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4 Romantic Iowa Inns

February 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

Romantic Iowa

Iowa abounds with historic inns, beautiful B&Bs and luxurious boutique hotels.  The four I am sharing today come highly recommended.

The Historic Hotel Pattee, Perry

The town of Perry, located a quick half hour from Des Moines, embraces the beautiful Hotel Pattee in the center of town.  The perfect spot to escape for a night or a weekend, Perry is close enough to Des Moines for entertainment, but far enough away to escape and unwind.  The Hotel Pattee is one of my favorite Iowa hotels and one I recommend often.  All rooms are tastefully themed and hold a bit of Perry’s history within.  My favorite room, for it’s hominess and comfort is the Irish Room.  The comfortable bed is spread with a hand worked quilt and the wool blankets help make this a cozy room to curl up and watch “The Quiet Man ” with your sweetie.

Irish Room at Hotel Pattee, Perry, Iowa

The last time I enjoyed the welcome of the Hotel Pattee I splurged and treated my husband to long weekend in the Green Suite.  This two room suite features a comfortable seating area, fireplace, beautiful bedroom and large bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and separate shower with dual shower heads.  It is a softly romantic room, perfect for romance.

Green Suite, Hotel Pattee, Perry, Iowa

Photo courtesy of the Hotel Pattee

The Hotel Pattee boasts the best restaurant in town which is serving a special Valentine’s menu.  Valentine’s packages (click for details) are still available and include massages, chocolate covered strawberries, flowers and champagne.  Other packages are available year round.  (Phone 515.465.3511; website)

Two Bears Lodge, Madrid

Nestled in the Des Moines River Valley, Two Bears Lodge is a three room bed and breakfast housed in a beautiful custom built log cabin.  This inn comes highly recommended as it is close to Snus Hill Winery and the hosts are incredibly welcoming.  If you visit in fine weather nearby parks and bike trails will vie for your attention.  A special Valentine’s visit can be spent in front of a roaring fire or snuggling in one of three cozy bedrooms.  (Phone 515-795-3880; website)

Papa and Mama Bear's Room, Two Bears Lodge, Madrid, Iowa

Photo courtesy of Two Bear's Lodge

Mason House Inn, Bentonsport

This nine-room lodge has been welcoming travelers since 1846 when it was built as a hotel for steamboat passengers.  The Mason House Inn has an antique theme, so you will find no televisions in the rooms- all the better for spending time with the one you love.  For a more unique stay, request the Caboose Cottage- a restore 1952 railroad caboose with a private dining area, full kitchen and bathroom.  Bentonsport lies in Van Buren county, an area filled with history and famous for the “Villages of Van Buren”.

mason house inn, Bentonsport, Iowa

Photo courtesy of Mason House Inn

Caboose Cottage, Mason House Inn, Iowa

Photo courtesy of Mason House Inn

A single room remains for this Valentine’s Day and the inn’s owners say reserving your rooms early is the best guarantee as the inn is very popular throughout the year with retreats, murder mystery weekends and history buffs.  Saturday evening will feature dinner with a “newlywed” theme.  (Phone 800-592-3133; website)

A Jacuzzi Suite at the Baymont Inn, Des Moines

I’ll admit that I was a bit hesitant to add the Baymont Inn to this list- until I saw the jacuzzi suites.  Each of the rooms is spacious and tastefully decorated – in a Japanese, Canopy, Floral or Presidential theme- with a two person corner jacuzzi waiting to be filled and embrace you in bubbly warmth.  Get a tray and take the free hot breakfast back to your room for a cozy breakfast in bed.

jacuzzi suite at Baymont Inn, Des Moines

Photo courtesy of Baymont Inn

Rooms remain available this Valentine’s weekend.  This is a wonderfully affordable option and a terrific surprise in the capital city.  (Phone: 515-265-4777; website)

Do you have a favorite romantic Iowa inn?  Please share your favorites in the comments!

Filed Under: B and B, hotel, Hotels and Lodging, Iowa, Midwest, USA
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Fine Living’s Top 20 Travel Tips

October 8, 2007 By Leave a Comment

I was flipping through channels last night and happened to catch this program of travel tips on Fine Living.

It’s a great list- some of the ideas you may have even seen here before! I have copied the info from Fine Living‘s website and have added my 2 cents worth in green…

Planning, Packing, and Vacation Rentals

Travel Tips #20 through #17 feature being skeptical of hotel brochures and websites, not packing what you can buy at your destination, booking a vacation rental for your family trips, and taking extra items in your carry-on bag.

Tip # 20: Research Your Destination

*Call and ask specific questions. I always do this, especially with places we will be spending the night. Use direct numbers when possible and try to speak with a manager.

