Old Rittenhouse Inn was exceptional experience

As a writer I often find that words come easily to me. That being said, I have to be honest about an amazing trip Jason and I took over the weekend. There are few words to describe how impressed we were with the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield.

Having never been to a Bed & Breakfast before we didn’t know what to expect from our adventure. What should we wear? How do we tip? What kinds of activities will we find to do?

Old Rittenhouse Inn is a classy place with a wonderful, laid-back atmosphere. Featured in magazines such as Midwest Living, Gourmet Magazine, Victoria Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, MN Monthly, Country Inns Magazine and Corporate Report Wisconsin Old Rittenhouse Inn is known for its gourmet food, elegant decor and numerous antiques collected by owners Mary and Jerry Phillips.

I had the luxury of choosing our room by going online at www.rittenhouseinn.com and taking the virtual 360 tour. Jason and I stayed in Room 7, which featured an Asian theme with lovely antiques, such as a beautiful tea set.

Although Mary and Jerry were away for the weekend, Jason and I were greeted with warm hospitality by the couple’s son Mark and his wife Wendy, who handle the marketing and public relations for the Inn. Mark and Wendy are very down to earth. Jason and I had the pleasure of chatting with them after breakfast on Sunday morning. We learned that after some time away from Wisconsin, Mark couldn’t stay away from the majestic beauty of Bayfield. Returning home, he and Wendy started a family. Now, with one-year-old Kyra the entire Phillips family stays close to Bayfield all year enjoying their time together and running the Inn.

It is hard to say what we liked the best about our trip. While the Victorian Inn was absolutely breathtaking, our meals were, in a word, exquisite.

Dinner is five courses with a different menu each evening. I started out with a potato and corn chowder followed by a salad topped with lake trout and a dressing that was a little bit sweet, a little bit creamy and a whole lot of tasty. Next came the berry sorbet. My main course was roasted duck with a cherry/chili sauce atop wild rice. I finished my meal with crémé brulé served in an apple. And this is where words fail me. This meal was more than wonderful, and most likely my favorite part of our trip.

After dinner Jason and I grabbed our bottle of wine and headed to our room to enjoy the hot tub and fireplace. It was a wonderful way to spend a cold winter night. One of the greatest observations was the lack of a television. We noticed that we have become accustom to always having the background noise of the TV even when we are not watching it. Sitting in silence and simply enjoying the sound of each other’s voices was great.

Sun and blue skies greeted us in the morning. We took some time to walk around the Inn taking everything in. Some of the antiques were mysterious.

“What do you suppose that was used for?”

From knick-knacks to furniture, we enjoyed looking at all of the pieces the Phillips family has collected over the years.

Breakfast was another tasty event. Our waitress, Sasha, who also served us dinner, gave us the menu verbally. We were amazed at her talent as the menu went beyond the three egg combo served with pancakes or toast. Belgian waffles, omelettes, poached eggs atop smoked salmon...the list goes on. It was again a great meal from a place well-known near and far for their cuisine.

Visually, my favorite part of the Old Rittenhouse Inn was the stained glass, which was done by local artists depicting scenes from the Bayfield area. In the evening, light shines through expressing rich colors and delicate detail against the night sky.

We are planning on returning to the Inn again in the future. Of particular interest to us are the Special Event Weekends planned at Old Rittenhouse Inn. From a Wassail Dinner Concert near Christmastime to Beer Tasting weekends and Margarita Island Weekend, we’re sure there is fun to be had!

For anyone who has never been to a B&B, I would advise you to just do it! It was a great mix of class and casual with exceptional service. We were not sorry we went and I can guarantee that you will not be sorry either! Old Rittenhouse Inn is a great little get-away for any time of the year.

Janelle Verke is the Managing Editor of the Hermantown Star. She can be reached at jverke@hermantownstar.com