………… <PART ONE ……. PART TWO……    .PART THREE >

We were blessed to be able to stay two nights and review this beautiful European style B and B, The Mansion at Elfindale which at one time was the largest bed and breakfast in Missouri.  It exceeded my expectations, and I must say that the pictures on their website do not do it justice. The pictures do not completely capture the spaciousness and elegance of this Victorian era mansion. We felt as though we had stepped back in time, only with the modern conveniences of air conditioning (which worked really great), cable television, and wireless Internet. Since the mansion was completed in 1892, I expected a little bit of a musty smell but there was absolutely none…not at all. My husband can testify to the freshness of the air as he has a very good sense of smell.

The Mansion is a wonderful place for a couple or a family with older children to stay.  This beautiful bed and breakfast in Springfield has hosted ladies’ retreats, even a youth group retreat, family reunions, wedding parties, and “girls’ night out” events.  If you’re headed to Branson, it’s less than 40 miles away which makes it a perfect bed and breakfast near Branson, yet out of the busy tourist area.

We stayed on the second floor which you can see on the far left side of the picture. A beautifully decorated, extra-large bay window provided us with a wonderful view.

Let me give you a tour inside.  Pictured below is the magnificent grand staircase made with imported teakwood, adorned with stained glass windows.

Once we got to the second floor landing, our room was straight ahead.  You can see my husband and our son unlocking the door to our suite.  By the way, there are thirteen suites in the Mansion, each suite complete with its own distinctive charm and personality.  And this is very important, each suite has its own private bath unlike some B & B’s.

I was impressed with the sliding, wooden doors, the original doors from 1892.  Once inside, this was the first view of our spacious room, authentically decorated in Victorian style and elegance:

The Chapel Suite where we stayed had two very comfortable queen sized beds with luxurious sheets which made for a wonderful night’s sleep. There were plenty of pillows which were great for propping up to read in bed at night.

 As I mentioned, we had all the modern conveniences of cable television, DVD player, telephone, and wireless Internet which was greatly appreciated while using the laptop.  Here’s another view of our room with the entertainment center:

The furniture throughout the mansion was styled according to the era in which the mansion was built.  This chair in our suite was so cool!  It’s the early version of a recliner which my husband took to instantly!

I could have slept longer, only I woke up hungry and thinking about the breakfast which was going to be cooked for us.  The first morning, we had eggs, bacon, sausage, cantaloupe, homemade biscuits and gravy with strawberry preserves on the side.  Coffee, a selection of teas, and orange juice were our beverages.  The second morning, we had eggs, sausage, homemade gourmet muffins, and sliced bananas topped with yogurt sprinkled with granola.  Our son took the picture below which is my favorite breakfast picture:

MORE TO COME!  In Part Two, I will share some interesting history of the mansion.  It was once a convent/school and later was considered as a possible safe house for the Shah of Iran before it became a bed and breakfast.

………. <PART ONE .    …… PART TWO…    ….PART THREE >