Salisbury, N.C. has to be one of the most charming towns we have ever visited. Karen the owner of the Turn of the Century Victorian Bed and Breakfast is just as charming as the city she loves. Though not a native, she grew up in Corning New York and arrived here by way of Atlanta, she is as knowledgeable about the town she has chosen to call home as anyone we met while we were visiting.
The bed and breakfast is located on South Fulton Street. It is a lovely neighborhood filled with historic homes and just oozing southern charm. We spent three amazing night here and ate three luscious breakfasts. We were in the Rose Room. It has a magnificent plantation bed with a custom made queen size mattress that guarantees a good night's rest.
An armoire holds two bathrobes and a pretty marble top dresser is offered for your use. Two nightstands provide lamps for reading. A fainting couch and two chairs complete the furnishings in the room. The only thing we could have possibly wished for was a comfortable upholstered chair for just sitting. A tea table became my work desk and there is excellent high-speed wireless Internet.
The bathroom has a deep vintage tub, a pedestal sink, and a dresser. Our friend had the room next door, The English Room. The style of his bed was an English brass and in that room, there was a shower, which was in a separate closet from the toilet. The sink was in a dresser in the bedroom itself.
There are two other rooms: the Veranda which has a king bed that can be made into two twins and the Wedgewood Suite which has a separate sitting room with a TV. There are no TVs in the other bedrooms but there is one in the hall and a small sitting area on the landing if you really must watch a show.
A lovely parlor downstairs offers a place to gather and in the warm weather, the front porch is the place to be. Breakfast is served in the dining room. We chose to eat at 9 a.m. every morning and Karen was more than happy to accommodate our schedule.
Breakfasts are delicious. The first morning we began with apple juice and the hot beverage of our choice. We then had a fresh pineapple and grapes served in the pineapple. As visually appealing, as it was delicious. The main course was Karen's take on eggs Benedict and it was perfect, sliced boiled eggs over muffins and Canadian bacon with creamy Hollandaise sauce. The second breakfast was grilled grapefruit, and garden scrambled eggs with a morning glory muffin. Keep an eye on the china and glassware, it changes daily and is all lovely. The third breakfast was a crepe with scrambled eggs inside and a divine mushroom sauce. Karen was wonderful in accommodating the dietary foibles of our group.
What sets this bed and breakfast above the others is Karen herself. Her attention to detail is impeccable and there is nothing too small for her to have overlooked. She can suggest local restaurants and provide copies of their menus; she has brochures on all the local sights and maps of downtown etc. She will gladly provide a hot or cold beverage whenever you need one and the chocolate chip cookies are to die for.
This house was a labor of love for her and she dedicated two years to turning it from a derelict apartment house into a glorious perfectly restored 1905 stunner. This was not just renovated, it was restored historically to its original glory and the care and effort she put into that is evident everywhere you look from the beautifully restored floors to the lovingly stripped and repainted woodwork. It is a magnificent house and most of all, her home.
Turn of the Century Victorian Bed and Breakfast could easily become your home away from home and repeat customers are a large part of her business and I can well understand how that could be. I certainly hope to be able to return. Even at departure, it was special, we received little gift bags with the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to go, a little food for the road, very charming and delicious indeed.
Photo provided by the bed and breakfast website.
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