Walnut Waters B&B, Lone Jack
November 2020
As my husband and I drove up the winding lane and crossed the red truss bridge at Walnut Waters, we couldn’t help but relax. Situated on 21 acres of rolling hills, Karl and Rebecca Darley’s earth contact, log home is nestled next to their pond flanked by twin gazebos. For lazy afternoons, adirondack furniture graces the expansive yard. Even though Whiteman Air Force Base, the University of Central Missouri and Kansas City’s Powell Gardens are nearby, deer, fox, owls, wild turkey and birds consider the acreage their habitat.
Originally from Joliet, Illinois, the Darley’s looked for property in states as far-flung as Virginia and Colorado. Near the end of their search in mid-2018, they found Walnut Waters listed as a potential bed and breakfast. The couple immediately recognized its retreat-like setting.
“When we drove down the driveway, we were hooked,” says Rebecca.
Karl, a retired carpenter and avid woodworker, formerly built custom houses and high-rises in Chicago. He completely renovated the three comfortable bedrooms on the second floor, each with private bathroom, covered patio and an individual entrance. Guests stay on the opposite end of the home from the Darleys. During Covid, stringent cleaning measures remain in place.
“I’m a registered nurse, and I know the proper way to disinfect and clean the rooms and common areas,” says Rebecca. “There are so many spots for privacy and social distancing, both inside and out.”
Avid anglers can catch and release for crappie, catfish and blue gill from the shoreline. Some prefer to simply feed the fish (easily spotted because the water remains clear to about eight feet) or use the paddleboat. On cooler weekends, guests cozy up to a bonfire. In the game-media room, there’s pool, board games and a movie library. A stone fireplace anchors the adjacent common room. The refreshment bar supplies Keurig drinks, bottled water and snacks, including freshly-baked cookies.
Breakfast starts with fresh fruit. Entrees rotate between savory and sweeter dishes, such as crepes or waffles. Bacon-lovers take note: the Darley’s hand-cut their own bacon. Rebecca makes biscuits, cinnamon rolls and banana sticky buns from scratch. Dietary needs can be readily accommodated.
Backdropped by the pond, the picturesque setting lends itself to weddings, for up to 75 guests. A reception tent and staging kitchen are available. Year-round elopement packages and anniversary weekends remain popular.
Visit WalnutWatersBedAndBreakfast.com for more information.
Swan Song B&B, Marshfield
August 2020
Doug and Cheri Colson became innkeepers for all the right reasons—to provide an oasis for their guests and share their gift of hospitality. Mission accomplished on ten acres, just 35 minutes east of Springfield. Their colonial inn sits directly on a small lake, home to a pair of elegant swans. Three of the inn’s five rooms feature king beds, jetted tubs and fireplaces in expansive two-room suites.
“When guests come through our gates and drive around the dam, they see the lake and simply relax,” says Cheri. “We took this giant leap of faith when we opened in January of 2017, and we truly love what we do.”
Cheri’s life-long passion for cooking and entertaining has served her well. In season, Cheri uses local ingredients for breakfast from neighboring organic Black Dog Farms. She usually serves her signature French toast but also whips up country-style casseroles. Dietary needs, from low-fat to vegetarian, are happily accommodated. With her flair for hospitality, Cheri orchestrates garden weddings with receptions for up to 40 guests and intimate ceremonies for up to 10 guests that include an officiant and wedding night stay for the couple. (Normally, weddings at the inn can host 100 guests.) Murder mystery weekends feature an in-town scavenger hunt and whodunit formal dinner on Saturday night and can be scheduled when the three suites are booked for a two-night stay.
As a self-trained musician, Doug’s passion revolves around music. He entertains guests on a variety of instruments at the outdoor bonfire or by the fireplace in winter. Guitars grace each room, and a baby grand piano sits in the common area. Karaoke nights can also be arranged.
Guests can enjoy catch-and-release fishing for bass, blue gill and perch from shore or the two-seater row boat. A guitar-shaped dock juts into the lake, and guests can use the paddle boat. As the sun sets, portable fire pits offer privacy for couples, or comradery can be found around the inn’s permanent fire pits. Indoor amenities include wi-fi, cable and a movie and book library.
“With Covid, we’ve been practicing social distancing. Guests can eat on the front porch or acreage, as well as in the dining room, the kitchen or their room,” says Cheri. “Between stays, we air out the room for 24 hours and clean very thoroughly. All comforters, pillows and blankets go through the dryer to kill any germs. Wipes, Lysol and hand sanitizer are provided in each room, too.”
