We recently spent 5 nights here and I have never been so relaxed after a vacation. Granted, that may also have something to do with Ashland as a whole and the mellow vibe it gives off.
What I loved most about it, was that it isn't your typical B&B. The decor is like my own house, elegant and minimalist modern (think Crate & Barrel and Restoration Hardware instead of Laura Ashley), Alicia is readily available but not intrusive and chatty, and breakfast is three courses. There is a good selection of Tazo teas and biscotti around all day, a common room with a fireplace which was perfect for sipping tea and curling up with a book at night.
However, the huge win was really the deck with views of the mountains. We spent many hours laying out, getting some color and catching up on reading and relaxing.
It was there I saw my first quail, and discovered a cherry tree behind the pond that was full of very juicy tasty cherries!
The rest of the grounds are lovely with lots of colorful flowers and plants, a flower covered trellis, and a hammock that adds to that on vacation feeling.
Breakfasts were delicious, we were asked about dietary concerns and they were accommodated fairly well, although there were a few breakfasts I was only able to take a few bites of. Breakfasts either consisted of muffins/coffee cake and pancakes with a fruit compote (no syrup) and chicken sausage, or a fruit plate with eggs (either scrambled or fried) and sausage/chorizo. Dessert everyday was a sorbet or mini cream puffs. Now, if there is one thing I would like to incorporate into my daily breakfast routine it is ice cream! There were 2 seatings 8:30 or 9:30 am. The breakfast room is cozy and full of windows, it has two tables for 2 and 2 tables for 4, so I suppose if you wanted to be social and mingle with other guests you could sit at one of the tables for 4. The space isn't too large and we did often talk with people at the neighboring tables about restaurants and plays.
We stayed in one of the suites Room 9 (picked specifically because this was the one room that appeared to have a television, it also had a dvd player and cable which was a nice surprise). The sheets were soft and a high thread count, because there is nothing better than high thread count sheets, the pillows were 100% down, thus making them squishably soft (and leaving me to wonder where exactly they were purchased, because I would love to buy about 20 for myself), there was a down comforter and a regular thinner cotton comforter on the bed.
The downside to the room was that it was a bit cold and there was no thermostat (this was also the case with the rooms inside the main house as we heard from other guests). The seating area was large, but the leather sofa and chair were not very comfortable to nap or curl up on.
Room 3
Room 4
Room 5
It was there I saw my first quail, and discovered a cherry tree behind the pond that was full of very juicy tasty cherries!
The rest of the grounds are lovely with lots of colorful flowers and plants, a flower covered trellis, and a hammock that adds to that on vacation feeling.
Breakfasts were delicious, we were asked about dietary concerns and they were accommodated fairly well, although there were a few breakfasts I was only able to take a few bites of. Breakfasts either consisted of muffins/coffee cake and pancakes with a fruit compote (no syrup) and chicken sausage, or a fruit plate with eggs (either scrambled or fried) and sausage/chorizo. Dessert everyday was a sorbet or mini cream puffs. Now, if there is one thing I would like to incorporate into my daily breakfast routine it is ice cream! There were 2 seatings 8:30 or 9:30 am. The breakfast room is cozy and full of windows, it has two tables for 2 and 2 tables for 4, so I suppose if you wanted to be social and mingle with other guests you could sit at one of the tables for 4. The space isn't too large and we did often talk with people at the neighboring tables about restaurants and plays.
We stayed in one of the suites Room 9 (picked specifically because this was the one room that appeared to have a television, it also had a dvd player and cable which was a nice surprise). The sheets were soft and a high thread count, because there is nothing better than high thread count sheets, the pillows were 100% down, thus making them squishably soft (and leaving me to wonder where exactly they were purchased, because I would love to buy about 20 for myself), there was a down comforter and a regular thinner cotton comforter on the bed.
The downside to the room was that it was a bit cold and there was no thermostat (this was also the case with the rooms inside the main house as we heard from other guests). The seating area was large, but the leather sofa and chair were not very comfortable to nap or curl up on.
Aesthetically though, the sitting area had no flaws. There was a mini-fridge in the room and teas and coffee which came in handy for storing wine and cheeses for afternoon snacking.
The bathroom had a whirlpool bath big enough for 2 and a stand up shower with no door, all done in grey stone which was beatiful. Soft towels, soap, shampoo and conditioner were changed daily, housekeeping was impeccable.
The rooms in the main house are smaller and primarly just a bed, dresser and bathroom with shower. There is one room with a clawfoot tub that is larger than the others and has a sitting area. They all also have the down comforter and nice sheets.
Room 3
Room 4
Room 5
Location wise it is a mile or so away from downtown and the Shakespeare Festival, so you will need a car to drive back and forth, it's on a main road that is almost like a highway so walking along it is a bit strange.
I have no doubt I would stay here time and again on trips to Ashland and would recommend it to any of my friends.
1 comment:
And they have wireless internet access! I can't believe you got photos of all those other rooms - very tricky. It was definitely a wonderful stay - I've been there twice now and wouldn't hesitate to return!
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