Located in Coventry, Connecticut is The Daniel Rust House Bed and Breakfast. Built in the 1700s, the property has four rooms available year-round for guests. Three of the rooms are located on the second story of the home, and the fourth room is adjacent to the home and has a private entrance. The Maybell Cottage was converted from its original use as a chicken coop into a "studio-type" guest room with a kitchenette, a king bed that can be converted into two twin beds if needed, and a television. All of the rooms are named after people connected to the history of the home, mainly members of the family that formerly lived in the home, with the exception of Mary Rose that was named after the first innkeeper of the property. The business is located two hours from New York and an hour and a half from Boston, Massachusetts.
The Daniel Rust House Bed and Breakfast is located in Coventry, Connecticut. The property is approximately two hours from New York and an hour and a half from Boston. Originally built in the 1700s, the historic building has original flooring, chimneys, mantles, and structural beams in the kitchen area. The inside of the inn is decorated in the hopes of fitting with the style that was popular when the home was originally built. There are antiques that date back to the same time period as the building, and Cathy, one of the owners, describes the decor as "true to character," of the time period. The bed and breakfast has four rooms available year-round for guests. Three of the rooms are located inside of the main house, with the fourth being in an attached cottage that was originally used as a chicken coop in the 1700s. Maybell's Cottage has a kitchenette, a television, a private entrance, and a king bed that can be converted into two separate twin beds if necessary. The room was named after the youngest child of the Rust family, the namesake of the establishment. All four of the rooms have ties to the history of the building, with the Mercy Room being named after the eldest of the Rust daughters, the Mary Rose named after the original innkeeper, and the Anna White room is named after the wife of Daniel Rust. All rooms come with air conditioning, private bathrooms, and hairdryers.
The innkeepers, Germaine and Cathy, describe the bed and breakfast as a "New England colonial bed and breakfast," due to the antiques and original features of the house that date back to when it was first constructed. There are multiple common areas both inside and out on the grounds of the establishment, such as the dining room, the keeping room, the carriage room, and the stone room at the entrance. The keeping room, also known as the living room, has a chimney that is lit at various times of the year, and seating for guests. The carriage room has a television as well as seating and is an area where visitors who bring pets to the bed and breakfast can play with them without worrying about delicate antiques.
The exterior of the property features two acres of landscaping around the perimeter of the building. There are multiple gardens on the grounds such as a herb garden, the St. Francis garden, and the Colonial Garden. Each garden features different types of plant life, such as plants that were historically grown in the area, herbs, and flowers. A covered porch allows patrons the opportunity to sit in the mornings and drink coffee or tea while they wake up. Adirondack chairs can be found on the grounds near a relatively small orchard with apple trees. The owners report that many birds can be seen in the backyard including hummingbirds, orioles, bald eagles, Herron, and hawks.
Cathy says that "we are all about the breakfast part of the bed and breakfast." The innkeepers say that one of the most notable parts of the business is the breakfast that is served each morning between 8:30 and 9:30 AM in the dining room. Some common meals consist of toasted poundcake with poached pears, cold mango soup, New England bread in a can, omelets, souffle, or some of the innkeeper's creations. The owners strive to accommodate dietary restrictions. "We have done everything from lactose-free to vegetarian to vegan meals," said Cathy.
While staying at The Daniel Rust House Bed and Breakfast, the owners have policies in place they ask guests to abide by. There is no smoking allowed at the establishment. Additionally, children under 13 years of age are not allowed to stay at the property, with the hopes of providing a quiet and peaceful place for couples to relax. The bed and breakfast is pet friendly, however, there is an additional fee to clean after pets that stay in the rooms and the owners ask that, if possible, the male dogs are neutered. Dogs with aggressive behavior are prohibited from staying at the property, as the owners ask that visitors bring well-behaved pets.
Germaine and Cathy hope that guests "feel like they are visiting family, but better" during their stay. In order to help visitors feel that way, the innkeepers try to make themselves as available to guests as the individuals want. They try to talk with patrons outside of breakfast hour, throughout the day when they can. Oftentimes, those who stay at the property comment on the hospitality of Germaine and Cathy, as well as the breakfast and the decor in the home. One particular visitor said, "The innkeepers are super friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the 1700s house and gave us a fascinating tour when we arrived. The extensive grounds have beautiful flowers and several sets of chairs to sit and enjoy the day. Breakfast has multiple delicious courses and the area has many enticing restaurants and ice cream places."
Germaine and Cathy hope to help their guests have a good experience exploring the surrounding area and relaxing at the inn. They strive to give attention to detail with the decor, breakfast, and overall business. One of their continuing goals is to have the same level of professionalism and interest in their patrons that they had on the first day. Cathy believes that this mentality has helped the business to be successful, saying, "we are proud of the place, and we love to share it." The Daniel Rust House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round, with its busiest season being specifically in October, but the fall time, generally speaking, is relatively busy at the establishment. Halloween, in particular, is a holiday with many activities in the area, as well as a Halloween package at the bed and breakfast, that draws visitors to the city. For Halloween, the inn hires a psychic or tarot card reader or fortune teller of some sort for all of the guests. There is a meal served and then each patron can have a psychic reading or have their tarot cards read.
The surrounding area of the property also has multiple Halloween activities for visitors and locals alike. The Nathan Hale Homestead, a local museum, puts on an event called "things that go bump in the night." In Willimantic, there is a haunted house event that happens annually. Throughout the year, guests can visit multiple attractions in the area as well. Wangumbaug Lake is within walking distance of the bed and breakfast, with equipment that can be used at the lake, available for rent from the city. The Mark Twain House, as well as the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, are nearby too. About 30-45 minutes away from the inn is also the Foxwood Mohican Casino which Cathy says some guests have visited in the past. Additionally, one of the last four remaining drive-in movie theaters is in close proximity to the bed and breakfast. Nearby restaurants that the owners recommend include Cafe Aura, Dimitri's, and the Hilltop Restaurant Bar and Grill.
Germaine and Cathy have been running the Daniel Rust House Bed and Breakfast since 2007. The bed and breakfast first began in 1992 and was established by Don and JoAnna Harte. Germaine and Cathy have been friends for the past 49 years, and Germaine had always wanted to run a bed and breakfast. The friends moved from New Jersey to Connecticut to experience a "different way of life, and [they] haven't looked back," according to Cathy. When they first saw the Daniel Rust House on sale, they thought that it had "everything [they] both loved," due to the colonial time period of the home and the business. Since purchasing the inn, they have added the antiques that can be found around the house. All of the antiques come from the personal collections of Germaine and Cathy.
The house was originally built for the Rust family as their home. Some of the rooms are named after original family members who lived in the building. The edifice was built in 1731 and many of the original features of the home remain including the floors, the beams in the kitchen, and the chimneys.
2011 Main Street
Coventry, Connecticut 06238
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Cathy and Germaine
Don and JoAnna Harte
