My husband and I are great fans of Bed-and-Breakfast Inns. We tend to favor them over hotels when traveling both domestically and internationally. They are our home away from home. We love their intimacy and charm as well as their appealing locations, which are often in residential areas and don’t have the noise of a bustling downtown. We enjoy talking with the owners and getting a history lesson of the house. It’s lots of fun to meet the other guests during breakfast; time just flies by when you are exchanging stories. Most guests we meet along the way are repeat customers, and that makes us feel good about our choice of B&B.
The B&B innkeepers always possess a wealth of information on where to go to experience the history of the location and the best times to visit. They can recommend restaurants that aren’t in tourist guides. For me, one great appeal of B&Bs is their unique decor, which gives them character and makes your stay memorable. Whether the innkeepers use antique or modern furnishings, they know how to get it right. They decorate the inn to be warm, cozy and extremely inviting.
The B&B we stayed in during our Thanksgiving holiday in Durham, NC was the King Daughter’s Inn, and what a fabulous experience it was. It has 17 rooms and was previously the King’s Daughters Home, built in 1925 by a non-denominational Christian organization dedicated to philanthropy and education. It was used as a home to care for retired, single women. The current owners bought the property in 2006 when the number of women housed had dwindled down to three and the home was in need of repair.
The service was wonderful, the breakfasts were delicious, and the owners showed great hospitality. One of the selling points for me was that this Inn is a green property. They have a three fold philosophy: protect, restore, and be as environmentally conscious as possible. The common areas and bedrooms were decorated using a combination of antique, art deco and modern styles. The rooms all use timers to help conserve energy, and the bath amenities are organic and made locally. The breakfasts are made using locally grown ingredients. I loved coming back into our room at night and seeing glasses of port and handmade truffles on the bedside table. Yum!
Here is the welcome hallway with its beautifully design and carved table and mirror. I love the art deco sconces.
Another table and mirror in the hallway:
What a delightful and cozy seating area! Don’t you just love that floating table with its chrome lamp?
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The main living room:
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Let me take you on the tour of the bedrooms. They are just as tasteful in their decor.
I love this lovely tufted bed head. On the glass-top bedside tables, the designer used chrome lamps paired with black lampshades.
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The Saunders Room. The bed features a plain white headboard, and the white bedside tables support chrome table lamps, this time matched with brown lampshades. So bright and inviting!
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This suite, the Rigsbee Suite, has my vote for the best headboard. It looks like a folding screen.
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The Trinity Suite is the largest and most luxurious suite. It has a view overlooking the East Campus of Duke University. From this suite, you can see people going on a walk or a jog on a path around the campus every morning.
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The sitting area of the Trinity Suite:
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Before I end this post, I have to show you some of the furnishings. The art deco theme is very prevalent in this Inn, and the way it’s paired with antique and modern furnishings is just so inspirational.
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A hallway view with a mural wall.
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Another view, showing an antique bird cage.
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The art deco chandelier hangs just perfectly in the middle of the staircase and balcony doors.
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They have a vast selection of unusual mirrors and tables like this circular silver-plated one.
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I would highly recommend you going on their website for design ideas for your home.
I’m looking forward to a return visit very soon.
Simone