Visit SwanSongInn for more information.
Belvedere Inn, Hannibal
May 2020
In Italian, belvedere means beautiful view, and The Belvedere Inn lives up to its name. Built in 1859, the Italianate mansion showcased a 360-degree panorama of the Mississippi River Valley. That view still remains from the rectangular structure perched atop the house, which helped cool the home in the days before air conditioning.
“Today, it’s a fantastic two-story suite, like sleeping in a treehouse,” says innkeeper Pat Berg Yapp.
Built by Alfred Lamb, president of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, this two story suite often hosted Lamb’s personal friend, Mark Twain. In 2008, Pat and Bob Yapp purchased the dilapidated house. Pat, a former social worker, had dreamed of owning a bed and breakfast. Bob, a nationally-recognized restoration expert had managed projects nationwide, including at Mount Vernon. He wanted to restore a property that would also become the location for his school, The Belevedere School for Hands-On Preservation.
After seven years, the fully restored 7,900-square-foot mansion includes geothermal heating and air conditioning. And the billiard room is, once again, open for guests. Original prints, photographs and poster art, many by local artists, grace the walls. So much so, that guests ask if the couple formerly owned an art gallery. Two sitting porches include the east porch, which can be used for luncheons and small gatherings.
“We’ve been fortunate that relatives of the three previous owners stayed here and gave us photos,” says Pat. “Every room configuration looks as it did in 1859, except for the modernized kitchen where Bob milled yellow pine beams to build the cabinets. The beams were originally used for rafts that floated the Mississippi carrying goods in the early 1800s.”
Breakfast features seasonal fruits and vegetables from Terripin Farms CSA, which delivers weekly during the growing season. Pat’s specialties include homemade bread and local jams, Dutch apple or peach pancakes and egg dishes using farm-fresh vegetables. Starbucks French roast coffee is freshly ground each morning, and there’s a wide selection of teas.
A recent renovation for guests is the 1840s house next door with its own kitchen, laundry, two bedrooms and common room. Pat remarked that every owner had an infamous history, from land speculators and con men to a notorious slave trader and his family who served as inspiration for several of Twain’s characters.
Visit BelvedereInnHannibal.com for more information.
Brashear House B&B, Kirksville
February 2020
Whether you are visiting a son or daughter at Truman State University or looking for a getaway, the Brashear House Bed and Breakfast encourages a slower pace. This homey two-story colonial boasts a large wrap-around porch that invites time for morning coffee or curling up with a book in the evening.
Wealthy cattleman and philanthropist Richard M. Brashear originally built the home in 1905. After his wife died, Richard gifted it to his daughter, who ran it as a boarding house. The next owner turned the house into apartments. After falling into disrepair, a professor at Truman State and A.T. Still University renovated the colonial. That’s when Tiffany Platte-Norris, a single 25-year-old, decided that she wanted to become a homeowner and business owner. She bought the house in 1999 and opened it as a bed and breakfast. Today, the Norris family, which includes Tiffany’s husband and three children—ages 12, 9 and 4 years—continue to welcome guests.
Two spacious king suites provide plenty of room and privacy. The ground floor suite has an additional pull-out bed in the living room, mini-kitchenette and a convenient separate entrance. The upstairs suite contains an oversize sofa that sleeps like a twin bed in the lovely sitting area. Both can easily accommodate families or friends traveling together. Tiffany stocks complimentary coffee, bottled water, popcorn, fruit and candy in each suite.
For breakfast, my girlfriend, Diane, and I chose Tiffany’s healthy option. A tasty egg and cheese frittata filled with our choice of sautéed spinach, onions and green pepper and served on a bed of mixed greens. Pancakes or French toast are usually on the menu, as well as fresh fruit and yogurt.
Tiffany uses produce from her son’s co-op Garden-to-Grow program through the University of Missouri Extension. In season, the family weeds, waters and harvests weekly. Whatever they don’t use is donated to the local food pantry.
“Many of our guests are healthy eaters, and some are vegetarians and vegans, so I like to accommodate all types of diets,” says Tiffany.
Located across the street, tiny Brashear Park offers a wading pool, playground, basketball court and picnic tables. There is also easy access to a well-lit, paved two-mile hike and bike trail. We opted to get in our 10,000 steps by walking to Truman’s campus. From there, we checked out the Saturday morning farmer’s market where locals sell produce and baked goods from May through October, 7 a.m. to noon. The prices were excellent, and we bought sweet Missouri peaches, just-picked kale and vine-ripened tomatoes to take home.
Visit BrashearHouseBandB.com for more information.