The Heart of the Village Inn is an adults-only, pet-free bed and breakfast located in Shelburne, Vermont. The Victorian-style home was originally built in 1886 and still holds much of its original historical value while having modern amenities. There are nine rooms available to reserve on the property. A custom-made breakfast is served daily upon guest's request. Rose and Anatoly, the owners of the inn, purchased the property in 2015 and live on the property to ensure they are within calling distance for any of the guest's needs. The bed and breakfast is open year-round with an increase of guests from May to October because of the many beer and cheese festivals in the area.
Located in the heart of Shelburne, Vermont, The Heart of the Village Inn is a two-story Victorian-style home. Shelburne is located south of the larger city of Wellington in the northwest corner of Vermont. Farmland and forest surround the small town. The property the inn lies on is around one acre in size with trees along its borders, and the grounds consist of a large garden and yard with shrubbery and flower beds throughout. A covered porch looks out onto the yard. The exterior of the home is a light green with many windows and original trim. Inside there are nine bedrooms available for reservation, a large living room, two breakfast rooms, a reading nook, and a loft with additional seating next to the fireplace.
Every room is decorated differently with bright paint and patterned wallpaper. Dark wood furnishings, white tiled bathrooms, and hand-made quilts fill each room. Every suite has individual air conditioning and heat, complimentary internet access, a television, memory foam mattresses, hypoallergenic bedding, and premium quality linens. Terry bathrobes are available in each room, and the bathrooms are each equipped with designer toiletries. Smoking and pets at the inn are prohibited, and the historic inn is not wheelchair-accessible. Housekeeping is not offered throughout the guest's stay, but cleaning is done in the rooms before and after the allotted time of a reservation. This gives guests increased privacy and gives the innkeepers more time to interact with their guests.
Rose and Anatoly are the owners and innkeepers of the property. Rose deals with most of the housekeeping while Anatoly cooks breakfast for the guests and does general house maintenance. The Heart of the Village Inn is one of the only inns in Shelburne that offers a complimentary individually prepared breakfast every morning. An extensive menu of savory items such as smoked salmon, crab cakes, bacon, eggs benedict, or sweeter options like cinnamon raisin French toast or blueberry pancakes, all served with locally sourced Vermont-made maple syrup, are available each morning. A section of their menu caters to vegetarian or vegan diets, and with early notice, gluten-free and dairy restrictions can be accommodated to as well.
The inn is located in the center of Shelburne, within walking distance of many restaurants, parks, and shops. Although the town is small, many travel from across Canada and from the United States during the summer and fall months to take part in the beer and cheese festivals that take place in the area every year. The Vanderbilt Family Home, also known as the Shelburne Farms, still stands today and offers tours that attract thousands of visitors every year.
The Shelburne Farms offer an upscale restaurant, horse-drawn carriage tours of the farm, and is home to the Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival. A local farmers market is open every Saturday, May to October, from nine in the morning till one in the afternoon, where visitors can purchase local goods. The cities of Burlington and Wellington are within an hour's drive and have many large attractions such as sailing on Lake Champlain and going on dog sled rides. Many guests at the bed and breakfast bring their own bikes that they take out on local trails to ride through the countryside.
The Heart of the Village Inn is described as a "historical oasis" with modern amenities. Rose and Anatoly, the innkeepers, want every guest who enters their inn to feel comfortable and relaxed. In their eyes, no guests should have worries regarding their stay. The innkeepers are dedicated to maintaining a professional business but also to building friendships with all of their guests. After spending years entertaining family and friends, the couple has experience in how to treat guests and works hard to treat everyone who passes through the Heart of the Village Inn like family. Because of this, there aren't many structured activities on the property provided; instead, the homelike atmosphere gives the guests the ability to go out and do what they want, whether on or off the property.
All of the policies and routines at the Heart of the Village Inn are consistent throughout each guest's stay. No housekeeping is offered during the guest's stay unless necessary. No pets are allowed on the property, and no shoes are allowed inside the home. These are essential policies put in place to help preserve the original flooring and antique furniture throughout the home. A detailed list of information concerning each guest's stay is sent to them before their visit so they are aware of the policies of the property and know what to expect during their stay.
Guests have left a variety of positive reviews at the Heart of the Village Inn. Most of them regarding the hospitable staff, the central location, and the one of kind breakfasts. "The house and room was warm, comfortable, and very clean. Breakfast was made to order and tasted great. I have some dietary restrictions and they were extremely accommodating. The hosts Rose and Anatoly were friendly," said a guest at the inn.
Anatoly, an owner of the property, says, "Breakfast is the longest word in bed and breakfast, so it should be the highlight of their experience." He takes great care in making sure a handmade full breakfast is offered to every guest each morning. A breakfast menu is sent out every night where guests can select what they would like to eat the following morning. Anatoly enjoys cooking for the guests and serving them in the dining areas where they can all mingle and get to know one another. The inn is open to adults only and is operational year-round; additionally, there is a significant increase in guests from May to October.
Rose and Anatoly are the current innkeepers of the Heart of the Village Inn. The couple is originally from Washington DC, where Anatoly worked in marketing and Rose worked in finance. After years of working corporate jobs, they decided to pursue their dream of becoming full-time innkeepers. Their home was always where friends and family gathered, and Anatoly has always had a passion for cooking. It took three years for the couple to come across the Heart of the Village Inn after staying in the Shelbourne area.
Rose and Anatoly are the fifth owners of the property, purchasing the property in 2015. The couple reside at the inn and take care of the guests themselves. Having space for themselves to live on the property was essential to them when purchasing the bed and breakfast because they wanted to be able to interact with their guests often, including the daily routines of making them breakfast and visiting with them. The couple doesn't look at being innkeepers as a job but as a lifestyle and they enjoy it and all the people they get to connect with along the way.
The inn was originally built as a home for Cyrus Van Vliet in 1886. As one of the first homes in the area with a flush toilet and two sinks in the house, it was elaborate for its day. After forty years, the home was sold to a doctor and his family, where they started an antique shop in the property's carriage house. Many renovations were made in 1996, so the property could be converted into a bed and breakfast. When Rose and Anatoly purchased the property, they worked to add a modern touch to the historic inn. The couple hopes to continue running the inn far into their retirement years. Additional activities to do on the property and more dishes on the breakfast menu are other amenities the couple hope to offer in the coming years.
5347 Shelburne Road
Shelburne, Vermont 5482
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Rose & Anatoly
