GARY NYLANDER/The Okanagan Saturday Kelly, right, and Clare Sucloy in their A Touch of English Bed and Breakfast in Kelowna, which made the BedandBreakfast.com list of top 10 B&Bs in Canada.

It could be the afternoon high tea, with fresh-baked scones, of course. Maybe it's the large, elegant rooms with names like Devon, Norfolk, Berkshire and Essex.
It might be the panoramic mountain views or the backyard pool, or perhaps it's the charming British accent of co-owner and host Clare Sucloy.
Whatever it is, A Touch of English Bed and Breakfast in Kelowna has the magical combination that put it on the BedandBreakfast.com list of the top 10 B&Bs in Canada.
"It's great a B&B from little old Kelowna is on the list," said Sucloy, who owns and operates the business with her husband, Kelly.
It probably doesn't hurt Kelly has
serious hospitality credentials as food and beverage manager at the Hyatt Hotel in Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Centre.
The Sucloys first opened A Touch of English in North Vancouver in 1996, but moved the B&B to Kelowna in 2010.
"Our customers are so loyal they followed us," said Sucloy with a laugh. "So we get a lot of repeat customers and new customers from all over B.C. and Alberta, Washington state, even Florida, Holland and Germany.
"I make sure when you Google 'bed and breakfast Kelowna,' we're always on the first page."
A Touch of English also provided
weekend accommodation for the winners
of The Daily Courier's Valentine's Day
contest, Judi and Greg Wallace.
Some of the other B&Bs on the top 10 list include Abbeymoore in Victoria, Cartland Estate in Niagara Falls and Queen Anne Inn in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

Just rewards
Two Okanagan construction leaders
received Diamond Jubilee Medals
commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's
60 years on the throne.
Phil Long of Maple Reinders, which has an office in Kelowna, and Terry Brown of STBR Consulting, which also has a Kelowna office, received their medals at a recent Southern Interior Construction Association event at Sparkling Hill Resort near Vernon.
"The association is extremely proud to have two of its long-term members recognized for such an auspicious award," said association chief operating officer Bill Everitt.
"Phil and Terry have played a significant role in the development of construction
industry standards over the years."
Brown, formerly a project manager with Greyback Construction, is also chairman of the Southern Interior Construction Association board and sits on the board of the B.C. Construction Association.
Long is also a volunteer with the local, provincial and national construction
associations.

Industry leader
For her long-term and outstanding contributions to the community and the accounting profession, Kelowna's Karen Christiansen has been honoured with a fellowship by the 12,800-member Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C.
Christiansen, a partner with Meyers Norris Penny, has worked as a chartered accountant in Kelowna for 20 years.
During that time, she's volunteered with a range of organizations, from the Rotary Ogopogo Club, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and Central Okanagan United Way, to Canadian Red Cross, Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education and Kelowna General Hospital Foundation.
Christiansen is also first vice-president of the institute and serves on four of its committees. The fellowship isn't the first time Christiansen has received accolades from the institute.
In 2002, she received the institute's early achievement award as a chartered accountant who gave back to community and profession in the first decade of their career.
Tourism expertise
As a leader in the packaged travel business, Dawn Rueckl of Wells Gray Tours, has been elected to the National Tour Association board.
Wells Gray, which has offices in Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna, Kamloops and Victoria, packages group travel experiences as diverse as a bus tour tour to Vancouver to see a musical or a cruise around Hawaii.
The 17-member board represents the
interest of members, which range from tour companies to the destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions that service them.
"I'm grateful to have Dawn in a leadership position," said board chairman Mark Hoffmann of Sports Leisure Vacations in Sacramento, California.
"Dawn's skill and experience will serve our members well."

A little Taboo
Taboo Gold Absinthe from Vernon and Kelowna's Okanagan Spirits is back.
The traditional anise-flavoured spirit was last made a few years ago and sold out quickly. The new batch is extremely limited, with only 114 - 500 ml bottles produced.
It's available for $60 a bottle at the Okanagan Spirits stores at 2920 - 28th Ave.













in Vernon and 267 Bernard Ave. in Kelowna.
The distiller also makes a regular Taboo Absinthe for $55 a bottle and a lineup of liqueur, fruit brandy, grappa, aquavit, whiskey, gin and vodka.

Upcoming...
- Kelowna Airport puts on its Europe Travel Expo today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the main terminal.
The public is invited to check out the booths of airlines, holiday packagers and travel agencies. There are also draws to win a trip to London, England. as well as travel vouchers from Transat Holidays and Air Canada.
Admission is free.
- Odlum Brown executives from Vancouver are in Kelowna Monday for their annual address on the state of investment markets.
Register online for the 2 p.m. session at the Coast Capri Hotel at OdlumBrown.com.
- The B.C. Jobs Start Here job fair comes to Vernon Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Vernon Recreation Complex.
- Gordon Harris from the Simon Fraser University Community Trust will be in Kelowna Thursday to talk about university cities at the Urban Development Institute lunch at the Coast Capri Hotel.
Tickets are $45 for members, $65 for non-members, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
- Syndicated country music radio and TV show host Casey Clark is guest speaker at the Moving Forward Okanagan business networking and fundraising event Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna.
Clark will discuss being an entrepreneur.
Tickets are $20 at MovingForwardOK.ca.
- High-tech group Accelerate Okanagan will put on its first 10-day Start Up Week beginning Friday.
Check out the calendar for this convergence of tech, business, entertainment, art, education and music at AccelerateOkanagan.com.
Steve MacNaull is a business reporter and columnist with the Okanagan Saturday. He can be reached at steve.macnaull.ok.bc.ca, or by calling 250-470-0767.