If a historic setting and elegant surroundings is
your definition of the perfect getaway, consider
northern Kentucky's historic Burlington's Willis
Graves (BWG) Bed and Breakfast. Proprietors Nancy
and Bob Swartzel have perfected every detail of the
ambience of the 19th century. I say this from
experience, having been a recent guest at this
sophisticated retreat.
My favorite room is the common area, where a
Kentucky full-stock rifle takes center stage over
the fireplace mantel. On the mantel sits a
pillar-and-scroll shelf clock made by Chauncy Ives
of Bristol, Connecticut, circa 1820, reminding you
that time is a major player in this house. You're
living the elegant present as well as the sometimes
inscrutable past. Everywhere, 19th century images,
like the primitive paintings of northern Kentucky's
legendary Gary Byrge, convey historic riddles that
words cannot. If you can imagine yourself an 1800's
wayfarer, the 1820's travel map of Kentucky and
Tennessee will come in quite handy. A Luman Watson
tall-case clock beckons you to the first floor
suite, where you'll meet the gaze of a husband
and-wife portrait, circa 1843, by Philadelphia's J.
F. Hanks.
It was my bedroom, however that convinced me that I
never wanted to leave. The golden light from the
period wall sconces presented my four-poster canopy
bed made of bird's-eye curly maple in a glow. A
plate of freshly baked cookies sat enticingly on the
coverlet just by my pillow. If books imbue a room
with a soul, as a famous philosopher once said, then
my bedroom ushered me into another world. Books of
all shapes and sizes, historical and otherwise,
became my bedtime companions. In the private bath I
found my very own terry cloth robe, and luxurious
towels awaited my arrival. English soaps,
Scandinavian shower gels, and smaller books
completed the feeling of indulgence.
Breakfast is a culinary delight, with stuffed French
toast, fresh fruit, and a magnificent setting that
pampers and delights. Just minutes from downtown
Cincinnati, BWG provides the perfect
town-and-country combination, with enough history
for the history buff, antiques for the antiquarian,
a nearby city replete with concerts and Broadway
shows for the urbanite, and country for the seeker
of peace and quiet.
Come to the top side of the state and enjoy these
rare combinations. Your image of northern Kentucky
will never be the same.
© 2002. Arts Across Kentucky. Reprinted with
permission of Crystal Communications.
