though, as it is often reserved well in advance.
I mentioned in my lead off intro that I would be suggesting a couple of great Christmas gift ideas to you. I think it is important to keep your promises, so here is my first suggestion. Four words say it all.
Queen … Victoria … Gift … Certificate
A Queen Victoria gift certificate is a gift of love, a promise of a fun and perhaps romantic get-away, something to cherish and look forward to. Once used it is transformed into a treasured memory. Your loved ones probably don’t need a new coat or sweater, or the latest electronic gadget, but you KNOW that they would love to start planning their next visit to The Queen Victoria.
If you purchased one last year, then you already know how well it was received. How could you possibly top that? The only way is to follow it up again this Christmas.
Visit ourwebsite and purchase a gift certificate online, or call us on the phone at (609) 884-8702. It couldn’t be any easier!
Discount Packages at The Queen Victoria
The Savings Season
While we have seasonal discounts in all non-summer months, starting in November, we roll out our super discount programs. We have two different ones that are very popular with our guests.
222 Discount Package From November 1 through April 30, excluding holidays, the week between Christmas & New Years, and President’s Day weekend, we offer two nights in a standard room for $222 (plus tax), for reservations Sunday through Thursday evenings. The “222 Discount” can be expanded to a 333, 444 or even 555 for 3,4 or 5 night reservations. Upgrades to larger rooms are also possible, simply increasing the cost of the room by the incremental difference between the class of room chosen and a standard room. If you’re able to travel mid-week, this is a fantastic deal!
Winter Escape Starting January 1 and running through March 31, the Winter Escape package features ANY two nights (including weekends) in a large standard room, a complimentary cheese tray and a complimentary wine tasting for $325 (plus tax). This is a great opportunity for those of you who are limited to weekend travel, and are looking to enjoy discount savings on Winter weekends. Like the “222”, upgrades are possible for premium rooms and luxury suites for the incremental difference between the class of room chosen and a large standard room.
(Not So) Fine Print
These discount packages cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions. Third Party gift certificates (like bedandbreakfast.com) cannot be used for payment.
There is no bad time to visit The Queen Victoria, and when you consider these great discounts, the cooler months of the year become very attractive. I hope you’ll be saving lots of money on your next reservation at The Queen Victoria.
Upcoming (and current) Special Events
Christmas in Cape May
Thru January 1, 2017
This is a picture of the Christmas exhibit at the Physick Estate in the Carriage House. Trust me, this photo does not do it justice. The feeling is almost magical when you enter the room and walk up to the table under the “tree”. The table itself features the largest collection of “Dept 56” ceramic buildings that I have ever seen. I’ve heard that it is a complete set, meaning every building they’ve ever sold. It is truly impressive. The train running through the village completes the display, bringing it to life. Doesn’t everybody want a train running around the tree?
Christmas runs right through the New Year in Cape May, so there is still plenty of time to book a trip to Cape May and The Queen Victoria to experience Christmas in Cape May. What better thing to do with a few days off between Christmas and New Years? Better yet, the calendar is working for you this year, giving lots of you an extra day off for New Year’s weekend.
Every year dozens of our guests make The Queen Victoria their special place to celebrate Christmas. This year will be no exception. In fact we’re already about 60% booked for Christmas!
For many, The Queen Victoria is a Christmas tradition of many years; the only place they’ll celebrate Christmas. For others, it is a great place to celebrate Christmas while their own kids are with the “in-laws” that year. The Queen Victoria has always been a great central location for families separated from each other to gather for Christmas (with nobody being responsible for hosting the gathering!).
Whatever the reason you might be looking for a place to celebrate Christmas, I hope you’ll consider The Queen Victoria. It will assuredly be a relaxing, festive and beautiful experience for you.
Birthday Weekends
January 28
February 18
March 18
April 22
Every month during the Winter and early Spring we host a birthday celebration weekend at The Queen Victoria. If you or your loved one are looking for a fun way to celebrate your birthday, and an excuse to escape from the house and chores for the weekend, this is your ticket!
It is always a fun afternoon, celebrated during Afternoon Tea. We bake a big birthday cake, we have gifts, we sing Happy Birthday to anyone that it applies to, and a good time is had by all. We won’t be checking IDs, so you’re welcome to participate and join in the fun even if you aren’t celebrating a birthday in that month.
Wine Lover’s Weekend
February 11, 2017
We are once again partnering with Cape May Winery to create a special event/package for true wine lovers. On February 11, 2017 The Queen Victoria® is hosting its annual “Wine Blending Party”. On Saturday afternoon, our participating guests will join us at Cape May Winery to craft the perfect blend of red wine.
We’ll break up into teams of 4-6 people at a table laden with bottles of the various red wines right out of the barrel and trays of cheese and snacks. Each team will craft & document different blends, ranking them among themselves. Once each team has selected its “finest blend”, we’ll all break for a tour of the winery while the winemaker creates the blends we’ve chosen. Following the tour, we head back to the blending room and do a “blind” tasting of the chosen blend of each team. We’ll all vote on the best blend, which will then be bottled for us with a special “Queen Victoria Cellars” label.
