The Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast is currently owned and operated by Sheri Gronert, offering four available guestrooms to visitors since the year 2018. The establishment is designed to have a vintage style, with several antiques that decorate the interior. A number of on-site activities, including board games, books, and a pool table, are provided for guests during their stay, as well as several common areas where occupants can lounge. Breakfast is available each morning to patrons, with some of the options being homemade waffles, baked goods, and quiches. Outside the borders of the premises are several lakes that tend to draw numerous tourists annually. An event that is held nearby, known as the Renaissance Fair, also receives many visitors.
The Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast covers an expanse of about half of an acre in the northern region of Illinois. The owner of Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast, Sheri Gronert, describes the character of the property to have a "vintage eclectic" style, considering that a number of antiques and similar items can be found throughout the bed and breakfast. A total of four rooms are available for guests to reserve, three of which share a restroom, while the other guestroom features an ensuite bathroom. The Harbor Suite is the largest room, as it contains a king-sized bed, as well as an electric fireplace and an ensuite bathroom. Two twin beds can be found inside the Geranium Room, in addition to a private deck. Jessica's Room, in particular, contains a queen-sized bed and sitting area with a desk. Free Wi-Fi is available to guests during their stay, and it should be noted that phone chargers are supplied in each of the guestrooms. Upon arrival, guests are given baked cookies and water in their rooms.
Some of the common areas where guests can lounge include the enclosed front porch with a table, the living room where patrons can watch TV or movies, the billiard room with a piano, the dining room where breakfast is served, the firepit with seating, and the two-level deck at the back of the building. The backyard is home to a fair amount of flower patches, as well as bird houses that tend to attract sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, and hummingbirds. One unique aspect of the porch area is a record player, which also functions as a radio. For those who are hoping to engage in on-site activities during their time at the bed and breakfast, visitors can utilize the provided board games, books, and the pool table in the billiard room.
Breakfast is served to patrons each morning between 7:30 and 9:00 AM in the dining room. The owner, Sheri, asks guests beforehand if they would prefer to have their breakfast closer to 7:30 or 9:00 and then adapts accordingly. With regards to dietary restrictions, Sheri can accommodate diets including keto, gluten-free, or vegan, among others; however, visitors must let the owner know about such dietary restrictions in advance. A few of the options that guests may expect to eat for breakfast are namely quiches with potatoes on the side, a meat dish, baked goods, homemade waffles, or bacon. Sheri tries to alternate meals each day; for example, if patrons were served a savory meal the previous day, then she may make a sweet meal the next day.
Located nearly a block from the downtown area, the Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast is among an abundance of lakes that typically draw in several tourists each year, especially those who take interest in outdoor recreation. Biking and hiking are also activities that patrons can engage in outside the borders of the property. Sheri comments that there is a nearby movie theater and live theater that guests can visit as well. Festivals are held in the encompassing area, namely the Country Thunder and the Renaissance Fair, which is a medieval-themed park where people frequently dress up in apparel that is designed to resemble earlier time period styles. Visitors may also find several restaurants in the town. Three places that Sheri recommends her guests eat at are Oliverii North, Casa Ruiz, and Station 51.
Interactions occur often between the owner, Sheri, and her guests. Sheri remarks that she wants her guests to feel "comfortable and relaxed" during their time at the bed and breakfast. In an attempt to allow her guests to have such an experience, she provides books, board games, and other on-site things for patrons to do. The property also occasionally hosts tea parties in the living room area that contains a tree stand, which holds various types of hats for the tea parties. During this miniature event, Sheri makes scones, finger sandwiches, baked goods, and tea to add to the experience. Sheri mentions that she has hosted a tea party for book clubs, gardening clubs, and The Red Hat Society. Several previous guests have also held birthday parties at the Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast.
A few notable guidelines are in place at the property, which guests are expected to act in accordance with during their stay. Quiet hours typically begin at 10:00 PM, however, Sheri remarks that if patrons are having fun together past 10:00 PM, then she makes the exception to allow them to enjoy their time together, provided that they are respectful of other guests staying at the bed and breakfast. Smoking is prohibited on the premises, and pets are not permitted to stay with visitors. Patrons can drink alcohol, but "unruly behavior" is unacceptable at the Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast, and such indecency may be halted by the owner.
As the business is open year-round, the bed and breakfast's busiest season generally occurs during the summer due to family reunions, weddings, nearby festivals, concerts, and other draws in the surrounding area. Sheri remarks that the property's website has aided the success of the business as well. The majority of those who have stayed at the property discovered the Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast through word-of-mouth and social media.
A considerable number of previous occupants of the guestrooms have commented in guest reviews about the breakfast and the beds at the property. One particular visitor said, "We were offered several varieties of tea, along with savory and sweet nibbles on vintage china. The house is decorated with lovely vintage furniture and photos. The upstairs bedrooms look so warm and cozy, with quilts and fluffy pillows."
The Dragonfly Bed and Breakfast has been in business since the year 2018. The building had been utilized as a home for Sheri Gronert, the owner, and her husband. Upon the passing of Sheri's husband, she considered what to make of the home. Sheri and her husband had traveled to various bed and breakfasts in the past, and such experiences ultimately led her to convert her home into a bed and breakfast. Some of the changes made to the property include standard maintenance such as plumbing upgrades, the addition of tin ceilings, and a new paint job. Regarding future goals for the establishment, Sheri hopes to continue to stay in business for years to come.
One of Sheri's favorite parts of her job as the owner is meeting those who stay at the bed and breakfast and hearing their stories. She remarks that there are "a lot of commonalities" between her and her patrons. "Not just me connecting with them, but also the guests connecting with each other," she further explains.
1034 Main Street
Antioch, Illinois 60002
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Sheri Gronert
