The Tree Top Bed and Breakfast is located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and is also about a 15-minute drive from Lancaster and Reading, two nearby cities. There are six suites available for reservation, all of which are located in a building that the current owner, Bonnie Weaver, built herself. Bonnie designed the property with the goal of being a place where visitors can come, rejuvenate, and relax. Amenities included in the guests' stay are private bathrooms, AC, central heat, an outdoor pool, and a gazebo with a fire pit, plus the access that visitors have to roam the two-acre property at their leisure. If one patron rents out the whole house, they are able to host activities or events such as weddings. The establishment is open year-round and is busiest between June to October due to the "nicer" warmer weather.
Tree Top Bed and Breakfast is located near the town of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, on two acres of land. According to Bonnie Weaver, the owner, the property “looks like home” with a contemporary style throughout the building's open floor plan. “Spacious, beautiful, [and] comfortable” are three words the bed and breakfast owner uses to describe the structure. The building has six guest suites on the premises available for reservation; there is also a separate ground-floor apartment where Bonnie lives. The Dream Suite is the most popular unit on the premise since it has the lowest price room with a whirlpool tub. Another popular unit among visitors is the Hope Suite, due to its low cost and location on the first floor. The Faith Suite is also notable among the other accommodations because it is larger, has a walk-in shower, fireplace, and a king-size bed. Bonnie says that the popularity of the rooms depends on the need of each guest. Common areas throughout the house include the living room, dining room, kitchen, a large 15 by 27 foot screened-in porch, and a deck. All of these areas are open to patrons to use at their leisure.
Outside, visitors can utilize additional areas and features, including a 20'X20' gazebo, plus a fire pit and half bath attached to it. There is also a large outdoor pool for guests to use. Patrons are also allowed to roam the premises and woods connected to the property. The surrounding area is comprised of about 300 acres of mature woodland that is privately owned but is not permitted to be developed by the city. Amenities offered to visitors on the property include “anything you would find in a large upscale home,” says Bonnie. In more detail, such amenities include central heat and AC, a large saltwater outdoor pool, a fully outfitted kitchen, a washer and dryer, and firewood for the fire pit. The owner says that she has tried to set up her property so that her guests feel like they are home.
Breakfast is served to those who reserve a room from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. “It’s a full breakfast,” says Bonnie; they generally serve fruit with coffee, tea, or milk. One example of a meal commonly served for breakfast includes pancakes with bacon, hash browns, pancakes, or eggs with hashbrown potatoes. Bonnie says that “I will customize to what people like,” when referring to what she will serve for the meal. The establishment is willing to make accommodations for dietary restrictions and preferences if they are notified ahead of time. Breakfast is not provided when the whole house is booked as a vacation rental.
Tree Top Bed and Breakfast has been known to be a venue for various events. Such events include weddings that often take place in the gazebo located on the grounds. Other events include “whatever people want to do,” says Bonnie, the owner of the business. They can entail birthday parties and gender reveals, to name a few. Generally, activities that take place on the property occur when families rent the whole house. If the entire house is rented, the guests are required to let the establishment know of any event that will take place on their premises. Other policies for the bed and breakfast include no smoking in the house and “treat [the house] with care and respect,” says Bonnie. The establishment’s goals for the business are to provide an atmosphere that feels like they are home and enables visitors to relax. Overall, Bonnie's biggest goal regarding patrons is to help them feel rejuvenated during their stay. She says that she “set up [the property] for relaxation.” One previous visitor commented that the property is “A wonderful place to relax and unplug. Beautiful, spacious, comfortable house, awesome grounds, convenient to Reading and Lancaster attractions.” The owner says that she sometimes interacts with her guests during the morning breakfast or will meet and answer questions for those renting the whole house. “I’m friendly but not intrusive,” explains Bonnie, meaning that she is more than willing to give patrons their privacy if that is what they want.
“Run away with someone you love” is the Tree Top Bed and Breakfast motto. The owner says that the property is known as a place for people to get away and relax. Bonnie says that one unique aspect of the property is its close proximity to highways and towns while still being secluded on a “quiet mountaintop.” The establishment is about 2 miles from the center of Ephrata and is about 15 minutes from either Lancaster or Reading, two nearby cities.
Bonnie says that a considerable number of people who have come through her property have enjoyed the building and says that they often comment about wanting to come back again later down the road. A few common trends in the reviews that patrons leave about the property include remarks about the surrounding area and the quiet nature of the grounds. One previous guest said that “the grounds are beautiful, and the room was perfect for a romantic getaway. The innkeepers are kind and wonderful cooks. Can’t wait to go back.”
The success of the Tree Top Bed and Breakfast is attributed to the online presence that the property has. “The fact that it is a beautiful, convenient, quiet place to be,” is what Bonnie says has led to her success. Reservations are available year-round for the business, with the busiest season of operation falling between June to October due to the "nicer" weather in the area. Young adults to elderly people are the typical demographic of guests to visit the establishment. Those who stay here often come to the area for the various activities located nearby. Such attractions include visiting the Sight and Sound Theatre, Hersheypark, Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, Dutch Wonderland, Kitchen Kettle Village, Middle Creek Wildlife Refuge, and the Amish Village. A fair amount of children’s museums and various hiking locations can also be found in close proximity to the bed and breakfast. Bonnie recommends that patrons looking for a place to eat in the area should try Olde Lincon house, Gus’s Keystone Family Restaurant, and The New Cloister Restaurant. Generally speaking, Bonie says that the surrounding region is a “very safe area” for people to visit.
In 2007, the Tree Top Bed and Breakfast was built by Bonnie Weaver, a retired builder of custom homes who is still the business's sole owner. Bonnie decided to design and built the building herself, which she says took her about two years to do, and she worked alone most of the time. She subcontracted the excavation, masonry, electrical, drywall, roof, and carpet. During the building process, Bonnie's husband did the plumbing and heating for the structure. The house was designed to lodge Bonnie's parents with them. After they passed, the building was later used to follow Bonnie's idea of having a bed and breakfast.
To convert the building into a bed and breakfast, the owners added a bathroom to the house so that every guest room would have its own private bathroom. Other renovations included building the gazebo and firepit area, and building a large, level area for a tent. In the long run, Bonnie reports that the goal for her business is to keep it “functioning and in good shape.” Future plans for Bonnie include retiring from the business in the next few years and making sure that the building is sold to somebody who plans to continue the Tree Top Bed and Breakfast. Overall, Bonnie says that she enjoys living in a “beautiful home, [and] a beautiful location” and talking with her patrons.
326 Ridge Avenue
Ephrata, Pennsylvania 17522-2556
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Bonita Weaver
