NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The Downton Valley all-women's bed & breakfast home in Northampton operates with a goal of giving women their own place to relax and unplug.

Co-owners and Innkeepers Lisa Lippiello and Bonnie Sachs created the all-women's resort in 2021 after the couple noticed the lack of lesbian and women-only spaces in their community.

The couple had originally built their home back in 2018 for just them, but decided to open their doors to more women after conversations with their peers.

"That whole idea was really born during the pandemic," said Sachs. "When friends would say to us, 'Oh, save that room for us!' And we realized that it was really a special place that we have here."

The bed and breakfast home operates all year round Friday through Monday with two rooms available for rent.

Sachs said turning their home into a bed and breakfast home took a lot of preparation from preparing and gathering proper toiletries to having enough furniture.

She said it was important to make the bed and breakfast home specifically for moms, daughters, single travelers, and other women in order for them to feel comfortable in their own space.

"Whether it's spending time with the girls or we have a large lesbian following," said Sachs. "And we wanted to create place where they could be themselves and feel a sense of safety."

The bed and breakfast has many options for guests including a pool, fitness center, and a hiking trail behind the home.

Lippiello said meeting new people and welcoming them into their home has been a wonderful experience.

"It's been wonderful because that is such a give back for us," said Lippiello. "That's what's made this so wonderful for us. We're not great travelers. We do travel, but we'd much rather be home, and so we love to meet people so they come to us."

Lippiello said the bed & breakfast has a two night minimum requirement and expects to add a third room in the future.