Black Homes Away From Home

July 20, 2007--When Hakikah Taalibah Shamsiden, Coordinator of Women's Ministry at St. Paul’s Community Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York wanted to get away for a quiet vacation, she didn't head to a hotel. Instead, she booked a room at a black-owned Bed & Breakfast (B&B). Her B&B of choice: Akwaaba by the Sea (www.akwaaba.com; 866-inn-dulj; if calling from New York City 718-455-5958) in Cape May, NJ. A B&B is a private residence with rooms for guests whose paid accommodations include breakfast. There is a wide range of B&Bs available, from quaint country inns to sleek, urban dwellings. The owners and/or innkeepers usually reside at the B&B, which can make for a very personalized experience.
That's what Shamsiden found when her stay at Akwaaba by the Sea, one of five B&Bs (Akwaaba Mansion, Brooklyn, NY; Akwaaba at Buttonwood Manor, Cape May; Akwaaba D.C.; Akwaaba in the Bayou, New Orleans) owned by husband and wife team Glenn Pogue and Monique Greenwood. "Breakfast was served and prepared by Monique. The rooms were cleaned daily and were immaculate," says Shamsiden of her stay.
Besides the Akwaaba collection, there are a number of other African American owned inns. Here are 10 of the best throughout the country: SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND SEE THE LIST