"I'm a consummate decorator," she said, even admitting to a few astute purchases on eBay. Julie understands the subtleties of Victorian style and has put her stamp on the inn with a keen eye. "The queen had such a long life that taste changed," she explained. "Your room is in the more Gothic style from the end of her reign."
We had chosen the second-floor Princess Alice room, named for the "most emotionally sensitive" of the royal daughters, according to a biographical sketch in the room. Her spirit seemed to guide the choice of a wallcovering of soft roses on a beige background and treatments of lace curtains with burgundy swags around four large windows. A dark wood and woven cane headboard on the king-size bed contrasts with a gold brocade coverlet. A gas fireplace anchors the facing wall while a television, DVD player, and classical bust share the mantel. Yet there is still room for a curvaceous Victorian settee and a vanity with stool.
The bath is as large as many B&B budget rooms. The black and white floor is echoed in the tile framing the double whirlpool tub. A separate shower stall, handsome wooden vanity with a marble top, and mirror in a carved gold-leaf frame complete the look. We doubt that Queen Victoria ever had it quite so good - or that her retainers left rubber duckies (or whirlpool-friendly bath salts).
The first-floor public rooms are cozy and comfortable without feeling overdone. Couches in the parlor (with its electric fireplace) and in the adjoining den (with television, DVD player, and film library) are banked with some of the most inviting pillows we've ever settled into. The formal dining room features a large mahogany table and chairs, a crystal chandelier, and a silver-plate tea set on the sideboard. The whimsical burgundy wallpaper depicts cherubs cavorting among doves and flowers.
