They want people to fall in love with the charm of the Motor City!
A pair of sisters have transformed a 19th century Detroit mansion into a luxury bed and breakfast, WXYZ Detroit reports.
Sisters Francina and Roderica James are the co-owners of The Cochrane House Luxury Inn, a new bed and breakfast located in Detroit’s historic Brush Park neighborhood. The two came together around the vision but remodeling a 19th century mansion took a lot of patience.
“It was built in 1870, so the building is 152 years old, so construction was scary. The journey was so long and it became one of those things where, well, I guess this is what we’re meant to do, because we never quit,” Roderica recalled.
Photo Courtesy of The Cochrane House Luxury Inn Detroit
Together they were able to pull it off, building a cozy nook just north of downtown Detroit where guests can stay comfortably in a family style atmosphere and take in the city.
“We meet so many great people and then we’re always so excited when they actually love us, too…The definition of luxury probably is the personal touch and the love that we put into our place,” Roderica explained.
A stay at The Cochrane House comes with its own set of perks including homemade bath salts and a variety of various breakfast foods each morning. The sisters said they work well together because they actually enjoy each other and want to share that joy with all the guests who come to their bed and breakfast.
“I love my sister, but I like my sister, right? And that matters. So that’s the thing…that’s why it’s such a great working relationship, because we have those things in common…that we feel for each other,” said Francina.
“We’re actually best friends. We’ve been this way our entire life,” Roderica added.
Photo Courtesy of The Cochrane House Luxury Inn Detroit
The two credit their late mother with nurturing them to be entrepreneurs and helping them to get the business off the ground. Just one year after opening, their mother passed away.
“She helped us put a lot of this together. It helped her to lay to rest peacefully, because she knew, I think at that point, when she was gone, we were able to take care of each other,” said Roderica.
It’s their goal to provide a space that helps visitors to fall in love with their hometown, ensuring each guest has a personalized experience that makes them want to come back again and again.
“We’re a community. We’re in love with our city and we want to share that love with everyone else…It’s funny because people come back, they come back several times and we’re like, ‘oh, you’re family…Even people that come through out door, that’s never been here before, we want them to leave Detroit and love Detroit. And I think that if we can do that, we’ve done our job,” Roderica said.
To learn more about The Cochrane House or to plan your stay, visit their website here. They offer regular discounts and special promotions to subscribers interested in staying at the bed and breakfast.
Photo Courtesy of The Cochrane House Luxury Inn Detroit