Quick Guide to Bed and Breakfast

The Northwest New Jersey Skylands is home to Country Inns and Bed and Breakfasts of all shapes and sizes. You'll find them in the center of town or way out in the country; on large estates or beside a river. These accommodations nearly always have rich and long histories, born sometimes more than 200 years ago as grist mills, farmhouses, barns, stagecoach stops, country estates, or Victorian mansions. In many cases, a building's contemporary role as an inn has saved it from demolition or ruin, proudly preserving a piece of local heritage and resplendent architecture. Each has been lovingly restored with careful attention to both cultural perspective and comfort. Every room is a masterpiece, outfitted with classic antiques and beds of all description; featherbeds, four posters, canopies, brass beds- all exquisitely snug. You'll be amazed at some of the designs that innkeepers have come with up to maximumize efficient use of space, while maintaining elegance and personality.

Innkeepers are as varied as their prized inns. Some have always been professionally involved in hospitality. Others have chosen innkeeping as a second career, having "escaped" from corporate America. Those that have survived the shock of a sometimes overwhelming workload and the business realities of occupancy rates, huge utility bills, and endless building maintenance, wouldn't trade their job for anything short of a complete life of leisure.

Handled With Care

Built in 1905 by the Justice of the Peace of Stanhope, the Whistling Swan Inn, a Queen Anne Victorian home, has been restored to its original glory. Beautiful tiger oak fretwork and columns frame the two Victorian parlors and continue throughout the house. The parlor fireplaces now showcase their original beauty and warmth. You can sit by the fire, listen to the antique record player Victrola or the player piano, and sip a cup of tea or glass of sherry.

The ten bedrooms include all of the modern conveniences but display the ultimate Victorian charm with period antiques, exquisite featherbeds, antique linens and lace, all with a touch of romance. The new owners, Liz and Ron Armstrong are currently renovating each room, adding their own individual touches to each bedroom.

A gourmet buffet is served every morning featuring signature dishes such as Caramel French Toast and Wild Rice Quiche. Liz brings culinary skills from her previous job as operations manager of a food manufacturing facility. Her love of baking is evident in the scrumptious breakfast breads and pastries. Guests can either eat inside in the Victorian dining room or enjoy the morning sitting on the wide veranda overlooking the Victorian garden and swan fountain.

The Whistling Swan Inn is centrally located near local attractions such as Waterloo Village, Lake Hopatcong, Stanhope House jazz club, Scanberry Coop Antiques mall, and the craft shops of Chester. Gourmet restaurants are a short car ride away.

110 Main Street, Stanhope, NJ 07874, 973-347-6369
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Good To The Core

The Apple Valley Inn is a colonial mansion built in 1831 in Sussex County's scenic Pochuck Valley, NJ, the heart of the Highlands. The Inn's name is a salute to the choice apple farms that grace the region. The exquisite three level home features wrap around porches and awe-inspiring views of the countryside. The rooms have been preserved to give the warmth and coziness of a country inn while the room upgrades for our guests comfort never end! The home uniquely offers the privacy and seclusion for romantic getaways while also providing a warm inviting atmosphere ideal for creating just the right backdrop for your memorable group gathering (family reunions, showers, weddings, business meetings, conferences, etc.)

The Inn has a long history of welcoming guests and each room has been specially decorated and furnished with care. While the interior of the home offers a splendid mix of history and comfort for our guests, our bountiful gardens tell a story all on their own. The passion and love that was devoted to creating and cultivating the gardens is immediately apparent and guests love to stroll the grounds and explore the flowering treasures all the while trying to decide on their favorite spot! (We still can't pick our favorite but love the challenge)

Routes 515 & 565, , PO Box 302, Glenwood, NJ 07418
973-764-3735
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The House Jack & Alison Built

Jack and Alison Smith, innkeepers of Alpine Haus Bed and Breakfast Inn in Vernon, say that what makes Alpine Haus special is them.

Jack is chairman of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, president of the Vernon Chamber, active with the Tourism Council and he and Alison are both retired bankers.

"We always loved B&Bs when we traveled, so it was a natural to fall into it," said Jack. "We like to learn from people and share things with people." They've had actors, actresses, musicians and politicians stay there. As Jack says, you never know who's going to walk through the door.

The B&B, built in 1887, was an old farmhouse owned by the Motts until the Smiths bought it two years ago. They added on porches for four floors, installed TVs in all eight rooms in the main house, put data ports on phones for business travelers, added state-of-the-art fire and security protection and named all the rooms after mountain wild flowers. Fresh flowers scent the dining room and there's room for private meetings for up to 12. The two suites in the carriage house have VCRs, refrigerators and coffee pots. One is ADA compliant and all furniture is antique except the beds--only one bed is 128 years old.

Success is demonstrated in many ways, and as Jack puts it "When guests leave and give you a hug and a kiss goodbye, that says something."

217 Route 94, , Vernon, NJ 07462
973-209-7080
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The Princess Feels No Pea

Entering the mill property is like stepping into a movie--into a time of grace and luxury with carefully placed comforts, hand wrought crafts and polished wood--into a place of natural drama with waterfalls tumbling and crashing over tall stone walls, then racing through stone lined channels to power the machinery of man.

Glenwood Mill, built in Glenwood, Vernon Township in 1805 and renovated in 1888, ground and sorted grain for almost two centuries. Its presence as a gristmill attracted other industries, including a railroad, to a once bustling town. Today the sixth and current owners, Henry and Sue Capro, are innkeepers of the Glenwood Mill Bed and Breakfast.

