Historic Maple Hill Manor in Springfield, KY

Rediscover Historical Elegancefrom an Era of Refined Romance and Southern Charm Thomas McElroy built this beautiful Greek Revival Plantation Home on nearly 600 acres and presented it as a Wedding Gift to his young bride, Sarah Maxwell. Lavished with numerous architectural features, it is accented with Italianate detail, spans over 7,000 sq. ft., with 14' ceilings, 12' doorways, 9' windows, 13 original rooms - most are 20' x 20' with some even larger, and a grand cherry floating spiral staircase.
(Photo above is the Abraham Lincoln Library room.)

Its colorful past includes stories of an Antebellum Plantation, use as a Civil War Hospital, the Childhood Home to Phil Simms - former NY Giants Quarterback and Super Bowl XXI's MVP, a popular Dinner Hall, and Children's Home.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and considered a Kentucky Landmark Home. This working farm is stately set on 14 tranquil acres in the heart of Kentucky's scenic Bluegrass Region (an hour southeast of Louisville and an hour southwest of Lexington), and the home is considered one of the best preserved Antebellum Homes in the Commonwealth. Its tranquil, country setting is surrounded by picturesque rolling hills of bluegrass with a 3,000 acre race horse farm on one side and 300 acre cattle and tobacco farm on the other - a beautiful and restful place to seek refuge and enjoy the country fresh air.

Murder Mystery Events at Maple Hill Manor are SENSATIONAL!
For over 15 years, Maple Hill Manor has hosted Murder Mystery Events - an adult evening of mystery, intrigue, and delicious food - not to mention, GREAT ENTERTAINMENT & FUN! Enjoy a hilarious game, an elegant Gourmet Dinner, and the comforts of a wonderful historic home. You'll wonder when you last laughed so much or had so much fun! Simply, invite 8-20 of your closest friends or family members for a truly unique group social at Maple Hill Manor. We'll help you coordinate your party by providing the place, invitations, list of characters, suggested costume ideas, a dinner menu, and deluxe B&B Accommodations. We even take care of all the preparations, cooking, and cleaning - it's just that easy. We do all the work . . . you enjoy all the fun!

Innkeepers: Todd Allen and Tyler Horton

Some of their recipes: Springfield Coffee Cake, Egg Casserole, Harvest Day Soup, Breakfast Delight.

This BnB (along with delicious recipes and wonderful stories) is featured in Sunrise Sunset Across America, Bed & Breakfast cookbook. Purchase it by clicking on the link in the upper sidebar. Click on the review to read more about it.

Did I Tell You My Story??

I love baking, trying new recipes and scouring cookbooks for something new to try. Awhile back I started an online magazine for women and decided to have a recipe section. In my search for recipes to use I kept coming across a recipe site: bbonline.com. As I continued I started spending more time reading about the B&B inns while I was reviewing their recipes. The idea came to me to put together a cookbook about B&B inns and their recipes. I began contacting inns from all over the US to see who would like to be included in the cookbook…I wanted at least 2 from each state. It wasn’t long before recipes, stories and photos began being emailed to me. Some even sent me their own cookbooks!

I learned how to put it together electronically and save it to a disk and send it off to a publisher. The photo on the front came from the Grace Hill Inn in Tennessee from the top veranda and is absolutely beautiful. The stories that came in were fascinating…some told the history of the inn and some told their own personal story of how they became an innkeeper. And the recipes are what they serve their guests...who keep coming back for more!

I had a wonderful time working on it and still have contact with the inns. Once it was published I went around town to see how to set up book signings. I did quite a few of those and was also on local TV preparing a recipe from the cookbook to help promote it and the upcoming book signing. I learned how to do a press release and sent it out to every newspaper within the vicinity of the inns included in the cookbook, some cities had two newspapers (that was quite an undertaking). The latest promotion I’ve done is to set up this blog and discuss the inns and recipes and include photos. The cookbook has been reviewed and that is included in this blog. All in all, it has been quite an exciting endeavor.

Includes the recipes I've used in my catering service: yummy "Melt in your mouth" brownies, moist lemon cake, rich chocolate cake, mini cheesecakes, plus many more. This cookbook makes a great one for your own collection or a great gift even if they don't cook...it's a great travel guide to inns!

