Current News
Amid Summer’s Inn Voted 2009 “Inn of the Year”
Amid Summer's Inn Bed & Breakfast "Best Decor" B&B Award Winner
Cedar City voted "Best Utah Getaway" by Las Vegas Review Journal
Cedar City Ranks In The Top 20 Cities for Outdoorsmen In Outdoor Life Magazine
Cedar City Receives A Top Ranking From Where To Retire Magazine
The Garden Cottage B&B Chosen As The Top Rocky Mountain B&B in Utah
NBC Today Show Rates Cedar City in their Top Eight Fall Foliage Destinations
Patchwork Parkway – Utah State Route 143 Receives National Scenic Byway Status
See “What’s Happening” on Twitter
Amid Summer’s Inn Voted 2009 “Inn of the Year”
PETALUMA, CA / CEDAR CITY, UT ––“The Complete Guide to Bed & Breakfasts, Inns and Guesthouses International” by Pamela Lanier have voted Amid Summer’s Inn located in Cedar City, Utah, as their #1 choice as the “2009 Inn of the Year”. “This is quite a prestigious honor for Amid Summer’s Inn”, relates Bonnie Char, Public Relations Specialist for the Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau, “Our Bed and Breakfasts in Cedar City are top-notch and this awards proves that Cedar City offers some of the best places to stay in all the world”.
Amid Summer's Inn, a turn of the century English Tudor home, sits on a quiet, tree-lined street. Hosts Gary and Charlene Elsasser welcome each arrival, showing their dedication to providing an enjoyable and memorable experience. Centrally located between Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and Brian Head Ski Resort, the inn and its award-winning flower garden are a short stroll from Cedar City’s historic downtown district. Visitors from all over the world join the Amid Summer's Inn for the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, Neil Simon Festival and Festival City USA.
Gary and Charlene have been interior designers for the past 35 years. Gary's fine workmanship shows throughout the home, and Charlene's love for design gives each room a distinctive personality and flavor. The parlor features an antique Rococo sofa and chairs and an inviting fireplace accents the arched ceiling, while fresh flowers and chocolates add to the ambiance. Every guest room features a private bath, air conditioning, cable television and wireless internet. Some suites have jetted tubs, flat screen TV, phones, ceiling fans, and DVD players.
Amid Summer’s Inn is famous for its many extras, which include a full multi-course gourmet breakfast feast, served family-style in the elegant formal dining room. One guest wrote in the comment book, "The breakfast alone is worth the price of your room.” A former cake and candy store owner, Charlene enjoys making specialty candies in her spare time. She and Gary delight in creating new dishes for their guests. “In our words, the "good life" means delicious food, interesting conversation, the comforts of a lovely home, enjoying the arts, exploring beautiful Scenic Southern Utah, and most of all, the comfort of our family, friends, and guests, and what they give back to us enriches our lives.”
“We offer many congratulations to Amid Summer’s Inn as well as our warm wishes for continued success”, notes Pamela Lanier. You can find more information about Amid Summer’s Inn on Pamela Lanier’s Bed & Breakfast Guide at www.LanierBB.com or by going directly to the B&B’s website at www.amidsummersinn.com.
ABOUT THE INN OF THE YEAR PROGRAM
One of the great appeals of Bed and Breakfasts is that they are as unique as the innkeeper's themselves. At LanierBB.com, we offer our readers the opportunity to pick the best B&B's in over 80 fun categories including our distinguished Inn of the Year. Winners are announced annually in our guidebook, on our website, newsletters, press releases and directly to the voters. Past winners can be reviewed at www.LanierBB.com/innoftheyear/past.html. 2010 votes are being accepted now, to learn all about our Guests’ Greatest Picks and cast your vote, please go to www.LanierBB.com/vote.php.
ABOUT BBIGI
Founded in 1982 by Pamela Lanier, The Complete Guide to Bed and Breakfasts, Inns & Guesthouses International is one of the largest bed and breakfast innkeeper organizations internationally with over 8,500 members and growing. Our purpose is to extend awareness of specialty lodging throughout the world and to provide innkeepers educational resources and opportunities to personally share their unique properties with every guest possible.
Guests Pick their 2010 “Best Decor” B&B Award Winner From over 8,500 B&B’s worldwide!