Each participant will get a bottle of the final blend (2 per couple), the labels of which will be customized with your names and the blending details.
This exclusive event is only open to guests of our bed and breakfast and will only occur once this year. Anna Marie and I LOVE this event. I know you will too.
Hint … This is another great Christmas gift idea! Book a reservation for the weekend and seats at this event as a gift for your partner (then you’ll get to enjoy it too!)
Price: $60/person
Big Cheese Weekend
March 11, 2017
Our annual Cheese Tasting party is a wonderful event and we’re really looking forward to it again.
Anna Marie and I will once again be filling The Queen Victoria® dining room table with a wide assortment of cheeses from all over the world. There will be about 16 cheeses for us to taste and each one will have a write up about its origin, how it is made and any other fun tidbits of information. We’ll also have breads from one of our local bakeries along with an assortment of specialty olive oils and other tasty goodies.
This event is held during Afternoon Tea time on Saturday at 4:00. Now I know that for some people it is impossible to eat cheese without having a glass of wine in your hand, so we’re welcoming everyone to bring their own wine and make an afternoon of it. The wine tends to become communal so bring something you feel comfortable sharing.
The really good news is that this is a free event for all of our guests staying with us that weekend.
Singer Songwriter Cape May
March 24-25, 2017
Each March Singer Songwriter Cape May returns to Cape May, bringing with it an amazing lineup of musical talent. This March they’ll be featuring over 150 musical performances in 17 different venues all over Cape May. The event showcases Singer/Songwriters of all genres. The best part is that you can attend most of the performances for FREE!
For the last 2 years, one of the event’s perennially most popular performers, and a good friend of ours, Avi Wisnia (pictured here on the right), performed an exclusive concert for the guests of The Queen Victoria. It was a great performance and a good time was had by all. We put out a nice buffet of hors d’oevres, many guests brought bottles of wine, and everybody enjoyed themselves immensely. Avi has graciously offered to perform for us again this year, so we’re doing it all again! On Saturday March 25 we’ll turn our regular afternoon tea into a concert reception. I know it is going to be another great event. I hope I’ll get to see you there (here). Once again, this concert is free for all guests staying at The Queen Victoria that weekend
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More New Stuff!
New Furniture in the Kew Garden suite
Every January we embark on improvement projects that can only be done in the Winter. In a few weeks we’re going to embark on an ambitious project to renovate the Kew Garden suite. While the demolition and construction have to wait until the room can be closed off in January, we did not have to wait to purchase the new furniture that makes up a good part of the new decor. In fact, it has been in the room since July.
If you stayed in Kew Garden since then, you’ve already enjoyed this lovely and very comfortable chair. It is incredibly elegant, though it contrasts a bit with the “country” wallpaper currently in the room. That should give you a hint about how rich the new decor will be.
You might have guessed that once the renovations for Kew Garden are complete that I’ll be featuring it as the “Room of the Month”. Perhaps you’ll be seeing this chair again in March.
Favorite Photo
New Rotary Park Dressed up for Christmas
Visitors to Cape May this December are being treated to a new Christmas decoration tradition at Rotary Park. Like the old Rotary Park, there is a large Christmas tree located in the grand pavilion. As you can see, the trees are being lit to create a magical arch leading to the pavilion. Also new this year are the decorations that festoon the fence that surrounds the park.
Anna Marie and I love Cape May’s new Rotary Park in general, and we really love it dressed up for Christmas as it is. Day or night, you’ll enjoy the festivity of the decorations, which certainly surpass anything we’ve ever had in the park before.
What Christmas tree could be complete without a Queen Victoria ornament? This is just one of the MANY great gift ideas that we have in our gift shop. If you’re planning on a visit to The Queen Victoria between now and Christmas, something I strongly suggest, then you have a great opportunity to purchase some unique and special gifts for some of your loved ones from The Queen Victoria gift shop. Our shop is small, but packed full of great gift ideas such as:
Winter Rose Poinsettias
2016 Queen Victoria Christmas Stocking
Tea pot with cozy (the ones we serve you tea with at The Queen Victoria)
Tea Wallet (a terrific gift for any tea drinker)
Coaster Rugs (like the ones in our guest rooms)
The Queen Victoria Cat’s Meow house
Queen Victoria Bayberry Soap (like the soap in our guest rooms)
Queen Victoria Spa Robe
Queen Victoria Sweatshirts (2 styles!)
Harney’s Tea (in tins)
Queen Victoria Blend Coffee (whole bean or ground, Regular or Decaf)
Queen Victoria hand thrown Mug
Queen Victoria Granola (everybody’s favorite)
Queen Victoria Throw/Afghan (like the ones in each guest room)
As you can see, this is a pretty impressive list, with something for just about anybody on your shopping list (especially if they love The Queen Victoria as much as you do).