Ant Street Inn Bed and Breakfast in Brenham, TX

The Ant Street Inn Bed and Breakfast offers the finest in deep south hospitality, warmth, and elegance of a first class boutique hotel. Centrally located in Brenham, TX between Houston and Austin, the Ant Street Inn is an inviting destination for a relaxing overnight stay while traveling for business or pleasure.

Relax in rocking chairs on the back veranda overlooking the courtyard garden, enjoy some of the many shops and restaurants in the historic Ant Street District or dine in the Inn at the Capital Grill with your favorite beer or wine. A scrumptious breakfast is included in the Capital Grill.
The friendly people at the Ant Street Inn Bed & Breakfast promise to make your stay a comfortable and enjoyable one and can help you plan a special event.

While in Washington County, tour Blue Bell Creameries, select vintage plants at the Antique Rose Emporium, walk through acres of seasonal flowers at Ellison's Greenhouses, or pet the miniature horses at the Monastery of St. Clare. History is relived at the Brenham Heritage Museum, the Star of the Republic Museum at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park, and at the Giddings-Wilkin House Museum.
Shops and restaurants are a short stroll from the inn's front door. The Pleasant Hill Winery is just a mile South of town, and the Unity Theatre has 4 main stage plays per year next door to the Inn.
The George Bush Presidential Library is half an hour away and Festival-Institute at Round Top is outstanding. Just South of Round top a few miles is The Jersey Barnyard, a dairy offering cheese made on the farm and home to Belle, the Blue Bell cow. Liendo Plantation, built in 1853 in Hempstead, is available for tours.

Innkeepers: Tommy & Pam Traylor.

Try some of Pam's delicious recipes: Southwest Egg Bake, Strawberry Popovers w/Romanoff Sauce, B&B Apple Struedel, Butterscotch Carmel Coffee Cake.

This BnB (along with delicious recipes and wonderful stories) is featured in Sunrise Sunset Across America, Bed & Breakfast cookbook. Purchase it by clicking on the link in the upper sidebar. Click on the review to read more about it.

A Beckmann Inn and Carriage House in San Antonio

The wonderful wrap-around porch warmly welcomes guests to the main house and to the gracious experience of Victorian hospitality in a quiet and tranquil atmosphere. The white wicker furniture in our sun porch invites our guests to relax and enjoy their "welcome tea" along with complementary butter cookies. It is the perfect place to rest and catch your breath after a busy day exploring the city of San Antonio and all the festivities on the Riverwalk.

The Carriage House lodging is adjacent to the main house and was built around the turn of the century. It has been completely renovated, featuring shuttered windows with flower-filled window boxes, gardens, balcony and patio areas, and has two rooms for our guest's accommodations.

All of our bed and breakfast guest rooms are very spacious and feature very ornately carved, queen-sized, high-back, Victorian beds, colorful floral designer furnishings, private bathrooms, lush terry robes, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, televisions, phones, guest refrigerators, comfortable armchairs, and desks. Our guests also have hair dryers and ironing boards. And we personally take care of all our guests and their needs, so that while they are here at our bed and breakfast, they have "the warm and gracious hospitality" we are known for. We want our lodging guests to have the best time possible while they are in San Antonio!

Our Bed and Breakfast Inn is located in San Antonio's beautiful King William historic district, the "hidden treasure", the perfect location for enjoying San Antonio at its very best whether it is for business or leisure travel. The King William historic district has eight great restaurants: The Guenther House, the Blue Star Brewing Co., El Mirador, La Focaccia, Rosario's, China Latina, The Mad Hatter, and Azuca. It's always nice to come back after a busy day to freshen up and be able to walk to one of our neighborhood restaurants.

Innkeeper: Lisa Cantu

Proprietors: Paula & Charles Stallcup

Recipes included: Blintz Souffle with Blueberry topping, Southern Cornbread & Egg Casserole, Country Sausage Skillet, Sticky Caramel Buns.

This BnB (along with delicious recipes and wonderful stories) is featured in Sunrise Sunset Across America, Bed & Breakfast cookbook. Purchase it by clicking on the link in the upper sidebar. Click on the review to read more about it.