PETALUMA, CA MARCH 2nd, 2010- Congratulations to Amid Summer’s Inn in Cedar City, UT who was recently chosen as offering the “Best Decor” out of 8,500 B&B’s around the world! Our readers have spoken and the Amid Summer’s Inn has unanimously received the greatest number of votes in this category by their loyal B&B guests and regular visitors to LanierBB.com. Innkeepers Charlene & Gary Elsasser certainly earned this prestigious award, their hard work and effort has not gone unnoticed by the traveling public!
Located in lovely Cedar City UT, the Amid Summer’s Inn serves their guests with extraordinary comfort and unparalleled attention to detail. Warm, welcoming and full of character, the Amid Summer’s Inn offers travelers an ideal base for a relaxing and memorable bed and breakfast retreat.
Guests at the Amid Summer’s Inn are always the top priority of innkeepers and staff. With excellent attention to detail and personal service, the Amid Summer’’s Inn is the ultimate bed and breakfast destination for any traveler in search of an unforgettable experience.
Pamela Lanier’s Bed and Breakfasts, Inns and Guesthouses International has been assisting inn goers with a comprehensive variety of boutique lodgings since 1982, announcing an “Inn of the Year” winner for 26 consecutive years. The oldest and most prestigious B&B vote program in the world, guests may now vote for any bed and breakfast in over 80 categories on LanierBB.com, all votes tallied and winners announced at the beginning of each year in Lanier’s print guide, The Complete Guide to Bed & Breakfasts, Inns and Guesthouses International, award-wining website, newsletters and with press affiliates.
Thinking of visiting Cedar City UT, or want to meet the exceptional innkeepers that put their heart and soul into their B&B? Contact them today and they’ll receive you at their B&B with open arms and smiling faces!
Amid Summer’s Inn
140 South 100 West
Cedar City, UT 84720
435-586-2600
http://www.amidsummersinn.com/
Las Vegas Review Journal Votes Cedar City – “Best Utah Getaway”
Las Vegas, NV / Cedar City, UT – For the past twenty-eight years the Las Vegas Review - Journal, Nevada’s most widely read newspaper, compiles the “Best of Las Vegas”. Cedar City, Utah garnered the top honor of “Best Utah Getaway” for 2009.
On the website for the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Best of Las Vegas, the “staff picks” notes of Cedar City, “whether it’s off of red rock cliffs or at the theater, this is our pick for hanging in Utah. If the terrain and Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival aren’t enough, there’s the Braithwaite Arts Gallery, cute shops and plenty of nearby lakes, parks and petroglyphs.”
“We are thrilled that Las Vegas readers recognize the perfect getaway vacation just across the Nevada border in Southern Utah”, Bonnie Char Oldroyd, Public Relations Specialist, Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau states. “Cedar City offers a myriad of activities for all ages. Our diversity of outdoor activities and arts offerings makes Cedar City a clear choice for families and individuals of all phases of life. Our beautiful red rock mountain welcomes visitors and residents alike to explore, relax, and feel right at home in Cedar City.”
Las Vegas resident, Matthew Blackburn, says: “You can do everything in Iron County, [UT], from hunting and fishing to four-wheeling, snowboarding to hiking, it’s all right there.”
According to the congratulatory letter received by the Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau from publisher Sherman R. Frederick, “On Sunday, March 29th over 531,369 readers enjoyed the Review-Journal’s results in the twenty-eighth edition of “Best of Las Vegas”, filled with articles and advertisements about the best and worst of Las Vegas.”
This year’s Best of Las Vegas poll featured 184 choices. The Review-Journal received 15,145 votes for 2009, nearly double from last year’s votes. Most of the votes came from Las Vegas Valley, but votes were also received from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Cayman Islands, France, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Cear City Ranks In The Top 20 Cities for Outdoorsmen In Outdoor Life Magazine
Outdoor Life recently named Cedar City as one of the top 20 places to live for the avid outdoorsman. From a list of 200 cities, Cedar City came in at #15.
Outdoor Life evaluated towns across the country using such criteria as hunting, fishing, access to public lands and local economy.
They began by compiling a list of every town with a population center of more than 4,000 people. They evaluated the growth rate, unemployment rate, commute time, crime rate, housing prices and more. Towns were then graded on their appeal from a sporting perspective.
