Liberty House Bed and Breakfast is presently owned and operated by William and Irene Unterborn, who originally converted the establishment into a bed and breakfast business. A total of three guestrooms are available for visitors to reserve, all of which are air-conditioned with cable TV and free WiFi. The property is situated among several local museums and historic sites in the town of Palmyra, New York. William and Irene often receive those who are members of the LDS church, and as such, the owners suggest nearby sites that pertain to the church's historical significance, such as the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center, the Martin Harris Farm, and the Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site (Grandin Building). Beyond the town's historic properties, another popular attraction is the Finger Lakes wine region where people can engage in water sports or explore the breweries.
Located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Liberty House Bed and Breakfast is a Victorian home that offers three guestrooms for visitors to occupy. Two of the accommodations are found on the second level of the two-story establishment, while the other room is found on the main level. In addition to the guestrooms, patrons also have access to a number of common areas over the course of their stay. A double parlor with a dining area and living room space is one such common area for people to lounge in at their leisure. Moreover, the front of the building has a wrap-around porch with rocking chairs that visitors may utilize. One of the owners, William, describes both the interior and exterior of the bed and breakfast as having a vintage appearance, on account of the architecture itself as well as the antiques that adorn the home.
With regard to the amenities in each accommodation, the room on the main level has its own private bathroom, while the second-floor guestrooms share a bathroom that is located across the hall. William observes that the first-floor room tends to be the most popular among guests, due to its private bathroom. The size of beds varies from room to room, as the accommodation on the first floor supplies a queen bed and a twin bed. Concerning the rooms on the second level, one of them has a full bed and twin bed, and the other is only equipped with a queen bed.
Every morning, guests are provided a breakfast that begins with muffins and seasonal fruit; then, visitors are given the option to be served either a sweet or savory dish that may range from french toast to pancakes to egg dishes and frittatas. "We try to mix it up for people," William explains. The owner notes that they ask about any dietary restrictions or food allergies during the booking process, and they ask a second time upon patrons' arrival to verify. When school is in session—generally from September to the end of June—breakfast is served around 7:30 a.m. on weekdays, though during the summer, William mentions that they can be more flexible when designating the time that visitors want to eat in the morning. Typically, breakfast is served in the dining room area.
The property encompasses less than an acre of land in the town of Palmyra. Grassy yard space surrounds the bed and breakfast, and a star magnolia tree characterizes the front of the premises. For those who want to relax outside the house, William says that there is a "screened-in portion" on the side of the building that patrons can use.
According to William, Liberty House Bed and Breakfast's location along the state route of Highway 31 facilitates access to a considerable number of attractions, as downtown Rochester is about a 30-minute drive from the property. Another notable site is the Finger Lakes wine region, situated in reasonably close proximity to the bed and breakfast. The Finger Lakes wine region serves as a fairly prominent attraction, as a relatively high quantity of tourists are drawn to the wineries, breweries, and water sports that the region has to offer.
William and Irene, the owners of Liberty House Bed and Breakfast, report that nearly 75% of their guests are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who are visiting the area to tour the LDS church sites. The remaining percentage is constituted by either locals or cyclists of the Erie Canal trail, as mentioned by William. The owners have noticed that a number of patrons return to the bed and breakfast each year, and William says that word of mouth is the primary method of advertisement for the property. Liberty House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round, with the busiest season of operation most commonly occurring during the months of September and October because of the leaves changing color.
In view of the bed and breakfast's predominant demographic being members of the LDS church, William and Irene often direct their visitors to the nearby LDS sites, namely the Book of Mormon Publication Site (Grandin Building), the Hill Cumorah, Martin Harris Farm, Alvin Smith Grave Site, and the Sacred Grove, among several others. The website of Liberty House Bed and Breakfast states, "Palmyra is one of the oldest towns in the Finger Lakes region of Western New York state." Thus, four museums that regard the historical significance of Palmyra are established in the town.
The owners of the establishment have the goal of helping people feel "like they're staying with family" at Liberty House Bed and Breakfast. As William's wife, Irene, is the town clerk, he says that this allows them to be more aware of the various events that take place in Palmyra, which they make an effort to notify people about. Most interaction that the owners have with their guests happens during breakfast, though William says that visitors tend to be gone for the majority of the day. One former patron who was seemingly pleased with their experience at Liberty House Bed and Breakfast commented in a review, saying, "Irene and Bill are warm, welcoming, kind, and accommodating. The breakfasts they serve are delicious."
A few policies are implemented at Liberty House Bed and Breakfast, which visitors are expected to abide by during their stay. Smoking is prohibited inside the bed and breakfast and on the grounds of the property. Moreover, pets are not allowed to accompany patrons at the home, out of consideration for future guests who may have allergies. In terms of nightly quiet hours, William explains that because people generally keep noise to a minimum at night, he and Irene have not felt the need to enforce quiet hours. Lastly, it should be noted that there is no age restriction for those who come to stay at Liberty House Bed and Breakfast.
The building that is now currently known as Liberty House Bed and Breakfast was initially built in the 1840s as the parsonage house for the Baptist church. Prior to this, in 1812 there was a blacksmith's shop on the property. Around the 1870s, the establishment was purchased by a railroad executive who added the wrap-around porch to the front of the structure. According to William, one of the current owners, the "oldest surviving veteran of the Spanish-American war lived at the house" in the 20th century. This veteran's name was George Cadwallader, and he eventually became president of the village of Palmyra, as stated on Liberty House Bed and Breakfast's website.
It wasn't until the year 1998 that the property was converted into a bed and breakfast by the current owners, Irene and William Unterborn. The couple was led into the hospitality industry when Irene decided that she wanted a job that would allow her to remain at home as they raise their family. Since gaining ownership over the bed and breakfast, William and Irene have added an alarm system to the home for further safety measures. Overall, William notes that he and Irene have mainly done some furnishing and general upkeep for the building throughout the years of owning the business. The couple has come to find that their favorite part of the job is "meeting people from all over the world."
131 West Main Street
Palmyra, New York 14522
United States
Victorian
William and Irene Unterborn
