WCEC Storming Back Stories: The Queen Victoria B&B Enjoys Busy Post-Sandy Summer; Bookings at Record High

Cape May is a vacation destination that is memorable.  Little shops, great restaurants, pristine sand dune beaches and perfectly manicured lawns and gardens make this town a unique place to visit.  Cape May is America’s oldest seaside resort.  The population of 4,000 residents jumps to nearly 20,000 in the summer.  

It is one of the many reasons Doug McMain and his wife, Anna Marie decided to buy The Queen Victoria Bed & Breakfast in 2004.  Located in the historic district of Cape May, this quaint B&B is less than a mile to the beach.  Prior to owning the inn, they both worked as computer consultants and as Doug puts it, “went from high tech to high tea.”

The Queen Victoria is beautifully decorated with vintage furniture, lace curtains and antiques that takes visitors back in time.  Tourism is very important to the McMains and to the dozens of other bed and breakfast owners and innkeepers. 

When news of Hurricane Sandy came in October, Doug was very concerned but kept a calm and positive outlook. “Hurricane Sandy posed a major threat to this area and the news media escalated the drama,” McMain adds. “The town was in suspense for days and Cape May residents were literally glued to the TV set.  I just did not think it was going to be a bad storm and cause destruction like the news reports were saying.   Hurricane Irene did not affect this area last year, so I thought it would be the same way.”   McMain recalls how he and his family stayed and many others did not leave Cape May.   “The media reports were overly dramatic and all the business owners have had to work extra hard to assure tourists that Cape May is open for business and physical damage was done.”

Despite the hype and drama, Cape May was spared.   “We were lucky and blessed that there was no physical damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy, just a few broken windows.”  

Even though Cape May did not cause any major destruction, there is a huge perception problem.   Many vacationers cancelled reservations and dozens of people were concerned that the Queen Victoria would not be open.  “To this day, we get calls asking how this area is post Sandy and if the bed & breakfasts are still in business.”  

“And every day, we assure visitors that we are open and Cape May was not damaged.  It is baffling that so many people think this.”   

McMain is thrilled that the summer season has been so busy.  “I am pleasantly surprised,” he says.   “Bookings are at record high and we are even taking reservations for the fall and next summer 2014.” 

Guests, who travel here from New York, Philadelphia and Northern New Jersey, still ask “How did Cape May fare during the storm?”   McMain’s answer is always the same:  we survived.

About The WCEC

The WCEC, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation, is a U. S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center.  The WCEC provides the tools for individuals to successfully own, operate and grow their small businesses, thereby investing financially, intellectually and emotionally in their communities. The WCEC provides more than 150 classes, seminars and individual consulting sessions each year for more than 5,000 participants. For more information please visit hwww.wcecnj.org/.