*Consult a travel guidebook. Make sure your guidebook is recent. There is nothing worse than an old guidebook steering you wrong.

*Read online feedback from actual travelers. Trip Advisor is good for this. So is Googling the location. That’s how many of you found me.

Tip # 19: Pack Lightly

*Purchase beach and rain gear as needed. Or bring multi-use items.

*Purchase toiletries after arriving at your destination. This only works if your destination is domestic. Often foreign locations will have the same items but different brands. If you are picky take travel sizes.

Tip # 18: Vacation Rental Benefits

*Significant cost saving measure Usually best for a large group.

*Everyone under one roof with common area and kitchen Great money savings to buy food and prepare it yourself!

Tip # 17: The “3-1-1″ Rule For air travel

*liquids and gels in a 3 oz. (or less) container

*stored in a 1 quart sealable clear bag

*one bag per passenger

Preparation, Car-Rental Insurance And Fine Dining For Less

Travel Tips #16 through #14 cover what information you should have in the event of a travel crisis, how much rental car insurance is necessary, and how to enjoy the best restaurants without breaking your budget.

Tip # 16: Emergency List Contents

*credit card and bank phone numbers Keep a copy of this with your passport. And keep your passport away from your wallet or purse.

*health insurance and personal physician contacts Ditto. Also email a copy to yourself and someone at home.

*airline and hotel info Ditto and ditto.

Tip # 15: Ask Your Insurance Agent

*Do I have complete policy coverage?

*Am I covered for luxury and SUV rentals?

Tip # 14: Cut Meal Expenses

*eat a price fixed three course lunch for $20-30 at a fine restaurant

*make lunch the large meal of your day

* If you have a kitchen available eat in. The food is often better and you’ll save money. Save the extra cash for one really great meal.

Tagging Your Luggage, Buying Travel Insurance, And Joining A Loyalty Club

Travel Tips #13 through #11 include the importance of tagging your luggage, knowing when you’ll need travel insurance, and the benefits of joining a loyalty club.

Tip # 13: Identify Your Bags

*Attach a permanent label with your name and phone number.

*Include a label inside your luggage.

*Consider an additional colorful tag, label or ribbon. We tape our bags with blue painter’s tape. It comes off easily and we can also tell if the bags have been searched.

Tip # 12: When You Need Insurance

*trips with large deposits

*fixed-date bookings

*adventure activities planned

Insider Tip: A typical travel insurance policy is priced between 3 and 8 percent of the total cost of your trip.

More information:
www.insuremytrip.com
www.travelguard.com
www.travelinsure.com

Tip # 11: Loyalty-Club Membership Benefits

*usually free to join We are members of every loyalty club of every airline, hotel and car rental agency we have ever used. It doesn’t cost us anything and the benefits outweigh the annoyance of signing up.

*improve chance for an upgrade

*coupons amd last-minute deal emails

Home Swaps, Traveling In The Off-Season, And Mailing Your Luggage

Travel Tips #10 through #8 look at the rising popularity and advantages of home swaps, why people should consider traveling in the off-season, and why you might want to consider mailing your luggage to your destination in advance.

Tip # 10: House-Swap Benefits

*no lodging costs

*the comforts of a real home

*like a local, not a tourist I would love to do this but until Des Moines becomes a tourist destination I think I may be out of luck.

More information on house-swapping:
www.homelink.org
www.houseswap.com
sabbaticalhomes.com
www.1sthomeexchange.com

Tip # 9: Shoulder and Off-Season Upside

*sizable cost savings We always travel in the “shoulder season” and have had great trips

*no crowds The downside is that some restaurants and attractions may be closed

*authentic environment

Tip # 8: Why Ship Luggage?*

*Not checking bags saves time.

*no chance of delayed or lost baggage I also suggest this when you have children. There is so much stuff you need and much of it you may not be able to find. This is probably my favorite tip ever.

*no physical pain from lugging bags

*if you have large, heavy, or fragile items

Insider Tip: Shipping estimates: 30 lb. bag = $40; 100 lb. bag = $75
*rates determined by weight and size.

Sanitize Your Hotel Room, Book A Room In A Sold Out Hotel and Get The Best Seat On The Flight

Travel Tips #7 through #5 discuss sanitizing your hotel room, ways to book a room in a sold hotel, and how passengers can get the best seats on airplanes.

Tip # 7: Sanitizing Measures

*Remove bedspread. Immediately. Put it in the closet.

*Use wipes. And wipe off everything.

*Use sealable bags for “icky” items. Put the tv remote in a clear zip bag and use it that way.

