The Wampler House Bed and Breakfast is located in the Bloomington Proper in a rural area of Bloomington, Indiana. There are eight guest accommodations on the property, each including amenities such as jacuzzi tubs, walk-in showers, pull-out beds, and private balconies. The owner and chef, Zack, prepares a hot breakfast every morning. The original home of Wampler House was built in 1857 and, although extensive renovations were made, the home still has the same walls and flooring it did when built in the 1800s. The Wampler House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round.
The Wampler House Bed and Breakfast is a boutique hotel located just outside of the university city of Bloomington, Indiana. Placed on almost one and a half acres of land, the historic home resides in the rural area of Bloomington Proper. A large lawn surrounds the bed and breakfast that sits on top of a hill overlooking the surrounding area. The area is known for being a limestone quarry countryside, and the home overlooks many monuments of old mining sites. The three lots surrounding the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast were previously parts of a dairy farm the original owners of the home built and managed. Trees surround the bed and breakfast, and the home's garden beds are filled with shrubbery and flowers. Azalea bushes are planted throughout the property and bloom during the Indiana University graduation when there are the most guests at the bed and breakfast. Other trees and plants were planted strategically so there would always be something in bloom throughout the year. A croquet set is placed on the lawn for guests to use, and over five miles of walking and biking trails surround the property. Across the street from the hotel are Clear Creek, a flowing waterway, and a Washington monument. A fitness gym is also located across the street. There are two parts to the two-story home, the front is the original historic space built in 1857, and the back is an addition built around early 2000. Wampler House is white with a large front porch outfitted with rocking chairs and a porch swing. Off the back of the home is a deck used for outdoor dining during the breakfast hour. A large portico is located right outside the main entrance to the front office. This shaded area is where guests can park their cars to check-in and unload their luggage before moving their vehicle to the designated parking area at the rear of the property. The home was first built in a Victorian style with intricate trim and very specific architectural elements. Previous owners of the boutique hotel made an effort to preserve the original look and decor of the home; however, when the property came into the ownership of Donna and her husband Zack, they made a few changes. In an effort to make the space less cluttered, not only was the bed and breakfast completely remodeled, but more modern decor replaced the old antique trinkets. Art lines the walls, and antique furniture brings the historical nature of the space together. Within the home, there are eight rooms available for reservation. On the ground floor, guests can eat breakfast in one of the two dining areas. The newer dining room opens out to the back deck and features smaller dining tables. The large main dining room has a single large table and is located right off of the kitchen. A parlor and library are also located on the ground floor and are spaces guests can use at their leisure. Upstairs among the rooms is a small loft area with a sofa and two large reclining chairs. The guest accommodations at the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast are outfitted with amenities, unlike some bed and breakfasts. Six of the rooms have a walk-in shower and separate jacuzzi hot tubs. Four of the rooms, including the two without jacuzzis, have walkout balconies. Toiletries are included in each bathroom, including shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath for the jacuzzi, lotion, and hand soap. All of the bathrooms are ensuite with large vanities, and free wireless internet is available throughout the bed and breakfast. Additional amenities inside the rooms include a flat-screen television, a fireplace, natural light, and linens. The Bender Room and the Jamison Room have queen-sized beds. The rooms have walkout decks and large showers. The Mathers Room features a double-door shower and a gas-log fireplace, along with the Finley Room, which also has a jacuzzi tub. Williams Room is a second-floor suite with a large closet and a queen-sized brass bed. For guests wanting additional room for pull-out beds, the Dillman Suite is located on the home's first floor and has a private library adjoining the room. Donna, the owner of the property, has a personal favorite guest accommodation. Her favorite is the Barrett Room because it resides on the second floor of the original Wampler House and has a view of the woods just beyond the property borders. The room has a king-sized bed and a spacious bathroom. Because the room is located in the older part of the boutique hotel, the original hardwood floors of the home line the room as well as the 1857 architecture. The most commonly reserved room is the Wampler Suite. This is the largest of the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast rooms and holds a king-size sleigh bed, a sitting area with a daybed, and a walkout deck. This room caters to individuals staying for longer amounts of time or for families with children. Zack, another owner of the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast, built his career as a corporate chef and has taken his skills to the kitchen at this boutique hotel to serve guests breakfast every morning. A two-course meal is prepared for every guest at the bed and breakfast each morning. The first course usually includes some fruit, yogurt, Bloomington special blender granola from one of the nearby bakeries, a mini muffin, banana bread, and a breakfast cake. After that, Zack brings out a hot entrée which usually consists of an egg scramble or egg bake, depending on the group size. These egg dishes usually include ham, chicken, artichoke, or peppers. Along with the eggs, hash browns, bacon, and sausage are brought out. For guests with allergies or dietary restrictions, the menu can be adjusted. Besides the miles of trails around the area, guests can participate in many other activities and attractions during their stay at the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast. The Clear Creek one-room schoolhouse, an antique store, and the old railroad monument are all within five miles of the boutique hotel. Other recommended attractions in the area include visiting Indiana University Campus, spending time on Lake Monroe, or exploring the Brown County, State Park. Many locally-owned restaurants are located on the border of Bloomington. Janko’s Little Zagreb is a highly recommended Hungarian steak house in the area, along with Malibu Grill located at the center of the main courthouse square. The Uptown Café is another popular eatery.