When the totals came in, they combined all the factors and placed the locations in order. Cedar City scored well. On a scale of 1-10, Cedar City sported a nine in public land access and gun laws, eight in "trophy" hunting potential and a seven in huntable species.
To view the entire report, click here. http://www.outdoorlife.com/article.jsp?ID=1000057228
Cedar City Receives A Top Ranking From Where To Retire Magazine
For the second time in a year, Where To Retire Magazine has recognized Cedar City as being one of their best picks for retirees. In their recent February “Best Choices” issue, the Magazine recognizes Cedar City as one of their “Five Best Budget Towns To Retire”.
The magazine, which is geared towards helping people with their retirement decisions, profiled five towns that give residents the most bang for their retirement buck. The towns were selected based upon the myriad of perks and amenities offered at a lower cost than many communities. Where To Retire editors chose the following top five locations as the picks for best budget towns, including Crossville, TN, Columbia, SC; Mount Dora, FL, Sussex County, DE and Cedar City, Utah.
According to the Where To Retire editor, Mary Lu Abbott, these budget locations offers retirees outdoor recreation, scenic beauty, cultural events and a well rounded lifestyle with costs of living below the national average. According to Abbott, Cedar City was selected because “it’s a haven for lovers of the arts and outdoors with access to an array of national parks as well as the Utah Shakespearean Festival at Southern Utah University.”
"We received the call a few months ago that we were in the running for the Best Choices Issue", said Maria Twitchell, director of the Cedar City-Brian Head Tourism Bureau & Visitor Center, "I think it's great to be recognized again by this well known publication".
Where To Retire magazine was created as a means in helping readers find the ideal place to retire. Now published six times a year, the magazine covers the best retirement regions, towns and master planned communities across the globe and has a national circulation of 220,000. Cedar City was spotlighted in a 10 page feature in their 2006 January/February edition and was selected as one the magazine's "Top 8 Ski Towns" back in 2004.
The Garden Cottage B&B Chosen As The Top Rocky Mountain B&B in Utah in The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards
The Garden Cottage B&B in Cedar City was selected as a “Best of the Rockies” winner in the annual Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards, 2008-2009. The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards are based upon a qualitative and quantitative review of the nearly 50,000 independent reviews submitted to Bedand Breakfast.com, the leading online B&B directory and reservation network world wide. The Garden Cottage Bed and Breakfast is the only Utah Bed and Breakfast to receive this award.
“We know how important independent reviews are. We’re delighted that inngoers concurred that The Garden Cottage B&B is a favorite among those seeking the B&B experience,” explained BedandBreakfast.com’s Sandy Soule, one of the most highly recognized authors and a spokeswoman for the B&B industry. “It’s clear that The Garden Cottage B&B earned high marks from inngoers for their fine accommodations, breakfasts, amenities, and wonderful hospitality and service,” commented Soule.
“We are pleased that we were chosen for a Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award and are thrilled that our guests posted reviews that resulted in this award, stated Diana Simkins, owner/innkeeper of The Garden Cottage Bed and Breakfast. “It is rewarding that our attention to the details that make a difference to guests were recognized by inngoers who took the time to write reviews of The Garden Cottage,” commented Simkins. Here is an excerpt from on of our reviews:
“Garden Cottage is a visual and sensory delight. The charming, spotless rooms with comfortable queen-size beds decked with quilts and embroidered linens, charming antique furniture, and decorating details that complete each room perfectly are just a few of the reasons we return again and again. The colorful, old fashioned garden is a peaceful retreat, and breakfast is always delicious and ample. Diana and Gary are personable hosts and think of everything to make our stay memorable. Before we buy tickets for the Shakespeare Festival, we make sure that a room at Garden Cottage is available. We are already booked for the 2009 season!"
About The Garden Cottage B&B: Experience a romantic get-a-way in Cedar City, Utah, in an enchanting English cottage surrounded by an old-fashioned cottage garden. Five antique-filled romantic bedchambers with queen beds and private baths await you at the top of an inviting winding staircase. Full breakfast with savories and sweets. Between Zion, Bryce National Parks. Just across from the Utah Shakespearean Festival. For reservations call 1-435-586-4919 or visit our website at http://www.thegardencottagebnb.com or email us at romance@thegardencottagebnb.com.
NBC Today Show Rates Cedar City As One of Their "Eight Great & Unusual Fall Foliage Destinations".
