The Inn at Rose Hall, a B&B Paradise

TRAVEL THERE: THE INN AT ROSE HALL, EUREKA SPRINGS

When you receive your confirming email from The Inn at Rose Hall‘s innkeeper, she’ll give you directions to the B&B. Follow them. It’s a little tricky to get to, but don’t let that discourage you.  If I had to tromp through the jungle to get there, it would still be worth the effort.

The Inn at Rose Hall

The inn is on one of Eureka Springs lovely hillsides and the curb appeal is charming.  At first glance, you could be tricked into thinking the home had been there during the early 1900’s, but it wasn’t.  It’s better.  It just looks like one of those darling Victorians. The parking is a little scary – don’t bring your RV or dually – but pretty much everything else should be fine.

A big front porch graces the front and then big double doors provide access.  I wish I’d taken a picture of the doors.  The woodwork and stained glass are just beautiful.  When you first arrive, you must ring the bell to call the innkeeper, but after that you’ll have your own key.

The inn is run by Zoie and Rita.  Zoie owns it and Rita lives onsite.  Rita was the one to welcome us, but Zoie was soon in the kitchen to greet us.  I’d never met these people, except by email, but they made me feel like I’d just entered the home of a long lost friend.  Their welcome was warm and genuine.  They wanted to know where we were from, what brought us to Eureka Springs and what we wanted to do while we were there.  They were so busy helping us feel right at home that the pain of paying for it was barely noticeable.  We’d paid half to reserve the room and the balance was due.

I forget who led us to the room, because I was so overwhelmed.  OMG!  I promise, this is the best room I’ve ever stayed in at a B&B.  I noticed the upholstery and drapes first, then the rest of the accouterments got my attention.  The room is dominated by a pair of wing-back chairs next to a fireplace.  Then I noticed the luxurious queen-sized bed.  An antique amoire is close by and next to it a curtained alcove for a twin bed.  The bathroom is huge, modern and well appointed.  In the amoire is a pair of terry robes.  There are other features, like a flat screen TV, dresser and frig, but you should just go stay there yourself.

I found plenty of room to unpack for the three nights we’d be there, put a bottle of wine in the frig and then fell into a chair to relax.  Oh, did I mention the welcome truffles in their own little box or the aroma of cookies that greeted us when we came in?  Did I tell you about the beverage and snack room under the stairs where you can get your caffeine fix, pop some corn or heat up your leftovers from one of the town’s restaurants.  Like I said, you just need to go there to see it yourself.

Breakfast at The Inn at Rose Hall

Of course, breakfast is a big deal at any Bed & Breakfast Inn, but it’s even a bigger deal at The Inn at Rose Hall.  Guest gather in the comfortable living room.  It was a great way to compare notes with fellow travelers.  If you’re one of those folks who desperately need your first cup of coffee, you can serve yourself in the coffee room.  Then Zoie or Rita comes to welcome you.

The breakfast room itself is a pleasant room with huge windows to let in the sun.  A bricked patio surrounds the back of the house and I could see a gazebo where I bet some of the weddings happen.  The tables and chairs are all old pub tables, which I love. It’s a cozy room, but not crowded.

But don’t be distracted by the furnishings, the main attraction is the food.  On our first morning we had Strawberry Crepes.  The strawberries were beyond fresh and the cheese filling… I just drifted into nirvana thinking about it.  We didn’t linger over breakfast that morning, but we noticed how Zoie fills the role of tour director.  She let everyone know the best choices for meals, made suggestions for those who didn’t know what to do and made sure we knew how to get to Crystal Bridges, our first attraction of the day.  She’d already lent us a DVD about the museum, so we’d understand what we were going to see.  When she found out we’d be visiting The Great Passion Play that evening, she insisted we take along a blanket in the amoire drawer, so we wouldn’t get cold.  Are you getting the idea that this is not you usual B&B?

If you were to ask me if I was a fussy eater, I’d say no, but I’m learning that I am fussy about breakfast.  I don’t do eggs.  Oh, as long as they aren’t scrambled, I’ll begrudgingly eat them, but I’ll reserve the right to complain about them.  On our second day they served some sort of Mexican Egg Casserole.  Even though it was eggs, it was so good that I’m not even going to complain about them.  The eggs were fried, but they had so much cheese and salsa on them, that I could ignore them.  There was also a delicious fruit smoothie, so who was I to complain.

I have two other no buzzers when it comes to food – apples, especially baked apples, and raisins.  On the third morning we had some concoction covered in apples.  Thankfully there were no raisins.  My apple phobia is a texture thing.  I don’t mind the flavor, just the texture.  So I just raked off my apples and chowed down on the doughy goodness of the rest of it.  One thing I do love is cinnamon and there was plenty of that, along with some fresh whipped cream.

After taking in Crystal Bridges and seeing The Great Passion Play, our plans on Monday included attractions right in Eureka Springs.  We learned from Zoie that one of the things we’d planned on seeing was having some tough days.  It was supposed to be a garden, but drought and tornadoes had done a number on it.  She pointed us in the direction of another attraction to fill our garden quota and Rita agreed with her suggestions.  They also recommended a restaurant that was one of the culinary delights of our trip.  More about all of that later.

If I haven’t made it clear to you yet, I think you should visit The Inn at Rose Hall.  Since I always give you the good, the bad and the ugly, I’ll also give you some warnings about this place.  Don’t go if you’re on a diet and pack light.  The diet part is a joke, but carrying my bags up the wooden stairwell to the second floor wasn’t.  I have to take part of the blame, because as I’ve said, I over pack.  I also had a week’s worth of luggage since this trip was just part of a longer journey.  If you are an over-packer like me, you’d be better served to have several small bags, rather than the ginormous rolling bag I had everything stuffed in.  The bag was great for most of the trip, but not right at all for the B&B.

Well, I’ve rambled on for too long, but I could never find enough words to tell you how good this place is.  I’ve stayed in swankier inns, inns with more historical significance, even inns with more amenities like pools and such, but for now, The Inn at Rose Hill is my favorite – and I’ll be back.  If all of this sounds good, but you’re not the B&B sort, not to worry.  Zoie and her daughter have other choices in Eureka Springs where I’m sure you’ll be just as well taken care of.  Her daughter runs The Peabody House, a historic hotel, and together they manage the Lake Lucerne Cottages.  There’s something for everyone!

Speaking of something for everyone, next week I’ll tell you about our the Crescent Ghost Tour.  Only the brave dare to enter!