The association was founded in the late 1960s by Norman Simpson, the "father of Country Inn travel in America." In his pioneering book, Country Inns and Back Roads, Simpson noted that "each (member) inn is original and unique, a reflection of the personalities and tastes of the individual innkeeper-owners…this was never intended to be a total guide to country inns in the United States and Canada, (but rather) a carefully selected group of inns. The purpose is to encourage travelers to visit…and to experience this unique type of personal hospitality…"

When Norman Simpson first compiled a directory of inns, there were 12 properties, primarily in the New England area. Today, we represent nearly 400 of the "finest country inns, B&Bs, and unique small hotels" from California to Nova Scotia-the very best the travel industry has to offer.

What makes Select Registry different?

Quality Assurance.

Perhaps the most important distinction between a Select Registry member inn and any other is our system of Quality Assurance.

Select Registry carries out a quality assurance inspection for each of its nearly 400 inns. This program involves independent inspectors-not employees of Select Registry-with years of experience in the hospitality industry. The inspectors arrive unidentified, spend the night, and evaluate the inn on a detailed point system, which translates into a pass/fail grade for the inn. Inns applying for membership are inspected, as are existing members on a periodic schedule. Not all inns have what it takes to pass the inspections, and this process provides a guarantee to the traveling public that a Select Registry inn is in a class of its own. A recent Internet directory identified over 20,000 "country inns and B&Bs" in the United States and Canada. A select few of those are members of the Select Registry.

No other online directory or organization of innkeepers has a comparable inspection program. In fact, a recent New York Times article noted that the proliferation of "inns" has resulted in an industry rife with misrepresentation, lack of quality control, and widely varying room rates. With its rigorous inspection program, Select Registry has established quality as a hallmark of its member properties.

Select Registry doesn't rank our members with diamonds or stars-although many of our members carry the high ratings you'd expect from various groups that evaluate inns and B&Bs. If you're a member of Select Registry, you're the cream of the crop. All of our inns are "the best"-and our inspections prove it!

Hospitality.

For many years, the symbol of the Association was a lit lantern, symbolizing "the Shining Light of Hospitality." Today, this value continues to be an essential component of who we are. In an increasingly impersonal world, the "personal touch" of a welcoming innkeeper is often what sets apart a lodging experience, and, in conjunction with Quality, is what our properties are known most for. Whether it is the personal greeting by the owner/innkeeper, a convivial meal, solicitous meeting of special needs, or passing along our guidebook as a gift to a new friend-hospitality ultimately continues to define the concept of "traveling the Select Registry way."

A brand you can count on.

In years past, the registry book in the lobby of hotels and inns welcomed guests and provided a connection between innkeepers and travelers. The historical registry "quill"-the original instrument of guest registration-has been incorporated into our association's graphic identity, and the predicates of "preference, distinction, choice, and authenticity" establish our members as "the best of the best" in an industry that has become notorious for its plethora of "inns" and a correspondingly wide range of quality.

Since 1972, millions of our Association guidebooks have been printed and distributed by innkeepers throughout North America. These books have an extended shelf life, and many are still being used by travelers. This year, over 400,000 new guidebooks will be printed and distributed, making ours the largest such referral program and publication of its kind in the travel industry.

Select Registry Membership Criteria.

The overriding objective of Select Registry is to admit properties that will materially enhance the overall quality of the organization.

The property must pass Select Registry’s Quality Assurance inspection. If the property fails the QA inspection, reapplication may be made after six months.

1. The property must be fully licensed according to national, regional, and local governmental requirements.
2. Breakfast must be offered on the premises.
3. Each guestroom or suite must have a private bath.
4. If the evening meal is not provided on the premises, fine dining or quality regional dining must be readily available in the area.
5. The property should have been in operation for a minimum of two years at the time of application (one year of operation if the owner/operator is a previous SR innkeeper).
6. The owner/operator or innkeeper should have at least three years of documented lodging management experience.
7. The property is encouraged to secure at least two endorsements from SR properties in good standing.

The Select Registry Board is the final arbiter of all applications and may, at its sole discretion, accept or decline any application for membership.

Procedural Considerations

A signed statement of accurate and complete information being supplied is required as part of the application.

Information on applicants from members and staff research is important for the Board to be fully informed while making a decision on any applicant. If verified exceptional information is revealed by member, staff or other input, then the Board is informed prior to its final deliberation on the application.

We will treat all applicants professionally, and we welcome all applications. Not all will be accepted, nor have they been. Our goal remains to grow the Association strategically and with member properties that will materially enhance our organization.