BEST B&Bs
acres to several artist friends, thus
starting New Hope's reputation as an
artists' colony. Today, the old mill is
the center for the New Hope Impres-
sionists, a school of painting just
becoming widely known.
With The Inn at Phillips Mill, the
Kaufmans have achieved the feeling of
a French country inn. Inside, there are
bouquets of fresh flowers and authen-
tic country French furniture. In the
warmer months, the window boxes
are filled with flowers and flags fly
from the windows.
The French chef prepares several
specialties. The inn has a series of
small, intimate dining rooms that can
seat six, eight, 10 or 12, including the
new "wicker room," a side porch
enclosed with French doors that is
open all year long. Upstairs, there are
four bedrooms on the second floor
and a tiny garret on the third, each
with a private bath. The guest rooms
contain antique furnishings and four-
poster double beds.
To stay here, reserve far in advance
for a Saturday night dinner. The Kauf-
mans are one of a very few inn-keep-
ing couples who do not advertise their
inn but rely solely on word of mouth.
The inn is intensely romantic, a very
special place. Tell only your special
friends about it.
• The Inn at Phillips Mill, North
River Road, New Hope, Pennsylvania
18938. 1-215-862-2984: lodging;
1-215-862-9919: dining. Rates: $68 to
$78, excluding breakfast, $3.50 per
person.
04.04
The Duling-Kurtz House
and Country Inn,
Exton, Pennsylvania
The Duling-Kurtz House and
Country Inn comes in two parts: the
restaurant in a two-story, circa 1830
stone farm house and the three-story
18-room guest house in a renovated
stone barn. The restaurant has seven
rooms, all with the original polished
wood floors. Cuisine is continental,
with such fare as fresh trout in season
from the pond in the garden.
For dining, honeymooners should
secure the private Duling-Kurtz room,
the one in the corner with the
draperies that separate you from the
rest of the masses. In this romantic
niche, there is only one table and a
charming view through the two glass
walls of the gardens.
The room is only rented once per
dinner and comes with its own
servers. You can even have the chef
prepare a meal of your choice if you
call ahead. And when you leave, a
silver napkin ring, which can later be
inscribed, is yours for the taking. Book
far in advance. There is a $25 charge
for the room.
Over at the guest house, the fire is
roaring in the big stone fireplace. The
18 rooms, including three suites, all
have private baths, central heating and
air conditioning. They're all named for
famous figures. People scramble to
reserve the George Washington Room
with its king-size canopied bed, period
reproduction furniture, sitting area,
step-down bath with antique claw foot
tub, bidet, and dressing area.
Continental breakfast is served in
the room. Simply mark your pref-
erences at night on the card that's left
along with candies on your pillow.
• Duling-Kurtz House and Coun-
try Inn, 146 S. Whitford Road, Exton,
Pennsylvania 19341. 1-215-524-1830.
Rates: $80 to $130. Includes con-
tinental breakfast for two.
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The Inn at Buckeystown,
Buckeystown, Maryland
U
John Rutledge House Inn, in South Carolina, was once visited
by George Washington.
66 Brides 1990
A four-mile jaunt south of Fred-
erick, Maryland, brings you to
Buckeystown, a smattering of mostly
white-frame Victorian houses perched
on either side of Route 85. The big-
gest is The Inn at Buckeystown
which, with its wrap-around porch,
spacious center hall, and grand stair-
way of carved chestnut, epitomizes
the essence of a country inn.
The inn opened eight years ago.
Owners Dan Pelz and Chase Barnett
have poured their time and attention
into every detail. Each room is
decorated in a distinctive style, so you
can choose from the Indian room, the
Oriental room, the California room or
— perhaps best of all — the Ameri-
cana room, stocked with old American
bottles, Life magazines, a tiny skater's