An award winning year!

April 2nd, 2011 by Angie Allen

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The seasons are once again changing in Duluth and the shipping season is already underway.  It seems like it was just yesterday when the last ship came in for the winter layover, and here we are smiling as we look out at the Lake to see them once again making their way in and out of our beautiful port city of Duluth!

We have enjoyed an unusually busy year so far at our Duluth Bed and Breakfast.  If the first quarter of 2011 is any indication of how the rest of the year will be, we better hold on tight!  We are deeply grateful to all of our guests, past and future, for choosing to spend their valuable time and resources with us.  We are excited to see many of you again, and look forward to making new friends!

We have managed to complete some projects we had planned; here is a quick update!  Painting has been the project of the year so far with the grand entry way of the Inn getting a beautiful new color on its walls; a welcoming and warm Benjamin Moore “Mineral Alloy.”  The dining room also has been updated, along with the Salyards Room.  The entry way of the Carriage House has a new trim and wall color, and the North Shore Retreat is now complete with new trim and wall paint.  Good thing Tim’s a very, very good painter!!

You can follow all of our projects, and get updates and photos by “Liking” us on Facebook and following us on Twitter too!  We hope to complete a few more projects before the whirlwind of the season begins.  We are very excited about some outdoor additions and changes we will be making once the weather allows!  Keep posted!

We were incredibly excited to learn we were chosen for several prestigious awards and recognitions in 2011.  We are grateful and humbled by the recognition, and know that we could not have accomplished what we have without the support of our wonderful guests, friends, family and colleagues!  We love Duluth, and are very much aware of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful destination area that allows us to share our home with you!

Here is a brief update of what your support has helped us realize this year:

  • LanierBB.com awarded the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast with the “Best Amenities” honor
  • iLoveInns.com selected the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast as a “Top Ten Romantic Inn in North America”
  • Duluth~Superior Magazine’s “Best of” poll for 2011 awarded the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast in five categories: “Best Bed and Breakfast” (second year in a row), “Best Amenities”, “Best Romantic Getaway”, “Best In-Room Dining” (second year in a row),  and “Best Hotel Rooms” (second year in a row).  And we came in second place for “Best Hotel.”  Wow!  We thank you all for taking the time to vote for us.  We were told that over 700 votes came in for the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast! Simply amazing!
  • Midwest Living magazine puts out a Travel Guide each year and the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast was named a “Best of the Midwest” in their 2011 issue.  We are the only Bed and Breakfast in our North Shore region to receive this honor.  

 

We will continue to keep you updated via our Blog, Facebook, and Twitter so be sure to bookmark these pages. You can also become a subscriber to our You Tube channel, and check out our Flickr page.  And don’t forget, to become a subscriber to our quarterly newsletter too!

Happy Spring to all of you!

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Elton John…Duluth…Valentine’s Day gift? What a great idea!!

February 9th, 2011 by Angie Allen

Have you heard yet?!  It has just been announced that Elton John will be performing at our Amsoil Arena on Friday, May 6th.  With the new DECC (Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center) complete, this is just the beginning of what we hope will be a whirlwind of concerts and events coming to Duluth!  

Tickets for the concert will be going on sale this Valentine’s Day, February 14th, via Ticketmaster.  So, what a great Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone who loves the legend that is Elton John.  Purchase the tickets, and then book your weekend stay at the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast for a wonderful, fun-filled, romantic weekend in Duluth.  With a city full of fantastic dining options, a great concert and concert venue, and the #1 Bed and Breakfast in Minnesota – it sounds like the perfect getaway!  

I can remember attending an Elton John concert a very long time ago when he had multiple, spectacular wardrobe changes.  It was a great concert then, and I can only imagine how wonderful it will be now! 

So order your tickets, then book your stay at the AG Thomson House, a Duluth Bed and Breakfast, and look forward to spring, great music, and the warmth and comfort of our Inn!

