Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn

Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn is located in Bardstown, Kentucky, which is known as the "Bourbon Capital of the World" for its history of Bourbon distilling, which is America's only native spirit. In relation to the town's cocktail reputation, each of the bed and breakfast's ten guest rooms is named after a Bourbon cocktail. Amenities include free internet access, flat-screen TVs with extended cable and free movies, jetted tubs, fireplaces, a spa, a Fitness Room, and an on-site Bourbon Bar with a full-service liquor license.. Visitors commonly visit Bardstown to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, one of several ways to experience Bourbon culture. Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn is owned by Todd Allen and Tyler Horton, who have worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty years. Since gaining ownership of the business, Todd and Tyler have been striving to further emulate the Bourbon experience through their property's atmosphere.

About

Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn is found near the center of Bardstown, Kentucky. The two early 1800s buildings of Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn are "stately" red brick with copper roofs. The Manor is topped with a cupola that was formerly used as an observation platform. Additionally, it includes a double front porch with white supporting pillars and a wrought-iron railing from New Orleans. Typical of the time in which it was constructed, the three-story mansion features white window frames with black shutters. The Federal House Cottage follows suit in this design dating back to 1810, with its start as a wedding gift to Joseph Brown and Ruth Bealmear. A two-acre expanse houses the bed and breakfast and features a grass lawn shaded by large trees and several fountains. Bushes and flower beds run along the edges of the buildings, adorned with magnolia trees known to bloom several times a year. The property includes a fountain patio with lights, umbrella tables and chairs, lounge chairs, rockers, and a firepit. Patrons can also access the Federal House Cottage, which includes a back deck and a shaded area overlooking the back lawn, which is also filled with many flowering and shade trees.

Ten rooms are available for visitors. Seven are located in the Manor, while the other three are in the Federal House Cottage. Each one is distinct from the other as the owners, Todd and Tyler, wanted to name and decorate each room after a specific Bourbon cocktail. For example, the Mint Julep room has minty green walls and lightly colored decorations. Hotty Toddy includes reds and browns with its gold walls, and Classic Sazerac is painted greenish-blue with maroon furniture. Todd observes patterns in the spaces that guests pick. For instance, he notices that Alabama visitors frequently choose Hotty Toddy while Debutante's Dream is more popular among women. All rooms have free Internet access, private bathrooms, robes, hair dryers, and flat-screen TVs. Each room in both buildings has a single king or queen-size bed. The exception is Debutante's Dream, which contains one queen and two twin beds. Furthermore, the Manor includes a gas log or electric fireplace in each room.

The interior of the Manor is predominantly cranberry red and decorated with Bourbon artwork and antiques. Todd explains that the idea was to capture the "Bourbon theme" for those drawn to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. A floating spiral staircase connects all three floors of the Manor and leads to the cupola. A spa and gym are found in the basement of the Manor. Patrons can access the gym for free and may receive a massage at the spa for an additional fee. A bar is also installed in the hall of the Manor, where guests can interact with each other during the Happy Hours each evening. A formal parlor with a player baby grand piano is also a common area in the Manor that visitors can frequent. Additionally, visitors are free to explore the grounds of the "park-like" property.

In Todd's words, Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn provides a "full country gourmet breakfast." Guests can expect to eat anytime between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Breakfast may include a signature egg dish, a side of locally produced meats, a potato dish, fruit, and a breakfast dessert infused with Bourbon. Todd and Tyler accommodate dietary restrictions or food allergies in advance during the reservation process.

While guests stay at the bed and breakfast, they can visit many attractions Bardstown offers. Bardstown is known as a historical location during the American Civil War as well as the "Bourbon Capital of the World." The annual National Bourbon Day celebration is held in the city, where guests can visit the many distilleries local to Bardstown. They can take part in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a program that seeks to promote the state-wide Bourbon whiskey industry and is sponsored by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. 

