Category Archives: Bed & Breakfast

Bed & Breakfast, Hotels, Minnesota, Music, Outdoor Activities, Uncategorized, Wine

Ladies Night At The Historic Afton House Inn

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If you live in eastern Minnesota or western Wisconsin and you are looking for something fun to do with your ladies, or maybe even your significant other, come on out to Afton, Minnesota the third Thursday of each month and take part in Ladies Night.

Start your evening off right by checking into, The Historic Afton House Inn. You cannot go wrong with one of their whirlpool suites. Men will feel encouraged to join in if they know all of the excitement and fun involved. This Inn has twenty-one uniquely decorated Jacuzzi suites. Some of the rooms have river views as well as fireplace, and a patio, or balcony. I personally like to use this event for date night because honestly we both have a great time.

After check-in wander through the inn to Current Restaurant for Happy Hour, where you will find great specials on appetizers and drinks. I can personally vouch for the food at Current, it is quite delectable. The low lit room provides a nice ambiance for reconnecting with loved ones, and the service is excellent.

If you are a wine lover, you absolutely must head over to Swirl, which is located inside the inn. They offer a free wine tasting for Ladies Night, but don’t worry men, you won’t be excluded. The tasting consists of a variety of different red and white wines. My favorite by far was the, 2012 Amayna Sauvignon Blanc, which is a nice crisp and refreshing Chilean white wine. Despite having a clear favorite, I greatly enjoyed all of the different wines on the list. Aside from the wine, Swirl has a great atmosphere with wonderfully attentive sommeliers. They also serve food, which I hear, great things about, but have not yet had the pleasure of trying. Rest assured I will be back to visit in the near future and I will do a more in-depth article on this lovely little wine bar.

Other fun things included in this evening are door prizes and games, as well as a variety of sidewalk vendors. You can even take in some free music on the patio outside of Swirl. This month ladies night will take place on July 19th and the giveaway will be for 187ml bottles of Blanc De Bleu.

After you have had your fill of the wonderful Ladies Night activities, you can purchase a bottle of wine to take back to your Jacuzzi suite and enjoy as you soak away any stress from the week. You will sleep well on the comfy beds which feature, My Pillows, and wake feeling refreshed and ready for the inn’s included, hot and tasty breakfast. Breakfast often features: coffee, tea, juice, fruit and yogurt parfait, and some form of egg omelet or frittata.

I have a history of traveling to many different towns and trying out the bed and breakfasts. This particular experience is one of my favorites, because this inn has a certain charm to it and there are so many things to do in one setting. Don’t take my word for it, try it out for yourself.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

https://aftonhouseinn.com/

http://www.swirlmywine.com/

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Get Your Groupon On!

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Whenever I am getting ready for a trip, or I need a night out for dinner, or a massage to relax, there is one place I look to without fail. That place is Groupon. I am sure that many of my readers will recall hearing me speak of Groupon in the past. Groupon is a site where you can get goods and services, as well as vacation packages, for a fraction of their original cost.

Groupon is located all over the US; some cities have caught on more quickly than others. My home town for instance, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, has some Groupons available, but not enough to make me happy at this point. Places like Las Vegas, however, have all sorts of Groupon services and items to choose from.

To use Groupon, all you have to do is add the app to your phone, or go to their website: www.groupon.com. You then type in the location you are interested in, and voila, all sorts of things will pop up. One thing to note is that most goods can be ordered no matter your location, but the voucher will say if it has any stipulations.

When we go to Las Vegas or anywhere on vacation, I always check to see if there are deals on hotel rooms, restaurants, or things to do. Most often we will find several restaurant options. Something important to understand is that most likely the business providing the offer is only making a quarter of what they normally would on the service or item they are offering. Groupon gets the other quarter of the price, because the price is half of what it would normally be. With this in mind, please tip well if you are going to dinner, or to get a massage, etc.

If you purchase a Groupon, always make sure you keep the expiration date in mind. You want to make sure your voucher is good during the dates you are traveling before you purchase it. If your voucher expires, however, you can still use the amount you originally paid, toward the service.

For the business owner who is looking to use Groupon, there are things you should keep in mind. The purpose of Groupon is to help businesses bring in new clientele, however, depending on whom you are and what you offer, most often the people who buy Groupons do not return. They are simply looking for a deal and providing you with fast cash, though it is a fraction of what you would normally make on your provided service. If you are a massage therapist, this could be great for you. If you are a Reiki Practitioner, like me, and people don’t necessarily know what Reiki is, this will bring in some clients, but not necessarily the amount you would hope for.