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It’s “Honey do” time again…

January 31st, 2011 by Angie Allen

Sign

As I write this entry, we’ve just put the first of twelve months in 2011 behind us.  I know it’s what people always say, but it never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time flies by – especially when keeping busy.  It seems as though we were just putting up the holiday decorations, and then taking them down, and now we look forward to February, Super Bowl XVL (we are Wisconsin natives and pretty excited!) and the Valentine’s Day holiday.  

If January is any indication of what the year ahead will bring, we are very excited about the experiences and people we will meet in 2011.  This January has proven to be the best the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast has had since it’s opening in 2000; and more importantly since our caretaking began in 2007.    We have started and completed projects on the “Honey do” list, we have more to work on, and then we will be back in the heart of our busy season before we know it. 

The projects have been relatively mild so far; primarily painting updates for now.  We have some greater ambitions in mind as we head toward the spring, but we will have to take it a project at a time!  You can check out the changes going on at the Inn by going to the AG Thomson House Bed & Breakfast Facebook page and taking a look.  Don’t forget to “like us” while you’re there, and post your comments and thoughts – we would love to hear from you!   As always, we will continue to improve upon this spectacular home, and our efforts will be focused on making it an experience and environment where you, our guests, feel welcome, at home, comfortable, and rejuvenated. 

We are also very proud to announce that the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast has been selected and awarded some very prestigious industry awards.  We have been selected as a “Top Ten Romantic Inn” by the renowned Bed and Breakfast website iLoveInns.com.  It is a great honor to be representing Duluth among other wonderful regions across North America, including Hawaii, British Columbia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and more!  This selection comes from a choice of over 30,000 Inns across the United States and Canada.  The AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast was carefully selected by iLoveInns.com for overall romantic attributes–scenic setting and location, interior beauty and design, heartfelt hospitality, pampering amenities and creative activities. 

We also learned that we have been awarded “BEST AMENITIES” by LanierBB.com; one of the industry’s leading Bed and Breakfast websites.  Winners of this prestigious award have been voted the best in their category by LanierBB online readers and voted for the AG Thomson House from a selection of over 8,500 Inns across the country.  We are very proud; and very thankful to all of our guests who chose our Inn for this award!  We continue to be grateful, humble and will never forget why we are here…for you!! 

Finally, it is time once again to vote in the 2011 Duluth~Superior Magazine “Best Of” Poll in the Twin Ports area.  Last year our guests helped us by voting the AG Thomson House the “Best Bed and Breakfast”, “Best Hotel Rooms”, and “Best In-room dining.”  We would be most appreciative of your support in this years’ poll once again in some of the categories listed such as “Best Bed and Breakfast”, “Best Romantic Getaway”, “Best Breakfast”, “Best Rooms”, “Best Amenities”, etc.  Just click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph, enter your email address (one vote per email address), enter your favorites in the categories listed, and then click “vote” after each entry.  You don’t have to vote for every category, but chances are if you love Duluth, you have a few favorites you would like to help out in this year’s poll.  We are always thankful for your support!  

In this first blog entry of 2011, we want to wish you a very Happy New Year!  We look forward to greeting old friends and making new. We take to heart the sign we have hanging in our living room…”Enter as strangers, leave as friends.” and we look forward to another fantastic year at the beautiful AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast!

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‘Tis the season to be “Green”!

November 30th, 2010 by Angie Allen

Yes, it’s here – the Holiday season (and winter) in Duluth, Minnesota!  Though not necessarily as snowy as our years spent in the Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior’s South Shore, it is nonetheless one of the most beautiful cities to live no matter what the season.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; Duluth is without a doubt…spectacular! 

The city of Duluth is alive with wonderful holiday events taking place; too numerous to mention in this post.  One event that must be mentioned is the participation of the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast and the six other Inns of Duluth, MN in the Historic Bed and Breakfast Inns of Duluth Holiday Tour!  All seven of the Duluth, MN Bed and Breakfast Inns are opening our doors on Sunday, December 12th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door.  And to enhance the holiday season of giving, we will be collecting toys for the Salvation Army Toyland Express Toy Drive.  An unwrapped gift valued at $15 brought to any Inn will give you a chance to win a night’s stay at any one of our Inns!  For more great seasonal events, check out our Events page for a full list of ways to enjoy Duluth Minnesota this holiday season. 

