The Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages is a 30-acre property consisting of four separate cottages and an on-site pond. It is located in the Rayne, Louisiana area, surrounded by the Bayou Wikoff and within a mile of the I-10 highway. Rayne is known as one of the main settlements of the Acadian immigrant, and the surrounding area can provide many attractions for visitors who desire to visit a museum, dance or hear live music at a venue, or participate in swamp tours. Lyn and Ken Maison, the hosts of the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages, do what they can to respect the privacy of their visitors. Events can be held on their property, such as elopements, birthday parties, bridal showers, and baby showers.
Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages is a business located just north of Rayne, Louisiana. One of the area's most defining features is the Bayou Wikoff, a 30-mile-long stretch of wetland named after a prominent property owner from the 1790s. It is also known as the settling place of the Acadian immigrants from around the same time. Farmland and small neighborhoods are scattered around the region, and the bed and breakfast is only a mile away from the I-10 highway and the city of Rayne.
Four "Cajan Country" cottages are assembled in a C-shape over a 30-acre property near a pond that the owners, Lyn and Ken, formed from a conglomeration of smaller ponds. Lyn says that the cottages were uniquely designed to give them distinct personalities as they differ in color and floor space. For example, the Autumn Cottage and the Country Garden Cottage are both light blue with white window frames, but the Prairie Haven Cottage is yellow with teal frames, and the Sweet Surrender Cottage is white and grey. Aside from the cottages, the property consists of an open lawn decorated with trees and bushes. The pond is a short distance from the cottages and is bisected by a wooden bridge with a small roofed pavilion at the center. The Bayou Wikoff surrounds the property on most sides.
Visitors to the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages can choose between the four aforementioned cottages prior to their stay. Each cottage features a full kitchen including pots and Keurig machines, a fridge, microwave, and disposable utensils. Bathrobes, blow dryers, irons and ironing boards, air conditioning, charcoal barbeque pits, WiFi access, and TVs with movies are also common amenities between the cottages. They differ in their bedding choices, such as either having a king or queen-size bed for two guests. The Prairie Haven Cottage is the only one that can fit four guests and has two queen beds.
As mentioned before, the cottages' different personalities are evident in their designs. The walls range from soft greens to reds or greys. The cottages also come with wooden Acadian furniture, cushioned seats and rockers, and decorative rugs and paintings. Each cottage also has several windows from where guests can observe the landscape or let natural light in.
Breakfast is delivered to each cottage every morning between 8:00 am, and 8:30 am. There is no set menu, and rather, Lyn decides what to prepare based on the sizes of the groups visiting and the needs of each. However, in the past, she has prepared bacon quiche, muffins, fruit bowls, egg dishes, and pastries. Additionally, supper can be provided by Rachel's Catering for an extra charge. Lyn may also provide dessert or a charcuterie board complete with cheeses, nuts, meats, crackers, and fruit as well. Food allergies, restrictions, and other dietary accommodations are taken into account so long as guests inform Lyn ahead of time.
Guests at the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages can enjoy various activities outside of the property. Various locations in Lafayette and Crowley host musical groups that play country music, rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues, and more genres. Dancing nights are also open in several of these places. These include the American Music Triangle, Vermillionville Sunday Dance, and The Grand Opera House. Local golf courses are nearby, or visitors can fish at or outside the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages. Additional hunting and fishing possibilities are available off the property. Hiking, biking, birdwatching, swamp tours, festivals, and garden visits are other common activities nearby. The area is home to historical sites such as the Cajun Music Hall of Fame & Museum, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, and the Alexander Mouton House/Lafayette Museum. Visitors can also see frog-themed art at the Frog Capital of the World or visit the Zoosiana Zoo of Acadiana.
Area dining includes Hawk's Restaurant, which serves boiled crawfish during crawfish season. Chef Roy's Frog City Cafe and Fezzo's also serve various seafood dishes in addition to other traditional or local American foods. Finally, Cajun Food Tours and the Tabasco Factory Tour are open for visitors to try the flavors of Cajun Country throughout their stay.
Lyn and Ken, the owners of the property, want their guests to feel at home at the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages. Lyn states that she feels the best way to do this is to give them a "warm welcome" upon check-in and then give them their space while they stay. The separate nature of the cottages helps to increase the amount of privacy offered on-site.
While the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages' owners strive to prioritize visitor privacy, they occasionally host events for guests on their property. They have hosted outdoor elopements for up to twelve people, in addition to baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, wedding receptions, and class reunions. Some of these events, namely the larger wedding receptions, are also hosted at the Special Events Center Venue in Lafayette. This venue comes with a separate fee to rent the place and prepare for the event.
Many of Lyn and Ken's guests are repeats. Lyn estimates that many of them visit from within a 500-mile radius, though they have also received several visitors from Spain, France, and Germany. Lyn believes that they are attracted to the privacy of the area as well as the fishing and tours. Some guests who have stayed at the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages expressed that it felt like "visiting an old aunt."
Some of Lyn and Ken's policies include the need for cancellations to be made fourteen days prior to the arrival of their visitors. Children are welcome so long as they are well behaved, and smoking is not allowed inside the cottages. Pets are also not allowed on the property.
While the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages is open year-round, the busiest time of year is from February to May, and according to Lyn, this is because of the cooler weather. Lousiana is also outside of hurricane season during those months.
Lyn and Ken have owned their property for more than forty years. It originally belonged to Lyn's father and functioned as a horse farm before the area was converted to accommodate a bed and breakfast. The four cottages were brought from different parts of the world, namely Europe, and were restored and furnished to their original designs. Little changes have been made since then, except for the remodeling of showers and occasional painting or upgrading as needed. Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages was established in 1993 and has operated since then.
Ken works as the maintainer of the property. He regularly cuts the grass and addresses any other maintenance needing to be done on the cottages. He also currently works in plumbing and electrical on the side. Lyn usually is in charge of the guests at the bed and breakfast. While both of them try to observe changes that need to be made to the Maison D'Memoire Bed and Breakfast Cottages, they do not have any future plans for the property at the moment.
8450 Roberts Cove Road
Rayne, Louisiana 70578
United States
Acadian
Ken and Lyn Maison
