The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast is located in downtown Hastings, Michigan. The establishment has been described as relatively quiet, and the home itself was originally built in 1894. The house has only had three owners in its over 125-year lifespan. April and Don Tubbs are the third owners of the house and started the bed and breakfast in 1995. There are six rooms in the bed and breakfast available to reserve, each decorated differently and themed after people of significance in history and in the lives of April and Don. April serves a full breakfast to her guests every morning and can make any accommodations necessary for dietary restrictions. The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round.
The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast is a historic property featuring a century-old home. The house sits on one city lot just across from the county courthouse in downtown Hastings, Michigan. Known as "the house of two doctors," this three-story home was built in 1894 and listed in the Sears and Roebuck Catalog. The home is surrounded by mature trees, flower gardens, and a green grass lawn. A sidewalk and small white picket fence line the property borders and cement steps lead up to the front porch and front door. The home is white with a round steeple and outdoor lights that shine onto the home during the nighttime hours.
The interior of the home has been preserved to replicate how it looked when first built in the late 1800s. The original oak staircase, flooring, and fireplace mantel are on display in the home, and although the wallpaper throughout the home is not original to its initial construction, it is very similar. Collectibles and antique decorations are on display throughout the entire home. The entryway features an antique wood secretary and the original oak staircase. On the stair landing, guests can see a preserved dress from the 1800s displayed on a mannequin.
There are a few gathering areas for guests to dwell at while staying at the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast. The parlor has multiple sofas, tables and chairs, a chandelier, and pink wallpaper. In the dining room, guests will find an antique cooking range along with an eight-person dining table. Right off of the dining room is the sitting room. This space has natural light coming from three large windows, a fireplace, and an old-fashioned ceiling fan. During the Christmas season, the entire bed and breakfast is transformed with antique Christmas decor including Christmas trees in every room with candles and popcorn garland.
Six guest accommodations are available at the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast. Each room is decorated differently, but all come with the same amenities. These include cable television, free wireless internet, private bathrooms, private air conditioning, ceiling fans, and freshly ironed sheets. Other amenities included with a guest's stay at the bed and breakfast is a full breakfast and access to any of the common areas inside the home as well as the yard.
Each room is named after a specific person in the Tubbs' life with historical significance. The V. Harry Adrounie Room is decorated after English hunting scenes with plaids, stripes, and floral accents. The queen-sized bed sits in an antique oak bed frame and large bay windows cover two of the walls in the bedroom. A pedestal sink, shower, and soaking tub are in the adjoining bathroom.
The George Lowry Room is spacious with yellow, white, and blue floral wallpaper, an antique queen-sized bed, and three-bay windows overlooking the downtown street. In the bathroom, there is an oval, thermo massage whirlpool tub for two. The Serelda Victoria Room was named after the owner April’s great grandmother and sports pink and white accent pieces with a wicker settee and a whirlpool tub. The Zabelle Room has floral patterned carpet and a white lace bed cover. The headboard of the queen-sized bed is seven feet tall and an old-style claw foot soaking tub with a privacy net sits in the corner of the large room.
The Shoshone Rose Room is the personal favorite of April and Don. April lived on a reservation for twelve years and collected many original artifacts and trinkets from the Shoshone. She has brought them into this southwestern flair room paired with soft earth-toned walls and carpeting. Beadwork, cradleboards, and other memorabilia fill this room. The Emily is the last of the rooms. This main floor room has two twin-sized beds from the early 1900s and pink and cream-colored wallpaper.
Every morning April prepares each of her guests a hot meal. When guests arrive at the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast she asks them what type of breakfast they prefer and if they have dietary restrictions. She then creates a menu depending on their needs and preferences. Guests are also invited to choose what time they would like to eat their breakfast every morning and can take it in their room if they’d like.
The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast is located in the center of downtown Hastings. There are many activities and attractions guests can participate in and visit while spending time in the area. Charleston Park is a historical village that hosts car shows often and other events. The Gilmore Car Museum is just twenty minutes from the bed and breakfast and is listed as the number one car museum in the United States. Guests will often come through the area to watch the Berry Roubeau Killer Gravel Bike Race with over 3,500 participants. Other activities in the area include spending time at the nearby river canoeing or fishing, visiting the local farmers' market down the street, or catching a show at the amphitheater in town.
When establishing the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast in the late 1900s April and Don Tubbs wanted to create a space that was historic and comfortable. April has always had a love for antiques and Don loves history. The couple spent many weekends of their marriage staying at historical bed and breakfasts around the United States and going antique shopping. Many of April’s own antiques she has acquired over the years fill the hallways and line the walls of the victorian style home that is the Adrounie Bed and Breakfast.
Guests leave a variety of reviews regarding the Adrounie Bed and Breakfast. Many of their reviews address the filling breakfasts every morning, the hospitable staff, or the interesting history and antiques regarding the home. One guest left this review, “Don and April Tubbs, are generous, kind, caring, and gracious hosts. The Adrounie house is exquisitely decorated, with each room having its own gorgeous theme. Breakfast was amazing and they didn't mind fixing a special gluten and dairy-free meal for my son.”
They did not create this home to be a space for everyone; instead, it was fashioned to cater to an audience that appreciates and enjoys the history of the late 1800s. April and Don interact with their guests often learning their stories, and sharing things about the history in the area. Typically those who visit the bed and breakfast are middle-aged to older couples looking for a quiet low-key place to stay downtown. Most every guest who stays at the inn is visiting for an activity in the area such as the bike race or car show, a wedding, or are visiting family. The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round but has its most guests during the summer months when people are traveling the most.
The Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast was originally a Sears and Roebuck Catalog home built in 1894. Dr. George W. Lowry started the house construction; it took two years to build. Dr. Lowry was the mayor of Hastings from 1906-1908 and built his own practicing office right next door to his home. After his death in 1922, his practice and home were purchased by Dr. Haroutune A. Adrounie from Battle Creek. After only living in the home for ten years, Dr. Adrounie passed, and his wife lived in the home till her death in 1988. The home sat vacant till Don and April Tubbs, the current owners, purchased the home in 1995. The couple spent a year restoring the home to better than its original state. They not only added bathrooms in every room for guests but also exposed the inlaid oak flooring and birdseye maple planks.
April has always been a lover of antiques and would go antiquing often for weekends at a time. When she and Don married, they started a tradition of taking a weekend to go antiquing and staying in a bed and breakfast. The couple really enjoyed their time in the bed and breakfasts they stayed in, and when April decided to retire from her job at an insurance agency, the couple considered starting their own bed and breakfasts. They knew they had to find a historic property, so they spent nine years searching for a space to start their business. The couple loves interacting with their guests and exploring not only the history of their estate but also the area around their property.
126 S. Broadway
Michigan, United States 49058
Bed and Breakfast
Don & April Tubbs
Dr. George W. Lowry, Dr. Haroutoune A. Adrounie