The Capros opened the B&B in June 2001. They previously hailed from Michigan where Henry headed GM's command center for Y2K. Sue worked for an accounting firm while she bought and collected the furniture and paintings that would one day decorate Glenwood Mill. They both enjoy the opportunity of creating the B&B in an old building. Henry says the mill's specialty is "all modern amenities housed in a 200 year old structure."

No princess would feel a pea in the tall stuffed four-poster beds of the mill's two rooms and two suites. Throughout the house, the mill's past still decorates the inn--original paintings by once-resident milleress Ethel, pulleys on long, broad beams, a wooden grain hopper, hoists for millstones, Dutch doors, "scalpers" that once sorted the grain, and the original wide-planked white pine floors. Outdoors, the stone patio, original barn, and the tiny island amid the stream seem to call, "Relax, sit back, have a drink."

1860 Rt. 565, Glenwood, NJ 07418 973-764-8660
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You'll Be Dreamin'

Linda and Rob Castagna have been Innkeepers for 20 years at Chestnut Hill on the Delaware. Their secret? "We love each other. We love working together," says Linda.

The two houses, built in 1860, hold six rooms and three suites. In the main house, cozy settings breathe energy for being social in the living room. Big black walnut cabinets, the gift galley, span a long wall and hold memorabilia of the inn. Plants and flowers are everywhere. The chandelier in the dining room is a showstopper with brilliant draping crystals, and showcases are filled with Rob's collections of beads, bottles, books, tools and other old-time items found behind the house's walls and in the Delaware River. In the guest rooms there are whirlpool tubs and murals, and over 200 Teddy Bears. Feather beds will make you feel like you're floating on a cloud.

Linda indulges her love for decorating with remembered pleasures in the Country Cottage. There's The Palms--a suite with a breakfast nook in the bay window, pretty in the sun. The Paradise Room is not lost, but alive with trees and pink flamingos. Mosquito netting with little stars floating on top drapes the canopy bed, and there's a big stuffed chair to curl up in. The bathroom is a trip-- a heated glass floor that warms you from the bottom up, mirrored walls, glass shower, whirlpool, walls painted with exotic fish, seahorses and grass above handmade ocean-wave wall tiles from Spain. There are bubbles on the ceiling, and spangled starfish decorate the windowsills. Everything is perfect. "I'm a dreamer. The world can be so harsh, so I try to create an atmosphere where people feel good. It's so much fun to let my imagination go."

The long mahogany veranda on the front of the house faces the Delaware. Lay back and watch the river flow on a lazy dreaming day or walk across the yard to a terraced garden that slopes to the water's edge. The river is peaceful, shallow and inviting. Go ahead, take a dip. Bring your own boat or rent one nearby, or go river tubing. "There's no better spot to sit and watch the river than from the terrace that Rob made." Walk down to a dock where you can lie in the afternoon sun and watch the fish in the shallow water.

Linda says "I want people to feel loved and hugged and cared for by the surroundings, and still experience their privacy. It's just the sense that we've taken care of things and that they feel like they count and that they're special. And you can't beat the river."

63 Church St., Milford 08848 1-888-333-2242
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Owners / Innkeepers Beth and Karl Krummel look forward to welcoming you as guests in this beautiful inn nestled way back in the woods off Goodale Road just south of Newton in Sussex County. From the moment guests turn onto the quiet lane and winding drive leading to the inn, they are transported into a world of natural beauty and gracious hospitality.

Wildlife abounds throughout the 10 acres of open fields and woodlands encompassing this charming mini-estate. The property is minutes from Kittatinny State Park and The Horseless Carriage House, circa 1974, contains the Pintail, Old Squaw and Wood guest rooms. A brick patio and inground swimming pool invite guests to step outdoors and enjoy their picturesque surroundings while providing a lovely spot for seasonal breakfasting, sunbathing or just plain relaxing!

A full country breakfast awaits each guest, featuring a varying selection of delicious home baked breads or muffins, eggs, pancakes, French toast, fresh fruit, juice, tea, coffee and more. Complimentary coffee, tea, soda, snacks, fruit and cookies are also available anytime.

Whether evening temperatures call for relaxing in air-conditioned comfort or snuggling up by the double-hearth fireplace, guests can unwind at the end of the day by enjoying a wide range of activities in our handsomely appointed Game Room. An extensive video library, games, puzzles and an assortment of reading materials are also available.

140 Goodale Road, Newton, NJ 07860 973-300-0395
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The Sauck family has transformed three rustic structures - a main house, an old carriage barn and a Moravian stone cottage - into an inn called the Alexander Adams Homestead. A quaint two-story cottage, built in 1730 by Alexander Adams along with the carriage barn, may be the oldest home in Warren County. The main house was built by one of the Adams children in the early 1800s.

The Saucks began renovated the cottage in 2001, decorating with antique and eclectic furniture. The stone walls are lined with 19th century portraits. There is a queen size bed, full bath, cable TV, and a small sitting area that allows you to listen to the trickling stone fountain outside your windows on the second floor. The lower level invites quiet sitting by the fire, while listening to music or reading a good book. Your innkeepers are happy to deliver breakfast if you wish. 

In addition to the cottage rental, there is a suite available for extended stays in the renovated carriage house.

Alexander Adams Homestead is conveniently located near Hope, just one hour from New York City, minutes from the Delaware Water Gap.

31A Aubel Rd, Blairstown, 908/459-4018
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