We were lucky to catch up with Bonnie Sachs recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bonnie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

During the pandemic, we became enamored of the show, “Downton Abbey.” Neither of us had watched it in its height of popularity, but we discovered it during Covid and became completely hooked. It was during this time that we began to seriously consider the idea of opening a B & B Home. Our name arose from our love of the characters and storyline of “Downton Abbey” and the fact that we live in what is known as the “Pioneer Valley.” Thus, “Downton Valley” was born.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Downton Valley is an exclusive getaway for adult women in Northampton, MA, the heart of the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The spacious, yet cozy, contemporary home is lined with windows to optimize the panoramic view of the mountains beyond. The view here is wonderful, and we wanted it to be seen from as many vantage points as possible! We designed Downton Valley with elegance and comfort in mind, and every last detail of both the interior and exterior of this newly constructed home was lovingly attended to by us, its innkeepers, Lisa Lippiello and Bonnie Sachs.

Northampton, with its many restaurants and shops, boasts a rainbow crosswalk in the center of town. In fact, it was dubbed “Lesbianville, USA” back in the 90’s, and the sign at the entrance to its parking garage states “Welcome to Northampton, where the coffee is strong and so are the women.” The many amenities, both indoor and outdoor, that Downton Valley offers, however, make it hard to ever want to leave the property! These include an outdoor, heated saltwater pool, open seasonally and a deluxe jacuzzi, open year-round. In addition there are hiking/snowshoeing trails, accessible from the backyard and two fire pits. Indoors, guests can partake in a fitness gym, mindfulness area, exercise pool, music/reading room, media room and game room.

We at Downton Valley feel fortunate that we can provide a safe space for adult women in a beautiful and luxurious setting. We are a popular destination for lesbian couples, friends having a “girls” weekend, sister reunions, mothers/daughters enjoying special time together, solo travelers and more. We have a large lesbian following. On many occasions, lesbian couples have expressed gratitude that they can come to Downton Valley and be themselves, as, sadly, they don’t live in a part of the country where they can feel comfortable just holding hands. It gives us great satisfaction that Downton Valley can be a respite for them.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My cofounder/business partner is my wife. The story of how we met is quite fun, and is one which we enjoy sharing with many of our guests if they opt to partake in the wine and cheese afternoon that we offer, or at some other point in their stay as we swap stories and get to know each other! Becoming business partners in this venture was quite natural. We both feel like we live in a vacation home, and we were eager to share this with others. My wife and I met later in life and didn’t have the experience of raising our own children together. We think of Downton Valley as “our baby,” and each of us brings our different strengths and gifts to this venture.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

It has been effective for us to have a presence on social media, to advertise in magazines popular with our clientele, and to maintain a 5-star rating on google reviews, but the most effective strategy for growing our clientele has been word of mouth. Our guests can’t wait to tell their friends, and we reward them with a discount off of their next visit for every new reservation they bring in.

Contact Info:

• Website: downtonvalley.com
• Instagram: downtonvalleyma
• Facebook: Downton Valley