ILWACO, Wash. Offering clean rooms at an affordable rate and attracting guests to the Long Beach Peninsula are the goals for Brian Carlson and Theresa Luty, the new owners of Heidis Inn in Ilwaco, Wash.

The pair took over the motel June 1 from the Patel family.

I had never been to Ilwaco, I had never heard of Long Beach, said Luty, who is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and has a background in the medical industry. But we saw potential in (the motel). We said, This is it, this is the one.

Carlson agreed, It really fit what we wanted in our first motel purchase and, actually, I think weve been pleasantly surprised. No disappointment whatsoever, but genuine joy.

Its been fantastic, Luty said. The previous owners are amazing people who were very easy to work with through the sale process.

Janek and Anantu Patel had owned the motel since the early 1990s and had received many positive reviews about the cleanliness of their rooms, according to Luty.

Carlson, a resort manager and turnaround specialist for various hotel properties for the past 10 years, hails from Friday Harbor, Wash., but was familiar with Ilwaco.

I used to spend two weeks at Fort Canby State Park with my grandparents each year, so I have very fond memories of the Peninsula and Ilwaco, he said.

With 26 rooms consisting of standard and group family rooms, Luty said the motel offers a lot of options.

Two of our housekeepers have been with the property for 17 years and Brian says they are the reason its so clean, she praises. Were so blessed to have them and we are proud of the work they do to make this a success for everybody even the former owners. The housekeepers, they are our rocks tars. We are so blessed to have them.

Their five employees have likely been of much help during the transition, as Carlson and Luty took over the motel just as the summer season got underway, which brought back some guests who have been customers of Heidis for more than a decade.

Heidis Inn is a pet-friendly establishment that offers AAA and military discounts, as well as group and event rates. Nightly rates start at $69 per night in the off season and $89 in the high season.

Located at 126 Spruce Street East in Ilwaco, Heidis Inn can be reached by calling (360)?642-2387. Check out the website at www.heidisinnmotel.com.