Cottage By The Castle, Camdenton
February 2019
Sitting on the back deck of Cottage by the Castle, the lake shimmered through the trees as I sipped my morning tea. Boat traffic was at a minimum on the backside of this Big Niangua cove, an arm of Lake of the Ozarks. The only sounds were from cars that navigated the twisting lake road in front of the house. The rooster crowed, and the chickens that supplied eggs for breakfast clucked contentedly in their pen. Pet ducks swam in a small pond. Peaceful.
Originally built as a bed and breakfast in 1995, and conveniently adjacent to Ha Ha Tonka State Park, the home functions more like a small inn. Guests can choose from four upstairs bedrooms. They have the first floor to themselves where comfy couches and a large flat screen TV in the common area make the perfect spot to relax. Friendly and welcoming, owners Ron and Christina Hoffmeister live on the ground level.
The first floor kitchen is stocked with snacks and homemade cookies or cupcakes. A coffee bar sits in the dining area where breakfast is served. Mornings start with a Greek yogurt and fruit parfait. Savory or sweet main entrées might be a cinnamon roll casserole, frittata or breakfast burrito.
“I originally thought about opening a restaurant because I love to cook,” says Chris. “After we stayed in an antebellum home in Mississippi, my dream turned into running a bed and breakfast.”
They settled on the house after she and Ron had worked their way around Missouri looking at properties. In May 2017, they moved from Wappapello near Poplar Bluff. Chris began redecorating the bedrooms with a mix of antiques and reproductions. Next, they gutted the kitchen and breakfast room. Outside, they added a new hot tub under the gazebo and refreshed the flower beds.
At neighboring Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Spring Trail winds down 300 steps to a crystal clear spring. Heading the other direction, a fairly steep hike ends at the castle ruins for a bird’s-eye view overlooking the lake.
The Hoffmeisters rent single-person kayaks for $25 per day and a canoe for $50 per day. Floating the calm Big Niangua River is popular, and Ron will transport canoers to a put-in point for the six-mile float back to the house. Guests can also bring their own boat and launch it just up the road.