A Washington inn, a mainstay on the Washington bed and breakfast scene, will host its last guests Saturday night.

The Moss House, located on Van Norden Street in downtown Washington, has been sold and will become a private residence after 24 years in business. Originally opened in 1991 by Johanna and Leonard Hubers, the bed and breakfast has seen several owners through the years: Mary Havens Cooper, Mimi Linthicom, and in 2006, Beckie and Scott Sipprell became the last owners of the popular inn.

The home was built in 1902 by Mary and Frank Moss and its 3,600 square feet, featuring high ceilings and spacious rooms, made it an ideal home to turn into a five bedroom, five bathroom temporary residence for out-of-town visitors. It’s a unique residence, with its long, wide staircase, a pristine mantle said to have come from the long-demolished Victorian Fowle house and a Caribbean-influenced brick veranda at ground level, instead of a porch.

“I will miss an old house, but on the other hand, I won’t miss an old house — you know what I mean?” Beckie Sipprell laughed.

But what the Sipprells will miss is the many guests they’ve had over the past nine years, some of whom stayed at The Moss House once, others of whom came back year after year for a weekend getaway in Washington.

“The people — we love engaging with the guests. … We like doing things for people, whether it’s making reservations for them, finding them places to go,” Sipprell said. “You get a lot of regular guests — that’s the hardest part — the regulars have been trying to get in one last time before it closes.”

It’s a challenging life, running a bed and breakfast, Sipprell said. Before the Sipprells bought The Moss House, she managed the Pecan Tree Inn in Beaufort, and got a taste for the business, which she says isn’t for everyone.

“People say to me all the time, ‘I’ve always wanted to run a B&B,’ and I always say, ‘Go work in one and decide if you like it.’ Because it’s a lifestyle,” Sipprell said.

As with any business, staying successful has meant keeping abreast of technology.

“It’s been challenging, keeping up with the way things have changed — advertising and computer skills. We’ve all had to learn what Google wants from us and that changes all the time. It used to be, years ago, you’d to a library and get a book about bed and breakfasts, and start calling,” she laughed.

The Sipprells are downsizing to their new home in Wake Forest and with a house set up as a bed and breakfast, they have no future need for the extra dishes, glassware, furniture, artwork, TVs, DVD players and more, that it takes to provide a comfortable night’s stay for multiple guests. Much of it will go on sale at 7 a.m. June 27 during the Sipprells’ in-house estate sale.

While many past guests regret the closing of The Moss House, the gap in bed and breakfast lodgings won’t last long, Sipprell said. Elmwood, the historic jewel of West Main Street, was recently purchased, with the intention to turn the 1820s-era home into Washington’s newest bed and breakfast.

“I’m very excited about that. This town needs B&Bs, and needs some bigger ones like they plan to do,” Sipprell said.

Until then, however, The Pamlico House Bed & Breakfast on East Main Street will be the lone bed & breakfast option for Washington visitors looking for a more personalized stay. And one wedding party will celebrate a happy occasion this weekend — as the last guests of The Moss House.