ALBERT SHAFSKY HOUSE B&B EARNS 2016 TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

Placerville, CA USA – 1 June 2016– Albert Shafsky House Bed and Breakfast, a 1902 Queen Anne Victorian in the heart of Placerville today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience.  

“We are delighted to receive this award again this year”, said Rita Timewell, Owner and Innkeeper.  “Creating tasty breakfast dishes, and having guests enjoy them enough to take time to comment is such a rewarding experience”.  A recent guest had this to say “Love this place. Great rest, and it's located close enough to Sacramento and San Francisco without being "too close". Great food, wine in the parlor, nearby wineries to visit on Saturday - what's not to like?”

"With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honors hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travelers,” said Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor. “This recognition helps travelers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travelers feel more confident in their booking decisions.” 

The Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

-Ends-

Upcoming fun in town!

JUNE 4 – OCTOBER 12, 2016: Banners on Parade This community art project features artistically decorated banners on light poles along Main Street in Placerville. This is an annual collaborative effort of artists, businesses, organizations, individuals and city government that promotes the arts in historic downtown Placerville. These beautiful banners are displayed on Main Street and sold at a Silent Auction at the October, 2016, Art & Wine Festival. For more info contact (530) 672-3436. Find out how you can help with this effort! Read more information about this project here! JUNE 11, 2016: Wagon Train & Street Dance 3PM – 8PM.  Historic Main Street will welcome the Highway 50 Association's 67th Annual Wagon Train around 3:30 pm on Saturday, June 11th. The train will stay for a few minutes for the community to view and photograph. Placerville is the end of the trail for the week long trek that begins in Nevada earlier in the week. Following the Wagon Train, Shauna Lea & the Hired Guns will perform during the Wagon Train Street Dance from 5PM to 8PM. Food, beer and more will be available for purchase on Main Street during the evening. Line dancing instruction will be featured during band breaks, too. Admission is free. For more information on all the activities please call to (530) 672-3436. MID-JUNE through MID-OCTOBER 2016 Wednesday Main Street Farmers Market 4PM – Dusk. This event features fresh produce, flowers and other items from local farmers. For updated info, please call (415) 250-5337. . JUNE 25, 2016: Bell Tower Brewfest 6PM – 9PM on Historic Main St. This popular Placerville event is hosted by downtown merchants and includes a street closure for the enjoyment and safety for all patrons. Entertainment features live music during the festival. See more information about the Bell Tower Brewfest here. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info contact (530) 672-3436. Purchase tickets online here. July 16, 2016: Dancin' in the Street 3PM – 8:30PM at the Bell Tower. The El Dorado Arts Council hosts the biggest dance event of the year!  A free community festival promoting dance, health, fitness, and fun. Dance demonstrations and live entertainment. Food and beer will be available for purchase. For more information contact the El Dorado Arts Council at (530)295-3496. AUGUST 14, 2016: Craft Faire 8AM – 3PM in Historic Downtown Placerville. The 20th Annual Craft Faire features artisans and their pottery, jewelry, woodwork, quilted and decorating items, dolls, garden items, soaps, candles, food, and much, much more. Download the Craft Faire application form here. Admission and parking are free. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info contact (530) 672-3436.

