I had never stayed in a B&B before, and I am so glad to have had my experience here in June 2015! My mother had stayed at Felt Manor a year previously, and was so impressed (she's been everywhere and seen everything; she is not easy to impress) that she gifted me a certificate for one night's stay. The purchase of a second night was necessary, as Felt Manor (as of the time of my booking the stay) had a two night minimum for weekend stays. We paid approximately $200/night. I have no idea how that price compares to other B&B's, and that is not the point of my review. In fact, I was a bit put off by the price- until I had experienced the first night and morning. It was well worth it.
We had a tiny hiccup in communication (my gentleman's work schedule can, and did, change at the drop of a hat), so we arrived quite a bit later than we'd expected, and about an hour earlier than expected by the innkeeper. A slight tangent: at first I'd thought that the reflexive self-reference as an "innkeeper" was a quaint and charming affectation meant to enhance the romance of the elegant, but comfortably weathered, atmosphere. Now I doubt that. Imagine an innkeeper from a story: affable smile, gracious demeanor, beautiful manners when appropriate, bluff good cheer when not, excellent culinary skills, deft feeling for when conversation is required versus privacy, extensive knowledge of local amenities and diverting pursuits. This was our innkeeper, Laura. We arrived and found no one "at home." No matter; we contented ourselves with a little self-guided tour of the handsomely kept first floor of the historic mansion, as well as helping ourselves to a nibble and a sip from the beautifully laid refreshment table. This hardly lasted fifteen minutes; Laura arrived, aghast that she had not been present to greet us. It turns out that she had left momentarily to obtain a fan so that another guest could sleep in comfort with his accustomed amount of white noise. Murphy's Law being what it is, it was during that half hour we arrived.
She chatted pleasantly with us for a while while we finished our complimentary glasses of wine, making every effort to discover and remedy any lack. It was quite late; we only needed the restaurant recommendation that she supplied, which perfectly matched what we told her we were looking for. When we returned, we found that our room (it was all red, but I didn't catch the name of it) and bed were exceedingly comfortable and quiet. The entire edifice gives the impression of being a paragon of solidity; we didn't hear a whisper from the rather jovial and energetic two couples who were visiting during the same weekend. After expressing interest in the history of the property, I was provided with a fascinating history written by one of the last scions of the family. I stayed up practically all night to finish it and would recommend any avid readers or history buffs to ask for it.
The two breakfasts were absolute heaven. The eggs Benedict, fresh local asparagus, and berry parfait breakfast was innovative and robustly flavorful; the mango tart/custard breakfast with brown sugar crusted bacon spirals was creamy, sophisticated, and decadent. Both breakfasts were easily more than I could eat. Believe me: faced with food this delicious, I really tried. The tea time spread was absolutely lovely, featuring items such as homemade cookies, iced brownie bites, tiny bruschetta sandwiches, an assortment of fresh fruits, a delightful selection of teas, and more complimentary wine. As we three couples mingled, we offered to share with each other a few purchases from the local delicatessen that we had been impressed with that afternoon. They were expertly and quickly rendered into delicate hors d'oeuvres.
We were genuinely sorry to go. Galena is that sort of place that makes you look at each other and say, "Sure, we could find a way to move here!" Galena and Felt Manor are much like well-maintained antique furniture: beautiful, charming, historic, gracious, and glowing with the pride and respectability of the people who care for them. read more