The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast is a historic-themed bed and breakfast that can be found in Erie, Pennsylvania. The building that makes up The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast is among some of the oldest buildings in the town, as it was built in 1872. Due to the layout of the city, there are a number of places, both restaurants, and entertainment, that are within walking distance of the property. The inn can be found a few blocks away from the water's edge of Lake Erie, specifically south of the Presque Isle Bay. According to the owner, Presque Isle Bay is one of the biggest and most popular attractions and has been rated one of the top ten locations to see sunsets in the world.
The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast has a total of seven rooms available for guests to rent. Each room is individually decorated, and the size and number of beds differ between them. For example, rooms one, four, and six have single queen-sized beds, while rooms three and seven have two queen beds. Regardless of which space is rented out, each room comes equipped with a television, access to Wi-Fi, a private bathroom. Additionally, guests have access to breakfast in the morning. Along with those amenities, snacks—including coffee and tea—are offered at all times of the day, and on Fridays and Saturdays, trays of wine and cheese are available as well. The owner, whose name is Vickie, mentions that room one, which is called Rose, tends to be the most popular of the seven. Her personal favorite is room three, called Jayne. Jayne is the most original room and is currently the only one that has a bathtub, while the others have showers.
Breakfast takes place every morning starting at 8:00 and ending around 10:00. The owner explains that if she is given enough time to prepare, she can be more flexible with the time. "I've done breakfast as early as 4:30 in the morning, and I've done breakfast as late as 11:00." The dishes prepared for the morning meal tend to vary each morning to ensure that guests staying multiple days can have something different each morning. In the past, she has served dishes like bacon and egg quiche, lemon blueberry yogurt with granola, and homemade scones. The typical layout of breakfast tends to include something sweet or savory along with fruit or yogurt, as well as scones, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon buns, or muffins of some kind. Another thing she's able to do for her guests is that she can make dishes that pertain to different eating habits and dietary needs. Accommodations can be made for guests that need dishes that are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, keto, or other types. As long as there is enough time given to make these accommodations, they can prepare almost anything guests would like or need.
The property has an abundant amount of flowers and herbs growing in the gardens that are located in the yards. The spices they grow in their gardens are used to help them prepare their meals in the morning. Vickie's brother does a majority of the landscaping around the house. Close to the property are a few parking lots for other businesses, but there are also a number of activities that can be done in the area. Several highlights that are within walking distance include going to the theatres, baseball fields, and ice hockey rinks, which is where The Otters play, along with several museums that host a number of different historical artifacts.
The city of Erie is moderately sized and compact, putting a number of things and places of interest within walking distance. The owner mentions that several of her favorite restaurants in the area include Colao's Ristorante, which serves Italian food, and Oliver's Rooftop, which serves a variety of higher-end meals. Pier 6 Rooftop Bar and Restaurant is another favorite, which provides a number of different types of sandwiches, burgers, and salads. There are also an assortment of attractions in the area that guests can go to for entertainment. Vickie's recommendations include going to a SeaWolves baseball game at the ballparks in Gannon University, which is only a few blocks away from the inn, the Erie Insurance Arena, where concerts and live music tend to take place, which is right next to the SeaWolves baseball stadium, and visiting Lake Erie, specifically the Presque Isle Beach. Presque Isle Beach is a renowned beach in the area that stretches fourteen and a half miles across the edge of the lake. Vickie reports that the beach was also rated one of the top ten areas to view the sunset in the world at one point.
The owner of The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast says that she does her best to create an environment that is relaxing to the visitors. She hopes that the inn can become a place for guests to unwind. While The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast is found in the middle of the city of Erie, she tries her best to make it feel "like an oasis for people visiting the city that makes it feel like they aren't in the middle of a city at all." She explains that she really enjoys hanging out with the people who stay at the inn and is happiest when her guests are happy. As the owner of The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast, she does a large amount of the work around the inn, although she does not run the bed and breakfast alone. Her aunt helps out with some of the baking for breakfast in the mornings and her brother, whose name is John, tends to the upkeep of the outside of the property, ensuring the gardens are well taken care of and fixing smaller and more basic damages to the furniture and such.
In order to help maintain the quality of the property, Vickie has several policies in place that she asks guests to abide by during their stay. One policy that is in effect is their no-smoking policy. Guests are not allowed to smoke inside any of the rooms of the house. However, smoking is permitted outside and on the patio that is found on the south side of the building, as long as it is not done on or near the front door. They are unable to allow pets inside the building and ask that guests don't bring any animals with them when they come for their stay. She also strongly discourages guests from bringing any children under the age of ten. She explains that they will sometimes allow children younger than ten, although it is best for guests to speak to her about it before they plan on bringing their young ones.
There have been a number of reviews left about The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast, specifically regarding the quality of the breakfast that they were provided, the quality of care they received during their stay, and the cleanliness of the building. One person that recently stayed at The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast recently wrote, "John greeted us at the parking lot. He told us to walk around to the front, and we were greeted by Vickie. They made us feel right at home at our first bed and breakfast. We love our rooms. Homemade breakfast is better than what we get at hotels which is usually a granola bar, etc. Vickie is one of the sweetest gals; she was busy and still had time to answer my question and showed us to our room." The typical demographic of guests tend to be aged between the late 20s and late 70s. They see a wide variety of guests throughout the year. Their best season of operation tends to be in the spring.
The building that makes up The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast was originally built in 1872. A "lumber baron," or someone who is very successful in the lumber business, constructed a house so that he, his wife, and his seven children could have a place to live. It is believed to have been called the George Carrol House not long after construction on the house was completed. In the 1930s, the house became a boarding house until the 70s, after which it was closed down. Ever since it closed in the 70s, it has been under the threat of being bulldozed down to build a parking lot three times, but each time it has been saved.
The current owner of the establishment, Vickie, decided to join the lodging industry "on a whim." She says that she was unsure about how successful it would be or if it would be enjoyable for her. When Vickie found the building, she really liked it and decided to give it a shot. Ever since the building was purchased, she has found that she really enjoys helping people and watching them leave her establishment happier than they arrived.
Vickie explains that, since they are in the heart of a larger city, there is quite a bit of construction in the area, although there tends not to be enough to cause a significant disturbance. She is excited for when the building is finished, though, as there will be several facilities that guests will be able to take part in and enjoy while they stay at The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast. Several new restaurants are set to finish construction in the near future, as well as a few retail stores. A brand new rock climbing gym is being built in the vicinity.
401 Peach Street
Erie, Pennsylvania 16507
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Vickie
