Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast is located in the Victorian-era town of Eureka Springs in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. The inn offers a total of eight rental accommodations, each with direct outdoor access and reserved free parking. There are two stand-alone cottages, and there are two suites are in a separate building, while the remaining four units are located by the outdoor deck and gazebo. All of the units feature king-sized beds, private bathrooms, microwaves, a mini fridge, and two-person jetted tubs. Most units also have fireplaces. Each guest receives a complimentary breakfast and an afternoon dessert delivered to their room. Breakfast items are served in 100% eco-friendly biodegradable containers to assure the safety and health of guests and the natural environment. The business is open year-round to visitors, with the busiest months generally being September and October. There are a variety of events and activities hosted by Eureka Springs, and there are also a variety of lakes and mountains in the area that can be enjoyed by guests.
The Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast offers a total of eight units. Six of them are suits, while the other two are stand-alone cottages, meaning they don’t have any other guestrooms in the building. The suites are located among two buildings, one structure having two of the suites while the other has the remaining four. All of the units are styled similarly and offer the same amenities such as king-sized beds, two-person jetted tubs, a microwave, a mini fridge, and breakfast delivered to the rooms each morning. Each unit opens up into the outdoors with a private deck and also has parking in front of the rooms. Five of the eight accommodations have fireplaces, while all of them have heat and air units. Additional amenities offered during a stay at the Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast include WiFi and DVD players with access to a DVD library. “Add-ons” are available to each guest at the bed and breakfast, such as chocolate-covered strawberries, couple or single massages, and charcuterie boards.
As aforementioned, breakfast is delivered each day to the individual rooms at the time arranged the previous day with the staff. The meal includes homemade foods wrapped in to-go packaging and placed in baskets. Specific items served may consist of either a savory or main dish, fruit, and orange juice. If notified ahead of time, the bed and breakfast is willing to accommodate dietary needs and restrictions. Each room has a dining area that guests can utilize to eat breakfast if desired and the dining rooms also have dishes for visitors to use as well. In addition to the morning breakfast, the property offers complimentary desserts in the afternoon.
There is a little over 10 acres of land that the business owns. However, Shira, one of the owners, says they currently only utilize about two of those acres. One particular feature of the two acres of land, which is used for the bed and breakfast, includes a pond stocked with goldfish. The remaining eight acres of land are relatively wooded and have a few drop-offs since they are located in the mountains. Shira reports that guests can occasionally see wildlife roaming through the tree line on their property. Besides the tree line, there are no particular views of the surrounding area except for during the wintertime when the foliage falls during the changing seasons. Shira says that visitors primarily come to enjoy the outdoors and often utilize the outdoor sitting areas.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is located in the Ozark Mountains. Southern Living rated the town as #5 on the “South’s Best Mountain Towns” list for 2022. USA Today rated it #5 on its 2021 “Best Small Town Arts Scene” list. The Eureka Springs historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places. The town features Victorian-era architecture and winding streets with boutique shops featuring handmade art, jewelry, and pottery. The atmosphere is reported to be casual, with European influence.
Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast is open year-round to guests. “We are the destination for celebrations,” remarks Shira, “since the property does not close down even on major holidays. September and October are generally our busiest months of the year, but Eureka Springs is nationally known for festivities hosted throughout the year, such as the Antique Automobile, Corvette, and Bikes, Blues & BBQ weekends; a variety of music and arts festivals; parades; and pride weekends. In addition to year-round ghost and haunted underground tours, there is a fantastic Halloween zombie crawl. Other not-to-be-missed attractions are the Great Passion Play, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Thorncrown Chapel, the annual War Eagle Crafts Fair, and Ozark Mountain Hoedown Music Theatre. Among the many casual and fine dining venues are Thai House, Local Flavor Cafe, Ermilio’s Italian Home Cooking, and the Grotto Wood-Fired Grill and Wine Cave. The summer and winter hiking and biking trails offer enjoyment and adventure in the unsurpassed natural beauty of the surrounding lakes, caves, and springs.”
The Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast has been in operation for the past 30 years. Shawn and Shira have been its owners for the past three years. After Shawn retired from the army in 2018, they thought it would be fun to open a bed and breakfast. “The change has entailed a lot of learning about the lodging industry,” Shira says, “but it has been a surprisingly good fit for us. It’s really wonderful. We wake up grateful to be in this place, doing this, every single day.”
Overall, she says that their favorite part of the job is being able to “make people’s stay a pleasure, to surprise guests by anticipating their needs and providing spotless accommodations and unexpected comforts. We want guests to feel like they are "at home away from home" when staying with us at Evening Shade Inn Bed and Breakfast.” Although located just a mile and a half from the historic downtown, Evening Shade Inn is surrounded by woods so guests frequently mention the sense of peace and seclusion they feel when returning after a day of activities, adding to that “home away from home” feel.
“We strive to be the destination that we would want to stay in, particularly with respect to freshness and cleanliness,” says Shira. It’s an aspect of the business they are generally known for among visitors. As one guest commented, “Everything was perfect. The room was impeccably clean, very spacious, and cozy. All of the food served was delicious. The owners think of every little detail and really make you feel welcomed.”
“Although this property was in very good condition when we purchased it,” Shira says, “we’ve added enhancements for the safety and comfort of our guests: replacement of all lighting, illuminating the trees and signs, improved bedding, new mattresses, and additional furniture pieces and decorative touches. Future plans include adding solar panels, new gutters, reroofing, and continuing to be as earth-friendly as possible.” Shira and Shawn have made a conscious effort to eliminate as much plastic waste as possible by using dispensers for soaps and shampoos instead of small individual containers, wrapping breakfast and the afternoon dessert in compostable packaging, and adding a recycling bin to each unit for guest use.
Smoking is not permitted inside the buildings but is allowed on outside decks and grounds. The inn is for adults only and does not accommodate children under 13 years of age or pets. Shira reports that the typical demographic of visitors tends to be couples who come for a romantic getaway or for the enjoyment of the surrounding area. “We do like and appreciate diversity,” Shira says. “We welcome it.”
Evening Shade Inn has hosted weddings in the gazebo and anniversaries, family get-togethers, and reunions. “There aren’t packages available for any of these events,” Shira explains, “but the inn is certainly willing to offer the premises as a venue.”
3079 East Van Buren
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Shawn and Shira