Tip # 6: Booking Strategy When Sold Out

*Reserve second choice hotel.

*Call sales manager at first choice hotel .

*Keep calling up to last days. Call, call & call again. Try to develop a relationship with the sales manager. Be polite, suck up a bit.

*When a room frees up, cancel second choice. Make sure you know the cancellation policy.

Tip # 5: Secure The Best Seat

*Book early and get assignment. Make sure you have it in writing. Many times airlines will try to switch you.

*Call airline often for a better seat.

*Ask again at check-in & the gate. Be sure to arrive early if you want to do this.

More information: www.seatguru.com

Avoid Toll-Free Hotel Numbers and Learn The Local Language

Travel Tips #4 through #3 detail why toll-free hotel numbers should be avoided, and why it’s important to learn at least some key words and phrases of the local language when traveling to a foreign destination.

Tip # 4: Get A Free Upgrade

*Speak to the sales manager. Use direct numbers, not toll-free.

*Make them care about you.

*Ask them in person upon arrival. Greet them like a friend, let them know you have arrived and are looking forward to your stay.

Tip # 3: Phrases To Learn

*”Hello” and “Goodbye”

*”Please” and “Thank you”

*”My name is?”

*”Where is the bathroom?”

*”How much does it cost?”

*”Cheers!”

More information: www.bbc.co.uk/languages

Know Your Rights And Avoid Getting Lost

Travel Tips #2 through #1 reveal the two most important tips all travelers should know. #2 reveals the rule that airlines don’t want you to know, and #1 tells you what you can do to avoid getting lost on your next trip.

Tip # 2: Legacy Airlines Honoring 240
What is rule 240?

*American Airlines

*Continental Airlines

*Delta Airlines

*Northwest Airlines

*United Airlines

*US Airways

*Be polite. Use a phone to call the airline while everyone else is rushing the gate.
* Not valid if weather is at fault.
* May not be valid on some of the newer airlines.

Tip # 1: GPS Facts

*price range: $200 to $900

*Travel kiosks offer day rentals.

*Telephone providers offer GPS service.

Filed Under: B and B, Driving, Flights, hotel Tagged With: , , ,
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The Ramsey Farm at Lesanville Update 2007

July 23, 2007 By Leave a Comment

One side of my family holds it’s reunion at Lesanville Farm practically every year. It’s always a big hit with the kids. And this year was no exception.

And the farm has added the Heritage House.  This house has a large kitchen and a dining room. If you stay at one of the farmhouses this is where your breakfast will be served. If you have a large group, like we did, you can make use of the kitchen and dining area.

Heritage House

The rear of the house is obviously a new addition but it was done beautifully and blends with the historic home.

Heritage House, The Ramsey Farm, Farmhouses
The windowed wall offers a beautiful view of the pond and green fields. It will be amazing when fall arrives and the leaves are changing.

Heritage House, The Ramsey Farm, Farmhouses
Like I mentioned, the farm is always a hit with the kids. Here they explore some old farm machinery.

The Ramsey Farm at Lesanville
And here Brenna feeds one of the draft horses some clover.

For more information on The Ramsey Farm at Lesanville visit my previous post.

Filed Under: B and B, Iowa, Midwest, USA Tagged With: ,
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Ashmore House, County Tipperary, Ireland

May 21, 2007 By 1 Comment

Ashmore House in Cashel was the second B&B of our Irish vacation. A 19th century Georgian home, it once belonged to the local Bishop and maintains an air of elegance.

We arrived as darkness was falling and had a little trouble finding the house. Thankfully the Irish are known for their friendliness and after asking directions of a gentleman on the street we found that we were only a couple of blocks away.

We were warmly greeted by Laura Ryan and quickly settled in to our room. The room itself was not overly spacious- they never are in homes of that age- but wasn’t cramped and had an ensuite bath. There was a sitting area in the upper hall and well as a larger parlor for guests on the main level.

Brenna was most welcomed, made herself right at home and began playing on the steps.

The Ryan’s have grandchildren and gates are installed at both the top and foot of the stairs which made it easy to let Brenna play on the upper landing without worrying about her getting too far away.

Breakfast was made to order each morning and together Doug and I can highly recommend Laura’s culinary talents.

Laura and Brendan are both a wealth of knowledge about the area and it’s attractions, restaurants and their home. Brendan has traveled the world with the Royal Navy and has great stories to share. They open their home to you as a relative would and it makes for a great experience and a relaxing stay.

Filed Under: B and B, Europe, Ireland Tagged With: ,
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Bunratty Meadows Bed and Breakfast, County Clare, Ireland

May 14, 2007 By 5 Comments
In November 2005 we packed up our little family and headed to Ireland. With a one-year-old it was quite an adventure. 