Clements Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Smyrna, Delaware

The Clements Mansion B&B, located in the center of historic Smyrna, is Delaware's newest and largest B&B. Construction on the Mansion began in 1862 for Mr. J.R. Clements, a prosperous businessman and landowner, and reportedly took 10 years to complete. Over the last 140 years, the Mansion has served as a private residence, doctor's office, apartment building, and stained glass business. The Mansion was purchased by the present owners in July 1999. The owners envisioned restoring the three story Victorian style Mansion to a state that was reminiscent of when the original Clements family inhabited the home. This was an ambitious plan consuming two years of extensive repairs and renovations. The entire inside of the home was renovated, repainted and wallpapered. The Mansion's exterior was extensively repaired and repainted. All 66 wooden shutters (ranging in height from 4' - 8') were removed and over 100 years of paint was stripped from the surface. The shutters were then shellacked, primed and repainted. The Mansion has six guestrooms that can accommodate two adults, including a caretaker's room. Four of the guestrooms feature a private bath while three guestrooms have a shared bath. The honeymoon suite has a full tub and a queen-sized bed. The Mansion is furnished with period antiques. The Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, represents one of the finest examples of Italianate styled architecture in this area. On the first floor is a large parlor, library and dining room and the five guest bedrooms are located on the second and third floors. An intricately wooden spiral stairway at the front foyer ascends through the three floors of the Mansion to the cupola where guests can view the countryside. Large rooms, high ceilings with ornate plaster moldings and hardwood floors reflect the rich
luxury of the times.

Innkeepers: Dan & Darlene Areana, Jane Zak

Try Dan's recipes: Chocolate "No Name Cake", Cinnamon Baked French Toast, Morning Glory Muffins.

This BnB (along with delicious recipes and wonderful stories) is featured in Sunrise Sunset Across America, Bed & Breakfast cookbook. Purchase it by clicking on the link in the upper sidebar. Click on the review to read more about it.

An Inn by the Bay in Lewes, Delaware

Imagine yourself relaxing on one of our wicker porches feeling the bay breezes as you leave your worries behind. The main room of the Inn was built in the late 1800’s and was originally part of a Dutch settlement. Now a bright and comfortable beach Inn with 7 rooms of fine furnishings, the Inn is within walking distance of all that Lewes has to offer.

From our Inn you can walk or bicycle less than ½ mile to the quaint main streets of old historic Lewes, Delaware taking in the charming boutiques, antique shops and local gourmet restaurants and coffee shops. Within a half square mile you will find the Historic District as well as museums and many of Lewes’ older preserved homes.

You are also steps away from our quiet sandy beaches and beautiful bay views. Lewes is situated where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet at Cape Henlopen. The Inn itself is one block from the Lewes Beach and within a mile of Cape Henlopen State Park where you will find miles of beautiful beaches, nature trails, and bird sanctuaries that are part of this preserve.

At the Inn we begin each day with a full hot breakfast, including fruit, juice, and home-baked goods which you can enjoy on our front porch or side deck while you browse the morning paper or begin people watching as they head down to the beach or into town. In the late afternoon we will provide tea, coffee or other chilled refreshments in addition to a light snack.

Our Inn is the perfect beach getaway, but also a great place for a small business retreat, or family get-together. We do encourage whole house rentals and can accommodate small groups with specialized needs. We are open year round and can make any holiday a memorable event.

On a historical note:
The city of Lewes was founded in 1631 by Dutch settlers from Hoorn, Holland. They came here to develop a whaling industry, but since there weren't any whales, they started to develop a fishing industry. The city of Lewes was named by William Penn and was named after the city where his mother-in-law was born in Sussex, England. The main house of An Inn by the Bay was originally built on the beach in 1840 and used as a boarding house for fishermen. The addition was built in 1997. I believe the March, 2002 issue of Money magazine wrote a small article about Lewes as being one of the 10 best places in the country to vacation. We're a 70 minute ferry ride from Cape May, NJ. Lewes is a 110 mile trip east from Washington, DC, and a 110 mile trip south from Philadelphia, and 200 miles south of New York City.

Innkeepers: Andy Herrick and Bob Moyer.

Be sure to try Andy & Bob's recipes: Baked French Toast, Quick Breakfast Egg Custard.

This BnB (along with delicious recipes and wonderful stories) is featured in Sunrise Sunset Across America, Bed & Breakfast cookbook. Purchase it by clicking on the link in the upper sidebar. Click on the review to read more about it.