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Georgian Manor Inn |
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| Georgian Manor Inn Statistics | Description | Things To Do | Directions | Nearby Attractions Judy and Gene Denney, Innkeepers 123 W. Main St. Norwalk, OH (800) 668-1644 www.bbonline.com/oh/georgian Rates & Reservations: |
DESCRIPTION Gracious living. That’s how I describe my stay at the Georgian Manor Inn in Norwalk’s West Main Street Historic District. While this Georgian Revival-style mansion, built in 1906, gives a first impression of elegance, it is also a warm and welcoming home. Entering the foyer, you’ll grasp the sense of space as your glance moves from the crystal chandelier upwards to the dentil moldings highlighted with gold. Straight ahead is a burl-walnut cylinder desk—one of many antiques you’ll discover here. Innkeepers/owners Gene and Judy Denney invited me into the library for a chat and a cup of tea soon after I arrived. A Governor Winthrop secretary, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, a leather sofa, and an overstuffed chair make this a popular room where guests who love history can be found at all hours sampling the Denney’s extensive collection of books. The living room/parlor is highlighted by a wall of oak—an oak mantelpiece, oak pillars, and built-in oak glass-fronted bookcases. Comfort is again the key in this room, with its plumply cushioned sofa and chairs grouping. In this house of beautiful rooms, perhaps the most stunning is the dining room, with rich mahogany paneling and beamed ceiling offset by a deep red wall covering sprinkled with white dogwood blossoms. This room opens to the wicker-filled sun porch, which in turn looks out to the rear garden. As we were leaving the dining room, Gene pointed out the pocket doors with oak on the parlor side and mahogany on the dining room side. The Denney’s individual tastes are evident throughout the house and grounds. Gene collects the work of marine artist John Stobart, while Judy favors Alan Maley’s work. On their leisure trips and business stays in England, Judy took notes on the interiors of inns and transferred some of those ideas into the decor of Georgian Manor. The result is sumptuous use of fabric, such as in the ?crown? of fabric over the antique burled walnut bed in Lady Katherine’s room. Throughout the house, coordinating fabrics and wall coverings are used. A slant-top secretary and marble-top tables complete this room. One of the joys of staying in a house from this era is discovering little nooks like the dressing area that connects this bedroom to the luxurious bath with a whirlpool/Jacuzzi. As I toured the house, I marveled at the extra space from large walk-in closets (12 in all!) to the wide hallway on the second floor hung with hunting prints from England. You soon understand the decision to use “Lady” and “Lord” in naming the suite-size rooms in this inn. The Lord Sheldon provides a restful decor with a light floral wallpaper, overstuffed chairs in front of the white painted fireplace, and a cherry pediment rice four-poster bed. Business travelers will find workspace for a laptop at the cherry secretary and good lighting for reading. Lady Anne’s room is the favorite for bridal couples and anniversary celebrants, with a canopied bed, wedding pictures from past decades, and a balcony overlooking the gardens, stone patio, and pond. Gene designed and built a pergola—a white lattice-work structure—in the garden, which has been the setting for some lovely weddings. Through their extensive travels, the Denneys became acutely aware of the difference personal service can make, and they provide special touches with class—turndown service includes a carafe of ice water by the bedside, wake-up coffee arrives on a silver tray, the bath is stocked with almond-scented toiletries and fluffy robes. For those who get the “hungries” in the middle of the night, apothecary jars filled with snacks can be found on the library table in the upstairs hall. These special touches have not gone unnoticed—the Georgian Manor Inn has been designated as a four-diamond accommodation. THINGS TO DO A loose-leaf binder in each room is organized with descriptions of area attractions. The Firelands Museum and Library is in downtown Norwalk, and Thomas Edison’s birthplace, Milan, is a short drive away. Take off for Lake Erie and the islands, or ask Judy to recommend the best antique shopping in the area. The Denneys suggested a local restaurant, Berrys, within walking distance of the inn, and I found it to be a lovely walk through this neighborhood of historic homes. A Norwalk landmark, Berrys has been in business since 1946. The walls of this eatery are lined with photographs and memorabilia of earlier years in the city. This is the place to enjoy comfort food like chicken and biscuits and macaroni and cheese, as well as steaks, seafood, and sandwiches. DIRECTIONS I-80 to exit 7 for US 250; south on US 250; right on SR 61 (Main St.); on left NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Lake Erie Islands, Cedar Point Amusement Park, Norwalk Raceway Park, Hayes Presidential Center, wineries, lighthouses, antiques, gift shops, Edison’s birthplace, Firelands Museum, Kingwood Center Copyright © Doris Larson. All rights reserved. This text may not be reproduced in any form or manner without written permission of Gray & Company, Publishers |
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