By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
WASHBURN — For the second year in a row, Steve Dobson, owner of the Aroostook Hospitality Inn, has received the Best of Business Award for the ‘inns’ category, through the Best of Business Award Program, for his operations’ continued success at providing quality service to guests from as far away as Europe.
The program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the area. Recognition was given in late October to Dobson’s two small motels: the Aroostook Hospitality Inn, located on U.S. Route 164 (the Washburn Road) in Washburn, and the Aroostook Hospitality Inn, located on U.S. Route 1 (Main Street) in Van Buren.
According to the award committee, only one in 70 — or 1.4 percent — 2013 award recipients nationwide qualified as two-time award winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2013 Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners were determined based on internal information collected by the Washburn and Van Buren Award programs, and data provided by third parties. Each year, the Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in the local community and business category.
According to Tyler James of the Best of Business Award Program, “These two local companies enhance the positive image of small businesses through service to their customers and their community. These exceptional motels help make the area a great place to live, work and play.”
The Washburn property has been owned and operated for the past 13 years by Dobson and his wife, Prudy. This is the fifth year they have owned and operated the Van Buren site. The Dobsons are honored and proud of the fact that the hard work of everyone involved in the operation of these properties is getting this recognition.
“The fact that our Washburn location has won this award for the second year in a row, and our Van Buren location has won the honor this year tells me our business model is working,” said Steve Dobson. “We are a small family-owned and -operated business. Our focus in both locations is our guests. We always treat them like friends and family, and do our best to meet all their needs. We want them to feel like they are that special cousin or aunt and uncle who has come to visit us.”
Each property is very different, according to Dobson.
“The Washburn facility is located in a quiet country setting, where several different types of activities are available for guests,” he said.
The Dobsons have offered several large group barbecues, hotdog roasts and even fireworks shows for some.
The Van Buren operation is in the center of town, right on U.S. Rt. 1.
“This property is involved with the community, hosting meetings such as the Van Buren Chamber, the 2014 World Acadian Congress, and Main Street Van Buren. The church choir holds their Christmas party in the Great Room, and Santa Claus comes to town and stops here to hand out gifts to the children of Van Buren,” said Dobson.
The Dobsons have a more focused standard when it comes to cleaning rooms. Motel chains generally allow staff a certain amount of time to clean each room. Dobson tells staff they need to clean a room as long as it takes.
“Even if it’s more expensive to do it this way, we’re confident when a guest goes into a room it is exceptionally clean,” Dobson said.
For these reasons, the Dobsons believe they have a winning formula for their properties.
“I tell everyone if they need to be in town, need to have a pool or go to the bar, then they should stay in one of the motels located in Presque Isle, Caribou, Madawaska or the Fort Kent area. However, if they want to stay where they can hear the trees instead of the trucks, walk down to the brook and maybe see the great blue heron, possibly see moose or deer wandering through the yard, or watch the rabbits play on the lawn in the summertime, then stay with us at our Washburn location. If they are in ‘The Valley’ and want the same great service, then they should stay at our Van Buren location,” said Dobson, who also serves as a volunteer committee member of Aroostook County Tourism. “In the winter, guests can leave either of our parking lots and go anywhere the 2,300 miles of Aroostook County snowmobile trails will take them.”
