Thenardier , the smarmy and scheming innkeeper and his baleful wife do plenty to influence the plot line of Les Miserables.

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The son of an innkeeper, Mr Morrison became one of the wealthiest British merchants of the 19th Century and a prolific art collector.

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An innkeeper himself, Tapies is the first non-French president of the association since its founding in 1954 by a group of French hoteliers.

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That would be twin sisters Grace Lorenzen (the innkeeper) and Carla Wingett (groundskeeper), who manage the organic garden and the five impeccably turned-out guestrooms.

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"Every innkeeper you talk to is someone who, by nature, wants to provide a pleasing experience that is, in and of itself, special, " he explains.

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As Robertson admits, he's really taken to the innkeeper's role, occasionally supplementing the adept staff in advising guests on visits to area wineries such as Elephant Hill, Craggy Range, and Te Awa.

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Meanwhile, Hirayama maintains strange and ambiguous relations with an innkeeper and her nubile daughter even as his own marriage (which was arranged) teeters and his steadfast wife, Kiyoko (Kinuyo Tanaka), suffers quietly from his distracted indifference.

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The pleasures and potential of the "anti-hotel" (a.k.a. the home-tel) are manifold: Anyone opening up a private residence to travelers is likely doing it for the income, but he or she may also relish the role of innkeeper, sharing insider-y information about the area.

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