Travel Editor Peter Greenberg recently revealed his list of “Eight Great and Unusual Destinations for Fall Color Viewing” on the NBC Today Show listing southern Utah’s Cedar City in the mix. Greenberg recommends leaf peepers to move away from popular destinations like New England to discover new places for fabulous fall foliage.
Greenberg recommends Cedar City as a surprising location for fall color viewing, stating “ Places like Cedar City offer one of the most dramatic fall foliage backdrops in the country. Cedar Breaks National Monument contains cliff faces eroded into the west side of the Markagunt Plateau. Alpine Ponds Trail takes you through trees, meadows, flowers and wildlife for spectacular foliage viewing.” Greenberg also adds “You can also drive along the access road, UT 148, which circles the cliff’s edge. Kolob Canyon is located in Zion National Park. It offers breathtaking canyon views (some say it rivals the Grand Canyon in terms of the gorgeous colors and layers).
To see the full report plus the video from the Today Show, go to this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20997833/. Other destinations included in the report were: Aspen Colorado; Michigan’s, Upper Peninsula; Montana; Leavenworth, Washington; Wine Country, California, South Carolina, & the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Patchwork Parkway – Utah State Route 143 Receives National Scenic Byway Status
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Officials from the Federal Highways Administration in Washington, D.C. announced Friday, October 16, 2009 that Utah’s Patchwork Parkway – Utah State Route (SR) 143, the road that runs from Parowan through Brian Head to Panguitch, is now designated as a National Scenic Byway.
Also known as America’s Byways, the program only accepts nominations every three years. “The title of National Scenic Byway is very difficult to attain”, according to Nancy Dalton, Byway 143 Coordinator, “We were one of 63 applicants, and the only Utah Byway designated to receive National Scenic Byway status.
The designation recognized the historical intrinsic value of Utah Scenic Byway 143. An annual quilt walk in Panquitch, UT commemorates a slice of history where pioneer travelers laid quilts over the snow to protect their limbs from the bitter cold. Though the route offers historical significance, it holds equally notable diversity of scenery, color and never ending vistas. Dalton, Byway 143 Coordinator adds, “There are several overlooks and pullouts where one can view Cedar Breaks National Monument, Brian Head Peak, Markagunt Plateau, Vermillion Castle, Panguitch Lake, lava fields, historic sites, meadows of summer wild flowers, and during autumn aspen groves of brilliant fall colors. A series of trails, side roads, historic and petroglyph sites are ideal for picnics, casual walks, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting and camping”.
Leigh von der Esch, Utah Office of Tourism Director: "We are thrilled to add this new scenic byway designation to our state! This prestigious designation recognizes the uniqueness and beauty that can be found along Highway 143 for the traveler. This is the culmination of the efforts of so many in Southern Utah. Job well done!"
While touring southwestern Utah, Monday, October 19th at 2:30 PM, Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell will locally announce the National Scenic Byway designation of Utah SR 143 at a special media and community event held at Heritage Park in Parowan. (89 West Hwy 91). The program will feature several guest speakers, dancers from the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, dignitaries, quilts, and displays. The Byway 143 committee members will be in attendance to answer questions about National Scenic Byway 143 and its designation. In case of bad weather, the program will be held in the Iron County Fairgrounds building located at 80 South 600 East.
See “What’s Happening” on Twitter.
Cedar City, Utah – The Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau is now available to follow on “Twitter”. Information can be accessed at www.twitter.com/CedarCityArea. “Our goal is to reach visitors, no matter where they are, with up to date information on events and activities in the Cedar City area, according to Amber Bennett, Market Assistant for the Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau. “Our office sends out a weekly “What’s Happening” to hotels and businesses, this is simply another way to “be in the know” as soon as it hits the calendar”.
“Visitors and locals have access 24/7 to event calendars and activities through our website at www.ScenicSouthernUtah.com,” adds Bonnie Char, Public Relations Specialist for the Cedar City ~ Brian Head Tourism Bureau. “Now we’re joining the world of “tweets” where we can share up to the minute information.”
Twitter is a social networking service that enables users and followers to send and receive text-based messages known as “tweets”. Anyone wishing to subscribe to updates to the calendar can visit twitter online at www.twitter.com/CedarCityArea or go to www.ScenicSouthernUtah.com and click on the twitter icon.