As a business on the selling end of Groupon, I have had a lot of frustrations with the company. They wouldn’t give me what I wanted in my advertisement; they didn’t like to return my calls or emails. I requested a different account manager and never had my request met, and then suddenly my account manager was gone from the company and I was never told about a replacement. I am not saying this will be your experience, I am sure others have had great experiences; mine just didn’t go how I had pictured.

If you are dealing with Groupon as a client who has an issue, they are pretty great. They tend to rectify issues quite quickly. Usually if there is a problem with the Groupon, they will refund your money. Sometimes they will give you a credit. I have never been let down by the final outcome of my request for remedying an issue with a business.

If you love online shopping and deals, check out Groupon. They can save the average person quite a bit of money on a daily basis, especially if you are open to trying new things. Just be careful, Groupon can become a little addicting when you start receiving discount codes on a regular basis.

For more information on Groupon, please visit: https://www.groupon.com/

 

Bed & Breakfast, Hotels, Lodging, Minnesota, Outdoor Activities, Restaurants, Uncategorized, Winery

A Look At Stillwater, Minnesota

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Minnesota is a beautiful state, full of wonderful things to do during any season. One of my favorite towns to visit, especially during the summer, is Stillwater. This city is located right on the St. Croix River and really is a great place to visit any time of year. I prefer summer months because of the river and being able to sit out on patios while enjoying a glass of wine or a meal.

Stillwater has a ton of options for staying. There are many Bed & Breakfasts to choose from as well as hotels. One particular place I love to stay at is the Water Street Inn. I have stayed at this Inn on three different occasions and every single experience I have had was memorable and fun. The Water Street Inn features fireplaces and whirlpools in each room. You also have a community patio that faces out toward the river. You won’t be staying on the water at any of the other Inn’s in town. They also have their own restaurant and bar and they are located right in the middle of downtown. Location, location, location; it doesn’t get much better than that.

If you prefer something more secluded for your stay in Stillwater and you don’t mind driving, you could definitely choose any of the other B&B locations around town. I have previously stayed at the Outing Lodge at Pine Point. Not all rooms have a whirlpool, but this Inn has great food and a bar in the basement that showcases live music at times. It is set back in the woods and has a very nice romantic feel to it. This makes a great place for staying in the winter; you can easily go snowshoeing or skiing on the trails nearby. The owners make your stay very homey, at one point they brought around fresh made chocolate chip cookies, talk about winning some points there.

For those who are into good food and wine, downtown has a lot to offer. Northern Vineyards is a great place to go and take part in some wine tasting, they also have a balcony in the back where you can sit and drink wine while looking out at the river. If you are looking for great food and a view of the river, The Freight House is a wonderful experience, though on the pricier side. To enjoy some tasty Italian, Buona Sera features some great food, which I very much enjoyed; reservations are recommended. For a more low-key outing away from the high end food, there is also any number of pubs on Main Street to choose from, some of which have music on weekends.

During daylight hours you can easily wander Main Street and find plenty to do. There are quite a few antique shops, bookstores, and art stores to keep you busy. Stillwater frequently is the place to be for outdoor craft fairs as well. If you would like to spend some time on the water you can take a trip over to the St. Croix Boat & Packet Co., and sign up for one of their scenic river boat cruises. Whatever you do, be sure to end your day watching the sunset. You won’t regret this beautiful view over the St. Croix River.

For more information on Stillwater, please visit the following sites: http://www.discoverstillwater.com/

http://waterstreetinn.us/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=GMB

http://outinglodge.com/

http://www.stillwaterriverboats.com/

http://northernvineyards.com/

 

 

 

 

Bed & Breakfast, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

A Unique Bed & Breakfast Experience

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As long as I can remember, I have had a strong fondness for trains. My first year of college was spent at the very top of a dormitory tower; the train track was located across the street and multiple times each day, some rather long trains, would go rushing by. The slight shake of the building and the sound of the train whizzing by would lull me to sleep almost every night. Whenever I hear a train it feels a little like home and I find it to be very comforting.

Some time ago, I wanted to surprise my husband for his birthday. I didn’t want the experience to be of the norm, so I did some looking around to see what options were out there. While perusing Groupon I came across a voucher for the Bed & Breakfast Train in Spooner, Wisconsin. This was a double-win. I would finally get to ride on a train, and it would definitely be a surprise to him.

