B&B sp17
by Patti Guthrie
Local residents were excited when we opened The Mansion Inn and Royal T’s Restaurant and Bar this past October,” says Kris Tomasulo, who with his partner Joe Grande purchased the iconic property in the center of New Hope last June. “Prior to 1995, it was a private residence, most notably the home of Dr. Leiby and his family. From 1995 to 2008, it was a successful upscale B&B. However, since then, it’s been closed more than open, especially after their kitchen fire in 2010. From 2010 to now, there have been a couple of owners. When we bought it, it was closed.”
Between their purchase in June and opening in October, they extensively renovated the interior. Kris explains, “It was over cluttered with heavy drapes and so on. We uncluttered it, leaving it minimalist. We exposed the old wood floors and framed the original interior woodwork with subdued paint colors. The minute we opened, curious locals stopped in to offer their support and encouragement. Everyone had a story about this house like ‘I was married here’ or ‘I went to Dr. Leiby for years.’ When they saw what we’d done, the wow look on their faces was gratifying.” He adds, “New Hope is a tourist destination, but we knew we needed the support of the residents to succeed.”
New Hope prides itself on the amazingly high percentage of historic structures built before and during its heyday as a river town that not only still are standing, but are also in active use. The Mansion Inn has its own mystique. According to Kris, in the late 1700s the property was deemed an historic site, one of the first in America, because George Washington and his lieutenants had dinner here before the battle of Trenton, a turning point in the American Revolution. The manor house itself, a wonderful example of baroque Victorian architecture of the Second French Empire, was designed and built 70 years later, in 1865. Charles Crook had it constructed for his wife who loved scrollwork, reflected in its “magical stage-like façade”. It was the first dwelling in Bucks to have running water. The wrought iron, grape cluster fence and gate, forged in 1865 in Philadelphia and painted black, added an allure to the property.
At one time, the B&B had eight guest rooms, six in the house and two in the garden cottage. “However, there were only five bathrooms, which is why we reduced the number of rooms to five,” commented Kris, continuing, “The first question people ask is if each room has its own bath. The days of shared bathrooms seem to have passed, which is why we call ourselves a boutique inn. We feel that’s a little more fitting for what we’re trying to do.”
Their guest rooms, located on the second and third floors, are named, the names having been passed down. They are the Aurenda, the Hampton Court, the Windsor, the Kingston and the Warwick. The last three are suites, each having a private living room with a pull-out sofa and gas fireplace. All five have new bathrooms with the expected top-quality locally-sourced soap and so on. Each room is furnished differently with antiques, some having four-poster beds, and nice bedding, “Somewhere between turn-of-the-century and industrial, with a distinct elegance that is both luxurious and charming. Also we found lots of wonderful art that we’ve used throughout the house,” he says. “I’ve traveled and stayed in many hotels. Most are the same, kind of monotonous. I think we offer more of an elevated experience.” Continental breakfasts are provided to inn guests.
Kris lives on the premises while Joe and his family are in West Chester County, New York. “But, he’s here on weekends,” says Kris. “When you’re offering rooms and food, people like to see the owner running around bussing tables, cooking, opening bottles of wine and so on. These are people-centric businesses. Our guests love the personal touch. It resonates with them. Creating a good atmosphere filled with ambience can be the difference between a good and a great experience.” He says. “My living here is very important for both our guests and our staff. It lets everyone know the owner cares about the place. I need to be actively involved in every aspect of our businesses. I have to wear a lot of hats, to be able to do everything.” With a smile, he adds, “If you’re going to be in the accommodation business, you have to accommodate.”
Kris explains, “For me, this was a huge step. I’m pursuing a passion. Everyone has his own franchise. What was mine? Could I transfer it to here? With my background of business school and learning about margins coupled with my 20 years on Wall Street, I was a gatherer and assimilator of information. My previous jobs prepared me for this. I applied margins to these businesses. When you spend that much time with numbers, you become a slave to them. And, they work.” He continued, “Joe and I took a very business-like approach to these endeavors. Our first priority was to try to gain local support. We knew there was a strong tourist industry in New Hope. But, to succeed, we needed the residents behind us. In our restaurant and bar, 30 to 40 percent of our customers are return guests, which is what we were aiming for.”
Kris has local roots, having grown up in Yardley, while Joe is from Matawan, NJ. Both spent several years on Wall Street where they became best friends, sharing a love of good food and drink. Having eaten in up-scale restaurants all over New York City and environs, they knew what a good meal should be. This helped when they were planning Royal T’s Restaurant & Bar, named after Kris’ younger son. “That made my other 2 children, Rocko and Sophia, jealous,” he said with a laugh.
Both had definite ideas about the restaurant. They hired classically trained Denise Gesek as their head chef. Her credentials include 10 years of working for Jasper White, one of the first mega-chefs of the American cooking renaissance, followed by being executive chef at Conshohocken’s Isabella’s and then manager and executive chef at the Tap 23 House, also in Conshohocken.
“Most of the menu is my creation with Denise filling in the blanks. I like to think our offerings are more thoughtful and innovative. We do things differently to make them memorable. For instance, our French onion soup has dumplings, our hamburgers 20 percent aged sirloin,” he said. They added an attractive wood bar during the renovation. Their bar manager Jake Brogan makes sure they offer interesting and unusual cocktails. Kris commented, “Having a couple of businesses under one roof makes it easier to price our restaurant and bar items. For us, it’s about getting out the best product.”
The Mansion has 12 employees. “We run lean on purpose, as long as we’re pleased with how the rooms and restaurant are doing,” Kris says. “We always have to learn. We’ve told our staff to find out what other restaurants are doing, get on their mailing lists. Initially, we asked our chef and bar managers, ‘How are you going to run your business?’ and together came up with a plan having lots of wiggle room. We then built out our model.”
In addition, they just have launched their events business, managed by Ashara Shapiro, counting on the aesthetics of the house to help it succeed. They already have booked several events, including bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. They rely on word of mouth and social media, especially Facebook, to spread the word. Kris says, “For me, Facebook versus Yelp means true friends as opposed to who knows who from where. Facebook is the most efficient direct-to-the-consumer platform out there.”
When asked what sets the Mansion Inn apart from every other B&B, he replied with a laugh, “We have 16 parking spaces in the middle of New Hope!” Turning serious, he continues, “We have outdoor seating for the restaurant and inn guests, inside and outside bars, an outdoor pool, trees, gardens and quiet out back. We offer all of the amenities to make your visit here unforgettable.”
The Mansion Inn is located at 9 S Main St, New Hope, PA 18938. They can reached at 267-740-7153. You can also visit them online at www.themansioninnnewhope.com.
Patti Guthrie is a freelance writer and antiques dealer from Chalfont, PA.