AUGUST 25, 2016: Hangtown Car Show 5PM – 8PM. This Thursday Night car show is sponsored by Placerville Lions Club. Participation is limited by the number of spaces available. Admission and parking is free for spectators. For info and pre-registration please call Mike at (530) 622-1731. SEPTEMBER 10, 2016: Kacie's Ride for Hope 8AM – 11AM. Main Street is closed to host this important Motorcycle Run that raises awareness and funds for the fight against domestic violence. Funds raised help support The Center for Violence Free Relationships. For info, seekaciesrideforhope.com or contactkaciesrideforhope@sbcglobal.net. SEPTEMBER 13, 2016: World Gold Panning Championship Parade of Nations & Opening Ceremonies 6PM – 7PM. Nations participating in the World Gold Panning Championship from 9/11/16-9/18/16 will be marching in this Parade of Nations and the opening ceremonies will take place on Main Street at the Bell Tower in Placerville as the kickoff event for the Championship and El Dorado County Gold Week. Sponsored by Placerville Downtown Association. Admission is free. For complete event info, see the World Gold Panning Championship website or call (530) 672-3436. SEPTEMBER 17, 2016: Placerville Oktoberfest 3PM – 8PM. This fun event features German music (complete with Chicken Dances!), Wiener Dog Races, Children's Games, Adult/Beer-related Games, Bavarian Dance Demos, a Scarecrow Contest (new this year) and bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, strudel, beer, etc.! Come in costume to fit the theme! Sponsored by Placerville Downtown Association. Admission is free. For complete event info (530) 672-3436. SEPTEMBER 25, 2016: Antique Street Faire The 28th Annual Antique Street Faire closes Main Street to host antiques & collectibles peddlers for this popular event. Food, refreshments, and more. Admission and parking is free. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436. OCTOBER 1 – 31, 2016: Pink in the Night To recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, pink lights are featured in the windows on Historic Main Street and on the Bell Tower during the month of October. This project is sponsored byImages of Hope and Marshall Medical Center, and is also featured at the Placerville Downtown Association's Art & Wine Festival on Oct. 15th on Main St. For more info please contact (530) 672-7050. OCTOBER 15, 2016: Art & Wine Festival 6PM – 9PM. Over 30 foothill wineries offer samples of their wines inside merchant locations on Historic Main Street in Placerville. In addition, the works of many local artists are featured in the galleries, the Banners On Parade community art project is displayed and the banners are sold during the silent auction that evening, and the Images of Hope Project is featured too. There is music at the Bell Tower, art demonstrations & hors d’oeuvres. You can sample award-winning wines in one convenient location without driving to all the wineries! Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info contact (530) 672-3436. OCTOBER 31, 2016: Trick or Treat on Main Street 4PM – 6PM in Historic downtown Placerville. Main Street merchants hand out candy (while supplies last) to trick-or-treaters for this great family event. There is a DJ at the Bell Tower and a Costume Contest (sponsored by the 20-30 Club) at 6PM. Town Hall will also host a Carnival for children 10 and under (sponsored by The Placerville Lions Club).  For info call (530 672-3436). NOVEMBER 25, 2016: Festival of Lights 5:30PM – 8PM on Historic Main Street in Placerville. The old-fashioned festivities close Historic Main Street and begin around 5:30pm at various locations up and down Main Street with music, entertainment, visits with Santa, and the tree-lighting at 6PM at the Courthouse. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436. NOVEMBER & December: Stagecoach Rides Stagecoach rides are available throughout the season on most weekends in Historic Downtown Placerville. For info call (530) 672-3436. NOVEMBER 25 & 26, 2016: Merchants Open House Extended Hours. Historic Main Street merchants welcome visitors with coffee, cider and seasonal goodies. Enjoy hometown holiday shopping and hospitality in one convenient setting. Free parking, entertainment, and more. For more information call (530) 672-3436. DECEMBER 2016: Visits with Santa 1PM - 4PM. Santa arrives in Historic Downtown Placerville at the Candystrike to listen to those special wishes from 1-4pm. Photos will be available for purchase, but are not required to visit with Santa. For more info call (530) 672-3436. DECEMBER 2016: Stagecoach Rides Stagecoach rides are available throughout December on most weekends before Christmas (in good weather) in Historic Downtown Placerville. For more info call (530) 672-3436. DECEMBER 4, 2016: 38th Annual Christmas Parade This big parade starts on Broadway in Placerville and continues down Main Street. This year's theme will be announced at a later date. This event is a McIntire Family Tradition and is presented by The Mountain Democrat and City of Placerville. For info, call (530) 344-5070.

If you like to plan ahead, this is going to be a HUGE event for Placerville.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016: World Gold Panning Championship Parade of Nations & Opening Ceremonies
6PM – 7PM. Nations participating in the World Gold Panning Championship from 9/11/16-9/18/16 will be marching in this Parade of Nations and the opening ceremonies will take place on Main Street at the Bell Tower in Placerville as the kickoff event for the Championship and El Dorado County Gold Week. Sponsored by Placerville Downtown Association. Admission is free. For complete event info, see the World Gold Panning Championship website or call (530) 672-3436.

Anytime is a good time to visit Apple Hill and Boa Vista

Yep, that is right, Boa Vista is open all year!

   Open daily in the heart of beautiful Apple Hill, this family farm is nestled next to picturesque Carson Road.  The Apple Barn, Bakery, Picnic Grounds, and Wine Tasting is Open Every Day!

     Boa Vista fruit is highlighted during the Summer and Fall Apple Hill harvest seasons; Apples, Asian Pears, Berries, Peaches, Pears, and Plums to name a few!

     If you are unable to make the trip to Apple Hill in person, the Online Barn offers almost all of our non-perishable items as well as award winning Apple, Red, and Dessert wines!

Cool travel article about Placerville, CA

Hey, looks like we got mentioned in this cool travel blog!  Thanks!!!