This particular adventure was everything I could have dreamed of. We got to take a beautiful drive from Minnesota to Spooner, Wisconsin. We enjoyed some wonderful food and beautiful scenery while eating dinner on the train. We had an amazing breakfast the next morning. Everything tasted great and the service was exceptional.

Though we did not partake, there was a dance car where music and dancing went on until late into the evening. We decided to relax in the dining car for a while and then retire to our room. The rooms are definitely cramped on the train, if you get claustrophobic, I would recommend that you look into upgrading to a larger space to save yourself from panic. We actually shared a twin bed and were perfectly happy.

This was an experience that I would love to try out again. If you love trains as much as I do, I think you will greatly enjoy the Bed & Breakfast Train. We haven’t been back since this birthday excursion, but I think about it often, so a return could be in the near future.

For more information on the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad’s Bed & Breakfast Train, please visit: https://spoonertrainride.com/

Bed & Breakfast, Minnesota, Uncategorized

Nights At The Candlelight Inn

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Living a life with a very busy schedule tends to make it hard to connect with your significant other. To help the flame continue to burn, we like to take trips to Bed & Breakfasts every so often. We have been to several different Inn’s throughout Minnesota and most of them have been pleasant and enjoyable stays.

On two different occasions this past winter and spring, we stayed at the Candlelight Inn, which is a Victorian Bed & Breakfast, located in Redwing, Minnesota. Sometimes we stay in different rooms when we return to an inn, these particular ventures led us back to the exact same suite. We enjoyed the room so much we couldn’t imagine going to a different one.

We stayed in the Butternut Suite, which is the largest room at the Inn. There was a refrigerator with water and soda in it. The room had a sitting area, fireplace, television, table and chairs, and a very comfortable Queen Size bed. The bathroom had an oversized pink whirlpool with shower, which of course is my favorite part of any B&B stay.

In the afternoon when you check in the hostess is kind enough to leave out some wine and an afternoon snack. If you are looking for a place to eat dinner she is great about giving out ideas. The owners go a long way to make you feel like you are at home when you stay at the Candlelight Inn.
At the end of breakfast the hostess comes out to give you a history of the Inn. You can tell that she very much loves the house and enjoys telling its stories. She will readily answer any questions and give you a very lively answer.

The food at the Candlelight Inn is wonderful to say the least. I had no complaints either time we stayed. My favorite part of breakfast was the dessert part, because it was at type of chocolate mousse and it was delightful. This is definitely an Inn that cares about giving their guests a great dining experience, which I feel is important since it is a huge part of staying at a Bed & Breakfast.

If you are looking for a nice place to stay in the Redwing, Minnesota area, look no further than the Candlelight Inn. To book your stay, please visit: http://candlelightinn-redwing.com/guest-rooms/

Bed & Breakfast, Colorado, Colorado Hotels, Hotels, Uncategorized

The Black Bear Manor In Ouray

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My husband and I have visited Ouray twice; once before we got married, in 2012, and once this past year in 2016. I would like to say that I have been completely won over by the Black Bear Manor. We stayed at the Black Bear both times we visited, and in the same room.

Since our first visit, the inn did change management. Our stay was not at all impacted by this change. We still received the great service that we knew and loved, and we will definitely come back again.

What’s to love? First, the inn is clean and well kept. It has a beautiful big deck with tables and a bench swing, where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, or your breakfast in the morning. There is this beautiful room at the top of the house, with huge windows, where you can sit and look out at the mountains. During our last visit there was a thunderstorm and my husband and I just sat in the dark with a glass of wine and watched the lightening. It was a neat experience.

The whole house is surrounded by decks and balconies. You can take time to rejuvenate your body after a long hike, with a soak in the hot tub. If you are looking for a more private and luxurious experience, the inn does have a room called the Royal Suite, which has a steam shower and private in room hot tub. I have not stayed in this room, but if it’s as nice as the rest of Black Bear, I am sure it is wonderful.

Breakfast is at two different times, one of which is buffet style. The food is amazing and I have no complaints. There were so many great options. The chef is willing to take into consideration any food allergies, or intolerance, etc.

Black Bear is romantic, and relaxing. It’s located in a beautiful city with tons of activities. The owners are great people who take wonderful care of all their occupants. I would highly recommend this experience if you are looking to get away from the craziness of your everyday life.

For more information or to book your stay at the Black Bear Manor, please visit: http://www.blackbearmanor.com/