Operating
a bed and breakfast is a daydream probably shared by many: Just imagine a cozy retreat that embodies the owner’s
personality and interests, serves wonderful food, and attracts a steady stream
of fascinating travellers. It’s a lovely notion right up to the point where the
accounting starts, then it becomes apparent that a healthy alternative income
or a big win in the lottery are very necessary components of the fantasy. The
reality of the bed and breakfast business is that it is almost impossible to
make a living off a small number of guest rooms alone. Some auxiliary
attractions seem to be required to generate income. The key to survival for
these quaint little inns seems to be finding an unserviced niche and then
mining it successfully. Downtown Austin has two relatively new B & B’s
which reflect the personal styles and tastes of their respective owners. But
besides functioning as alternative accommodations for out-of-towners, each has
adopted a business angle that provides a unique twist on the bed and breakfast
dream.
Citiview B & B and Spa sits on two tree-shaded acres high on the south bank of the Colorado, providing
a view across the river from the southeast corner of Riverside Drive and I-35.
Downtown Austin has changed greatly since the house was built by a local doctor
in 1951, but the view from the wrap-around picture windows in the Frank Lloyd
Wright-style home is still just as dramatic. “Coming from Dallas, I didn’t know
much about Austin neighborhoods,” admits Citiview owner Carol Hayden, “but I
knew a good real estate investment when I found one.” The former legal
recruiter and her husband, Dallas attorney/estate planner Ralph Canada, are
only the third owners of the distinctive property. They renovated the house,
and Hayden opened Citiview about three and a half years ago. Canada continues
his business in Dallas and visits Austin on weekends. “You just can’t support
an operation like this with only three guest rooms,” Carol Hayden admits, so
she’s busy developing other attractions. Recently, she hired in-house chef
Linda Fox to capitalize on the potential for catering corporate events,
weddings and parties in the house and on the surrounding grounds. And a
full-service spa for guests and locals will come on line in early December.
 Besides the view, guests at Citiview Bed & Breakfast will soon enjoy its new spa facilities photograph by John Anderson |
bedrooms are exceptionally roomy, each with its own private tiled bath and view
of the lovely grounds. The house boasts polished hardwood floors, high-beamed
ceilings, and glorious natural light which streams in from the many picture
windows. Original European art deco furnishings from the Thirties, Forties and
Fifties give the house a definite flair. And the surrounding grounds are
beautifully landscaped. Beyond the tree-shaded patio, there is a Japanese Zen
garden and a koi pond with a cascading fountain. A new organic herb and
vegetable garden will eventually provide fresh produce in every season. A
nature trail for strolling or jogging winds its way near an animal sanctuary.
The new spa facilities were taking shape the day we visited Citiview. The
outdoor lap pool shimmers in front of the slab where a heated and
air-conditioned 600-square-foot English dome conservatory is being built.
Personal trainers will provide a full range of services to spa guests. The airy
glass building will also easily accommodate catered nighttime events. Chef
Linda Fox has developed special breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus for spa
guests, emphasizing ease of preparation, flavor and fresh ingredients. She also
has a full range of gourmet menu options for business luncheons, cocktail
parties, and wedding receptions. A former caterer, sailboat captain, and
inn-keeper, she stays busy preparing breakfast for overnight guests and
discussing menus with the many brides who want to be married here. The busy
chef’s small, functional kitchen will really be humming when the spa begins to
attract regular members for breakfast and lunch.
The Bremond House sits serenely at the corner of Seventh and San Antonio as part of 19th-century
Austin’s version of the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port. Local merchant Eugene
Bremond built the house at 404 W. Seventh for his family in 1873, one of six
homes built for the extended family of patriarch John Bremond on the city block
between Seventh and Eighth, Guadalupe, and San Antonio Streets. The area is now
designated as the Bremond Block Historical District. Over the past 20 years,
the charming Victorian housed such diverse businesses as a travel agency, a
software company and an architectural firm. After relocating to Austin from
California, Coming of Age Press publisher Connie Burton and her family
purchased the home last year. A completely new life for the historic Bremond
House began to emerge.
Burton credits one of her authors with the original idea behind the purchase
of Bremond House. “He said it would be so great to have a quiet place for
authors to stay while they were here working on book projects,” she recalls,
“so I asked my friend (real estate agent) Karen Kuykendall if she could find
something.” Native Austinite Kuykendall knew just the place. Once Burton took
over the house, a multitude of uses seemed to present themselves. Authors as
well as business travellers appreciate the comfortable, antique charm so near
the pulse of the city, and corporate groups enjoy meetings in the homey
atmosphere. Eager brides are also attracted to the grand outdoor staircase,
wide veranda and tree-shaded grounds. An antique couch and table in the curved
formal parlor is just the place for authors to preside during book launch
parties and the walls in the main hallway and formal dining room make great
gallery space for art exhibitions.
 The Historic Bremond House, also a bed & breakfast, houses a cabaret in its basement photograph by John Anderson |
floor was considered, but the cost of installing a commercial demonstration
kitchen in a historic home was prohibitive. When Chicago House closed down,
leaving Karen Kuykendall and her musical performing partner Sterling
Price-McKinney without a venue for their cabaret act, Kuykendall approached
Connie Burton with the idea of turning the downstairs area into a performance
space. Cafe Bremond was born. Modeled as a classy, 1920s-style cabaret, the
space has been blessed with especially good acoustics and the real intimacy
necessary for serious listening. The fact that it’s a no-smoking room is
popular with singers and many audience members alike. Cabaret performers such
as Kuykendall and Price-McKinney, Karen Kohler and Larry Greenawalt plus jazz
artists like Will Taylor, Glover Gill, Susanna Sharpe, and Suzy Stern play Cafe
Bremond with good reception from their fans. Patrons can order champagnes and
wines by the glass or bottle. Beers, sparkling waters, or sodas are also
available with complementary savory tidbits such as imported olives and cheeses
served with sliced french bread. Happy hour shows on Thursdays and Fridays from
4:30 until 7pm are gaining a loyal following, and regular cabaret performances
are scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It’s a very civilized way to
spend an evening.
The Bremond House of today brings to mind the 18th- and 19th-century European
cultural salons where artists, writers, musicians, and philosophers gathered to
relax and share ideas. Connie Burton sees her multi-faceted venue as “a drop-in
think-tank or concept clearinghouse” that could provide a springboard for a
variety of multi-media projects. She plans to continue to launch books, stage
readings, and present art and photo exhibits in the house. Writers’ groups want
to meet there and event bookings are strong. Though she has suspended bed and
breakfast reservations for the next few months, Burton has not ruled out using
the two bedrooms in the adjacent carriage house as accommodations in the
future. She recently hired wedding consultant Kathi Thomas of Kathi Thomas
Floral Design to field the calls from as many as ten brides a day. They
maintain an on-call list of caterers familiar with the facilities to provide
event food service. It should be a popular spot for holiday parties.
This article appears in November 29 • 1996 and November 29 • 1996 (Cover).