Main Street Events

SEPTEMBER 29th, Antique Street Faire
8AM - 3PM in Historic Downtown Placerville. The 24th Annual Antique Street Faire closes Main Street to host antiques & collectibles peddlers for this popular event. Food, refreshments, and more. Admission and parking are free. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436. You can download the 2013 Antique Street Faire application here.

OCTOBER 19th, Art & Wine Festival
6PM - 9PM. Over 30 foothill wineries will offer samples of their wines inside merchant locations on Historic Main Street in Placerville. In addition, the works of many local artists will be featured in the galleries and the “Banners On Parade” community art project will be displayed on Main Street and sold during the silent auction that evening. Music at the Bell Tower, art demonstrations & hors d’oeuvres, too. Sample award-winning wines in one convenient location without driving to all the wineries! TICKETS ARE LIMITED for the wine-tasting and will be available in September at Main Street merchants or on this website also in September. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. See more information and purchase tickets here. For info, you can also contact (530) 672-3436.

American RIver

From our friends at the American River Conservancy:

"Meet and Greet" for Local Educators and Community Partners Date change: Wednesday, September 25th 4-6pm at the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm (Gold Hill, Placerville area) We will have our second annual "Meet and Greet" for local teachers and community members.  In conjunction with the Innovations in Environmental Education Fund, enjoy an afternoon social that promotes environmental education in schools and discusses local funding opportunities.  Parents, teachers, and administrators can attend.  The event is FREE - appetizers and drinks provided.  RSVP to Molly by September 23rd - we kindly ask you limit your RSVP to 1 to 3 representatives from your school.

Educator Workshop: Connecting Nature and the Arts Saturday, October 5th 9am-12:30pm at the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm (Gold Hill) Join local visual artist Andie Thrams for a hands-on workshop and learn how you can connect the arts and nature into a classroom or out of the classroom experience.  $15 (lunch included). Contact Molly to RSVP and location details.  This program is supported by the Innovations in Environmental Education Fund.

What live was like....

What was life like in the Middle Ages for Innkeepers?  AskWiki says"There were very few inns in this time and if a person travelled they often stayed at a monastery where there was safety. An innkeeper would have taken care of the guests and inn if they had existed."  Times have not changed much....we do that today at our Placerville B&B all the time.

Albert Shafsky House B&B wins Tripadvisor Award!

Cool, we won a Tripadvisor Award!

Albert Shafsky House Bed and Breakfast announced that it has received a TripAdvisor certificate of excellence award.

The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Only the top-performing 10 percent of businesses listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

To qualify for a certificate of excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor, and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

“Albert Shafsky House B&B is pleased to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Rita Timewell, owner/innkeeper of the Albert Shafsky House. “We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience and this accolade shows that our hard work is translating into positive reviews on TripAdvisor. We have such great guests, many of whom are repeat guests, that it is a pleasure to be an innkeeper.”

“TripAdvisor is delighted to celebrate the success of businesses around the globe, from Sydney to Chicago, Sao Paulo to Rome, which are consistently offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience,” said Alison Copus, vice president of marketing for TripAdvisor for Business. “The certificate of excellence award provides top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most — their customers.”

The Albert Shafsky House Bed and Breakfast is a beautifully restored landmark property located in the heart of the Historic District of Placerville, 2942 Coloma St.

The Queen Anne Victorian Bed and Breakfast affords a peak into a rich and vibrant period of California History. Nestled in a lovely alpine setting in the California Foothills, the inn is a perfect spot from which to set off on an historical exploration of “Gold Country.”

TripAdvisor
 is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools.

TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors and more than 100 million reviews and opinions.

The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

Guest reviews.....we love em!

From Tripadvisor...

“Relaxing atmosphere - Wonderful breakfast!”

Reviewed June 1, 2013

Great place to relax and unwind - and Stephanie and Rita know the town... so no matter what you might want to do, they can give you the insider recommendations. Breakfast was outstanding - beautifully presented, delicious, and far better than most. What a treat!

From BedandBreakfast.com....

Home-like Setting

May 24, 2013

The living room and atmosphere had all the amenities of home. There were complimentary local red and white wine. Room and bath were inviting and comfortable. Breakfast was exquisite. Our host was charming and delightful.

We have the best guests!!!

Winery happenings next weekend.

Look what is going on next weekend.....