If you aren’t planning a visit to The Queen Victoria in time for Christmas, but still want to purchase any of these items, just give us a call at (609) 884-8702. We’ll be happy to ship any of them (except the poinsettias, of course) to you for the additional charge of postage. Be sure to order early, to insure they get to you in time for Christmas.
Fun Things to do in Cape May
Visit Slack Tide Brewing Company
Anna Marie and I made our first visit to Cape May County’s 2nd oldest brewery the other day, on what happened to be their first anniversary of operation (yes, it is still a young industry). It was a great experience, in every respect. In fact, I have to admit that it was one of the more enjoyable afternoons we’ve spent in a while! I think Anna Marie enjoyed it almost as much as I did, and she is not a beer drinker.
As we stepped into the tasting room we were greeted by an incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff member, who immediately took us on a tour of the facility. It turns out that it is a NJ state law that you MUST take a tour prior to enjoying a tasting at a NJ brewery (every time). After we checked out the production facility, and chatted a bit about the operation, we stepped up to the rustic/charming bar to make our tasting decisions. First we had to decide if we wanted the souvenir glass tasting with larger pours or the shot glass type tasting with smaller pours. Having selected the souvenir glass option, we faced the daunting decision of which beers to select. I tried to get scientific about it, going from mild to more “hoppy”, and including some that Anna Marie might enjoy as much as I did. It was harder than you might imagine, because they had about 15 beers on tap. I honestly can’t remember all of the ones I chose, but I will tell you that I loved them all. Both Anna Marie and I agreed on our favorite, which was the “Bell Buoy”, a Belgian Blonde ale. We apparently have really good taste, because that beer won 1st Place in the Seventh Annual Philadelphia Inquirer 2016 “Brew-vitational”.
All of the recipes for each of the beers served are Slack Tide originals. The name of each one is in keeping with the nautical name, is based on the Brewery’s name. Speaking of the name, which is unusual, it refers to … (wikipedia definition) a short period in a body of tidal water when the water is completely unstressed, and therefore no movement either way in the tidal stream, and which occurs before the direction of the tidal stream reverses. The folks at Slack Tide are very focused on the “unstressed” notion, which is evident in the atmosphere of the brewery. It is how you will feel when you’re there.
Next time you’re in town, especially in the non-beach season, looking for something fun and interesting to do, I suggest you make your way to the Slack Tide Brewing Company, which is located up the road a bit (actually 19.5 miles, according to Bing Maps) in Clermont, NJ.
Restaurant Pick of the Month
Lucky Bones Backwater Grille
I think it is pretty safe to say that Lucky Bones is one of the most popular restaurants in Cape May. It is easy to figure out why. Lucky Bones is a fun place to dine, with a great atmosphere and the food tastes great. That’s a pretty powerful combination.
Anna Marie and I rarely suggest Lucky Bones during the summer months, just because it is so popular. Now that the town is quieting down a little bit, we’re thrilled to suggest Lucky Bones for a fun night out.
One of the things that we really love about Lucky Bones is the flexibility of both the menu and the servers. The menu ranges from appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pizza to incredible entrees. There is never any pressure to order a full entree, which is often a welcome relief to our guests who have been eating their way through Cape May for a day or two. Warning … don’t order the nachos thinking that you’ll be eating light (trust me on this).
Lucky Bones does have a bar, so you can’t bring you own beverages, but their wine list is fairly extensive and reasonably priced. They also have a great line-up of beers, including some favorites from Cape May Brewing Company.
Lucky Bones is owned and operated by the Craig family, the owners of the Washington Inn, which shows in the quality of the food they serve. It is a much more relaxed, casual atmosphere than the Washington Inn, of course. It is definitely a place that you can comfortably arrive in jeans and sneakers.
Great Reasons to Visit Queen Victoria
Upcoming Queen Victoria & Cape May Events
Christmas in Cape May
through Jan 1, 2017
January Birthdays Party
The Queen Victoria, January 28
Valentines Day Weekend
February 10-11
Queen Victoria Wine Blending Weekend
February 11
Presidents Day Weekend
February 17-19
February Birthdays Party
The Queen Victoria, February 18
Queen Victoria “Big Cheesy”
Cheese tasting party, March 11
Sherlock Holmes Mystery Weekend
March 17-19
March Birthdays Party
The Queen Victoria, March 18
Avi Wisnia Concert The Queen Victoria, March 25
Singer Song Writer Cape May
March 24-25
April Birthdays Party
The Queen Victoria, April 22
Cape May Spring Festival
April 28 through May 7
Cape May Music Festival
May 28 through June 15
Make your reservations today for a romantic getaway at The Queen Victoria Bed and Breakfast. We are looking forward to helping you plan your next visit!