We were able to get the best package through our travel agent (Diana Rosenberg at Allied Travel in Des Moines 515-270-7070) with Brendan Vacations. Our stay was 7 days/8 nights and included airfare, B&Bs and a car. FYI: cars in Ireland are manual. If you want an automatic you must request it and you will pay more.

Flights to Europe are usually overnight so try to rest. I recommend ear plugs and a sleep mask, otherwise the other passengers, the in-flight movies or the lights will keep you awake.

We landed at Shannon Airport shortly after 9am. I had been in contact with our first B&B and knew that, if necessary, we could check in early. Which was a Godsend as we were exhausted.

Bunratty Meadows was easy to find and just what we needed after our long journey. Dariena Sutton was ready for us and had a cot (Pack & Play) ready in our room. I had shipped a box of necessities ahead and that was in our room, also ***.

The room was spacious, with two comfortable beds and an ensuite bath with a shower. The house sits back from the main roads and is quiet and peaceful with a beautiful view of the River Shannon Estuary.

Bunratty Meadows Bed and Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast, Bed and Breakfasts, fields, fences and fields, Shannon Estuary

View of Shannon Estuary

After our rest Dariena had fresh scones and coffee awaiting us in the dining room. She was very friendly and answered all of our questions, both about the area and her B&B.

Later that evening after Brenna had gone to bed we were able to access the internet, check email and update our blog. There is also a TV in each room or a guest’s lounge if you wish to mingle with others. 

Bunratty Meadows boasts an extensive breakfast menu and everything we had was wonderful. Don’t let the thought of black pudding scare you- it is delicious- and I can never get enough of the brown bread. Doug had the Burren smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and raved about it. Cereal and yogurt were available for Brenna and Dariena made her freezer available to use for ice packs for the day’s travels.

Bunratty Meadows is a terrific B&B, the perfect spot for your first night, your final night or as your home base for the western counties. 

*** If you travel by plane and you know you will need items that you cannot easily obtain at your destination inquire about sending them so they will be there for your arrival. Dariena Sutton was happy to hold our box of necessities: diapers, wipes, disposable cups, plates, dishes, toddler snacks & food, etc. Your luggage will be full enough without carrying these items and you can dispose of them before you head home.

Filed Under: B and B, Hotels and Lodging, Ireland Tagged With: , , , ,
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The Ramsey Farm at Lesanville, Ringgold County, Iowa

April 25, 2007 By 3 Comments
churches, churhc, Lesanville churches, churches in Lesanville

Church at Lesanville

Mt.Ayr, Ringgold County, IA Link to Ramsey Farm Homepage

We spent an entire weekend in the Axtel House with my siblings and their families in the early fall of 2005. This house has two bedrooms with ensuite baths and two bedrooms with a shared bath. There is also a half bath on the main level. The living room has extra comfy couches and all rooms have satellite TV.

Just off the back porch is a fire pit and firewood is available. We made use of this the first night after all the kids had gone to bed; making smores, talking and looking at all the stars you can’t see from the city.

Mt Ayr is the closest town. There are a handful of places to eat in town but I highly recommend bringing supplies or stopping at one of the two grocery stores in town and making use of the large kitchen. Since this is a Bed and Breakfast, breakfast is included in your cost but we chose to make our own due to our large group. (We did receive a discount.)

You can rent a single house or the entire farm for a large gathering (there are many family reunions held here every summer.) The farm is interactive and also features a one room schoolhouse and church.

The Carriage House and Lesan House also have rooms available. I prefer the Axtel house because it has the largest kitchen.

Mt. Ayr itself is undergoing a major restoration greatly supported by Paul Ramsey, the man behind the Ramsey Farm. On the town square are Aunt Jennie’s Attic, a wonderful little shop filled with antiques and hand-crafted items, and a 50′s style diner. The old movie theater is under renovation. And, if you venture off the square a bit, you’ll find a coffeehouse and other craft shops.

Also close by is Lamoni. A destination for Amish Quilts and Crafts, Lamoni also hosts Civil War Reinactments over Labor Day weekend.

Prices (as of May 2007) are:
Lesan House $180/night with breakfast, $150 without
Axtel House $240/ night with breakfast, $200 without

On Highway 2 at Lesanville Road, just 15 miles west of Interstate 35, Mount Ayr, Iowa
The Lesanville Inn at Ramsey Farm
2285 270th Avenue, Mount Ayr, IA 50854 Tel: (641) 464-0811

Filed Under: B and B, Hotels and Lodging, Iowa, Midwest, USA Tagged With: ,
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