My fiancé is worried as we turn off of Lincoln Pike. "I hope we are not staying near here," she says as we turn off a busy street into an apparently grungy neighborhood.
"I'm sure it will be fine," I reassure her.
Just then, the tightly zoned city-scape near Lincoln Pike opens into a beautiful country farmland paradise, and to our right is an amazingly stunning mansion with statues of lions in the front yard. "We should stay in a place like that!" my fiancé jokes. She is surprised to learn that the beautiful mansion is the Silverstone Inn, and that is exactly where we would be staying.
I am a little surprised when I arrive. No one is home. I am not worried, because the website gives a clear impression that this is a family run establishment, and I assume that they have stepped out for dinner. I noted on my reservation that I would be arriving between 8pm and 9pm (long after the requested check-in time), and having arrived early, there is no reason that they should be expecting me.
I come back after an hour, and find our hostess. She is surprised to see me. She has no new reservations for today. I pull out my confirmation and discover that I booked my stay for the PREVIOUS weekend!
At this point, there are two things she could say: The first, and what I expected is, we charged you a no-call-no-show cancelation fee, and we can see if there are rooms available to book for tonight.
But instead, she says: "We assumed there was an error. We never charged your card, and we are happy to have you with us tonight! Glad you could make it! Would you like to see some of the other rooms we have available before I check you in?"
Immediately, I knew I was in a good place.
Tarah (my fiancé) and Mrs. Wortel (our hostess) tour all the rooms, but there is not much to decide after Tarah eyes the private room in the back yard with the hot-tub, patio, and direct access to the sheep. The springhouse turned cottage is delightful. Inside, one sees the care that the Wortels have put into ensuring that the B&B is run as a business and not as a hobby. Carefully cleaned and pressed linens are masterfully tucked onto the massive and extremely comfortable mattress. A couch and flat screen television are noticeable right next to the miniature refrigerator and Keureg.
Mrs. Wortel tells us about all the amenities, the free-wifi connection, some tips for how to use the hot-tub, and then proceeds to take us inside.
Tarah and I follow, but I know already that we are going to get the room we have just seen. The rest of the house is just as lovely and just as peaceful. The thick stone walls give a rustic and familiar feel to me, but seem strange and foreign to Tarah, who has spent her whole life in California. The home feels like an old Dutch hotel made modern with a few carefully made touches here and there. We tour the breakfast nook, the bar, which is open to guests, the sitting area, and the other rooms.
Mrs. Wortel and I agree on the details associated with the room that she showed us out back, and Tarah and I head out to get a light meal. Tarah says as we drive out, "This is perfect!, and I hope we can live in a place like this someday. It feels like it is deep in the country, but it is literally only 5 minutes from Target."
Being late on a Sunday night, our local restaurant options are limited. Tarah has never been to a Cracker Barrel before, so we stop at the Cracker Barrel for a bite to eat, and we also ask if they have any extra bread that they can part with (we have plans to feed the sheep before bed). The Cracker Barrel gives us some burned corn bread samples, and we head back.
The sheep are in the other field, but after Tarah calls to them, they come looking for bread samples. Mrs. Wortel often feeds them bread from the patio there, so they know there is a good chance they will be fed if someone beckons them there. Tarah is beaming with joy, and I take pleasure in watching her, as she breaks of pieces of cornbread and passes them out to the flock of 15 to 20 sheep, who are now singing in a chorus of "Baaah! Baaah! Baah!", which I translate to "Pay attention to me! I want bread! I want bread!".
After Tarah feeds the sheep, we put on swimsuits that we brought along for a "just-in-case" moment, and climb into the hot tub. The hot tub is fitted with a special bar, which makes removing and replacing the insulating lid extremely simple and easy. I marvel at the device and make a mental note that I should buy one for our house. The water is warm, and the night air is cool, and Tarah and I spend the rest of the evening talking and enjoying the night sky with the occasional sounds of sheep in the background.
The Silverstone Inne is a delightful getaway, and Tarah and I have put this location on our "must repeat" list. I have already recommended this establishment to my mother who still lives in the area for those moments that she just needs to get away for a little slice of heaven without having to fly to another country. read more