Bardstown was recognized as America's Most Beautiful Small Town, due to its "quaint, historic charm and lively 'Mayberry-style' downtown," featuring over 30 shops, boutiques, galleries, bars, and restaurants. Being a Civil War site, many places are dedicated to its history, such as the Civil War Museum, the Women of the Civil War Museum, and the Central Kentucky Civil War Trail. They can also participate in the Lincoln Heritage Trail, which includes the Abraham Lincoln National Birthplace, Lincoln Legacy Museum, and the Lincoln Boyhood Home site known as Knob Creek. Patrons may additionally visit trains, local golf courses, theaters, recreational areas, art galleries, and other historical sites. Given that Bardstown is the "Bourbon Capital of the World," guests usually gravitate toward the many Bourbon attractions of the city. These include various distilleries, wineries, the Oscar Getz Bourbon History Museum, various Bourbon festivals, street concerts, and Bourbon Events throughout the year.

Culture

The Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn owners have tried to create an atmosphere that would appeal particularly to Bourbon fans. Todd says they try to help their guests become "fully immersed in the Bourbon experience," which is why he and Tyler make drinks available all day long. Happy Hours are offered nightly featuring Bourbon Flights, over 100 Bourbons, signature Bourbon cocktails, wines, and craft beer. Todd and Tyler strive to "pamper and delight" their visitors. Todd comments that they try to anticipate how to best tailor the experience of their guests based on what reservations they made, given that planning a trip can be "very time-consuming." Todd and Tyler also try to create the "authentic Bourbon experience" by hosting master distillers who introduce their products, artisans, and artists at Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn.

When guests leave reviews, Todd observes that many of them focus on the food quality and their experience planning. He also estimates that 15 to 20% of their guests come back repeatedly each weekend, many of whom have been international. They try to do what they can to make guest satisfaction their top priority. One guest has said, "The room was clean and the bed was very comfortable! The common spaces were also a nice touch where you can gather and visit with other guests. The breakfast was delicious and in a beautiful historical dining room!" Todd has also noticed that, initially, senior visitors took up most of the clientele in the early days of the bed and breakfast. Now, he says he has seen visitors arriving as young as their early twenties, and he feels it is due to the increased popularity of Bourbon in Kentucky over the years.

The bed and breakfast is open year-round. Its busiest time of year is during the Kentucky Derby, which is the first Saturday of May, and the Bourbon Festival in the third week of September. Patrons typically need to book a year in advance if they want to stay at the Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn during those events. While the winter months may slow down a little, Todd says they are still very busy throughout that season.

History

The buildings that are now the Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn were originally built for Colonel Samuel Bealmear's oldest daughter, Ruth, and her husband, Joseph Brown during the early 1800s, and known as Oaklawn Plantation. The Federal House Inn was constructed around 1810, and the Manor followed between 1823 and 1830. Ruth Bealmear and her husband Joseph Brown operated their property as a tobacco and hemp plantation. During the American Civil War, Confederate Major General William J. Hardee used it as his headquarters from September to October 1862. Following the Battle of Perryville, the manor, along with many other local buildings, served as a hospital for the thousands of wounded or killed troops. Since then, the property has served as a personal residence for many prominent city lawyers and leaders, a boarding home during the Great Depression, and a bed and breakfast since 1988. Todd and Tyler acquired the property in 2003, though the establishment had previously been operating for over 25 years.

Todd and Tyler feel that much of their success came from their backgrounds. Todd's family has been in the hospitality industry as they have owned various hotels and restaurants for many years. He says he felt that owning a bed and breakfast was "in his blood." Tyler received culinary training from many different people, and many of the breakfast choices at Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn have been influenced by him. Todd feels that the combination of his experience in hospitality and Tyler's experience with cooking has led to the success of their business. They also owned another bed and breakfast called Maple Hill Manor in Springfield, Kentucky, for 21 years, before acquiring Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Since purchasing Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn, Todd and Tyler invested over $500,000 in improvements to the property as needed. A historic barn used to be part of the property and served as their Bourbon Bar and Special Events Venure which was open to the public. The barn burned down after being struck by lightning at the start of 2020. They are in the process of building a "grand monitor-style barn" with "ample patio seating" and hope to reestablish it as the main bar once it is finished. In the meantime, they utilize their temporary bar in the Manor where their nightly guests may enjoy a Bourbon libation before bedtime.