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Date: 10/5/2022
WARREN – At the end of a 3,500-foot rock driveway surrounded by towering trees, lies an opening of land that serves as a sweet escape for people near and far.
Standing in the back corner on the last 60 acres of what once was the Frew family farm, also known as Laurel Hill Farm, is Laurel Ridge Bed & Breakfast.
During the real estate crisis in 2007, Eric and Linda Esiason purchased the land with plans of moving from Wales to build their retirement home. At the time, the land was all forested and undeveloped, marked to be subdivided and the trees to be cut. After wandering the property to find the highest, flattest surface, they eventually picked their spot to begin the work alongside a glacier rock.
Eric informed Reminder Publishing that they wanted to do as much work on the house and property themselves as possible. Beginning with the road, they cleared large trees and later used the wood to make boards. For instance, hemlock built a garage at the road, along with much of the dimensional lumber for the house. Eric noted that all the ceilings inside were made from white pines that were knocked down in the 2011 tornado that went through Brimfield and Sturbridge.
When looking to install electricity, Eric said he contacted National Grid to find out what the process would look like. After realizing that it would cost $14 per foot of poles and wires up the lengthy driveway, they decided to go completely off-grid. “We make our own power,” he explained, from the sun, wind and sometimes a generator if necessary. To properly wire the property and install solar panels, Eric said he took a class and with assistance from their two sons, they were able to put it all together.
The only people who were hired to help with the overall project were septic, plumbing and a log home builder.
The same year that all projects were completed, the Esiasons sent their first son off to college, followed by their second son in the following year. With a lot of empty, unused space, the couple decided to turn their log cabin into a bed and breakfast.
In 2015, the bed and breakfast kicked off by offering a place for people to stay during the Brimfield Antique Show. Renting out the two vacant rooms upstairs, Linda said booking quickly filled. As more people began hearing about Laurel Ridge, more calls came in, persuading the Esiasons to finish the master suite on the main floor.
While both working full-time jobs, Linda in catering and Eric at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the couple decided that it was officially time to retire and devote their attention to the bed and breakfast.
When they first opened, Linda said there were about a dozen bed and breakfasts in the area. Over the years and more specifically since the start of COVID-19, she shared that a lot of them have closed.
She believes this is also a result of the growing vacation rental company, Airbnb.
“There’s a huge unmet need [for bed and breakfasts],” added Linda.
Regardless of ongoing trends, Laurel Ridge Bed & Breakfast has been successful. “We are sold out for about a year,” said Linda. “We’re looking at May or June 2023 if you want to book something.”
Aside from housing families, friends and couples for a weekend getaway, they also offer bridal packages. Linda explained that brides will often stay at Laurel Ridge the night before their wedding, get ready on the day of, take photos and so on.
When the coronavirus pandemic first hit in 2020, Linda said they had several brides lined up for the year that had to cancel their weddings. After refunding nearly $30,000 to potential guests, Eric said they “muscled through” with no grants or any help. Fast forward two years later, the end of September marked the final COVID-19 wedding that was long postponed.
In 2020, the Esiasons’ son was also supposed to get married. In preparation for the big day, Eric built a pavilion outside that could fit about 100 guests. Now, Laurel Ridge hosts one wedding each month.
Other events hosted on the property include music dinners, as one of their sons is a musician. The event is catered and is “BYOB” (bring your own beverage) because they do not have a liquor license. Participants must buy a ticket in advance.
When providing the space to anyone, Eric said, “We rent you the canvas and you paint your masterpiece.”
When someone rents the pavilion, they also receive a room, he shared. Before COVID-19, the upstairs rooms were rented to anyone. Now, the rooms are rented to people who are traveling together. If the rooms are booked for a weekend, the pavilion cannot be rented and vice versa.
With every stay, of course comes breakfast. Linda shared that they cater to all dietary restrictions. She noted that they have a food handling permit and both have experience in the restaurant business. Typically, they offer “chef’s choice” which seems to be well liked by guests. They added that a lot of their food is farm to table, including jelly made from fruit grown on the trees outside.
Also found at Laurel Ridge are six goats and chickens that wander inside of a fenced in area. When the Esiasons provided Reminder Publishing with a tour of the property, the goats walked right up and waited patiently to be pet. Linda assured that they are all incredibly friendly and will even take photos with people on their wedding day.
While most of Laurel Ridge’s clientele is from word of mouth, Linda said they have welcomed people all the way from places such as Belgium and France. Ideally, she said they lean towards booking for weekends, but will rent during the week sparingly. As they are retired, Linda noted that they do try to take time off.
Currently, Eric is constructing two cabins on the property, to be rented out as well. He shared that they have a permit for up to three, but as of now, only foresee creating two. The first cabin is expected to be completed by spring and will have the same appearance as the home’s master suite.
When asked about how they manage to do all this work on their own, Eric replied, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. There’s nothing you can’t do if you don’t put your mind to it.”
Linda added, “We love doing it. It’s a labor of love. We’ve met the best people from doing this.”
As the tour wrapped up, she asked, “Do you hear that?” After pausing for a moment to listen to the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the trees, Linda said, “It’s always this calm and quiet.”
To book a stay or learn more about Laurel Ridge Bed & Breakfast, visit https://www.laurelridgebandb.com/ or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LaurelRidgeBandB.