 
Pathfinders
Travel
Summer 2002
Akwaaba by the Sea
By Kriss Riley
Accomplished author, entrepreneur and former Essence
editor in chief Monique Greenwood offers up a touch
of paradise in her most recent venture, Akwaaba
by the Sea, a bed & breakfast inn in Cape May,
New Jersey. Aptly named, Akwaaba by the Sea,
meaning Welcome in Ghana, is named in the spirit
of Greenwood's sister businesses-Akwaaba Mansion
Bed & Breakfast and the Akwaaba Café in
Brooklyn, New York.
Though introduced to Cape May during Christmas
time ten years ago, Greenwood discovered its beaches
just two summers past. While enjoying the
needed rest and relaxation, the conceptual outline
of her book, Having What Matters, Greenwood offers
women a refreshing prescription for personal and
professional success, encouraging them to spend
less time trying to do everything, and instead
focusing on what really matters-the things that
rejuvenate you and ultimately bring joy to your
life.
Taking her own advice to heart, Greenwood seized
the opportunity to take advantage of an absence
of African American inn ownership in Cape May and
purchased the Annabel Lee Guest House soon to be
renamed and reopened as Akwaaba by the Sea. It
is here she marries her ultimate passions of interior
design, entertainment, architecture, and travel
into a successful seaside retreat.
While just a short trip from New York, Philadelphia,
and Washington, Akwaaba by the Sea offers any traveler
a real getaway without the distance. The
stately home is set amidst the wonderful Victorian
architecture that speaks to the beauty of Cape
May. The Inn comes alive through its unique
combination of antique and traditional furnishings. The
celebration of African American culture is subtly
woven into the total experience at Akwaaba.
These design elements are continued into the guest
quarters, where Akwaaba offers a choice of four
guest rooms and 2 apartment suites each complete
with private baths. The suites are the perfect
accommodation for small families. The larger
of the suites is a 2 bedroom apartment which sleeps
up to six and offers a large eat-in-kitchen, private
entrance, and patio with a grill.
One would be remiss if there wasn't mention of
the daily breakfast ritual at Akwaaba, (credited
to Greenwood's husband, Glenn Pogue). Guests
rise in the morning and are beckoned to the elegant
dining area by the aroma of a true southern style
breakfast complete with grits, chicken and waffles. It
is here that guests become fast and familiar friends
as they linger around the table engaging in lively
conversation as Mrs. Greenwood helps them plan
their day.
Whether bicycling, museum gazing, or sitting in
the neighboring Wilberham Park, options abound
if you're staying at the Akwaaba by the Sea in
Cape May. Centrally located and just four
blocks from the beach, the inn sits in the heart
of the antique district and is surrounded by wonderful
restaurants and boutiques.
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