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Let the Victorian charm of the C icago Pi e Inn anc Spa
(above) in South Vichican's Colc water lull you into a state of Bliss,
Built by Morris G. Clarke, a wealthy Coldwater merchant, in 1903, the grandiose
butter-yellow structure, graced with Greek columns welcomes visitors with an
inviting front porch on the outside. Inside, parquet floors, intricate light fixtures
and exquisite cherrywood detailing transport guests to grander times. Choose from
six rooms, each with a private bath and named after members of Clarke's family.
His own room, the only bedchamber on the first floor, offers handsome oak parquet
floors and a queen-size, lace-covered canopy bed; the key to Miss Sophia's two-
room suite opens a door to a fireplace, window seat and private balcony.
Spa services are new offerings at the inn; facials, pedicures, manicures and more
are offered in the privacy of your guest room. Each afternoon, the staff serves sea-
sonal refreshments either by the warmth of the fireplaces or in the cool comfort of
the inn's many porches.
course breakfasts, often including fruit soup or cobbler, muffins and breads, an
egg casserole, stuffed French toast, pancakes or quiche.
Overnight packages often include outings to nearby Tibbits Opera House, a
ride on the Little River Railroad and other programs. Guests can also take a ride
along U.S. 12 and find hundreds of antiques shops clustered within 50 miles or so.
The city of Allen, 12 miles east of Coldwater on scenic U.S. 12, claims to be the
"antique capital" of Michigan.
Chicago Pike Inn & Spa Coldwater. (517) 279-8744, (800) 471-0501;
chicagopikeinn.com . Arrangements can be made for romantic picnics or a
room full of your favorite bouquets. The inn is about a two-hour drive from
Metro Detroit.
"We offer an experience," says owner Nancy Krajny, a former hairstylist in Royal
Oak. Part of the experience: four-course candlelight dinners. Also offered are two-
Bas-< in 1830s architectural charm without giving
up a thing at West Bloomfielc's Wren's Nest,
The name's owner, Irene Scheel, provices "old-
fasnionec hospitality with mocern conveniences,"
Though tucked away off Maple Road, the inn could easily be in a smq11 East Coast or north-
ern Michigan town. Brimming with quilts, gorgeous linens and fine Havilland china, the
inside offers plenty of old-fashioned appeal, too, with a grand piano that guests can sit down
and play and a fireplace to cozy up to with a card game or book.
After moving into the home in 1960 with her husband, Ralph, Scheel raised her five
children in the white Greek Revival farmhouse-style structure, and opened it as a bed and
breakfast in 1995. "I think the wintertime is very peaceful here," says Scheel. "We have lots
of birds that come, and deer visit regularly — I've trained my dogs to not chase them," she
adds. She also has two goats, named Pete and Repete, which can be spotted wandering the
property or peeking through a dining-room window into the Goatea Room (right), where
Scheel, a tea aficionado, offers afternoon tea.
Breakfast at the garden-ringed haven usually includes baked-from-scratch scones. "I serve
as many foods as I can without additives and preservatives," says Scheel, who will prepare
special meals for guests with gluten allergies. And for a romantic dinner, Scheel recommends
a reservation at the Lark, just a few miles away.
The Wren's Nest Bed & Breakfast, West Bloomfield. (248) 624-6874; thewrensnestbb.com ,
Scheel also hosts tea parties and catered affairs for groups of various sizes. ❑
pli.111111.1111 • FEBRUARY 2007 •
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