A Dollhouse for People Our Size
Dateline: 07/13/00
It's
a reflex--whenever I open the door to my room at a bed
& breakfast and behold trappings that I thought could only be conjured
up by my girlish imagination, I have to catch my breath and forcibly suppress a
squeal. Feigning nonchalance was never so difficult as when Glynn
House innkeeper Karol Paterman showed me to my lovely room nestled within
the cupola tower of this 1890s Victorian in Ashland,
New Hampshire.
My eyes quickly swept from the delicate ivory lace stretched taut atop the
canopy bed to the enormous, mirrored, carved-wood armoire, from the abundant
antique 
chairs
to the curtained shower and whirlpool tub. My gaze finally landed on the bride
doll relaxing comfortably against the lace-ensconced bed pillow in her silky,
cream-colored gown. "I'll have to move her out of the way later," I
thought. "This dollhouse is for people my size!"
Karol and Betsy Paterman bought the Victorian home that is now the Glynn House Inn about a dozen years ago and opened it as a bed & breakfast with four guest rooms about a year later. The inn and its neighboring carriage house now boast nine guest rooms and suites that blend period furnishings with every modern comfort including air conditioners, TVs, and VCRS. You'll even find working fireplaces and whirlpool tubs in many of the available accommodations. "What we have found is that people want luxury-type accommodations in a bed & breakfast," Betsy Paterman told me.
She and her husband have also learned during their tenure as innkeepers that guests, particularly honeymooners, crave privacy and seclusion. Unlike some B&Bs where communal breakfast dining is the sole option, the Patermans will set up a separate, secluded table for couples or even deliver breakfast to guests' rooms on request. Honeymooners or those celebrating an anniversary will also find champagne waiting for them in their rooms if they tip off their hosts to the romantic reasons for their reservation.
While
the Glynn House is open year round, rooms may be hard to come by in the busy
summer and fall, particularly on weekends. Betsy Paterman credited the inn's Internet
presence with contributing to high occupancy rates. On the Internet, she
said, travelers "can view B&Bs in a non-threatening environment."
She added that "90 percent of the people that take the time to email us
book."
Lest
you think that this Victorian dollhouse should only be your destination if
you're looking to get away from it all, its location near Squam Lake in the
heart of New Hampshire's Lakes Region puts you within easy reach of much of New
England. Manchester, New Hampshire, is less than an hour away; Boston is just
two hours away; and day trip possibilities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and
Massachusetts abound. Better yet, the area surrounding Squam Lake and nearby
Lake Winnipesaukee is resplendent with recreational opportunities including
hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, and golfing. You can also see the Squam Lake
spots where the movie On
Golden Pond was filmed aboard a Squam Lake Tours pontoon boat, visit
Castle in the Clouds, or explore nearby outlet stores, antique shops, and even
the largest quilting shop in America, Keepsake Quilting. That is, if you're not
tempted to simply sit back in a white wicker chair on the Glynn House Inn's
wraparound porch and watch the world go by sleepily in a picturesque New England
town.
And,
when you awake from your quiet slumber each night feeling like a doll come to
life, you'll find coffee and tea outside your door and a full, delicious,
gourmet breakfast waiting downstairs in the elegant dining room. You may just
want to buy that doll in your room--they're for sale--and bring her home to
serve as an ever-present reminder that you deserve to be treated like a doll
once in a while--and that there's a place in New Hampshire where you will be.
For rates and reservations, call the Glynn House at (603) 968-3775 or toll free, 800 637-9599, or you may also email innkeepers Karol and Betsy Paterman. Pets and smoking are not allowed. A deposit of half the total room rate is required and will be forfeited if a cancellation is not received at least 14 days prior to your arrival.
Finding the Glynn House is a snap. It's just 7/10 of a mile off Interstate 93 at exit 24.
Click here for more photos of The Glynn House.
The Glynn House Inn
59 Highland Street
Ashland, NH 03217
(603) 968-3775
800 637-9599
Email:
glynnhse@lr.net
Web site:
http://www.new-hampshire-lodging.com/
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All photos (c) 1999 Kim Knox, licensed to About.com, Inc.