In preparation for the Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast tour, the AG Thomson House has officially completed its holiday decorating; and there is a lot of it!  This year we are proud to have “greened” it up around the Inn.  We have converted our exterior C-9 lights to LED’s of the same size and it is gorgeous!  We could not be happier with the decision to convert on an aesthetic level, but are even happier with the environmental impact it will have.  Instead of using over 2975 watts of electricity on the illumination of the exterior, this conversion reduces our usage to just 79 watts!  Which encompasses lighting up the Main House, the Carriage House, and the garage (yes, we definitely deck the halls and even the garages at holiday time!)  This is a reduction in energy use by over 98%!  It’s gratifying on so many levels to be “green”; and an ongoing, day to day effort at our Inn! 

Finally, we are incredibly proud and honored to have been featured in the December/January issue of Lake Superior Magazine, this region’s premier magazine.  The article highlights the AG Thomson House Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast decked out for the holiday season, as well as some history behind the journey that we have been on to bring back the warmth and beauty of this incredible home.    Check out one of our accomplishments, the before and after of our kitchen – the heart and soul of a bed and breakfast! 

We thank all of our family, friends, past guests and future guests for the support you have offered us in this very speedy year of 2010, and we look forward to another successful and fun 2011!  Our best and warmest wishes to all of you during this holiday season and throughout the year!

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Duluth – Our Lake Superior Port City on the Rise!

November 1st, 2010 by Angie Allen

  With another extraordinary summer season behind us, we now have some time to reflect on the past three years as Innkeepers and caretakers of the spectacular AG Thomson House Historic Bed and Breakfast Inn, and the past 5 years of our new life in Duluth.  

When the US Air Force sent us to Duluth 5 years ago, we immediately fell in love with this spectacular Lake Superior port city.  Sitting along the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth had everything you would hope for from dining, shopping, arts & theatre; and of course an unlimited resource for all outdoor activities in an area of breathtaking beauty. 

Since 2005, we have watched and participated in the exciting growth and new additions that have taken place in Duluth.  What draws you to Duluth is the indescribable beauty that Lake Superior and the North Shore offer, but additionally what keeps you coming back are the award winning restaurants like the New Scenic Cafe, cutting edge arts and theater like the Teatro Zuccone and Zinema 2; and new, thrilling activities like the Timber Twister at Spirit Mountain – the only Alpine Coaster located in the Midwest.  The renovation and reopening of the Pickwick brings a fresh new look, along with incredible food back to this historic restaurant.  The Zeitgeist Arts Café, a place to dine then catch a movie or theater performance within the same building.  Mexico Lindo, a long standing restaurant in the area, now located in the Fitger’s Complex offers patrons authentic Mexican food while enjoying the outdoor deck overlooking Lake Superior.  And Clyde Iron Works, a renovated Ironworks warehouse now offering casual dining, along with popular musical performances like Minnesota’s GB Leighton, for example.  And that’s just a small list… 

Those of you who have stayed with us and followed us here at the AG Thomson House, are aware of all of the new, and up to date additions, amenities, and packages that we have added to the Inn, and awards received – all with our guests comfort and relaxation in mind.  Like in-room breakfast delivery to all of our rooms, new flat screen HDTV/DVD’s, more rooms with king size beds; and that’s just a small sampling. We encourage you to peruse our website, “Like” us on Facebook where we continually update, post photos, and comment about the “goings on” around the Inn and Duluth; and of course, Stay with Us!  As Trip Advisor’s #1 Bed and Breakfast in Duluth and Minnesota, we are here for you!  Duluth is not just a summer destination, Duluth is a year-round destination and we encourage you to embrace all that our Lake Superior Port City offers, and embrace your new destination of the AG Thomson House Historic Bed and Breakfast Inn, your Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast!