5th Annual Slug Fest This annual event will take place this year on Saturday and Sunday August 4th & 5th from 11:00 to 5:00 on both days. Colibri Ridge and dkcellars have asked our neighboring winery Perry Creek to pinch-hit in place of Oakstone/Obscurity Cellars, due to the disastrous fire that occurred at Oakstone Winery. Since Perry Creek's property/vineyards adjoins both Colibri Ridge's and dkcellar's properties it was a logical fit, therefore keeping the Slug Gulch theme alive this year. Rest assured, Oakstone/Obscurity will be back in the future. Each winery will be featuring wines that are made from the grapes grown from these estate vineyards. Light appetizers will also be served at each winery. To ease the burden on our dishwashers there is a $5.00 charge for the commemorative glass, which will be waived when returning with a previous years SlugFest glass. We look forward to seeing you next weekend.

www.colibriridge.com | 6100 Gray Rock Road, Fair Play, CA

Fun at Three Stages

For those of you who don't know this yet, we have a wonderful performing arts center right in Folsom, just across the way from El Dorado County.  Three Stages at Folsom Lake College is a $50 million performing and visual arts center on the campus of Folsom Lake College , 10 College Parkway just off Bidwell in Folsom.  The 3 stages of Three Stages are 850, 200 and 100 for a very intimate evening of theater.  Parking is free on weekends and when you purchase tickets to an event in advance they provide you a free parking pass.  We saw Kris Kristofferson there a few months ago and are looking forward to getting to see Cats! and the Color Purple this Spring.  Since is it only a 30 min ride from the Albert Shafsky House in Placerville it is a perfect spot to see a show.  Of course we think Imagination Theater in town can't be beat either!

Yep, Inns are better than hotels, resorts, etc.

Love this write up...it is stuff we have been saying for years about our inn and others....we really are a "better way to stay"...  Great!

The more you pay for a hotel the less you get Posted: 20 Sep 2011 07:25 AM PDT BetterWayToStay.com | The more you pay for a hotel the less you get I was amazed to read recently in an article on CNN.com entitled Internet Fee Irritates Hotel Guests, that three quarters of the “luxury” or upper scale hotel chains charge for Internet access, a fee that rubs travelers the wrong way.  “It’s something that drives me and a lot of my clients relatively insane,” said Janice Hough, a travel agent who writes for the blog Consumer Traveler.  According to the CNN story, Janice says “They feel nickled and dimed. They feel frustrated. If you’re paying $500 for a hotel room, you can probably afford $15 or $20 a day for the Internet. But it leaves a bad taste in people’s mouth.”  Studies by BedandBreakfast.com and Professional Association of Innkeepers International have shown that more than 92% of inns and B&Bs in the United States offer free wi-fi access to guests.  In fact, when coupled with complimentary breakfasts (often gourmet), free afternoon or evening refreshments, beverages, and parking, the amenities add up to as much as $150 per day savings at properties equivalent to the luxury hotels. The CNN.com article goes on to explain that most travelers — business or otherwise — view Internet access in their room as essential to their stay as a comfortable bed to sleep in and a hot shower in the morning.  In fact wireless Internet access is one of the top five “must-have” amenities for hotel guests, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, also outlined on CNN.com.  Ironically, breakfast is in the same category as free wi-fi.  The more you pay for the hotel room, the less likely you are to find breakfast included in your room rate.  According to a secondCNN.com story entitled Appetite Grows for Free Hotel Breakfast, only 4 percent of the properties in the higher end hotel category offer a complimentary breakfast. “They have a restaurant, and they want you to pay for your breakfast,” said Daniel Mount, associate professor at Pennsylvania State University’s School of Hospitality Management to CNN. “And at places like that, I don’t think free breakfast is necessarily important.” Yet travelers who’ve heard from their Mom that breakfast is the most important meal of the day want that free breakfast and are willing to choose a lodging property that’ll offer it.  When asked what they like most about inns and B&Bs in BedandBreakfast.com surveys, inngoers have consistently answered that the complimentary breakfast is among the top reasons they choose to stay at a B&B. Recently, when staying in a boutique hotel (which will go unnamed) which did not offer a complimentary breakfast, the waitress asked if we’d prefer REAL maple syrup to imitation. Of course we answered we’d like the real maple syrup, only to find an additional $2 charge on the breakfast bill.  This inngoer, accustomed to enjoying real maple syrup on my complimentary breakfast at every inn and B&B she travels to felt particularly nickeled and dimed there. Yet it’s these added fees that have travelers rubbed the wrong way, and which have the same travelers looking to discover a better way to stay.  According to a recent study by Peter Yesawich of the Y-Partnership, 79 percent of travelers are interested in visiting an inn or B&B in the upcoming year.  They are looking for a better way to stay and they’re finding it when they visit inns or B&Bs. We know we’re preaching the B&B advantages to the choir here.  Help us to spread the word.  Pass this on to your hotel-going friends and family who are looking for distinctive hospitality, delicious breakfasts and complimentary wi-fi, snacks and beverages when they travel.  Show them the better way to stay is also the value way to stay. Thanks. BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs