Making Waves Boatel
In June of 2004 Diane Greene and her husband, Ted, stepped off the corporate treadmill and bought a boat. Their dreams of living on the sea came to life and today the innkeepers are owners of Toronto’s only boat, bed, and breakfast, Making Waves Boatel. This month we caught up with Diane for an interview. Read the Q&A session below!
Q: What’s one thing that you wish potential guests knew about B&B’s?
A: There are two things actually! One: Breakfast at the Captain’s table is the highlight of every day. Good coffee, good conversation, and a great breakfast. It’s something that only happens at a B&B. You don’t get that at a hotel or restaurant. Two: Our boat B&B is an opportunity for people to experience marina life and living on a boat, even if for just a few nights. Let’s face it, there aren’t many places in the world you can go on vacation and stay on a yacht that you don’t own.
Q: What has been your strangest guest request?
A: We have a sign on the door that reads, “No Tell Boatel. What happens on the Boatel, stays on the Boatel,” so my lips are sealed. However, I can tell you about a business traveler who was staying with us and realized he forgot his cuff links for his shirt. He was checking out and heading to a meeting before flying home. He came up to the kitchen and asked me what time the men’s clothing stores opened to buy some. He was trying to figure out if he had time to go to the store and get to his appointment on time. I left him pondering, quickly went downstairs, grabbed a nice pair of my husband’s cuff links, and handed them to him. The look on his face was priceless. He couldn’t believe it. He promised to return them by courier when he got home, which he did with a note that read: “Thanks – you wouldn’t get that service in a hotel!”
Q: When you’re not busy hosting guests, what are some of the things you like to do in your free time?
A: We summer in Toronto. In the fall when our season is done, we cruise our boat to the Bahamas for the winter. We are avid beach combers, and in particular, we collect sea glass. If we are not on the beach then we are in the water spearfishing for lobster, snorkeling, or scuba diving. I enjoy making sterling silver jewelry with the sea glass, and whenever I can fit a jewelry class into my schedule, I take one at a local metal studio.
Q: Do you have a favorite movie or TV show based on hospitality/travel?
A: A favorite movie is called Eye of the Dolphin, which was filmed in the Bahamas and closely resembles the real Bahamian Out Islands that we know and love. Another one is the comedy called Captain Ron starring Kurt Russell and Martin Short. It is always a regular on movie night when we cruise through the New York Canal with our crew on our way south.