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Summer Lovin’

June 24th, 2010 by Angie Allen

It is shaping up to be another whirlwind of a summer at the A.G. Thomson House!  In 2009 the A.G. Thomson House had it’s best year ever despite the recession, and so far 2010 is shaping up to surpass what was an amazing year!  We continue to work diligently to improve and impress.  To name just a few…

The most obvious is the recent launch of our new website!  This process began some time ago with design ideas and has come to fruition to be what we believe one of the nicest sites around.  We have improved the size of the pictures so guests can really see what our rooms look like with no “make-up.” We have added additional pages and kept the navigation easy, but beautiful.  One additionwe are particularly proud of is our “Plan Your Stay” page.  We spent a great deal of time working on putting this page together.  It offers guests an in-depth list of things to see and do around Duluth, no matter what the season.  We have established sample itineraries for Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter because there is always something to do in Duluth – no matter what the season or the weather!!  We know we will continue to improve and tweak the site, but we couldn’t be more proud to offer our guests this great new venue!

Other things keeping us busy this year, besides our wonderful guests that have passed through our doors, are the new Hickory wood floors in the North Shore Retreat and Brule River Retreat.  It’s a truly amazing transformation of these two cozy rooms, among their other wonderful amenities.

All of our rooms have received new Flat Screen TV updates, with the most dramatic in our unbelievable Lake Superior Suite!  The Lake Superior Suite now has a new 40″ High Definition Flat Screen TV – perfect for watching any of our over 500 DVD’s in our movie library, or that baseball, basketball, football game – or whatever your favorite sport may be! 

Another addition to our breakfast is the option to receive a full breakfast delivered to your room – just like room service!  This new addition proudly won us the Best In-Room Dining in the Duluth~Superior Magazine poll this Spring!  It has proven to be a great amenity for our guests!

The Ryerson Suite received another new update with the addition of an outrageously comfortable King Size Bed, making this our third room to offer a King Size bed as an option – very rare in the Bed and Breakfast world!

And last, but not least in our ongoing efforts to make the A.G. Thomson House your home away from home, we have added a new raised bed garden so we can grow and use fresh herbs in our already tasty breakfast dishes.  I’ve already been cutting!  And as we do each year, we have added more beautiful flowers and plants to our perennial gardens all around the Inn, two new fountains, and added more potted annuals around the Veranda than ever before.

One thing is for sure, we will never stop improving the A.G. Thomson House!  We invite you to visit our site, peruse our photo gallery, and even join us on Facebook where we continually add updates, pictures, and information.  And if you are thinking of staying here, book soon!  Our advance bookings are way up this year.  So pick out that perfect room and join us this summer, fall, winter or spring at the AG Thomson House!

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Tourists for a day!

April 21st, 2010 by Angie Allen

In this line of work, we are sending our guests to all of the incredible and beautiful attractions around the North Shore and Duluth nearly every day.  So when the opportunity arose for us to take a little time off from our beautiful bed and breakfast to enjoy our surroundings, we jumped at it and took a day to travel the North Shore of Minnesota and Lake Superior.

Palisade HeadWe began by driving up Scenic Highway 61 along the shores of Lake Superior with our ultimate destination of Tettegouche State Park. One of our first stops was Palisade Head, a rugged lakeside cliff rising nearly 300 ft up from the shores of Lake Superior.  This is a great spot to soak up the sun, have a picnic, and be inspired by the pure natural beauty and view of Lake Superior.  We continued further along the north shore, and did a little hiking along the Temperance River Gorge.

The trail stretches along side the rushing river, and is alive with waterfalls pouring through the gorges – simply spectacular and a must see!  On our return home, we stopped in at Split Rock Lighthouse, a spot we haven’t been in quite awhile, and spent some time walking the grounds and taking in the view.  The lighthouse will be open for tours in just a couple of weeks, but you can enjoy the grounds and the trails nearby now.  A short distance from Split Rock Lighthouse is Gooseberry Falls – a must see along the North Shore.  We walked around the upper and lower falls, which is a nice relaxing trail. But if you want to spend the day at Gooseberry State Park, you will find some great trails of nearly 18 miles; part of the Superior Hiking Trail & several small spur trails to waterfalls, overlooks, up the river and down to Lake Superior.