Guest satisfaction is at the top of Zack and Donna’s list of goals when it comes to running their bed and breakfast. The couple spends a lot of time interacting with their guests. Donna welcomes every guest, helping them with their luggage and giving them a tour of the bed and breakfast. She always takes care to get a feel for each of her guests and learn why they are in the area to know how much interaction she can have with them. Zack checks with guests who may have dietary restrictions to put together a breakfast menu that will suit their needs. During the breakfast hours, he will often make an effort to visit them and ask for any suggestions they may have for his cooking. Because Indiana University is nearby, the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast welcomes guests worldwide. They have had visitors from Dubai, Germany, South Africa, and even China. Most of these visitors have never stayed in a bed and breakfast, and Donna and Zack are dedicated to creating a proper experience for them. Donna explains staying at the bed and breakfast as “staying at your favorite cousin's house.” It’s supposed to be an adventure, but also feel like a home. Donna and Zack’s mission statement is to “give the people what they want or need.” The people who visit the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast are typically doing it because they need a break and would like to get away from their busy everyday lives. Donna and Zack want to spoil their guests by providing attentive hospitality with luxury amenities and a chef’s cooked breakfast. Since their ownership, the couple has made many changes to the home by switching up the décor and adding certain amenities. Though they have made these changes, they still strive to be very respectful of the history that comes with the home. A guest at the bed and breakfast noticed this, leaving this remark in a review, “The room was beautiful, the history Donna shared of the place was really interesting.” Wampler family heirlooms and photographs of the original home are on display throughout the home, and Donna is always available for guests to ask questions about the property. In order to uphold their standards of cleanliness and the historical value for the property, some policies have been put in place. No chewing tobacco, smoking, or underage drinking is allowed on the grounds, and neither are pets. Although Donna and Zack are big animal lovers and even have a dog of their own, they want to be mindful of people with allergies. Guests often leave positive reviews regarding the cleanliness of the space as well as the hospitality of their hosts. One guest left this review, “The owners truly go above and beyond to make your stay special. They take a level of care that really shows how much they love hosting and caring for their guests. They have thought through all the little details, like having a dark-colored washcloth to wash makeup off. I also greatly enjoyed the huge jacuzzi tub and provided bubble bath. The breakfasts were phenomenal; you can tell a trained chef is preparing it.” The typical demographic of guests staying at the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast consists of families, couples, and individuals usually visiting the area for events at the nearby Indiana University. The property is open year-round, but the early fall and late spring are by far the busiest times of the year. Students go back to school during the fall, and parents often need a place to stay while moving them in. During spring, there are many fraternity parties with families, parents' weekends, and university graduation.
John and Sarah Mathers built the home of the Wampler House Bed and Breakfast in the year 1857. In 1917 a tornado took off the original chimney of the home and dropped it on the front lawn, where it still sits today as a flower planter. Several different people lived in the home before it was sold to the Wampler family in 1938. The property originally included a barn, garage, spring house, and two chicken coops spreading over four acres of land. All of the walls in the home are fifteen inches thick, and the barn and garage still stand today with some improvements. Wampler House was built to overlook the nearby railroad and railroad station down the road. The Wampler family lived in the home for decades before it was converted into a bed and breakfast in 2009. Donna and Zack live directly behind the bed and breakfast in a small house. They purchased the property in 2015. Zack worked as a corporate chef and owned his own breakfast-lunch restaurant for over ten years before the couple decided they wanted to move closer to family and start their own small business. A Wampler descendant lives in the lot next to the original Wampler House, and the couple hopes to purchase his land when he moves away in the coming years. If they can purchase the other acre next door, the couple could create more guest housing and restore the home's original chicken coops and garage. Zack and Donna enjoy meeting new people and being close to their families without living in the big city. Zack still gets to cook, which was his goal when finding a new business venture. The couple is content with their small establishment for the coming years and doesn't plan to make any big changes.
4905 South Rogers Street
Bloomington, Indiana
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Zack & Donna
Wampler Family
