The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center is situated in Richmond, Kentucky’s rural countryside area. The property is a certified wildlife habitat, built on a working thirty-acre goat farm, complete with walking trails, flowers, trees, meadows, two waterfalls, and Otter Creek. It gets its name from the great blue heron birds that live in Otter Creek. During the spring, patrons of the property can play with and feed the baby goats and even participate in "goat yoga." The B&B also hosts various retreats and events include a spiritual retreat for people of all faith led by Lisa Maas, a certified spiritual director. There are three guest accommodations on-site: the Meadow Room, the Otter Creek Room, and the Heron’s Nest Suite (ADA-accessible). Guests can also visit any of the house’s common areas, such as the Library, the Sun Room, and the Living Room. There is a home-cooked breakfast meal served each morning and a freshly baked dessert offered each evening.
The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center is located in the rural area of Richmond, Kentucky. More specifically, it is located on a thirty-acre goat farm. The property grounds have numerous places and trails that guests can explore, including two waterfalls and Otter Creek. The B&B’s namesake comes from the great blue herons that live in Otter Creek. Throughout the year and especially in the spring months, patrons of The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast can enjoy seeing much wildlife in the form of birds and other animals, an abundance of flowers, and the baby goats—born May and June of each year. During this spring season, when the baby goats are being raised, guests are allowed to play with them, hold them, and bottle feed them. Sometimes the farm even hosts "goat yoga," an instructed yoga class where participants do yoga poses as baby goats play in between and around them.
Beyond the property grounds, guests staying at the property are free to explore an abundance of areas in the main house as well. There is the front porch and a back deck with chairs and tables that guests can sit on while enjoying the views of the surrounding property. Past the entrance is the Living Room which is furnished with couches, lounging chairs, a big-screen TV, and a fireplace. There is the Sun Room, which can seat six people for dining and is where breakfast is served each morning. It has views overlooking the hillside and pastures outside. The Library is a more spacious room with bookshelves stocked with an abundance of books guests can pick and read at their leisure. And finally, there is the Conference Room, which has seating and tables to host groups of 16-20 people at a time. This room is used for the various events and retreats that are often hosted on the property. Parking is free and accessible on the property in front of the barn, and there is even RV parking available should patrons of the B&B need it.
The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center has three guest accommodations available for guests to reserve and stay in. These rooms are named the Heron’s Nest Suite, the Meadow Room, and the Otter Room. The latter two of these three rooms are on the second floor of the main house, while the Heron’s Nest Suite is located in its own separate space with a private entrance. The Suite is also the only ADA-accessible room on the property. All of the rooms share similar amenities, such as air conditioning, a private bathroom with a bathtub and a shower, “luxury linens and Turkish towels,” and an alarm clock CD player. They are also each furnished with chairs, couches, and a desk. The Meadow Room has two double beds and can sleep up to four people at a time, while the Otter Creek Room has one full bed and a twin bed, allowing it to sleep up to three people.
The Heron’s Nest Suite shares the same amenities as the other two rooms but has some features that set it apart as a suite. It has two queen beds living room area with a sizeable three-person couch, among other furnishings—including an additional queen-sized sleeper sofa allowing up to six guests to stay here. It also has a full-sized kitchen complete with cookware and dishware, allowing patrons of this room to cook at their leisure. The bathroom has a jacuzzi tub in addition to a standing shower. Beyond these features, it also has a private deck living area that overlooks the farm. This unit is the only unit that allows children. It should be noted that the B&B does not allow pets to come and stay, and guests are not allowed to smoke inside the main house or in any of the rooms—though they can smoke outside.
Breakfast at The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center is served sometime between 8:30 and 9 o’clock each morning and is offered to every guest staying at the property. It is a home-cooked meal and consists primarily of local products and produce, including from their own farm and garden. Beyond breakfast, the hosts of the B&B serve a complimentary, freshly cooked dessert in the evenings at around 7 or 8 o’clock.
There is a small store on-site that guests can purchase various local goods from. These products include cookbooks, handwoven rugs, notecards, photography, notecards, goat item gifts, hand-painted vases, and some “Kentucky Proud” products. The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center is also a Shaklee independent distributor, providing their “all-natural supplements and green cleaning products.” In addition to this, there is an on-site massage therapist that guests can book a massage with ahead of their stay, as well as various other “packages” listed on their website.
Beyond spending time on the property, there is a comprehensive list of activities and attractions in the nearby area on the Blue Heron's website. Chief among these activities are various tourist places and horse-related activities. These tourist places include local farms such as Horse Farm, Blue Grass, and See the Champions, as well as wineries like Christian Mill Winery and Jean Farris Winery. Other options are available too, such as distilleries, arts and crafts locations, and historical sites. Finally, guests can ride horses at the Deer Run Stables and watch horse races at the Kentucky Horse Park, the Keeneland Racetrack, and the Red Mile Racetrack.
