The Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast is currently under the ownership of Penny Maxwell Bingham, who originally converted the establishment into a bed and breakfast. Dating back to 1904, the inn is ornamented with various family heirlooms and vintage details that decorate each room. Visitors are given the option to reserve one of the four guestrooms that are offered at the property, and every guest is provided a sit-down served breakfast in the morning. The bed and breakfast is located about five blocks from downtown Walla Walla, Washington, where visitors can visit wineries, shops, and restaurants. Events are hosted throughout the city year-round.
Located in the southeastern region of Washington, the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast is situated in the city of Walla Walla. The three-story home offers a total of four guestrooms that are available for visitors to occupy, which are as follows: Clearly Crystal, Ravishing Rose, California Suite, and New York Beauty. Penny Maxwell Bingham, the owner of the establishment, explains, "Each room has a different feel, in terms of décor." While every room shares a "vintage theme," each one is unique in its style; for example, the Ravishing Rose room has a clawfoot tub. All four of the guestrooms are equipped with air conditioning, an electric fireplace, cable TV, and free WiFi. It should also be noted that those who reserve either New York Beauty or California Suite can be granted access to a bonus room called Brooklyn Heights, with the intent to provide additional space. Brooklyn Heights contains two twin beds.
In addition to the rooms that guests can reserve, a number of common areas can be found in the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast. There are three particular areas on the premises where visitors can relax at their leisure, which include the property's front porch with Adirondack chairs, the backyard gazebo with a fire pit, and a patio with a heater. Penny comments that in view of Walla Walla being "a big wine country," some visitors like to enjoy a bottle of wine in the previously listed outdoor common areas. Inside the inn, there is also a dining room and living room area where guests may lounge.
Every morning, a sit-down served breakfast is offered in the dining room to everyone staying at the inn. Penny says that they alternate between a sweet and a savory dish each day. Visitors are asked when they would like their breakfast to be served the night before so that Penny can "work around guests' schedules."
Penny takes pride in the property's location, as she remarks that the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast is within walking distance of downtown Walla Walla. Notably, the establishment is found in fairly close proximity to a private liberal arts school known as Whitman College. With regard to attractions that guests can visit, Penny mentions that there are over 200 wineries in the bed and breakfast's vicinity, as well as several restaurants. Some specific dining options that Penny recommends to her patrons are Brasserie Four, T Macs, and Hattaways. Furthermore, she comments that visitors to the area are also given opportunities to engage in outdoor activities, as she believes that they "have a great pickleball community."
The primary goal that Penny Maxwell Bingham—the present owner of the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast—has is to help her guests feel welcome and cared about. With the intent to provide this experience, Penny makes an effort to "greet [visitors] with an attitude that would allow them to feel like they are coming home." Likewise, she bids them farewell upon their departure. Overall, Penny hopes that guests will be satisfied with their experience and that they will feel as though they were treated well. One guest who previously stayed at Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast commented on the hospitality that Penny provided, saying, "Despite our late arrival, Penny ensured we had an easy check-in and even left us chocolate chip cookies! Our room had a separate living area that had plenty of space to lay out our luggage and our wine purchases."
A few policies are put into effect at the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast, which visitors are expected to act in accordance with over the course of their stay. Due to the many vintage items and family heirlooms that are placed throughout the inn, children are not encouraged to stay at the bed and breakfast. Similarly, pets are prohibited from accompanying guests at the property.
The Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast is open from April to November, with the busiest times of operation most commonly occurring during the months of May and October. Penny believes that these are the busiest months due to the many events that take place in Walla Walla, including the Whitman College graduation, Spring Release, and several others. People are also drawn to the area in May and October for the weather conditions and the changing colors of the leaves. Penny observes that the inn receives a fair amount of visitors from Seattle who are trying to leave the rain.
What is now known as the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast first began as a private residence that was constructed in 1904. Penny Maxwell Bingham—the present owner of the establishment—explains that it was originally built as a craftsman-style house and it "had many uses throughout its history." After serving as a private residence, the home was then converted into a boarding house for about six years. Then, the building was utilized as an apartment for roughly 30 years before its ownership was then passed to the hands of Penny, who converted it into a bed and breakfast. Its conversion process, which lasted about a year, entailed removing walls and remodeling the kitchens in two of the rooms to be sitting rooms.
Penny Maxwell Bingham raised her family in California. When her children left home, Penny came to the conclusion that she wanted to "reinvent [her]self" after having been a stay-at-home mom for so long. Considering her love for meeting new people and her enjoyment of visiting bed and breakfasts, Penny decided that she wanted to own a bed and breakfast, and she began planning what specific characteristics she desired it to have. "I wanted a big house on a busy street in a little town with a college—a place where I could ride my bike," she remarks. Eventually, her husband discovered the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast, and Penny found that this property met her standards for the inn she hoped to own. Since becoming the owner of the Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast, Penny has come to find that her favorite part about her job is "meeting the people." She expresses that she sees everyone as "a friend to open [her] door to."
701 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla, Washington 99362
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Penny Maxwell Bingham
