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| Norma A. and Anita M "Love It Here!" |
"Winta" Class of 2001
During our Granite State Ambassador Educational Tour of the Sunapee Region, I was fortunate to have my name chosen in the lottery for The Rosewood Country Inn in Bradford, NH.
Although the Inn is 8 minutes off the main track in Bradford, and was a half hour drive from our meeting place in New London, we found ourselves to have been blessed with a wonderful overnight diamond. As we approached along the quaint and scenic Pleasant View Road we couldn't help but wonder what kind of place we must be headed for, but soon we found this was definitely a delightful place where one would definitely go for a relaxing time away from the world. The acres of manicured, sculpted, picturesque land dressed in flowers was breathtaking. And sitting in it's midst, lying so quiet and lovely was a gorgeous three storied Victorian home with several gables and surrounding Farmers porch with wicker furniture, an artist's painting to behold with a subtle green wooden siding and rose-colored shutters beside all it's many windows.
We immediately felt welcomed as "Dick" met us at the paved drive with his feline friend (who was NOT allowed into the guest area doors) and helped us with our luggage. Inside, we saw the charming guest Living Room and Game/reading room so tasteful and immaculate in Victorian charm with a wide staircase going to the second floor of beauty. There we met "Leslie" and our host owners explained how they had moved from the big city and purchased this "run-down farmhouse and land" about 20 years ago and had done all the renovations and additions slowly over the years, Dick doing the landscaping and helping with the guests, and Leslie doing the Interior Decorating, cooking and collaborating with the architectural designing. She related that she had purchased all hand-made laces and other linens.
And what a fine job they did! Each of the twelve guest rooms are luxuriously decorated and uniquely and aptly named for an American Statesman, an honored woman, or a historical theme. (Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Whispering Pines, Nathanial Hawthorne, Williamsburg, Sturbridge, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Moondance, Dreamcatcher)
We were speechless as we viewed our guest rooms. Mine was romantically adorned with Rose covered vintage style wallpaper and matching quilted chintz window coverings and contrasting pillows on a high posted, queen-sized, hand laced canopied bed with special touches that would have suited Nathanial Hawthorne himself. And the large, full bath facility with all of one's needs was entered via a smaller room containing a corner Jacuzzi decorated with rubber duckies. One could not want for anything, and could feel welcomed and comfortable with a room like this - TV, gas fireplace, electric clock radio, extra bed pillows in a separate closet, (no wi-fi!), windows that opened to the fresh air, a perfectly wonderful mattress, and all the little touches like an ongoing journal for the guests found on the side table and a copy of a self-made book called "Return to Rosewood" by a local NH author. I slept beautifully and awoke to the sound of the birds through my window ajar as they sang from the surrounding greenery, so beautiful with the upcoming sun.
Our morning breakfast was called and we entered a beautiful large dining room clothed for a gourmet banquet in white clothes and rose-colors napkins, candlelight and crystal, silver settings in front of a fully glassed window overlooking a small pond. We certainly were made to feel extra special as Dick served us graciously with a delightful menu of fruit, muffins, juice, coffee and quiche. Breakfast will never be the same again!
This was a perfect spot for a getaway, and we sincerely thanked our owner hosts for their generous hospitality and offering. I wished we could have stayed longer but our Ambassadors were awaiting us for another day's adventure.Dick and Leslie can rest assured that I will definitely recommend their lovely Inn and hospitality to our NH visitors that wish to visit their area or even a NH resident that wishes to get away from it all for awhile.
I have no doubt that they will once again "Return to Rosewood".
