Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast is located in Red Wing, Minnesota, which is found near the edge of the Mississippi River and the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The property has five suites that are available year-round and a wedding venue where guests can get married. Packages are available on their website to be added for events like weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. Many people who come to the property are usually celebrating an anniversary, honeymoon, or marriage. The Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast is named after the round barn that is found on the grounds, which is one place where events and activities can be held. According to the owner, it is a historical building that has been around for over 100 years, and there are less than 50 similar buildings in the area.
Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast has a total of five suites available for guests to reserve. They are uniquely named and decorated, though, according to the owner, they all follow the same "Victorian" theme. The rooms are called Willow Suite, Hearts and Flowers Suite, Cycling Suite, Spinning Suite, and Quilted Bird Suite. The owner mentions that the most popular room is the Willow Suite, which is the largest room and has a hanging swing and a fireplace. Each room has a two-person jacuzzi tub and either a gas fireplace or a gas Franklin stove. They all have a private bathroom, tables, chairs, and access to Wi-Fi. Additionally, breakfast is provided free of charge each morning.
Breakfast is served every morning at 9:00 AM and typically consists of a three-course meal. The main dish changes each day so that guests do not eat the same thing every day. Accommodations can be made for people who are on specific diets, including gluten-free, vegetarian, food allergies, and more.
Visitors can add one of two packages to their reservation, a single-day package or a two-day package. The single-day package covers a one-day event, while the two-day package covers a one-night stay and an event. Both deals do not have many specifications, as the owners can do various events, so they are encouraged to call or message the owners to work out the finer details of the events.
Also located in the building, besides the suites, is a dining room and kitchen, which are both found on the first floor of the bed and breakfast. The dining room has a larger fireplace that is lit during the winter season to help keep the interior warmer. The round barn is a separate historical building that is over 100 years old. Tours are sometimes available for those who would like to learn about the history of the grounds and the round barn, but the owners also have activities and events in the building. In the past, they have had weddings, other celebrations, and yoga retreats inside the barn. Outside on the grounds is a swing in the side yard attached to an oak tree. There is also a gazebo and several gardens of flowers found across the land. Hiking and walking trails are located on the bluff behind the buildings, and several yard games are available.
The area surrounding Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast is rural, as the establishment is found on the edge of the town. The Mississippi River runs nearby, and while it can't be seen from the property, it is within a short walking distance. Lake Pepin is another body of water that can be found in the vicinity. The lake and the river can provide people with fishing opportunities and walking trails; during the winter, there are also places for cross-country skiing. The owner, Kirk, mentions that there are a variety of local, family-owned restaurants, pubs, and breweries in the towns and he is open to guests asking him for information on some of his personal favorite places to eat.
Kirk and Wendy, the current owners of Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast, would like their guests to "feel like they are getting a great value and that it is an awesome surprise when they show up." Kirk mentions that offering all of the amenities that they currently do helps fulfill people's expectations of the business and that it helps them achieve their goals. They interact with their guests as often as the guests would like. He and his wife, Wendy, often greet patrons at check-in and sit with them at breakfast, but otherwise, the owners try not to bother them unless the visitors have questions or would like to talk.
One thing that the property is most known for is its capability to host more significant events, typically weddings. The business has also done celebrations for small groups, family reunions, birthdays, and corporate events. In the past, guests have rented out the entire house for holidays like Christmas, bringing their family to celebrate the occasion. To organize such circumstances, guests will work with the owners, and the owners will help prepare the property for the event they have in mind. The maximum capacity visitors can have at these events is 299 people.
Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast allows children of 12 years and older at the bed and breakfast, with no age limit attached to guests holding an event at the venue. In compliance with the Minnesota laws, smoking is not permitted inside any of the buildings, but it can be done outside. The property is unable to accommodate pets. There are no official quiet hours, as the events take place later in the evening and are usually separate from the bed and breakfast, so the owners ask that guests keep the noise down as it gets later in the evening.
Visitors that have spent time at the establishment in the past have sometimes left reviews of their experiences. A few aspects that are mentioned in a number of these reviews include breakfast and the quality of care that the owners put into the buildings. One person who recently stayed at the bed and breakfast wrote, "We stayed in the willow room and loved it, and the whole house is wonderful. We had fun exploring the barn and learning about its history. The owners made sure we felt welcomed and at ease, and they were knowledgeable about dining and activities in the area."
Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast has been in business since 2002, though the current owners purchased the establishment in 2017. The previous owners (who are also the original owners of the bed and breakfast) were Robin and Elaine Klefman.
The current owners, Kirk and Wendy Stensrud, were led into the industry because they were guests at the establishment before they took ownership of the business. Kirk explains that they had come to Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast as visitors on their anniversary. At the time, Robin and Elaine were looking to sell the business and retire. Kirk and Wendy decided that they liked the establishment and ended up purchasing the bed and breakfast.
Kirk explains, "Visitors had done weddings and other celebrations in the past, but they were more of a do-it-yourself event." Since they became the owners, Kirk and Wendy went about putting more emphasis on the venue and bringing more focus to events, particularly weddings. They added more features to the round barn and made it possible to hold more significant events during the months of May through October.
Other changes have been made over the years, and various grounds and buildings have been added. The parking lot was made larger to accommodate enough vehicles to have over 200 people. Bathrooms were present before Kirk and Wendy purchased the business, but they added more permanent bathrooms a couple of years ago, and they added fire pits at the ceremony site. Their plans for the future include maintaining the business and continuing to run the wedding venue.
The owners explain that they enjoy meeting the guests and having conversations with them during breakfast. Kirk mentions that he likes to hear his visitors' stories and learn more about where they're from and, if they are at the Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast for an event, what they are celebrating.
The round barn itself was built around 1914 and is on the National Historic Registry. According to the owner, "There are about 48 round barns that remain in Minnesota, and only about eight or nine of those are structurally sound." The bed and breakfast was built as a dairy barn just before 2002, and In the 1970s and 1980s, a family used the site to create honey products with numerous hives of honeybees.
28650 Wildwood Lane
Red Wing, Minnesota 55066
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Kirk and Wendy Stensrud
Robin and Elaine Klefman
