The Inn on Decatur
People
Gail Hall has been involved with tourism in Allegany County, Maryland for over twenty years. She initially worked as a tour guide, and has owned and operated Mountainside Bike Tours, a company that plans and arranges biking trips and nightly accommodations, primarily on The Great Allegheny Passage, for 17 years. Recognizing the need for overnight accommodations along the trail, Gail and her husband Steve converted the second floor of their home into 2 guest rooms for overnight accommodations and opened a B&B, naming it The Inn on Decatur.
Progress
Since opening the Inn on Decatur, demand for accommodations, especially on weekends, continued to grow and potential guests were being turned away. In 2014, Gail and Steve purchased and renovated a nearby second house, converting it into a 4 bedroom guest house named 9 Decatur Guest House and Hostel, with a loan from The Progress Fund. Later, when the Halls needed to refinance the Inn on Decatur and make improvements to both lodging properties, they turned to The Progress Fund again for a $78,000 loan.
Impact
The Halls improved the porches at both properties, providing cozy space overlooking the city and trains, for their guests to relax, unwind and experience the renaissance of Cumberland. Just two blocks from the Downtown Cumberland pedestrian mall, filled with cafés, restaurants and shops, Decatur Street is filled with the energy of transformation. Their locations near the C&O Canal portion of The Great Allegheny Passage provide a range of overnight accommodations from upscale to basic for trail users and other visitors to Cumberland. Guests describe The Inn on Decatur’s full-sized breakfast as one of the best on the trail.
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