Temperance River

As we were heading home to our Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast, we were so happy to have been able to take the time to enjoy an absolutely beautiful, sun filled day along the North Shore!  We are now even more informed about these great spots to share with our guests!

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Duluth's exciting summer ahead!!

April 1st, 2010 by Angie Allen

I think we are all shaking our heads around here, and giving thanks, for the absolutely beautiful weather that we have been fortunate to experience this early in the spring. The shipping season has kicked off early with the first ship leaving Duluth’s port on Tuesday. This is a great sign for the economy; orders were ready and waiting to go out and now they are on their way!  And once again, the summer is shaping up to be exciting around Duluth, the North Shore, and the A.G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast. From Grandma’s Marathon to Blues Festival – Duluth is not only one of the most spectacular areas in the country for pure, natural beauty; it is jammed packed with fun activities and events throughout the year.

One of the biggest and most anticipated events taking place this summer is the Tall Ships Challenge scheduled to begin on July 28th through August 2nd. A fleet of eight international vessels will sail into Duluth’s port, one of only six cities chosen in the US and Canada, and the only Lake Superior port! It’s a rare chance to catch a glimpse, step aboard, and even set sail on some of the grandest ships of yore. The festival grounds open Thursday, July 29 with sounds and sensations ranging from a pirate school for kids to four days of performances of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, a musical presented by the UMD School of Fine Arts.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating ships included in the fleet is the Freedom Schooner Amistad. It is the official flagship and tall ship ambassador of Connecticut, and more notably, holds historical significance as one of the ships used in the trading of slaves. The Amistad made history in 1839, when slaves aboard the ship revolted to secure their freedom while being transported from one Cuban port to another. The current mission of the Amistad is to provide visitors an intense and direct reexamination of the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade and its legacy found throughout the nations of the Atlantic Basin.

Of course, while you are visiting this great city, the A. G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast should be your choice to stay!  We have spent our quiet season continually working on our Inn, improving and increasing our amenities, and looking forward to each guest that walks through our doors!  This year we were named the Best Bed and Breakfast in the area, along with the Best Hotel Rooms and Best In room Dining by Duluth~Superior Magazine – an honor we are very appreciative and proud!

So as you plan your summer vacation; or short getaways this season, be sure to put Duluth and the A.G. Thomson House on your schedule. You will be surrounded by superior natural beauty while taking in some spectacular events and activities along the North Shore. Mark your calendar for the Tall Ships right away and give us a call to book your room!  In 2008, the entire city sold out as soon as news hit the major newspapers!

Join us at the A.G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast; we look forward to seeing you this summer in spectacular Duluth, Minnesota!!

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A G Thomson House named Best Bed and Breakfast by Duluth~Superior Magazine!

March 25th, 2010 by Angie Allen

We couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we have been named the winner in three (3) different categories from a recent Duluth~Superior Magazine “Best of Duluth~Superior” issue. The “Best of” poll offered readers the opportunity to select their favorite businesses and attractions in the Twin Ports area.

The categories we were named and recognized as the “Best of” are: 

1) Best Bed and Breakfast

2) Best Hotel Rooms

3) Best Hotel In-Room Dining

The April issue of Duluth~Superior Magazine hits newsstands by March 31st, and will be online by April 1st.

We are grateful to all of you who voted for our Inn!  We are proud and humbled with an invigorated sense of purpose – to continue to exceed our guests’ expectations each time they choose our Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast to spend their valuable time and resources.

We have worked very hard to bring back the beauty of this incredible home and the reputation of the Inn as well as the genuine hospitality that our guests deserve each time they step through our doors!  And we thank you for acknowledging our passion and desire to be the best Innkeepers we possibly can – because we believe you deserve it! Thank you, thank you!

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