My husband & I were married in Stillwater in June 2007. As a wedding gift, my father gave us tickets for a ride in the Grand Dome car on the Zephyr, a one night stay at the Ann Bean Mansion & some spending cash. I booked ?Cynthia?s Room? well in advance, not knowing that the day we would check in would be snowy. A day before our stay I thought to email the inn to inquire about checking in early ? I received an email from Erin Drews, one of the innkeepers ? she was friendly & allowed us to come early to escape the worst of the storm. When we arrived, Erin welcomed us into her home & offered us a glass of wine ? the Riesling was terrific. She showed us around the house & took us to our room up on the third floor. Our room had a six foot round spa tub, a wood burning fireplace & a king-sized bed ? we loved it! Since it was snowy my husband & I stayed in the house mostly, wanting to take in the whole experience. We sat in the parlor & read books, watching the snow fall. The house was decorated beautifully for Christmas, & we enjoyed wandering around looking at the woodwork & deco & standing near the pellet-burning fireplace. Kitty, the Drews? cat, came out of hiding & sat on my legs, keeping me warm. After shoveling the sidewalk, Jeremy Drews sat in the parlor & talked to us about the house, giving us a history ? we enjoyed the conversation, & he even let us sample a dessert Erin & her family were making for a Stillwater B & B tour the next day ? the ?chocolate cups? were scrumptious! Erin recommended a great place for dinner - Phil?s Tara Hideaway (food was pricey but good). Then we came back to our room, lit a fire & enjoyed the tub. Sunday morning, waking to church bells & not an alarm clock, I felt like an original habitant of the home. We had our breakfast in our room & it was fantastic ? egg & bacon quiche, big pieces of banana bread, fresh fruit & OJ. We loved the Ann Bean - it was a much-needed getaway for us, & we would definitely stay again!
Pros: Delicious breakfasts, in your room or in the dining room; off-street parking; innkeepers were generous, friendly & outgoing; BEAUTIFUL house!
Cons: You can lock the room doors from the inside but not the outside, but the innkeepers have never had a problem with theft.
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