Circle S Ranch & Country Inn is located on the edge of Lawrence, Kansas, which is a town between Topeka and Kansas City. The inn is able to host significant events at its venue, often specializing in weddings. There are 12 relatively uniquely decorated rooms that visitors can reserve, with the option of booking all of them for significant activities like family gatherings and wedding receptions. Breakfast is served each morning, and there are beverage stations that are available for guest use. The Circle S Ranch & Country Inn property is also used as a cattle ranch with other animals on the land including horses. The property owns 500 acres of land, which offers a variety of outdoor activities, including horseback riding and tours of the longhorns. The land that the inn is built on has been owned by the same family since 1860 and has been raising cattle since the owner's family obtained it.
There are 12 rooms in total at Circle S Ranch & Country Inn that can be found in the three-story inn. The building is made to look like a barn, though it has never been used in that fashion. The owner describes the inn as being "modern rustic." The rooms are all decorated differently, though they all carry similar amenities. The Blue & White room has four windows on two sides, allowing more natural lighting during the day, and a closet bathtub. The owner mentions that one unit that is a more popular room is the Paisley Room. According to the owner, "It is one of the largest units and is decorated to be a more calm environment." There is also a sofa with a fireplace and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom. Some of the rooms have queen-sized beds, while others have king-sized beds that can be switched to two twin beds. Regardless of which unit a guest decides to reserve, they are able to attend the complimentary breakfast.
Breakfast is included with each reservation and is served each morning. The cooks have made dishes like scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, French toast, and more in the past. Breakfast is typically served in The Great Room on the inn's first floor. Mary, the owner, explains that accommodations can be made for people who have dietary restrictions, including diets like vegetarian, gluten-free, and others, as long as she is given enough time in advance to prepare the meal.
Inside the barn, besides the rooms, there is a common area on each floor. On the first floor, The Great Room can seat up to 50 people. There are a couple of smaller common areas on the second and third floors as well, and each floor has a beverage station. These rooms are often used for bridal parties and rehearsal dinners. A spa room allows guests the chance to receive a massage during their stay as well.
The outside of the property is an operating cattle ranch with multiple ponds. There are many natural trees and plants that grow on the grounds, as well as a number of gardens. Patrons are able to take a tour of the cattle ranch and see the longhorn cows, which are raised by the owner of Circle S Ranch & Country Inn and her daughters. The property owns 500 acres of land, which allows visitors the opportunity to try activities such as horseback riding and hiking along several walking trails. Fishing is another pastime that can be done on the property due to the fact that the ponds have a variety of fish in them. In the past, they have done paddleboard yoga on the ponds and intend to add more features to the bodies of water for guests to use.
The owner, Mary, likes to recommend that people travel to the downtown area of Lawrence, as there tends to be a variety of activities and sport-related things to do. She also enjoys telling people about some of the restaurants in the vicinity. 1866 Bar & Grill can be found in Tonganoxie and serves a number of different dishes. Another eatery she recommends is called Merchant's Pub and Plate, which tends to serve local food.
Mary, the owner of Circle S Ranch & Country Inn, wants her guests to feel like they are "at home, relaxed, and safe." She wants them to be able to find time for themselves and to be able to relax, especially after a big event like a wedding. There are also many opportunities for patrons to spend time outside, so she would like people to enjoy the outdoors while they are visiting but then be able to return to the inn and have the chance to get comfortable. To help accomplish these goals, the owner likes to interact with people, but she tries not to be overbearing towards them. According to her, "If guests want to talk, and I'm not busy, I'm happy to spend time with them, but I will respect their privacy if people want to be left alone."
When she goes over policies with patrons, the owner explains that they are "pretty flexible." Depending on the situation, they do not allow pets but can make certain exceptions. Smoking is permitted outside but not inside any of the buildings. Quiet time is at 10:00 PM, but it doesn't apply if the place is rented out by the same group. They allow all ages at the inn.
Circle S Ranch & Country Inn has a wedding venue that can host up to 200 people at a time. The chapel is across the parking lot from the inn and is where most of the indoor weddings are held, though when the weather is fair, the weddings tend to be held in the outdoor area. The business does not provide anything regarding the bride's dress or the wedding cake, though the owner mentions that she can sometimes help with organizing those things. The property can also do graduation parties, family reunions, and some corporate gatherings. Oftentimes people rent out all of the rooms in the house, especially during significant events. The inn does catering and has its own bar that can help provide food and drinks for get-togethers of many kinds.
According to the owner, the property is most known for its wedding venue and the "beauty and privacy of the business." One thing that people mention is how spacious the grounds are, as they are able to host up to 200 people at their wedding venue. One person wrote in a review, "We stayed in the Paisley room. The fireplace and jacuzzi combination was exactly what we needed to relax after a busy week of wedding preparations. The ranch doggies, Bailey and Oscar, were a welcome surprise. The event spaces are beautiful." The property is open year-round, and the best season of operation is usually during the fall, typically August through November. The typical demographic of visitors that arrive at the property tends to be couples and families. They have received many repeat guests and have had many come back annually.
Circle S Ranch & Country Inn has been in business for over 20 years, starting in 1998. The current owner is also the company's original owner, whose name is Mary, and runs it with her two daughters, Dakota and Arianna. They live on the grounds and operate the cattle ranch as well as the wedding venue and inn. They have horses, cats, dogs, a pig, a pony, and longhorns. Visitors can interact with most of these animals, depending on the time of year and availability.
While the business was opened in 1998, Mary's family had owned the property since 1860, when they first homesteaded in the area. Jacob and Elijah Jane were the first owners of the land, and it has been passed on through Mary's family ever since she obtained it. The land has been a cattle ranch the entire time, and it wasn't until 1998 that the inn and wedding venue was added to the grounds. The building with all of the rooms was built when Mary first established the business.
Mary explains that she wanted to share the ranch and enjoys making a living by trying to make people happy. Her favorite part about the business is "trying to build a positive environment, making the rooms comfortable, and putting the outdoor space to better use." She and her daughters also enjoy meeting people and getting to know them.
Mary has changed and refurbished a number of things and aspects of her business, and she plans on doing more. Recently, she finished putting in a new pond. She wants to create a new tack room in the future, and she would like to add a screened-in porch. Currently, there are three ponds that are under construction and set to be finished in the near future.
3325 Circle S Lane
Lawrence, Kansas 66044
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Mary Cronemeyer