The Bull and Gibson Bay are two golf courses in Richmond. People looking for marine-related activities might visit Lake Reba or Boonesborough State Park. The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center grounds have been certified as a wildlife habitat. Other nature reserves and trails nearby include the Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, the Kentucky River Palisades, the Red River Gorge, and the Natural Bridge State Park. The EKU Center for the Arts, the Lexington Opera House, and the Pioneer Playhouse offer music and theatre.
Beyond eating at The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center itself, which does offer specially ordered meals, guests can dine at a number of restaurants nearby. Three of these, recommended by the owner, include Halls on the River, the Boone Tavern at Barea College for "fine dining," and Hangers Steakhouse.
One of the property owners describes The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center as being "a peaceful place." She and her staff hope to provide guests with a setting that is “unique.” The property’s location is perhaps one of the primary things that creates this peaceful environment. In rural Madison County, Kentucky, it is at the end of a country road. The property’s grounds are also meant to be peaceful and have been certified as a wildlife habitat. Complete with walking trails that roam past the farm, Otter Creek, the flowers and trees, and the two waterfalls, many guests staying at the B&B take the time to explore the premises and spend time with the animals on the farm. Holding, bottle feeding, playing, and participating in "goat yoga" with the baby goats is one of the property’s most popular pastimes amongst its visitors and something it is known for. The owner mentions that “the peacefulness of the property is something that impresses many guests.” One person who stayed at the B&B said in a review, “We appreciate the care and attention you gave to making our stay a joyful one. We loved meeting and feeding the goats and walking to the Otter Creek and photographing the flowers and the beauty surrounding the Blue Heron.”
The owner also mentions that she and her staff have a goal “to exceed folk’s expectations” as they stay with them. They try to do this in many ways. For instance, when cooking breakfast, they always create home-cooked meals and give their guests Kentucky’s “many southern comfort foods.” They then offer a complimentary dessert each evening to their patrons. One guest, speaking in regards to the food served at the B&B, said in a review, “The owners of the B&B are gracious and friendly. They fed us a bountiful country breakfast and lunch, including homemade breads, and when we thought we could never eat again, they showed up with an amazing pumpkin dessert.”
Another way they try to exceed guests’ expectations is through their service. The owner talks about how she and her staff strive to treat their patrons how they would like to be treated as consumers. Each morning they text guests arriving that day, letting them know that the property is in a rural place, where to park, and other things they might need to know. They also recommend that visitors get their last meal at a local restaurant before driving out into the country to get to the B&B. During guests’ stay, the property staff always tries to show them a friendly face and accommodate any needs they may have. One visitor’s review reads, “The Blue Heron hosts are what I cherish the most from that week, they made me feel welcome and comfortable.” Another review says, “The owners are so kind, great breakfasts and evening treats. The property is beautiful and peaceful."
One thing that makes The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center unique is that it offers and hosts several different retreats and events on its property. Among the more popular of these options are the spiritual retreats. Led by Lisa Gammal Maas, a local certified spiritual director, these retreats are meant to help people “savor and respond to the Divine by exploring their own creativity.” These spiritual retreats are interfaith, meaning anybody can come and participate regardless of their religious beliefs. A couple of reviews from people who came to one of these events read, “The meeting area was comfortable, well-decorated and spotless. The view out of the windows is amazing: barns, fields, trees, grazing goats, flowers;” and, “I left feeling satisfied both physically and spiritually.”
Due to the relatively unique location, features, and retreats that The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center has and offers, they have received visitors from all over the world. According to the owner, they have had guests from as far away as South Africa. Groups of people coming for events are also varied, such as quilting groups, friend groups, family groups, and personal retreats. The property is near interstate 75, so it attracts many people traveling through Kentucky on the way to other destinations.
The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center is relatively new. The building it is situated in was built in the year 1996 and has only had two owners. The current proprietors purchased the home from the people who constructed the house in 2001. At the time of this purchase, parts of it were still left unfinished, including the separate building The Heron’s Nest Suite is located in. However, despite it being incomplete, one of the B&B owners mentions that the home seemed to be conveniently built after the manner of a bed and breakfast. Both of the bedrooms upstairs—now serving as the Meadow Room and the Otter Creek Room—had private bathrooms attached. This made finishing the home relatively easy as they didn’t have to make any renovations, only finish constructing the unfinished spaces. After completing the house and the attached suite, they opened for business as The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center.
One of the current owners of The Blue Heron B&B talks about how she grew up with grandparents who owned an inn in an old Victorian home. She also mentions how she has always loved “entertaining guests” and “having folks in.” Because of this personal history and her love of hosting people, she eventually decided she wanted to open and operate a bed and breakfast and an event center herself. After doing some research, she found the property that suited her desires best and purchased what is now The Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast and Retreat Center.
270 East Prong Rd
Richmond, Kentucky
United States
Bed and Breakfast
